Shadowland: The Beginning
By: Pip
CATEGORY: Alternate Universe
WARNINGS: None
AUTHOR’S NOTES: My original inspiration for this story was the Dragonology book I got for X-mika. Whether I will, in fact, tie it back to that in anyway, I haven’t yet decided. The story has definitely branched out on its own since the bunny first started pouncing around up there, and as it goes on, you may notice I got some inspiration from various other things. For now the only thing I can see that gave me great inspiration for this chapter, other than the Dragonology book is Tolkein (in a sense of the wording and phrases I used).
The title does have a special meaning. Shadowland is a song from The Lion King on Broadway, and its lyrics do have significance to this story. You don’t have to know the song to understand the story, but it will help shed some light on what might come to pass. Also, the names of the original characters…used the Elvish name generator. IDK if they’re accurate, and I don’t care. I think they are beautiful names, and they represent important people in my life.
AUTHOR’S WEBSITE:
http://brabbit-hole.livejournal.com/
CHAPTER 1: Hope is Rekindled
The flames of the fire were beginning to dwindle. Soon it would flick out completely and the embers would start to cool. Eámanë prodded the dying flames, willing them to stay hot. If the embers went out, it would take more effort then could be mustered to get it going again. A cough sputtered from the fire in protest before it sprang to a vibrant glow once more.
Sighing, Eámanë pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders. The cold had always been a hazard to her. It would sap her energy faster than nearly everything else combined. It wasn’t helping that her energy was already beginning to diminish on its own accord. Just like the fire before her, she could feel the heat within dying.
Everything was dying these days. The world around them was losing its mystery, its unexplainable. The most prominent in her mind was the figure lying just beside her. Eámanë turned sad eyes on her friend. Linwë’s energy was fading at a rate ten times faster then her own. She knew the closer to the darkness her younger friend got, the faster her own energy would dissipate. It was a risk they’d taken all those years ago. It was the risk they were paying for now.
Linwë mumbled something in her sleep, and Eámanë placed a comforting hand on the troubled woman’s shoulder. Much to her surprise, the shivering that had been racking the frail body all night hadn’t been shivering at all. Waves of heat were pouring from Linwë’s trembling form. Heat was a sign of power for them. Why couldn’t she feel her own power growing as well?
Eámanë went to reach a hand out to Linwë’s sweat soaked face, trying to determine if it was just fever, or something more. Before her hand even came near to Linwë, the younger woman shot up abruptly. A strangled gasp escaped her parched lips, and she grabbed Eámanë’s still hand without even looking where it was. Linwë’s eyes turned upon Eámanë, and the older sucked in a startled breath. Naturally aqua-blue eyes where glowing a low lavender, her irises dilated and milky.
“It is time…” Linwë’s voice seemed to be reaching Eámanë’s ears on many different levels, and it echoed in her head. It was deep and enchanting. “They have come.”
Eámanë felt a shock travel through her body, starting from where her hand connected with Linwë’s. She closed her eyes against the immense pain and confusion it caused. In the darkness, images began flickering before her vision. Quick to follow were the voices of the ones she saw.
“Daniel, darling, is
this going to take much longer?” a female voice, rich and accented, asked from
behind what appeared to be a closed doorway.
A very audible sigh
followed. Scrapping of boots on the ground came next, and then-
“It might, if you
don’t stop asking me that every five minutes.” This voice was male, and despite
his words, there was a playful nature to his tone.
“But Daniel!” Now the
female voice was huffy. “We’ve been sitting in this little room…”
“Vala..”
“ Looking at these
boring walls…”
“Vala…”
“For hours now, and
haven’t found any-“
“Vala…”
“-Thing to indicate
the way to open this”
“Vala…”
“Damn door.”
“Vala!”
“What?”
“I’ve figured out how
to open the door.” Daniel said, and the smile was evident in his tone.
“Oh.” Vala replied,
and then sucked in a deep breath. There was a moment of silence. “Are you going
to open it now?” she asked as she let out the air.
Daniel seemed to
consider the question silently. “Are you going to shut up?” he asked in return,
and whether it was serious or not could not be determined.
“Daniel…” Vala’s voice
grew huffy again, with an added sense of impatience.
The sound of boots
scrapping again was heard, and then a low beep. The door disappeared, and the
chamber was filled with intense light.. In the doorway stood two figures, dark
against the harsh white.
“Yes!” Vala jumped up
and down like a little girl. “Finally!”
“See…” Daniel looked
at her, and then hooked his arm around Vala’s waist, pulling her close, and
halting her bouncing. “And you doubted me.”
“Never doubted you
darling…” Vala breathed, and accepted the kiss Daniel leaned in to give her. It
was meant to be a lengthy exchange, but Daniel pulled away suddenly.
“Did you say the word
‘damn’?” he asked with amusement and feigned shock.
Vala smacked him on
the chest. It set Daniel off laughing, and he pulled out of her immediate
space, and walked back into the room outside. “Are we going to examine this
great and powerful chamber, my big explorer?” she asked as his laughing
subsided. She joined him where he stood by their gear.
“Space pirates first.”
Daniel indicated back toward the chamber with his arm.
Vala’s eyes lit up in
the bright light, and she bounded into the chamber with enthusiasm.
The moment her body passed the threshold, and tingle went up Eámanë’s spine. It was a feeling that she had never experienced before, but knew the meaning immediately. Returning focus to the imagine, she watched...
Daniel shook his head
and flicked on his flashlight. He followed Vala into the chamber.
Fire shot through Eámanë’s mind at his entrance. It both burned and froze at the same time, and her breathing caught in her throat…before she had a chance to comprehend it, Linwë’s hand dropped from her own, and the vision was gone. She fell back onto the ground breathless, and looked at her younger friend. Linwë’s eyes where half-lidded, but back to there normal aqua blue.
“They are come.” She whispered, and a ghost of a smile passed over her face. “We are not alone.”
To be continued…
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