Sometimes My Family is My Enemy

  Alisha shifted into a dense, amorphous shadow. She seemed to consume Amber as they moved further into the shadow side of Tey, circling around the back of the vast shadow building before them. It was a massive complex of several black buildings, all made of hardened black mud and swaying dark shadows. It reached high into the sky, giving off a sense of mystery and hidden things.

  Yana, DD, and Tasha [Shadow Step] directly into the vast structure. There were seven types of shadow within the vast realm of Pa; Yana immediately sensed the Wao and the Pars. The Wao were a sentient and highly intelligent race of shadow. They performed experiments, created and sold shadows, and were the best at controlling rogue or manufactured shadows.

  Pars shadows were created in a number of ways and, depending on many factors, they could be sentient, independent shadows or simply husks incapable of thought.

  ‘Everyone. There are about fifty Wao and an army of Pars. Be careful.’

  ‘Yes, Mistress.’

  Yana’s stomach turned as she and her team moved forward. Her Diamond Shadow Case opened, and shadow flooded out to surround them. The portal to her Dune Domain opened and her Shadow Snake moved forward—its scales glistening in the dark, its new Commander status showing in the ripple of its muscles and the magic rolling off its form.

  The shadows gathered around him like a legion falling in line, forming a buffer around Yana, DD, and Tasha. The Shadow Snake was in the lead like an arrow ready to strike its mark.

  The Shadow Snake blew in the gate and the front door of the main building. They entered thunderously. Yana’s shadows flooded the building as DD and Tasha moved out, choosing halls without hesitation.

  Yana continued straight ahead. Mag and Jasmine appeared on either side of her, having been eager to fight the entire time. They stepped into a large open area. The Shadow Snake and his shadow legion entered across from them, DD entered to their left, and Tasha to their right.

  There was a churning mass of Pars before them. Yana narrowed her eyes.

  ‘Mistress, there must be thousands of them.’

  ‘Yes. Most are husks.’ Yana paused, then looked toward the Shadow Snake. ‘There are only a hundred sentient Pars here. The Shadow Snake can handle them. All of you, feed. I want you all to evolve.’

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  The Shadow Snake moved forward, his shadow horde moving over him like a black sea. The shadows clashed into each other with a sound like a loud thunderclap as Yana’s shadows dominated the weaker Pars.

  The few sentient Pars moved to the center of the mass. Yana narrowed her eyes as DD, Tasha, Mag, and Jasmine moved in. The Shadow Snake tore through the Pars, his huge maw opening wide to collect them in droves. His legions went through the enemy like acid poured on delicate fabric, and the Pars disintegrated into inert shadow at their feet.

  But it was Mag and DD who truly caused the greatest destruction.

  Dust rose in the cavernous room as DD used [Void Rip] over and over. Pars were destroyed in droves as he used [Shadow Attack] to both consume and destroy. Mag was no longer little—she swept over the scene like a black flame seeking to devour.

  Tasha and Jasmine rose into the air as well. Tasha became a horrifying image of the deadly Dark Fae of ancient Pa. Her skin was like liquid night, sliding over her form and adjusting to her every move. Her eyes were red-hot coals that burned in their sockets, capable of searing a person’s soul with a single glance. Her magic was anti-nature—beyond death and the opposite of creation.

  Jasmine transitioned into her full wraith form, straddling planes of existence to make it harder for her to be affected by most magics. Her form shimmered and wavered like a spirit. She was vast and consuming.

  Her [Shadow Embrace] and Tasha’s ancient Dark Fae magic moved through the room, picking and choosing victims. Entire groups of Pars were disappearing, and both Tasha and Jasmine were slowly evolving.

  As Yana watched, her senses also located Amber and Alisha. They had found the main facility and had already quietly freed Sisma.

  As soon as Yana’s senses were fully present in the room, a figure stood. He was a full-blooded Wao. His skin was the same grey as Yana’s, but textured like weathered leather. His eyes were a brick-red and as clear as glass. He was tall, and his form was not solid, as the Wao preferred to remain in their shadow forms. He moved toward her as if her actual body stood in the room with him.

  “Child of Wao. What do you do here?”

  Yana did not respond. The Wao never respected her. They never saw her as complete because of her Sho blood.

  Instead, she told Sisma to leave. The Wao before her did not flinch as the Shadow Lark silently flew to Amber and they both disappeared under the vast, amorphous form of Alisha.

  The Wao’s brick-red eyes flicked behind him as Sisma’s giant shadow disappeared, but then he refocused on Yana.

  “You are the one, aren’t you? I cannot fully sense you because you are not fully Wao, are you? Speak to me, child of Wao. What is your name? Your power...” He closed his eyes as if he were savoring something exquisite. “Your power is like nothing I have ever felt before.”

  His eyes looked directly at her as her senses began to retreat to find Amber and Alisha.

  “Tell me who you are.”

  He spoke in the Wao tongue, using shadow to try and place a tracer on her. She shook him off easily, and he smiled as he nodded. He looked into a dark corner where the shadows moved like smoke over a dying fire.

  “Go. I want her and my Shadow Lark—NOW.”