The Lord of Shadows Rises Read Free

grabbed the sword, and put it on a pedestal in front of the statue where the voice was coming from. He then went back to his kneeling position.
    “I might be only at one-fifth of my strength due to the seal, but I can still deal with any failures. Kira, you’re in charge of these fools,” said the deep voice. A young woman strode out of the shadows, her flaming hair accenting the forest green of her eyes. The sword strapped to her back sat perfectly over her short, striped coat. Her low sitting pants hugged her muscled legs.The red-haired woman bowed down and asked, “What are your orders, my Lord?”
    “According to the spies I have in the area, the son has retrieved a box from the shell of his house. I think that contains what I need. Take it from his lifeless corpse if you have to, but do not fail me,” said the voice.
    The woman bowed and responded, “Understood, my Lord.”
    Kira and the two men walked out of the temple. Joined as they left by another soldier who had appeared to take the place of the one who had most recently felt the Lord of Shadow’s wrath.
    ***
    Having struggled on his return to school, Alexander was absent the following week to allow him time to grieve. In a clearing near to Samuel’s home, he was practicing with his wooden sword, fighting an invisible enemy. His reflection on the lake next to him as he went through various styles. Why did this happen? What were you part of, Mother, Father? Asked the teen to himself.
    The previous two days, he had spent at the library to see if he could find anything about this Lord of Shadows mentioned in the note found inside the box.
    His search came up empty despite his best efforts.
    I suppose it wouldn’t be public knowledge, thought the teen.
    He was back in the present as a rustling came from the edge of the clearing. “Come out!” he demanded raising his wooden sword in a guard position.
    Four people came out into the clearing. One of them was the red-haired woman, Kira. The other three were mere soldiers of the Lord of Shadows and decked in black tunics with cloths over their faces.
    Stepping forward from the others, Kira said in a smooth voice, “Alexander, you've got something of my master’s. It is a key, and your father had no rights to it. He stole it from my master. Bring it to me, and you will be rewarded. It's of no use to you.”
    Alexander’s eyes narrowed. “Who is your master? Were you the one who murdered my parents?” He growled from his throat while slowly backing away.
    “No, unfortunately I never got the pleasure of watching them burn,” Kira said grinning maniacally. “If you do not bring us the key you have discovered, then we will have to destroy you. Will you be sensible and take us to it?”
    “I don’t know what you are talking about. I do not have any key,” he lied; he had the box safely hidden in his room at Samuel’s house.
    The woman smirked. “Nice try. However, you will not be alive long enough to protect it” she replied.
    Alexander tensed.
    “Then, we will find out where you have been living and kill all those in that house, too. Now will you take us to it or not?”
    Alexander shook his head, still brandishing his wooden sword and gripping the handle in preparation of the coming fight. He couldn’t trust these people. He knew the key must be very important. " How can I protect Samuel and his family from these thugs? He thought.
    “Kill him,” ordered the red-haired woman as she stepped back.
    The three charged Alexander with their weapons as the woman looked on, a cruel smirk etched on her face. The first man swung wildly with his duel short sword but missed his target and was kicked in the back by Alexander.
    The other two charged forward as Alexander managed to block a wooden staff with his sword. He struggled to push back against the larger of the two men and fell to one knee. The man continue to force Alexander down and kicked the teen in the chest, knocking him flat.
    The larger man raised