Going out

When Kara opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the empty throne room. The elders had already left. There was nothing special that happened. Since his grandfather died a few months ago, he had taken the post as Supreme Shadow. 

Leaning comfortably in the black magnificent throne, he lazily slouched and gazed at the floating jellyfishes which were all glowing wonderfully. There were many types of mage lights in this world, but the floating jellyfish was one of the rarest and most expensive. Fortunately, many lived in this place.

"I'm going to miss these." He mumbled before he also began to leave. 

The double doors opened silently and closed automatically as he stepped out of the dark throne room. The massive cold statues inside the throne room all bowed to him when he got out. When he was out, the two massive cold statues outside the door also greeted him, "Good work, Supreme Shadow."

Normally, he would have ignored them, but someone standing just beside the door was heard all of a sudden.

"Hey."

The voice was youthful, and the figure was little. He glanced at the boy for a moment before he started to walk again.

This boy's name was Chris Rak. He has a slightly long raven hair which brimmed with vitality covering his left eye. As expected, he wore a black coat. The unique thing about this boy was obvious. Compared to him and the elders, his eyes were azure blue, which meant he was not a pure-blooded shadow.

"What is your plan? Take me." Chris said with force on his voice and followed him. 

"I do not know what you're talking about, Chris." Kara lazily said, but he didn't stop walking. He knew already what this boy thought. 

While following him, Chris kept staring at him, as if his blue eyes could see something beyond the older brother's soul. Then he finally asked his real question, making the older boy's decision to stop his stride.

"Are you finally leaving this place?" 

Chris, this boy grew up in this village without the attention of any parents. Such situation was pretty normal. And because he excelled in martial arts and had a great affinity with the shadow magic, he was treated well. But unlike the other pure-blooded shadows, human emotions was born with him, and what kind of human would want to live in a place where people are cold and indifferent to each other? 

Due to certain circumstances in the past and most likely their small gap in age, Chris had took a liking on Kara which was also not a pure blood even before he had been appointed as Supreme Shadow. They shared a lot of memories together and at one point, the younger boy felt strongly that Kara would eventually leave the clan, and such feeling seemed to get stronger over time.

Chris strongly intuitively felt that they shared the same goal...leave this fucking place!

When Kara heard Chris' words, he smiled. Then shot a look over his shoulders finding Chris staring at him with eyes you would not expect a boy as young as him would have.

With his crimson eyes, Kara then gazed in the shadowy bridge, as he asked seriously in a monotone tone, "You want to leave here Chris?"

Chris started to get nervous. Even with his tender age, he knew what he just said. To say that he wanted to leave the clan was betrayal! A crime punishable by death! And who was Kara? He was the Supreme Shadow, the Lord of the clan!

But he already made up his mind a long time ago.

This bleak dark village was not for him. Unlike normal kids and even compared to the strange ones, he had no parents, and no friends here. What was that? 

He unconsciously gazed at the twenty fortresses--all magic structures--built fifty meters higher at the top levels of the village. The caves protected by monsters which led to the surface on the lowest level were one thing. But people could also go out straight to the surface if they climbed up from here; only that these fortresses keeps a lookout over anyone who tried to leave and punish escapees. 

At first, Chris was hesitant but that was yesterday. If the supreme shadow was on his side, that would be like having the help of a thousand men!

Neon blue jellyfishes glowed in the air above the enchanted village of the structures made up of black bricks and materials. 

Gulp. 

"Yes." Chris replied with a serious face. Not nervous as he expected. His answer actually went pretty natural and confident.

He looked at Kara. Kara opened his palms and raised it to the air. Chris didn't fail to notice that. Was he going to use that spell on him? He gritted his teeth. Did he make a mistake? He would take no words back! He already steeled his resolve, and he was prepared to die!

But the words that came out of Kara's mouth were a relief. 

"You mean 'that'?" 

"I promise. I don't break promises." Chris immediately said even fiercer.

Kara smiled and relaxed. 

"Okay, wait for me at the roof of third fortress. That fortress is empty." 

As soon as he said that, Chris watched the older boy suddenly jumped from the bridge--like a falling black streak of solid ink.

When he was gone, Chris' heart started thumping faster. He unconsciously placed his hand and touched his chest. It only took a moment, before he calmed down. From his position, he looked at the third fortress. The third fortress was located at a higher ground 50 meters away from his current location.

'If it is really empty, that would be good!' he thought, remembering Kara said of it being empty.

The Shadow Clan's territory was not only difficult to live in but it was hard to get in and get out. Many had already perished for doing foolish escape attempts--mostly the non-pure-blooded shadows. After all, they were still different and still wield characteristics that were in stark contrast to the shadow blood. The usual case was that they were also usually weaker. 

At that moment, Chris remembered a time when he suddenly saw some people fall from the third fortress like fallen angels denied by God.

"I would not fail." 

At the very same time, Kara landed back at ground of the lower level with a slight thud. 

He glanced at the cave. "Soon, the elders will know that the guardian had been slayed. We use that as a diversion to escape from above."

After walking for a few distance, he arrived at a temple. Compared to the temple earlier, this temple looked smaller, older, but strangely more majestic and magical. 

He had come here for one thing: get a certain book.