The Shade

[PepsiWhirda]

"You know, Whirda," the shade droned, almost conversationally, "I've been looking for a disciple. Someone to carry out my operations while my power increases. I grow weary of the front lines, you know?"

"We'll see if your offer stands when you're reduced to ash," Whirda said. She had felt the metallic rumblings beneath the trap door, heard the deep down echo of the cages hitting the cavern floor. It was only a matter of time before Van Helsing rejoined the fight. Time Whirda had to buy, hopefully not with her life.

The chamber seemed to shrink around her. Shadows swarmed in and clumped against the ceiling and walls, as if in eager anticipation. Hazy ash still hung in the air, obscuring her vision. Somewhere, the shade laughed.

"Courageous words for a girl whose friends are all dead," Ahn Thrix said. He approached from the darkness, electric blue eyes crackling. What shreds of his lips remained drew back in a sneer.

With nothing left to lose, and no way to escape, Whirda stepped forward. She gripped her kukris icepick style. "Funny thing," she mused, "a creature who hides in darkness, speaking of courage."

"You'll learn the value of shadows soon enough, child." Ahn Thrix drew to his full height, just feet away. That awful dagger leaked ash. Whirda couldn't even see his skeletal fingers gripping the hilt.

"Dark and empty, just shut up!" Whirda dashed forward, propelled by a gust of wind. She spun, her first weapon grinding against the shade's dagger. She snapped the blade to a conventional grip, forcing the dagger out wide.

The shade skittered back, deceptively quick. Whirda's other kukri sliced only the air in front of him. But the battle mage wasn't through. She tucked into a forward flip, the heel of her boot crashing down on the shade's head. Ahn Thrix staggered, and vanished with a crack.

Whirda turned as Ahn Thrix reappeared behind her. Shock flickered behind his eyes as she double-tapped her kukris on the diving dagger, stealing its momentum. She ducked beneath his weak attack and drove forward, a kukri seeking his heart.

A skeletal hand caught the weapon fast. Whirda grinned, expecting the holy fire to devour the shade's ragged flesh.

That grin was stolen from her lips as shadow serpents dove from within Ahn Thrix's voluminous sleeve. They piled on the blade and swarmed past it, latching onto Whirda's wrists. The holy fire struggled to fight through the shadow. As one serpent was incinerated, two more seemed to take its place. With a hiss, the fire went out. Ahn Thrix cackled.

Whirda struggled to escape the bonds on her wrists. The shade shoved forward, sending her stumbling back. Her breath caught in her throat.

With a twist of his wrist, Ahn Thrix snapped the kukri in two.

The blade met the floor with a hollow clatter and slid away. The hilt fell next. Ahn Thrix leaned in, his breath ragged, sunken eyes sizzling in their sockets.

The serpents held Whirda fast. Her fear stole the courage her words had earlier expressed.

The dagger swept in, leaving a cloud of ash behind it.