(Ch 17)Harbinger of Shadow

Faith watch in awe, inwardly fist pumping, as the abandoned races back off in apparent terror. The black pillar was still devouring all those on the front lines, while the distorted figures seemed to be debating between wether to retreat or rush.

Who was this?

Faith knew could recognise most of the powerful people such as queen and kings of the various races, but who was this. They were acting like one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse was coming to reap the damned.

Faith didn't know who the hell could do this, he doubted even exodus carried such a presence. However the cheers of the Faith's side clearly meant whoever this was they were on Faith's side.

But that didn't really matter to Faith right now as he stared at the pillar in front of him.

What if this person wasn't on his side?

What if this person tried to take away what was important to Faith?

The thought sent chills down his spine. Up until now he'd never wanted power, only training in things around it because he thought it was fun. He realised long ago it was a very privileged life style where he could increase his power for fun, rather then survival, but Faith had been confident his parents could protect him. Now he realised how Naive that thought was.

There was always someone stronger.

Even if this was a dream Faith had his eyes rather abruptly opened to the fact that even if he got the relationships he desired, the companionship he seeked, if he wasn't strong enough to protect it that very thing could be taken away from him. At the whim of someone stronger then himself his goal could simply be stolen from him, without any consequence.

That was the privileged that strength and power afforded those who had it.

Only now did Faith realise that his current strength and power, and that of his parent, wasn't enough. If this thing came to Faith's home and wanted to take his mother's or his life, Faith couldn't do a damn thing to stop him.

That horrified him.

Faith needed strength, he knew that now.

He'd ignored one of the key parts of reaching his goal which was the strength needed to protect it. Faith no longer watched it as if it were a dream, he gazed at the pillar as if it were real life, not daring to look away.

From now on he needed to learn everything he could about strength, he couldn't slack at all. The cold emptiness fuelled his determination as he gazed down at the now dispersing Black pillar. When the figure became clear Faith was stunned, not by the power, but the aura.

It was like staring at a god that had descended to bring divine retribution.

Standing in the space emptied by the black pillar, was a man covered from head to toe in pristine armour, too elegant for even a king to adorn. Ink black shadows with outlines of red ran through the seems of the armour and met at its shoulders were a fine cape of pure shadow was cascading down his back.

The amour itself was almost pitch black in colour, but maintained a metallic silver hue while mana crystals of reddish black were imbedded across the armour itself. The only thing contrasting to the colour scheme of the individual was the pure white braid that came out the back of his helmet, replacing where the mane would be.

The Cloak like cape of shadows that adorned him reached to his ankles as he stared down the armour of millions in front of him. Fear was evident on their faces as they had hoped even with the black pillar that 'he' wouldn't be the cause.

Faith was in awe of his glorious figure but still watched on intently as the man stool there alone between two armies. Faith could see the distorted figures in his vision didn't look afraid like the others, no they shouted out to try and encourage their troops.

"The Harbinger of Shadows is but one man, while we are an army united against the tyranny of Dark and Light. He will not make a difference to our conquest comrades, mages strike him down, distance is his greatest weakness here." - they shouted together in unison seemly very confident.

In response cheers resounded through the army as a Barrage of offensive spells launched towards the man who Faith now knew was the "Harbinger of Shadows". The men and women behind him seemed nervous but Faith could tell from his stance that the Harbinger didn't care for the spells coming to assault him, he simply clicked his tongue.

"Remember well those that have abandoned the path of reason for power, you brought this upon yourselves the second you tried to take what is mine" - the Harbinger spoke in a soft yet stern voice that honestly didn't really match his appearance.

As the spells ranging from ice to flaming rocks came blitzing towards him the Harbinger simply raised right hand in response.

"Shadow Shift" - he spoke flicking his wrist as the shadows surrounding him dispersed.

With the harbinger as the epicentre the entire battle field seemed to be sucked of all colour expectblack and white, whenever the wave of colour sucking shadows hit a spell directed at the harbinger, it was devoured along with the colour.

"You wanted a Slaughter right? You'll get one" - the harbinger spoke, rage evident in his voice.

When the spell was done, the entire battlefield and both armies were covered in a dome that prevented absorbed any sort of colour. Faith was watching adamantly as this was a spell that involved shadow magic, yet he hadn't the faintest at how the harbinger had done what he had.

From his shadow and mana sense Faith could tell that all the elements of nature had been forcibly severed from everything inside the dome, only shadow and light magic could be cast here.

Faith watched in determined anticipation as the Harbinger walked forward, before unsheathing his serrated blade and breaking into a full blown sprint. Though calling it a sprint wasn't entirely accurate, no it was more like he teleported due to his speed which in easily broke the sound barrier.

Standing in front of an unprepared Troll, the harbinger slashed his sword through its waist sending a blade of shadow magic past it. Faith gawked as he realised that the shadow blade wasn't ethereal but physical as it torn at least 400 other foot solider in half.

And thus the carnage began as Faith bore witness to the harbinger making good on his word. The army of dark-light and light-dark had charge forward as well, but even if they didn't Faith felt it wouldn't have mattered.

In one instance the Harbinger would simply punch a ogre, disintegrating his upper body from the force. Then in the next he'd be in the mist of armed high orcs, unharmed by their blades as his raw power tied with precision technique made him untouchable. Every swing would produce another blade of shadow in the direction of his enemy, ending hundreds of lives while granted him the mana and vitality his shadows devoured from his victims.

He wasn't a man, he was a force nature.

Whenever arrows or projectiles would fly in his directions his cloak of shadow would incept, and whenever he wanted to move on to another enemy he'd simply walk through the shadows, stepping from one to the other.

Faith had already thought of moving between shadows with what he'd dubbed "Shadow step" but he couldn't achieve it. The idea was based off the Faith entering into the space or dimension where he could store things in his shadows, then exiting at another point of shadow.

If he could execute it even in a short range, Faith would have a form of teleportation but he'd never gotten it right. The pocket dimension of storage his shadows held couldn't hold living objects even if they were the shadows master.

Yet now he realised he'd gone about it the wrong way watching the Harbinger walk between shadows. Though it was quick in execution Faith was able to see the key to making shadow step work properly. Whenever the Harbinger would move between them, his body would become one with the shadows, instead of simply walking into them like Faith had tried.

Then he'd move himself through the shadows in an instant and come out at the exit point, making it appear as teleportation.

Faith was over the world watching the Harbinger fight, not only was the things he'd done something Faith might be able to do, but his pure strength on the battlefield gave Faith a solid glimpse of his potential.

'Is that why I'm having this dream, is it showing not only that I'll need power, but also how far I can go if I strive for it'

He wondered as he watched the Harbinger cut down the Abandoned by the thousands. His Shadow slashed had also Given Faith insight into Physical shadows which was said to be the highest level of darkness magic, counter part to Hard-light Magic.

However in the next instant like "Shadow shift" which he realised also seemed to increase the connection between and power of Light and dark magic, the Harbinger preformed magic Faith couldn't wrap his head around.

A Troll that toppled over Giants in hight, standing 12 metres tall had appeared in front of the Harbinger, which made Faith worry he'd be in a sticky situation. But with a single slash that barely cut of a few fingers, the giant fell to the ground headless, all limbs dismembered as well.

Faith was mind boggled by this

'He Did the thing in anime, with the one slash five cuts'

Faiths praise over this individual grew by the second as he continued his tear through the abandoned ranks.