the legend of the shadow (Thia)

"Long ago, when our world was still young, some certain individuals rose up with certain abilities. It started out as just one. No one really knows who the first was, where he came from or even his name; only that he started out as a nameless nobody who grew into a warrior.

It was a dark time, our world was heavily divided, the threat of extinction already lingering above us but this one warrior, this still young boy who had taken both sides, went to great lengths to try and unite us against our common enemy. Though at first, he was never quite successful, as he grew his abilities started to show and people started to notice. In desperation, he unlocked a power that until then had slept deep within him. The power to convert his own energy and use it as he will. Upon seeing this, the people started to rally around him. Others took up his example and in turn unlocked that same ability and that was how they were started.

They called them 'shadow warriors'. All of them starting out as great fighters then in time unlocking their abilities. The female shadows were always the stronger though they were also more rare. Though they only really used it when they absolutely had to - since it drained their own energy - when used properly it heals all the user's wounds and any foes they might be focusing on, completely disintegrated."

Jay whistled.

"For years they were renowned as the greatest warriors on our planet, known even beyond our world.

When the invasion started, they targeted the shadows first, picking them off one by one, before we even knew they were here. The only way to defeat a shadow was outnumber them, get them to waste their power, their energy, until they were completely helpless. It wasn't long before we realised what was happening with the shadow warriors disappearing, but it wasn't soon enough…there were still a few of them left when the war properly started. The people knew they were being targeted so the rest of them tried to go into hiding but without the shadows to help defend, the rest of our people…

"A shadow warrior cannot just stand by while their people are in danger but when they came out, they were slaughtered. And pretty soon, there were none of us left."

"Except you?"

He looked conflicted for a second, then shook his head. "They didn't know I was a shadow so they didn't target me as one. Just an ordinary soldier."

I found that hard to believe. Dad had always seemed far from ordinary to me. "But dad, I saw that fight. He struck you down…"

"He did. But he didn't finish the job. If he'd know what I was, maybe he would have done more."

The only reason he'd survived was because he was a shadow warrior and they hadn't known it.

He was still looking at me in a way he'd looked at me a few times before. A way that meant there was still more he wanted to tell me but not anyone else. 'I'll talk to you about it later.' I blinked in a way that meant I understood.

Of much else I didn't hear. When he and everyone else left, the Falcon then took the four of us aside. "I feel like there's a piece of information that the four of you should now know."

This doesn't sound good I thought, but we stayed to listen to what he had to say.

"During the invasion of Serious, we had been called upon but we arrived too late. All we could do was search for survivors but found only the children and infants had survived. Once we'd found them all, they were scattered across the universe."

"Wait!" Jay cut in. "Are you saying there are others like us out there?"

Fauler carried on like he hadn't heard "Due to their ability to adapt, its likely no one will be able to notice the difference between them and the people they were raised with. In case anyone tried to find them again, it was decided that, for their own safety, this would be kept secret."

I paused, staring. "Did my father know about this?"

He looked at me. "He knew there had been children rescued from Serious after the invasion. But he had no way of knowing one of them was his own."

I suppose I can always ask him myself.

When I went to find him, he was standing on the balcony overlooking the entrance but the Flacon got there before I did.

"I hope you know," he said, as I stopped in my tracks. Neither of them had seemed to see me "I never meant any harm to come to that little brat."

Dad sighed. "I do know that. It was probably more my fault. I should've known she would follow me."

"She's a stubborn little one. And loyal." He looked at my dad. "It was wrong of me to want to take that from you. Either of you."

Dad slowly turned to face him but said nothing.

"If she wishes to stay here with you, then I guess that's her choice." Turning, he put a hand on dads' shoulder and whispered something I couldn't hear, then walked away.

I was still standing in the middle of the corridor, not having moved an inch. The Falcon looked at me as he passed and smiled. I watched him keep walking, still a little shocked, then walked up to my father.

I could tell he heard me coming from the way his ears moved. When I was right behind him, he turned to face me.

"Come."

He put a hand on my shoulder and guided me away. I could tell he wanted to be somewhere private. This was something he didn't want the chance of anyone else overhearing. Somehow, I know what it was he wanted to talk about.

"Dad…why didn't they know you were a shadow?"

And I knew from the way he looked then that I was right. "I…when I first unlocked my abilities, I tried to hide them. They were from my mothers' side so they were stronger than most. Too strong. I was still young and the power was too great for me to handle."

I looked down, thinking. "You didn't even use it during the war?"

He looked so sad then. I didn't think I'd ever seen him look that way.

"I wanted to" he said, turning away "but…she'd made me promise…promise to hide them."

Who had? My mother? I decided not to press the subject but I still had one more question.

"Dad?"

"Mmm?"

"Am I a shadow?"

The sadness melted away as he smiled a little. "I don't know yet. But if you are…" he crouched down in front of me and put both hands on my shoulders. "…be a better one than me, little one."

That night I had another dream, much different from the first one. I dreamt I was floating along a narrow river, crawling up the bank of the forest, frustrated and angry but realising with a small speck of light.

"So"

When I spoke, my voice was deep and hoarse.

"He is a shadow…that would explain it…"

I woke up, the same realisation that had just hit him now hitting. My father had survived because they didn't know he was a shadow…except now they did know…