THE SPREAD OF THE SHADOW PLAGUE.

When the test was over, all students were given a strange round object, called a pendulum, having a dark mirror on it, at the center. It could be worn as a chain when it touches the neck for some time, or could be worn as a watch, when it touches the wrist for some time.

The device was a medium of communication, powered by magic. The students were asked to check their pendulums to know their dorm room numbers.

Author was assigned to dorm room two thousand five hundred. Wich he went to.

'I am sure that boy is the assassin in the prophecy, I must get rid of him on time.'

'Finally I can get some peace and quiet time for myself after a long stress.'

Author thought as he opened the door to his dorm room to have a quiet time alone, but to his disappointment, there were three other boys inside.

When he stepped in the boys were quiet and they had a look of shock mixed with fear on their faces.

' Only when I thought my day was worst, then this happens.'

" Where is my bed?" Arthur asked.

And the boys pointed at it without making noise. Author went and fell on the bed and tried to get some sleep.

When Author had slept for a while, he woke up to the sound of whispering from his room mates. They thought they were whispering, but with Author's sensitive ears, he could hear everything they were saying.

" Hey Gary, isn't he the bodyguard of Mara whom we saw at the party of the Mayor's daughter?"

" Yes you are right, and he made prince wilson angry."

" Man he has a lot of strength, I wish I could surpass him, then Mara will be all mine."

' What a bunch of weirdoes.' Author thought to himself after eaves dropping on their conversation.

When the three guys saw Author waking up, they quickly stopped their conversation with red faces.

" Hello, I am Author and I will love to know you all." Author discovered that for some reason they are scared of him. Maybe because he came in frowning, so he decided to smile.

" I am Arandy."

" I am Gary."

The third guy was silent for a while before saying his name. And for some reason he was behaving strange the whole time.

" My name is John Rizzo."

--

Meanwhile in a village, found deep in the woods;

" The shadow plague is spreading rapidly among the villagers. What do we do chief?"

Asked a villager called Froth, he is the head of the defense team.

" I don't know what to do. I think if it comes to the worse, we will have to evacuate this place.

Every family have refused to kill their family members that have such a contagious disease. So I don't know what to do now." Replied the chief.

" Me too chief. I can remember when this thing started. How those two boys came back and started behaving strangely. Their parents did not understand why they were so quiet. But they concluded it was because of the fever.

little did they know that one day, those children would transform into shadow monsters and wipe them all out. And those who had just bite marks started transformation, rather quickly and now nearly one quarter of the village is affected. Leading to this." Froth said pointing at their once a peaceful village, which is now in ruins.

" I know. This is all because of the king of the Sun Kingdom. And worse of all he has asked anyone who wishes to attain power to come and get the shadow plague. If they know the truth, then they won't even dare to take it.

I remember the last victim, he said he could hear voices in his head, asking him to kill. Then he finally lost it and became the shadow beast." Said the chief.

The two stood on the top floor of the chiefs building while looking at the village below.

People were struggling to round up with their activities and head into their homes.

"The sun will soon set, soon it will be time for the curfew before those beasts come out.

I hate those night walkers. I have to warn the people of that kingdom against taking the shadow power. " Said the chief.

" Chief you know that is a suicide mission. you could get killed!" said Froth.

" I know. I have lived long enough and I can't keep living while others are dying. I must make this sacrifice for the sake of others." Said the chief.

"Then let me come with you."

" No! I am leaving the village in your hands, I am sure you will lead well. Just remember it is not about the place but it is about the people."

With all that said, the two friends hugged each other in tears.

---

Author had been in school for a while now and he noticed that John Rizzo doesn't love going out much during the day. He only loved going out at night. And even when he went out during the day, there was always a jar of water with him and a towel.

For some reason he sweats a lot during the day and he drinks a lot of water.

" What is wrong with your friend?" Author had decided to confront Arandy, the one whom he considered to be the most sensible in the group of three.

" I don't really know he had been behaving like that since he came back from taking the shadow power." Arandy replied.

" Shadow power?" Author said this as his eyes widened when he realized something.

' Oh no I totally forgot about those villagers. The king said he would use them as test subjects. That village must be in pain and suffering now. I must alert them to leave that place.'

" Is everything okay?" Arandy saw that Author became lost somewhere, at the mention of the shadow power.

" Yeah I'm fine. I just want to know whether you have taken this power too?" Asked Author.

" No not yet. I'm waiting for it's results on others before I move on." Replied Arandy.

" You are truly the wisest among the three of you. What of Gary?" Author asked.

" No he hasn't but soon he will."

" No stop him. The shadow power is not what you all think. It is a disease that can take over your mind and and make you do so much evil in order to satisfy a demon god's desires.

The king is using this power to raise an army at the instructions of a god." Said Arthur.

When he said this, Arandy was quiet for some time. He was probably thinking about something, but he did not look shocked to hear Author's explanation.

" I knew something was wrong with the free power.

So what do we do about John Rizzo?" Asked Arandy.

" Good question." Replied Author.

" The shadow power will take a long time before affecting it's victims because, the god wants that before the secret is blown out, it will be far too late for most people to turn back.

And when he fully transforms, he will go back to his family and friends to get them first.

So we, executing him is the only reasonable solution for now."

Arandy heard Author's explanation and shook his head.

" tsk tsk tsk...poor John Rizzo. he was always hungry for power now look at where it landed him."

" They want to end me?"

John Rizzo had been eaves dropping on their conversation all this while.