The Empire Shadows

Chapter Two: The Emperor's BladesThe sound of excitement filled the massive hall with aromas of spiced meats, fine wines, and flaming torches within the empire's keep. At the eye of it all, in silks — silk dresses, fine silk breeches-n-stuff had really yet to be invented, so her dress would have had appropriate armor for an empire's most elegant soldier. But despite the party thrown in her honor, it still weighed on her heart.Defeating Nyx, the Shadow Phoenix, should have been her proudest triumph. It was the final reward for a lifetime of service to the empire, with so many years spent as its sailor and soldier in preparation for such an event. The doctrine of the empire had always been straightforward: The mythical beings were humanity's foes, bringers of discord to be exterminated on sight in order to keep balance. Yet as the congratulatory praise began to flood in, Alyssia accepting it all without a hint of doubt, Nyx's final moments loomed large in her mind.Nyx's eyes were not flashing with rage or violence. Alyssia did shake that away because instead they had depths of sorrow that she could not get rid of. Murdered, burnt at the stakeThen there were the sounds like cries of a dying phoenix —How its wings unfolded as it broke apartTo ash She had, after all, imagined it would feel like victory—like justice. But instead, it felt hollow.She smiled politely, nodded with the firm chuckle of someone to whom the evening was addressed and then drifted, back to the skin she has endured in her body. The drills and the hours fencing, her sword now an extension of herself; the empire's lessons on how legendary beasts never missed a chance to make their prey into piles of bloody pulp. But now every one of those lessons was far away, washed out by the niggling voice of doubt coming into her head.She looked around the room full of groups of warriors clinking glasses, bragging of the power the empire held. But beneath the smiles and laughter Alyssia sensed something else, whispers and meaningful looks, cautionary talks that belonged nowhere in the realm of empires. She found her at times catching snippets of conversations that made her feel uneasy. Her fellow soldiers whispered in her hearing that there were too many missing legendary beasts, rumors persisted that the empire knew more about this than they let on.And then she heard one voice that stood out: Not only the creatures. Do you take notice how anyone who dares to doubt the hunt of the empire begins disappearing also?Alyssia tensed. The empire had been everything to her, always loyal, and yet the craw in her gut would not stop. The celebratory music faded into the background, replaced by a cacophony of questions echoing her head. It did make her wonder if the empire that she had fought for was anything close to what it painted itself as. Were there some truth to these whispers?A moment later, the large doors at the far end of the hall burst open and silence fell over the masses as they saw with their own eyes who had entered. The emperor himself. He commanded respect, his robes flowing out behind him, emblazoned with the sigils of hundreds of conquests made in the empire's name. He smiled when he came close to Alyssia and put a hand on her shoulder.You did good, Alyssia," he whispered softly. The death of Nyx signals the start of a new chapter for the empire. Shivers with each creature that falls — claps those at his feet.Alyssia swallowed, her throat dry. "Thank you, my lord."But even as the emperor's words rang in her ears, a small seed of doubt planted itself in her heart. Everyone had hailed her as a hero, so why was it not victory?Alyssia could not sleep later that night, hours after the festivities had wound down and the fortress had fallen silent. The moon, low in the sky, poured ghostly light across the endless walls of stone beneath the mighty keep of the empire. She donned her armor, the familiar weight of her sword at her side, and slipped from her quarters.As she roamed the now-deserted courtyards, the cool night air was a welcome relief against her skin. Not knowing where she was headed, her feet led her far away from the clamor and roll of an empire. With each step, flashes of her history returned to her; family, missed opportunities, and the tragedies that had built her into who she was now—the woman who would fight until death and beyond—and then had kept on training.The empire had stolen everything from her, but always told her it would give her purpose in exchange. But now with every step, Alyssia was asking herself just what that purpose was. She roamed until arriving on the border of the empire, where the wildness set in. Here where the mountains imposed their shadows upon her, she was alone.But she was not alone.Then Alyssia saw something lying in the clearing next to treeline, breathing heavily and labored. She stepped forward slowly, her hand hovering above the hilt of her sword. Something battered and broken, obviously having narrowly escaped the empire (her eyes went to it in disbelief) hunting this creature. The silver moonlight dulled in its scales, and though pained, the wisdom of once great wide eyes remained.Alyssia hesitated, her heart racing. It was a creature different from any she had ever witnessed but in other ways, it felt familiar—as if harkening back to the stories of her childhood before the empire so thoroughly erased those memories.The creature lifted its head with all the strength it could manage, saying in a faint whisper. You…YOU ARE THE ONE WHO KILLED NYX.Alyssia froze. Of course she said, in a whisper.The eyes of the beast stared at her, as if it could see directly into her soul. "You don't understand. We… we are not your enemies. We are the defenders—the gatekeepers of this world, riding on the heels of a much greater evil."Alyssia choked on her own breath. "The empire says—"Lies about the empire, " the voice of the creature broke. "The Abyss… it stirs. And for every guardian you slay, the darkness only gets stronger. If you persist, this world is doomed.She quivered from those words. Could it be true? Perhaps it was the very crusade against these creatures staged by the empire that should have been exiled from their lands — or even destroyed?The eyes of the creature fluttered closed, and its breathing became shallow. "Please… you must stop. The Abyss is coming…"The beast lay quiet with those last words, and Alyssia became alone through the night, her mind fluttering with uncertainty. The empire had always said that she fought for the future of humanity. But even now, a first time for everything as Alyssia gave thought to whether she had.been fighting for its end.