Shadow Warrior

Chapter 9

Galadin was standing before Abby. His hand on her back as he talked to her. Her ears were ringing as she felt each infliction of pain through her bond to Leo. Her nails were digging into her palms, causing her to bleed. She wasn’t going to allow herself to scream.

Sweat had built up on her body as wave after wave of pain raked through her body. She knew Galadin was trying to talk to her, but she couldn’t focus long enough to hear him. His lips were moving, but the sound was not reaching her.

Trying to stand, she leaned against a wall. Her head touched the cold stone. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to focus on the pain. There was a way to quiet the bond, but she needed the stone to do so.

“Need…Midnight…stone.” She choked out. Her breathing labored. Keeping her eyes closed, she had hoped Galadin understood her words. Fighting the pain was causing her to get a migraine on top of all the other pain she was experiencing. Her eyes were sensitive to the lights around them.

She felt Galadin’s presence recede from space. Her hope was he had what she needed. In this condition, she would be of no use to Leo. The Midnight stone was a cheat code essentially. She would still feel everything happening to Leo, but this would let her focus. Essentially turning down the volume of their bonds.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she turned her body and pulled up her sleeves. Taking the stone, she placed it on the rune. As soon as she was done speaking the words, she felt a wave of relief wash over her body. Almost instantly, her heart slowed to a manageable pace and her mind cleared.

Able to open her eyes, she saw she was in an older looking building. The walls were made of stone. The air about the place spoke of lifetimes. There wasn’t any sign of the place being updated to meet the current times. The space was only lit by candlelight and whatever light the outside world offered.

“Galadin, thank you for your help. Do you have any way I can contact the Concurrence?” Slowly pushing off the wall, Abby tested her legs to see if they would hold.

“Yes. Down the hall and to the left is my study.” He pointed down the corridor.

“Thank you.” Abby was still winded from the experience. However, her mind had turned and was assessing the situation. Coming up with a plan. She could still feel Leo and his pain, but what she noticed as she walked down the corridor, is that she felt no fear from him. This set her on edge. Leo knew something she didn’t. He hadn’t quite resolved himself, but he wasn’t going to fight whatever came at him.

Entering the small room, she found the desk with a phone. Picking up the receiver, she called Leo’s parents. Their phone number was one of few she had engrained in her memory. They would have to send a request for back up and report Leo’s capture.

The phone only rang once before Leo’s father picked up the phone. Abby explained what happened in detail, but removed any emotion from it. Allowing her emotions to take over would only further complicate matters. Shadow Warriors are expected to handle all situations in a calm and collected manner.

Once done with her report, Leo’s father let her know he would be in contact with the Concurrence immediately. She was not to move until orders were given. Leo’s father sounded pained as he told her to stay put. She knew he was just as frustrated as she was at this part of the process.

Finishing their call, she made her way back to Galadin. He was sitting in the room they originally arrived in, sharpening a knife. His demeanor did not portray him as a threat. More like keeping busy.

“What instructions have you been given?” His eyes only met hers for a brief moment.

“I have not yet been given orders. My orders are to stay put until the Concurrence has made a decision.” I couldn’t hide my distaste.

“That’s the biggest load of crap I have ever heard.” Galadin’s face had dropped and Abby could see the brewing storm behind his eyes.

“I cannot disobey orders.” Abby signed and took a seat. Putting her face in her hands. Leo was still being tortured. She could feel the hope he had. The hope she was coming.

Galadin went back to sharpening each of his knives while Abby chewed on her nails until they were bleeding. Several times, Abby got up and paced the room until Galadin scolded her for making him anxious.

It took Leo’s father 4 hours to get an answer. By this point, Abby was queasy and restless. Galadin just looked like that world didn’t matter.

The answer they were given was one that shocked Abby. Leo’s parents were told not to rescue him. Abby was to go back to their home and prepare funeral arrangements. They were writing him off as dead. Even though they knew, Leo was very much alive and that he would continue to be alive, if they didn’t get to him, he would be possessed.

Leo’s parents were informed another team was being dispatched to execute Leo. Which in turn meant they would also start preparing for Abby’s funeral.

Abby was able to hold her composure until the phone line went dead. Screaming as tears of fear and frustration ate at her. Every fiber of her being had been trained to obey orders at all given times. Now, she was fighting it.

“I take it the Concurrence has signed his death certificate?” Galadin looked up at Abby. His brow raised in question.

“Yes.” The tears in her eyes were threatening to leak, but she wasn’t going to let them. Crying would get her nowhere at this point. Action would.

“I suspected. Well, whenever you are ready, I have amassed forces which have spent this entire time preparing. They will be here within the hour.”

Galadin’s words were confusing. Abby didn’t understand what he was talking about doing. The look on her face spoke volumes and Galadin clarified.

“We are going to go get him back. He may be a Shadow Warrior, and although I am not your number one fan, I do not want to deal with the hell Valak will bring to all of our lives should he get out.”

Abby looked at the weaponry she had with her. It wasn’t going to be enough. As if reading her mind, Galadin motioned for her to follow him.

They walked down the hallway and descended the stairs. As they walked, it got darker and the smell of mold was prominent. Galadin’s fingers sparked with flames, which allowed them to see around them. A chill shivered down Abby’s back. It was cold in the hall the stairs lead to.

Each of their footsteps echoed down the empty space. Galadin stopped in front of a door and pulled out a very old-looking key. The lock gave no resistance in receding. Light blasted out into the hallway, allowing Abby to see the water leaking from the walls.

Following Galadin in, she saw a large room with all different forms of weaponry hanging on each wall. There wasn’t an empty wall in the entire room. Her eyes moved past each weapon, identifying each one.

“The others will be here soon. Choose your weapon of choice.” Galadin motioned for her to move forward.

Abby took several steps forward, taking a bow in her hand. It was light, but powerful. Magic raced through it to her hand. It was like it had its own mind. Looking around, she found no arrows. Turning to ask Galadin, he beat her to the punch.

“It will manifest arrows for you.” Galadin was eyeing several knives on the wall.

Taking 2 off the wall, he handed them over to Abby. Wrapping the bow around her body, it sat perfectly against her shoulder. Taking the knives, she felt the magic heartbeat in each of her hands. They were small but deadly. Perfect in size and weight.

Going to stand by the entrance, she waited for Galadin to choose his own weapons. Her mind went back to Leo. Pushing hard on the bond to tell Leo she was coming. Give him great hope. She could feel it dwindling as time passed.

Without closing the door behind them, they made their way back up to the main floor. There, they find werewolves, witches, warlocks, vampires, and sirens. The number was almost too great for them all to fit in the space.

Abby’s eyes met each of theirs. Shocked at the sheer number of those in attendance. Meeting Galadin, she silently asked him her question. Understanding, he gave her a response.

“I see the love you have for your mate. Being the creatures of the underworld, we understand how precious that is to have. Many of us have lived several lifetimes without that love. We are creatures of the underworld, but we also have a heart.” Galadin’s words resonated with Abby.

Her opinion of the underworld changed at that moment. She never disliked them, perhaps, but she was never given a real reason to trust them. She knew none of them, with the exception of Galadin, but each of them was willing to fight with them to get Leo back.

A vampire stepped forward. Giving Abby and Galadin a half bow. “Warlock, we have come to answer your call. With our arrival, I bring news.” Eyeing Abby with a silent pain. “We know the Warrior’s location.”

“Get what you need and prepare to leave. This night, we may find death, but we will do so in the name of the unforsaken.” Galadin’s eyes glowed.