Shadows Complete Collection E-Book

Adam Ivehag

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 196

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

The new pocket edition. Availible world wide, further improved, and at a better price than ever. This book consists of thee books: Shadows. Shadows Origins. and Shadows friends forever. Follow Simones adventures in 1700s Great Britain and the realm of the shadows.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Prologue

Part 1: Shadows

1. In the shade

2. Shadows

3. The Stone

4. The Journey

5. Stolen

6. The Castle

7. New beginnings

Part 2: Shadows Origins

1. The man from the light world

2. The woman from the dark world

3. The meeting

4. The wedding

5. Sealing the portal

6. The warlord

7. Shadie

Part 3: Shadows Friends Forever

1. Child awaken

2. Those who wander

3. The king of darkness

4. The warlord

5. Friends forever

6. Into legends

The song of the shadows

Further information

Prologue

This book is in three parts.

The first was written without intention of a follow-up. A fun short story.

The second was then planned along with the third and was thicker.

It dives into the past of the civilization of the Shadows.

The third follows the events of the first.

and reveals the ending.

There are no deeper meanings intended in this work,

but rather it is a work intended solely for enjoyment.

And I hope that you do.

Index

Part 1…

.

1. In the shade

2. Shadows

3. The Stone

4. The Journey

5. Stolen

6. The Castle

7. New beginnings

Part 2

Part 3

Part 1

Shadows

Chapter 1

In the shade.

In a small town called Gatesburough,

lived a young girl named Simone.

She was only 14 years old.

She lived in a small house with big wooden beams, and

walls greyish white with a tile roof that would leak from time to time.

The town was on the British isle, discreetly hidden away behind some heights.

It was full of such little houses of but a room or two.

Although Simone had no siblings but was an only child, she was in some respect lucky because she had her own room,

that's still more than many of the children in the town.

Young Simone was dressed in brown and linen clothes and had a dark blue shimmering hairband,

her hair was dark brown and shoulder length, her skin pale and eyes as blue as the ribbon.

She had gotten it from her mother just a year ago and it was her most precious possession.

Her father wore a black leather vest and an old formal shirt and repeatedly repaired trousers.

Her mother wore a long linen dress.

She was rarely inside anymore, not since she was little playing around on the wooden plank floors.

In the evenings the family would sit in front of the fireplace and tell stories.

Simone was feeling down because she had no best friend.

Everyone has one but me she would say,

and storm of to her room, and her mother would always reply you know that's not true.

It will be alright dear, of course that didn't make her feel any better at the time.

The next morning, she decided to go out on an adventure.

She had twice before been out exploring the world, once to the heights and once all the way to another city,

a journey that took several days.

This time she was going to the forests and her mother packed her a bag of food.

Her father gave her a knife and a sturdy walking stick for scaring of anyone unpleasant.

They knew it was better to prepare her because they would never be able to stop her.

They tried the first time, but out the window and away she went.

She walked for hours until finally she came to a small meadow.

There was a large stone statue on a square stone pedestal...

She reckoned the whole thing was two thirds the height of a tree and too wide to reach two corners of the block at once.

In fact, the block was as high as her and on top a warrior of old times.

Here she decided to rest a while, sitting down she leaned on the block at her back.

The sun was relatively low and as she stood back up, she noticed her shadow being cast on the block, playful as she was, she started dancing and making shadow-figures while watching it. then she leaned right, but the shadow didn't, it remained straight. She was startled.

The shadow said: hi nice to see you again.

what do you mean again? asked the girl in a somewhat scared voice.

I'm with all the time silly, I'm your Shadow.

The girl just looked at the shadow.

The shadow continued: didn't know shadows could talk huh?

Well normally we can't but this place is special, you know... there is a place where all shadows can talk would you like to go there? Then we could hangout.

The girl hesitated for a moment but then happily said: sure.

Have you ever wondered why the town nearby carries the name it does?

Continued the shadow. Well let me show you, follow me.

The girl took her food and quickly followed, forgetting her walking stick by the statue.

Chapter 2

Shadows

She followed the shadow back to the town.

They stayed of the main road,

which was a broad gravel-road that ran all the way thru town.

Careful not to be seen they sneaked from backyard to backyard.

Whispering, giggling, especially as they almost got caught by an older heavy lady in the middle of baking heading out into the backyard due to the heat in the kitchen.

Causing her to have to sneak around the corner and try to be silent.

She was so nervous about being found out that she held her breath yet at the same time had to try really hard not to laugh out loud.

eventually she reached an old house at the other end of town.

The house was dilapidated, old and uninhabited.

No one had obviously lived there for a long time.

The shadow went in the door, and the girl after.

There was an old wooden staircase leading down to a basement.

The steps quirked each one with a different sound.

Along one short-side wall, next to the staircase, was a rack of wine bottles. Along the other, dusty books on shelves.

The two long walls had nothing but a small window on one and the other were just full of big stone blocks that looked much older than the house itself, medieval or possibly even ancient.

What do I call you anyway? Asked Simone.

Well how about Shadie? Said the shadow.

What are we looking for anyway?

There is a secret doorway here somewhere.

This used to be one of the basement rooms in an old stone structure.

But this is all that remains.

The people living in this house used to guard this secret, but eventually it was all forgotten and no one moved into the house again.

Simone looked at the wall, what is this?

She pushed one of the corners of the blocks that somehow seemed different.

There was a loud thump and the block and the one under and over it opened like a door.

Behind the door was a perfectly square room with carved drawings like a decorative gateway.

The room was rather dark and only a little light entered the room...

It was getting late now; the setting sun was shining through the windows on the gateway and the carvings started to glitter in orange, white, and yellow.

It's time, said the shadow and they walked through the gateway that was now shining.

Once on the other side she turned around, a great arch was shining, white in the middle and orange sparks like fireflies flew around the arch that was the colour of copper and wood.

Behind it a giant cliff of red rock that went all the way to a mountain top in the far distance.

Stretching as far as the eye could see like a giant wall.

Turning back Simone looked at the vast grass fields and mystical forests unlike anything she had never seen before. The trees would curve, the bark of some trees almost like brass and others with leaves dark green, almost glittering.

Forward said the shadow and they went...

The forest was located on the left then turned a bit right intercepting her path, but the shadow just said keep going forward.

As they got a bit further into the forest there were some stone structures.

Suddenly the shadow changed shape into a girl looking just like her, except with pitch black hair and clothes.

There was a low stone wall and an arching stone entrance with no gate.

As they entered Simone saw a whole city with high buildings and everyone just like her shadow was black dressed, with black hair.

This is the city of shadows explained Shadie; no one from the light world has come here in a very long time.

No one knows anymore.

Here we have lived for as long as anyone remembers and knows.

But there is something I must tell you,

something you must know.

Chapter 3

The Stone

We have an ancient story...

A long time ago the shadow people were living in peace,

but the shadow realm has been shaken by the knights of darkness.

The story says...

The first of the shadows were a city of children of a dark female warrior who turned as she fell in love with a man from the light world who had stumbled into her realm.

When the two joined they became the first shadows...

They then went on to create the stone, the stone of their love that would make shadows immortal to light and night so they could live in all the realms...

But the stone was lost, and none have found it, but it is believed to be where the mountains meet the line of the realms in this world.

If the stone were ever to be broken all shadows would be gone forever.

The stone is an amethyst shaped like an egg but rather flat, it is as fragile as glass, and if you look upon it you will see clouds moving swiftly within it.

We must retrieve it... but we cannot reach it ourselves, will you help us?

Simone thought for a moment...... Yes, yes I will help you.

After a slight hesitation she agreed to help the Shadows.

Shadie quickly exclaimed: Hey everyone did you hear? she agreed to help us!

The queen of the shadows asked: really? And then without pause continued:

then your quest shall start tomorrow!

But tonight, we Celebrate for our long wait has come to an end.

Suddenly a flame started moving as to a rhythm.

The shadows were spinning, jumping, dancing and some even doing acrobatics.

They ran with light feet on the walls and as some twirled massive magnificent black, multilayer silk skirts came forth. Drums from somewhere unseen, hands clapping,

and their skin was all as white as the moon, and stars, and snow.

Their hair as black as ashes, pitch, and coal.

They danced on the rooftops, on the street yes everywhere they could step.

All as light as where there nothing but the weight of their clothes.

Two large gates opened, inside was a large stone room.

On the sides pillars and in the middle of the room the was a round fountain without water,

but with a holder in the middle appropriately seized for a stone.

On the other side of the room a staircase and a stone throne.

Upon it the queen with a dress so massive it reached the stairs, and a beautiful silver crown.

The room as the city had no fabrics, the windows were high up near the ceiling and on the sides casting their rays of light between the pillars into the room.

And so, the night came. The shadows went to the fire and slept in a ring around the pillar upon which it was lit.

The city was full of small houses just like the ones at home except made from stone.

They had the same types of roofs just a bit cracked and they tended to leave their doors which opened inward open.

In fact, the only door that seemed to be in use was the big gate of the palace.

Simone laid down on the ground next to Shadie.

The temperature was holding, and it was not uncomfortable.

It was night already as she arrived, she thought the night had come awfully quick,

but then decided not to think about it anymore,

soon she was asleep

Chapter 4

The Journey

The next morning, they leave the town to find the stone.

After about two days of walking, they reach the foot of the mountain.

This place is different, what causes this? asked Simone.

Shadie replied: I don't know, what could cause a violet sky and a dark orb to shimmer among the clouds at the mountains top?

Shadie smiled at Simone; Simone smiled back.

We must be quiet said Shadie, this place hides all sorts of dangers.

They started climbing down the side of the canyon that ran around the mountain like a moat.

Why not just leave it where it is? if anyone could get to it wouldn't they have by now? asked Simone.

Shadie explained: No, the location has been unknown for a long time but since the simmering and glittering increased in the orb it has drawn attention to itself.

You must understand, although beautiful the orb is evil, it was created by a dark power to keep not evil but us,

from reaching it.

but you... you are not a shadow you are not affected by the orb.

Simone was curious how much they had in common and asked: Hey what's your favourite song?

Same as yours silly, I'm your shadow!

She realised the answer would be the same to other questions and didn’t ask any further.

They finally reached the bottom.

Suddenly a dark smoke came forth from the rocks and a creature appeared.

It's body of thick smoke wrapped in a black mantle, it's hands and arms covered in black scale mail. It stretched out it's hand and summoned a black two hand sword.

It grabbed the handle with both hands and swung it at the shadow-girls waist.

But Shadie leapt up on the wall and in a stunning gracious backflip landed with her foot on the creature’s head.

But her foot went right thru, and the creature vanished in a smoke cloud at her feet going back into the rock of the canyon floor.

Simone cried out: you saved my life!

I got lucky, the next foe may not be so easy, let's stay out of sight.

They walked close to the wall until they reached a place they could climb up.

After a few hours they reached a small cave at the side of the mountain,

They were now halfway there and decided to make camp, they made a fire, ate, and enjoyed themselves until...

Shhh, do you hear something? Shadie asked in a low voice.

What?

Footsteps, quickly put out the fire! they're coming this way.

The two put out the fire and moved everything out of sight and dove in behind a large rock by the entrance, the footsteps got louder.

Simone could hear her heartbeat raising dunkdunk, dunkdunk.

She was so afraid she didn't know what to do.

She was convinced her heartbeats were so loud,

they could be heard out.

She peaked behind two smaller rocks next to the big one. She saw six boots large and covered in black scale mail. Each step made a rattle followed by a heavy thump as their feet hit the ground. Outside were three creatures.

They were dressed in a fine scale mail from top to toe revealing only their face which was nothing but smoke.

They carried large powerful weapons and the last one of them stopped for a moment, it looked into the cave. Simone felt cold shivers down her back.

Then the creature moved on and Simone could finally breathe out.

She had been so scared she held her breath not to be heard.

They sneaked out and continued the climb.

As they reached the top Shadie suddenly stopped with a jerk, and said:

I can go no further, if I continue I will die, this is your part.

Simone continued the last few steps up herself.

There it was, a small oily copper arm of rococo shape yet thin was holding it, the stone.

She grabbed it with her right hand and put it in her pocket,

simply turned around and started walking down.

Well, that was easy said Simone.

How strange... oh well, who cares, as long as we got it, agreed Shadie.

They continued, suddenly the mountain started to shake behind them, and the little copper arm came flying past them.

They turned around and saw leaves unfold from the mountaintop sides.

The top opened and up came a black flower with smoke around its base and a glitter around its petals, in the middle, a giant Venus flytrap opened.

The flower started reaching for them.

They ran as fast as they could down the mountain.

stumbling, tumbling, and sliding down the mountain side.

Once they were out of reach and the dust had settled

Simone made a terrifying discovery; the stone was gone.

Chapter 5

Stolen

As they search, they spot a unit of soldiers standing in a circle.

They wore red and yellow tabards, ring mail and a very special design of bucket type helmet, unlike anything Simone had ever seen before.

A large man was pushing two of them aside and entered the circle; he wore bearskin and a coat as red as blood and a golden crown of a very boxy design on his head. This was their king.

Teeth grinned behind a long red beard with braids from the moustache down, as he picked up something from the ground and held it facing the sun.

It glimmered… clouds racing inside. It was the stone.

The warlord placed it in his pocket, and turned around, walked, and gestured to the soldiers who immediately fell in lines behind him, walking in a quick yet light march, spears held high resting on their shoulders.

What would they do now?

They hurried down to the canyon and the place where the soldiers had gathered, we must follow them Simone!

But even if we found them how could we possibly get the stone back?

We will find a way.

They started walking again, following the footprints in the dry sandy ground.

After a while the rocks and gravel turned to grass then trees.

As they reached the treeline and heard the sparkling sound of a creek not far away, they decided to make camp for the night.

The sun was setting, and Simone and Shadie were trying hard to start a fire.

It may sound easy but without much gear it wasn't.

After two full hours, sitting in complete darkness for the last one, they finally got the fire going.

They took out a blanket and wrapped it around themselves and took turns sleeping.

How little sleep they got,

strange sounds came from the dark woods,

and sometimes a pair of gleaming yellow eyes seemed to observe them.

I wish I had my stick Simone whispered to herself.

Me too whispered Shadie.

I thought you were asleep,

no, I couldn't sleep,

me neither.

After a long night with very little sleep, they got up and packed their things.

The air was cold and wet, the grass full of waterdrops and a slight breeze blowing that seemed to pass thru all clothing. Simone rubbed her arms.

Shadie looked across the landscape, Simone smelled the air...

The air that had before smelled only of the woods and what plants one may find there suddenly smelled like...

Roasted Pig! Simone called out.

Whatever I am you are, answered Shadie.

No, I really smell roasted pig...

You're right said Shadie, that must mean we are close to the others.

They started walking again,

in a few hours they saw something on the horizon.

A large castle of modern and old build combined, made with bright large stone blocks, a rather mighty place.

It was now just before lunch, and they were both hungry as their food had ran out the night before.

They walked up to the castle looking for a way in and finally, they found it, an open window in the servants’ quarters, they climbed in.

Chapter 6

The castle

Even the servant quarters seemed somehow regal.

Red carpets with golden decorations along the edges, and

the furniture was made from dark wood with a glossy finish.

Long curtains with golden tassels by every window and ringing softly throughout the castle the sound of harp, flutes, and soft drumming.

Long stone corridors everywhere like a maze and here and there a thick wooden door with iron fittings,

and behind them, rooms with wide oak-plank floors.

Candles sat in holders of brass along the walls and the scent of the candles, and the wood filled the air sometimes with a slight whiff of spices from the kitchen.

Far away they heard voices laughing, yelling, and talking, telling stories about lands far away and the travels they had made there and occasionally echoed the sound of heavy boots as the guards passed by. They peeked, the guard had black boots reaching his knees and decorative clothes with so much golden thread that the black base could hardly be seen through, and a large emblem of the castle on his chest. On his head he had a steel helmet,

partially covered in black suede and a large fluffy feather-plume on the side.

And he had a long pointy red beard and he had... Hey you! stop there!

He was coming their way. Hide! quick! whispered Shadie as they crawled in under the couch. The guard opened the door with a light kick, and pointed his halberd around as he looked.

Oh, it was just you he said and picked up a cat, when did you get here?

He carried the cat away as he left, they could hear him talking to it.

Thought you were supposed to be on the upper floor...

I don't think we are going to be that lucky again, we better get moving said Shadie.

Simone nodded, and they went out into the hallway, careful to avoid the guards.

As they looked around from room to room, they finally found a large door that seemed thicker and stronger than the others.

How do we get in? asked Simone.

Like this said Shadie and grabbed a candle from the wall,

Here, grab this, stand between it and the keyhole.

Ok like this?

Yupp, try and shine it so your shadow hits the floor on the other side, even just the slightest.

But I can't replied Simone, you're my shadow!

Exactly!

Shadie made a slight glimmer and suddenly she was as a shadow again, cast from Simone’s feet at the door.

Another glimmer behind the keyhole and the door was unlocked from the inside, the door opened, and there was Shadie giggling.

Shadie saw the look of amazement on Simone’s face and turned around.

Wow!..