Chapter Six: Kath

Kath gaped at Mica, the fire heating her back and his smile warming her front, maybe he was actually her brother, maybe she had found someone to trust and her old “brother” was really an imposter. Maybe she didn’t have to feel betrayed,

She sat down facing him waiting for an explanation about where he had been all these years and why he had never shown up if he was really her brother. He sat down as well, stirring the fire before he finally seemed real to start.

“When you were just a baby, not much more than a toddler really, I decided it was time for me to leave and set off into the world. I was of a good age and you were young enough to forget you ever had me for a brother. I asked my friend to fill in my place, you needed someone to get you into trouble and to teach you things our parents couldn’t, I filled our parents in on what I was doing and then I left.”

“Why? Why would you leave?” She asked deeply confused and almost angry that he had abandoned her to the golden haired idiot she had to live with for twelve years.

“I'll get to that in a moment,” he leaned backwards like he was thinking before he spoke again. “I filled my bags with the supplies I needed, then I took our only horse and left. I explained to our parents that I felt that the gods were calling to me for a greater purpose. On my travels I met The King of Darkness and he wouldn’t let me go unless I promised to bring you to him- No I don't know how he knew about you or why he wanted you, but I said I would since I wanted to survive. I’m going to get us out of the deal though, we can run off together and be safe. I’ll take care of you and be like a father to you. Will you do it?”

Kath stared at him, thinking about how she could run off with him but a little bit of common sense was still flowing and she wasn’t sure how he could be trusted. He could be making up stories and getting out of one deal meant he would and could do it later on.

Just as she was about to answer the fire blew out and a dark shadow rose on the cave wall. Mica’s eyes widened and he leapt, shoving her between fallen rocks and muffling her cry with one hand.

The shadow grew before her eyes, morphing into a 7 foot monster draped in a black cloak that hid his head deep in the folds of the hood.

“Little humans, I smell you, don’t run or hide.” The voice rushed around her and was as smooth as the wind rustling through the trees. It pulled at her, making her want to step out of the rocks and into the light. To surrender her soul to it but as she stepped forward her brother drew her back, clamping down on her arm so she couldn’t go anywhere.

“Don’t.” He mouthed, glaring at her, yet the voice called again, pulling harder and she broke free, stepping into the light.

“Ahh there you are little human. Come with me,” the creature turned and she followed down the passageway and into the dark, she heard her brother follow behind her.

…

They were led into a city carved out of rock and silver, it was stunning and dreary at the same time, where shadows morphed back and forth from almost recognizable creatures to something darker. They reached the gates of what looked like a castle, it was almost unseeable, buried in the stone yet created with glinting silver and gold, it must have been plentiful in the rocky mountain.

Through gates of intricate silver curls they entered and hallways of rock until they reached the large standing doors to what could be no other than the throne room. The doors were thrown open and they were shoved in as the shadows surrounding them pushed forward, breathing freezing air.

Sitting on the grandest throne she had ever seen, she had never really seen any, was the seven foot shadow that had called to her, she hadn’t seen him leave the group, but there he was. She got the impression that he was sizing her up behind his shadow veil.

“So girl,” she jumped when he spoke. His voice was haunting now and seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once, “I see your brother has finally brought you to me, but he took his time in doing so…”

“And what do you plan to do with my sister?” Her brother interrupted.

“None of your business boy, I was going to give you both a nice room in my castle but you are trying my patients, I suppose we will have to send you to the dungeons instead. Take them away and make sure the girl has some Iron on her.” The shadows pressed in, and pushed them towards the small iron door beside the throne.

As the door closed behind them she cried out, “What do you mean Iron!” She called and then the metal snapped closed in a collar around her neck, the screams started.