Shadowlands 4: He's not heavy he's my shadow

We walked for a long time. Simple as that, I think they actually lengthened the length of daytime just so we could walk more. We went through all the towns and villages that I would now be fighting to protect. 1

Some of the towns really sucked, just being blunt here, but I don't know why the people lived in the little craphole houses in the depressing places we saw. Other towns however actually looked kinda nice. Not that I'd want to live in their craphole homes either, but I still wouldn't have minded that much, but still.2

The caravan was a bit like a parade at times, people rushed out to the streets to watch. 3

Men shouted their admiration, women blew kisses, children threaded through their legs trying to get a better look, the brave ones even broke the lines and came out to stare at me before a parent scooped them up. They knew who I was, or at least what I was, I was an outsider, their salvation -more truth in those words than I knew.4

"I know why you're doing this," I said to the Captain.5

"Doing what?" he snapped back.6

"Showing me all these happy people who could be living better lives but aren't. You're trying to convince me not to run away. If I was planning on running, a: you wouldn't dissuede me, b: it wouldn't happen just yet."7

"Will it happen?" he asked grinning.8

"Sorry mac, that would be too easy now wouldn't it," I replied, winking at him. He scowled back at me. 9

We made camp in the outskirts of whatever town we happened to be in when night fell. Somehow we timed it perfectly so that the moment we got to a good spot the sun plummited beneath the horizon.10

I discovered after a few nights that I had actually made quite a name for myself in the arena. I got a few marriage proposals even, but they were all too young or too, male.11

I shook hands and stood behind mayors as they made speeches, somehow trying to cling themselves to my image. I guess elections were going on and they wanted to make a last effort at staying incumbant.12

It was after the fourth time of a mayor claiming that he and I were good friends and that I would probably do work for the city at a reduced price if you vote for him, blah blah blah, when I realized something. I wasn't arguing with them on the grounds that I didn't want to make a scene, because it would be impolite and whatnot. But then, I didn't actually care.13

So right when he turned the attention to me, hoping that I would cave under pressure and say 'yes' I said, "No," and turned to walk away, flipping him off as I did so. I walked back to the camp where the shadows were waiting for me. A few of them were snickering.14

"Really showed that pig huh?" one of them said through chuckling.15

I looked around at them, "Is it just me, or is every mayor in this place a fat rich idiot?" they burst out laughing, and I continued, "Notably the only fatty in the city."16

"That's the trouble with humans," one of them said.17

I turned and glared at him, "What is?"18

The laughter stopped. Shakingly he said, "No I. I didn't mean you, I meant."19

"Don't worry about it," I wasn't that upset, and I really didn't need tension right now, "You're right." There was a silent sigh of relief that I could feel still going as I lay down next to the fire.20

It was cold. Leather is nice in a moderate climate, but the weather was sucking the heat right through my armor. I bought a fleece blanket once we got to another town and put it on the cart, which had some sort of invisible donkey pulling it.21

It was during the day that I bought my blanket, that we came to the edge of the island. It was the first time I had seen the edge, or at least I think it was. I looked out over the sheer dropoff down into the abyss. A swirling gooey mist of pure black. Every now and then a flock of eyes with wings flew out of it. Most of them were small. I could see the veins in their spasmicly colored eyes. Purplish red wings and feet sticking out of the nerve bundle that served as a body.22

One of the shadows took out a sling and hurled a rock at a flying eye. The rock hit and black tendrils of smoke burst out. The eye popped and clear liquid splattered everywhere. It fell into the abyss.23

He put the sling away, and we went out onto the floating road. "It's, beautiful," I said, looking into the distance where the black pit met the pale sky in a swirling mess of sharply defined light and dark.24

"You're wierd," said the captain. "You'll probably fit in, except, I don't think anyone else has ever called THAT, beautiful."25

We stopped at the sound of two thuds behind us. There was a chirping noise that sounded like the offspring of a gerble and a seal. We turned slowly around and saw an eyewing. Its weight was probably more than all of us, shadows, human, armor, equipment, and such combined. In its talons it held a popped eyewing.26

"Oh look," I said, "We've found a proud parent." I turned to the shadow who had thrown the rock, "You hit her baby," I sang.27

"She doesn't know that," he said, nervously.28

"I don't think she cares, she's pissed."29

"Shutup shutup SHUTUP!"30

It really didn't matter what I said, the thing couldn't understand me, if it could even hear, or comprehend for that matter. However she could scratch, really hard. She cleaved one of the soldiers in half, slowly he reformed where his legs landed.31

"Kill it!" shouted the captain.32

The Eyewing charged through them. A few guards got knocked off into the abyss. She slammed her pupil down on one, and when she came up the shadow was gone. The captain struck her with a mace, sinking it deep into the soft flesh of the iris.33

She recoiled, and then sucked him into her pupil. Only a few of the guards were still in good condition, and she was making short work of them. I grabbed one of the severed bodies and tossed it onto the donkey cart. The guard started regrowing.34

I kicked the imaginary donkey, and it screamed its complaint. I whipped it with my chain and it finally started running.35

The eyewing continued consuming the other shadows. When she was finished, she turned her attention to us, stretched her wings and flew.36

"If you can catch that thing," started the guard, "We may be able to save the others. But we have to get to the stronghold before sunrise."37

I looked at the horizon. Sunset. Should be enough time right? How far could it be? "Ten miles till we're there." I can go ten miles on a donkey cart right?38

The eyewing swooped at us. Coming close enough to strike at with my shackles. She chirped and shrieked as she flew around. Then, once we were on solid ground, I made a mistake. As she came at me, straight on, I belted her in the pupil. Her body fell to the ground.39

"Idiot!" shouted the shadow, "If she dies we cannot save them."40

"Well then, help me get her onto the cart," I snapped back, "Not like anyone ever explained the things to me."41

We strapped it down to the cart, and the donkey freaked out. It started kicking, which is dangerous for an invisible donkey, or rather the guy standing by it. It broke the yoke and took off into the abyss. "Damnit!" we shouted in unison. I muttered it again to myself. The guard was in no condition to drag the cart, which left me.42

"How far you say?" I asked.43

"Nother nine miles I'd guess." He sat on the cart. "You sure you can pull this thing?" he added, after he noticed me eyeing the cart.44

"You ever hear of the little engine that could?" I asked, buckling a strap through my right shackle. He shook his head. I swung the strap over my left shoulder, and the chain over my right. Arms crossed over my chest I turned away saying, "Nice to meet you. You can call me Al."45

I turned my head to the road. Ten feet off track. "This is stupid," I muttered. I. Think. I. Can. I. Think. I. Gggrrrutch. I. Think. I. Can. I. Think. I. Gggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrutch. I. Think. I. Can. I. Think. "IIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" I screamed the pain in my muscles. The thing was stuck. I. Think. I. Can. I. Think. I. "RRRRRRAAAAA!" One small spurt and it hit the road. 46

I. Think. I. Foom! I. Think. I. Foom! I. Foom! I. Foom! I think I can. I think I can. The road started moving past me faster. I think I can I think I can I think I can I think I47

Damn. Mountain. It was steep really steep. Apparantly I had cleared eight miles with nothing but pain and venom on my mind. Here was the real test. Spindly trees that looked like gnarled fists littered the side of the hill. Rocks lay strewn about.48

Convenient. There was no warning. Just a big ol' mountain with no foothills. I braced myself against the weight. Somehow I was in a desert, though moments earlier I distinctly remembered trees and grass. 49

I leaned up the hill and strained. My mantra pulling me along. The thing was heavy. I could hardly move the cart. I watched a scorpion scuttle up the hill, passing me without notice. "A little help?" I scowled at it with scorn.50

Rocks passed slowly under my tunneling vision. Red ants. Black ants. Ants holding parades with big bras bands, and little ant floats made of ant cars.51

Dehydrated, or at least I hope I was, I trudged slowly up the hill. I got to the top, and over the small peak in the ridge, the cart still on the other side. Iii thiiink Iii caaan. The right wheel hit a rock, and I lost balance, I flipped around as the cart pulled me back. I grabbed my sword and slammed it into the ground, bracing my feet against it as my hands were pulled away from me.52

I grabbed the hilt and swung around it. Using the blade and both feet I started back up the hill. I reached the crest, anc slammed the sword in. Bracing against it once more I pulled the cart over the ridge. "I KNOW I CAN!" the cart came up over the crest and started rolling at me. "I think I can?" I pulled the sword and started running, trying to keep ahead of my burden.53

The cart veered, and pulled me, then veered the other way and threw me again. We hit level ground and the Eye woke up. She started flapping and the cart took off. "Great, a flying donkey cart with a scared guard and an angry eyeball," I said, picking up the pace.54

As we approached the citadel walls the eye started winning. So, I stopped, and braced myself on the blade again. The cart flew over my head and slammed into the ground overturned. There was a loud pop, and a gooey liquid squirted out everywhere. The consumed shadows crawled out weakly.55

"Wait," I said to the guard, "I thought You Said, if I killed it we couldn't get them out."56

The guard looked at me sheepishly, "Yeah, well the thing is... Gotta go!" they all vanished.57

I felt cold creeping up my spine. I looked up and the death cloak was descending toward me. He said nothing, he only extended a lepered finger to me, and beckonned. I followed him to the wall, and as we approached the world went black.