Dark Rain

Dark Rain
By Albert Gardner

Chapter 1: The Master and his Peons.

He grinned baring his rotting teeth holding a blade in his hand as he circled his next victim as the victim sat there shivering on the damp dungeon floor, shackles closed to tight around his ankles blood oozing out. He was almost wishing for the blade to strike him and with a swift and painless death move on from this wretched world, but his capture had something else in mind. The torch cast flickering shadow as the glimmering blade pierced the victims neck, but not in a way to kill him quickly. He laid on the ground unable to scream as blood slowly gurgled from the hole in him neck, his hand desperately trying to stop the bleeding but unable too, he tried to ignore the pain. As the last of his life feed the victims soul rose to the heavens, but the blade still held in the captures hand glowed with an ere light pulling the helpless soul into the twisted metal. The capurer stepped away from the body and snapped his finger signaling his peons to remove the body and for the next victim to be brought in. One of the trembling peons approached him. "General we are out of slaves to sacrifice in the Dark Master's name. S.S.Sir." The General spun around and removed the peons head and pulled the fleeting soul into the cursed blade. "My good man I am never out of sacrifices." The General laughed as he stepped over the body and head out of the dungeon towards the tantalizing smell of cooking meats after all he had to he strong to do the Dark Masters bidding.

The Dark Master gazed into the viewing pool at his greedy general stuffing his face, if it weren't for his relentless cruelty and being very easy to manipulate he would have been killed by now. He was absolutely revolted by the generals lack of manners, he may be a cruel man but he is still a man and should act as one. A knock on the door disrupted his focus and the pool when black. "I said no interruptions!!" He turned to see his most trusted General Cloaked completely in black right behind him, the general spoke. "My master I found what I believe to be the rebel forces hide out. Do you want me to iradicate them?" The Dark Master placed his hand on the generals shoulder. "No my most trusted of servants. I wish to see what will happen in the future, but do keep an eye on them so they do not move with out me knowing." The general turn and silently glided out of the room cloak swirling around him as he left the general turned and bowed to his master.

The General when to the magic vault and approached a hunched old man. "I need a port magic NOW!" The old man scuttled around looking in bins and tubs for the magic the general needed, with a sigh of relief he pulled a stone with strong magic looming around it out of a pouch. "Here you are General Anbus. Just picture the place you wish to go and then feed the magic in to the stone." Anbus raised his hand and struck the man across the face with a backhand. "You fool do you think I an ignorant!" The old man manage the say through a split lip. "No sir I was just reminding you, for you have much to think about besides a lowly magic such as that." Now satisfied with the answer Anbus disappeared in a flash of light leaving the old man to his bins of magic and his hopeless future.

Anbus appeared outside the small village of Virtusa very insignificant village, but home to the rebel elite he saw the guards changing shifts and noted the time. To please him master he would make an exact note of every movement they made, he sat on a log and watched itching to make a kill in His Great name. He resisted his urges he had not risen to the top of the ladder by failing and nothing would get in his way to becoming the Dark Masters right hand man.

The Dark Master order his other general to continue collecting souls ASAP or else! General Loki complied obediantly, but with out the passion for the chase to serve his master that only Anbus had. Lock returned to the dungeon to see a new batch of slaves ready to be slayed. "Jeric is a swift one. Sixty new slaves that is impressive for only two hours work." He began his sick methods of torcher and corruption of the soul, he was very good at what he did because he enjoyed it thoroughly. Several hours later he had finished the last slave and the blade was now full of corrupt souls to be brought directly to the Dark Master. He ascended the spiraling stair case to the Dark Master's camber on the very top floor of the tallest tower, he was out of breath by the time he reached the top. He leaned against the wall and tried to catch his breath, but the Dark Master bellowed from with in. "Get in here you fat slime!!" Lock opened the door a rushed in against his body's will and his better judgement. "Your Darkness her is a thousand new souls corrupt as i can make them. I hope they please you." The Dark Master stretched a boney hand towards the blade calling out for the spirits, the flooded out of the blade only to be pulled into the Dark Masters open hand. As more and more souls filled him his skin tightened, his muscles grew, and time it-self seemed to reverse around him. "These souls will do for now, but I need more I want you to tell Jeric to double his effort." growled the Dark Master. Lock left his chamber to hunt down Jeric and relay the message, but this only meant more work for him.

Back at the rebel elite village nothing new had happened for a long time Anbu was beginning to think they saw him and were on guard until a young man dresses in all black stepped out of the gates and headed right for him! Anbus did not panic he jumped up high in a tree, he was hidden very well but still could see the young man. The young man sat down an closed his eyes and Anbus could feel a huge flux in silver magic in the air he'd only felt a flux like that when he was around the Dark Master. If this boy could access this much silver magic he could be very useful, the boy suddenly looked up and spoke. "I know you are their so come down here." Anbus though it be best if he were to do as he said he leaped from the tree landing on his feet. "Hello I am a traveler from far away looking for refuge from the harsh elements. Do you have an inn or a barn I may take my stay at?" He rubbed his chin and said. "No, but I have an extra room if you wish." Anbus smiled and nodded the man turned and as he did Anbus raised his hand and struck him on the back of the neck, he fell limp. Anbus scooped up his body and feed the magic stone once more and in a flash was gone.

He appeared in the Dark Master's chamber the young man still over his shoulder. "I am sorry to disturb you, but this boy could prove useful to you, he has a high level of silver magic on which you could feed Master. I must return to the rebel camp so I take my leave." Just as he was about to feed the magic stone the Dark Master's voice rang out in a youthful tone. "No stay and bring the boy. I feel his silver magic from here, I think he shall prove very useful." Anbus carried him over that tossed him in front of the Master feet as he sat on his throne, the master rose and slowly walked to the figure on the floor placing an icy hand on his head. He jerked as a huge flood of silver magic burn its way through his body rejuvenating his completely, the boy had done what normally takes thousands of souls to do!

The Dark Master said with much joy. "Make a cage ready for him and bring it here next to my throne so I may feed when necessary and tell Loky to store the souls he collects in a gem." Anbus bowed out of the room leaving the boy at the mercy of the Dark Master and went to carry out his bidding. The Dark Master sat on his throne looking at the boy he'd barly drained any of his magicks and had feed till he was full, he was doubting he decicon to keep the boy around. He possessed more magicks then even himself! He could provew to be useful or very damaging to his empire, he pounder this for hours at end. "Shall I risk my empire for unlimited energy to keep me young or do I send him back?" His voice ecoed through his chamber he paced back and forth pondering this when Anbus came back into the room with serveal slaves carring a huge cage ment for the young man.

The Dark Master then desicde what to do. "Take him back to where you found him!" Anbus opened his mouth to argue but then thought better of it and just said. "Yes Master." He picked the boy up and feed the magicks into the stone in a flash he was back outside of the rebel village, he placed the boy down and walked to a new location to countinue watching them. Something was bothering him, why had the Dark Master sent the boy back? He could have feed him for days maybe longer. He would have to keep a special eye on this young man the Dark Master must have a plan for him.

Chapter 2: