Two Wolves, One Shadow Read online

  ***

  The dark figure sat on the monument’s shoulder, unperturbed that the boy had seen him. With no way down but past the boy, he had no other option but to stay up here. Besides, the others would be back soon with their leaders. He hadn’t expected the boy to break the leash and confront his biggest fear so quickly. He’d been quite amazed at how James’ compassion for the beast had evolved. Most would find the evil and then kill it. But you can’t really kill the beast, or hide it, or pretend it doesn’t exist; no shadow would ever allow that to happen. Was it instinct or had the boy actually worked it out — that to free himself he would have to free the beast, embrace it and even love it. He laughed and shook his head in admiration.

  James picked up a shard of glass on the ground. The swine was mocking him, laughing at him. He hurled the missile at his target, leveraging all of his power. The sliver glistened in the light rays as it spun through the air.

  The dark figure managed to evade the attack. However, he almost fell while trying to avoid the glass missile. He scurried out of the way, hiding behind Pete’s head. He hadn’t been expecting the boy’s attack. Down below on the ground, abandoned glass shards littered the construction site. His labourers, following his command, had gone to fetch their masters. A second projectile whizzed by his head, almost decapitating him. The boy was a great shot and stronger than ever, he noted. Did he know that this was one of the few things that could kill a shadow - a blade of light wielded with deadly intent? He wasn’t laughing anymore. Things were deadly serious; he might have to fight him right now. Where are they? He needed his subjects and rescuers to arrive.

  The distance was too far; James needed to get closer. Arming himself with a few missiles, which he tucked into his belt, James placed his right foot onto the monument. When his hands found a suitable hold he lifted himself up. He strained upwards, looking for his adversary. It was impossible for his shadow to avoid facing him any longer. He lifted his left leg, finding the next foothold. James heard a loud crack a split second before an electric shock hit him so hard it shook every bone in his body. He fell from the statue onto the ground, twitching in a fit of pain. The agony ceased as abruptly as it had started, as though a switch had been turned off. James lay face down, motionless on the deck, eyes shut and half dead.

  Drifting in and out of consciousness, James was occasionally aware of gruff voices talking about him. He was too drowsy to make out what they were saying, but he was conscious of bodies moving around him. Only just perceiving reality, he felt something rough and sharp clamped to his legs and wrists before someone placed a heavy weight around his neck. Signalling his return to the living, he coughed, breaking out of his semi-conscious state. His captors pulled James brutally to his feet by a chain attached to a collar around his neck. The restraint griped his throat like a vice, to the point where he struggled to swallow.

  Disorientated and in severe discomfort, James took a moment to comprehend his situation. The monument standing in front of him had burst into life with a swarm of dark bodies working on it. Pieces of glowing glass wobbled in the air as they were transported on the pulley system. Several dark figures laboured at the furnace while many more were scattered across the construction site, industriously working away at various tasks to complete the monument. If Grandpa hadn’t described the figures to him many times in his stories, James might have mistaken them for shadows. As it was, even though he still felt groggy, he easily recognized the demons for what they were.