Finally, I was prepared with a bag filled with a strength-recovering liquid called Virtus, a dagger made to kill Shadowers or return Shadows to their chains (its name is Fidumus)(Fie-duh-moos), my new black leather gloves without the upper fingers, rope, a flashlight, and 2 lucky pieces shaped a lot like a gnome and a gold phoenix. (I named it the gnome, Nash and the phoenix is still just a phoenix).
***
When I settled down uncomfortably among the other Council members, I shifted my eyes from side to side, chewing on my bottom lip unknowingly. When the man in the tall backed chair spoke, I started and sheepishly smiled at the Head Council Person. When he spoke, his voice sounded ageless and commanding, not wispy like it should have sounded like, coming from an old man. “We have a current problem not a few blocks away where there have been Shadowers. Ari, take 2 of our men and the young one here, and analyze the situation. If it is safe to solve the problem, by all means, do so.”
Ari put his fist to his heart and left with a tall, bearded man and a bald man. “Pete, analyze. See if we can tell how long they’ve been there, how long ago, and which direction they’ve left. If they’re there, come back quickly so we can attack. We’ll have your dagger ready.” Pulling on my gloves, I unsheathed Fidumus and waited, ensure of what to do.
When Pete, the bald man, did not return, Ari motioned for the bearded man and me to move forward in advance.
As we walked silently, I watched Ari. I saw that he couldn’t be more than 18 years old, and he was very handsome, but I had longer time to ponder upon his looks because there was a scream. It was not human. Instead, it pierced my heart as well as my ears, an annoying high pitched followed as a 2nd pitch with the scream like the waves from a TV or radio.