Running From Shadows

Twenty-six years earlier

Soft orange and pink hues spread across the horizon as the bright yellow sun slowly peeked out from its blanket of night. Farmers arose preparing for the long day of chores ahead of them. The eggs needed collecting, the cows needed milking, and all of the livestock needed feeding; but most importantly, the fields needed tending to make the crops grow. Some crops were ready to be harvested while others needed a few more weeks.

The farmers’ wives—who ran the town businesses—prepared for their day of sewing, selling, and organizing. It seemed like a happy day because it seemed as if nothing had been destroyed during the night. Destruction didn’t belong among the farm lands, and it was sent away by the creatures that shared the land with the human farmers.

When the women entered the town square they saw two dead men piled in the center of the market place. They formed a group circle around the men before bowing their heads in a silent prayer. A winged creature flew silently overhead spewing fire over the dead men; the women never noticed the creature, but the bodies were gone when their eyes opened. They went quietly into their shops and opened for the day.

The sun was burning high in the morning sky as the mayor entered his office. The tall muscular figure that sat in the chair behind the mayor’s desk startled him causing a few drops of coffee to find their way to the wooden floor. “Hello mayor,” the figure whispered, but to the mayor’s ears it seemed as if the voice was echoing throughout the room.

“Good morning, Eoryon,” the mayor answered. His voice shook with nerves while his physical features remained calm.

“Two men were caught trying to steal crops last night, and I have reason to believe that they are the culprits behind your livestock murder problem,” Eoryon reported.

The mayor let out a sigh of relief. Eoryon noticed the relaxation of the muscles in the short, stocky man; he no longer reeked of fear and bad cologne. “That’s wonderful news. How can the town repay you?”

“My people like this area. We would like to make a home of it, but we do not want to be hunted down like criminals,” Eoryon answered as he stood from the mayor’s chair. From his full height, Eoryon could see the bald-spot clearly in the back of the mayor’s dark hair. The nasty smell of fear was back.

“Well, um, Eoryon,” the mayor stuttered, “I will grant you this wish, but I would like for your people to remain in their human forms to keep the panic out of the townspeople. If one of you harms another human, I cannot guarantee that a hunting party won’t come after you.” The mayor finished with more confidence, enough confidence that Eoryon almost admired him for a moment, but not quite.

“No human shall be harmed by Sérieux hands. I give you my word.” The six foot five man walked with utter silence across the room so that he could stand directly in front of the mayor. Eoryon offered a hand that could fold around the mayor’s hand at least three times. The mayor nodded and put his thick human hand, which was shaking like a leaf in a tornado, in the center of Eoryan’s. The gentlemen shook hands to agree on their promise to one another.

Eoryon noticed a second presences in the room. He released the mayor’s hand while turning his head just slightly to the side to peer through his peripherals. The danger speech that he’d given his circle earlier floated through his ears. “There is danger everywhere. You must stay calm and…” All thoughts vanished when he caught sight of her white cotton dress.

“Father, Mother sent me to ask what would you like for dinner,” she asked. Her voice floated through the air as if it was carried by angels. Her light brown hair was falling out of its loose bun, and her skin appeared to be soft and smooth. Eoryon suddenly found himself wishing he could touch her pale skin to see if it was really as soft as it appeared.

“I must return. The others will get anxious if I stay out much longer,” Eoryon stated while trying to keep his attention on the mayor. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you, Eoryon. We will be happy to have you since you are keeping the crime rates so low.”

He rushed from the room. The air would not come into his lungs fast enough. The sun burned his frail olive skin as the wind gently ruffled his black hair. Eoryon’s dark blue eyes clouded over as he found himself calling his storm clouds. The sun’s harsh rays burned his skin, blinded his eyes, and cause general panic in his bones; none of which was good for the townspeople. The gentle wind picked up as he began to draw more and more air into his lungs.

The feel of fingers on his wrist started him. Lightning struck the ground about two feet away as he turned his anger on the person who dared touch him. The image of the girl in the white cotton dress with the light colored hair flooded his storm filled eyes. She quickly removed her hand; the storm left his eyes, but the clouds remained.

“My name is Isa,” she spoke softly. “Are you one of the monsters that the village fears?”

“I am Eoryon,” he answered, “I am the controller of the monsters they fear.”

He turned and walked away from her. He could hear her footsteps following him, but she did not speak. “What are you doing,” he questioned as he walked.

“I want to meet the other monsters.”

“NO,” he growled as he turned to face her. “Go home now, little girl. The Sérieux are not beings to be taken lightly.”

“Will I see you again,” she questioned. There was no fear in her eyes. Curiosity took over her features, her muscles remained relaxed, and Eoryon could tell that she was sincere.

“No, you will not. I only come out at night with the monsters, and you should stay locked inside with your father.” He leaned down so that he was eye to eye with her. “Do you understand?”

She reached up to ruffle his hair as a bright smile crossed her features, “the sun only burns because you don’t experience it enough.” Her hand fell to her side, “I hope you change your mind, Eoryon.”

He turned to walk away again, but this time she did not follow.



“Neya,” Dreigon yelled. He’d been following foot prints in the direction that Hyphron pointed him in, but he couldn’t be sure if it was right or not. He didn’t know if yelling her name would help find her any more than quietly tracking her would because he knew two important things. Number one, she was running to save his life; number two, she didn’t remember anything about herself.

He just needed to find her. He could take her back to the rebel campsite to grab some gear. They could take on the rest of the Sérieux together. There was something still bothering his mind. What did Hyprhon mean by, “you will recognize her name?”

“Neya,” Dreigon thought out loud. “Urielle used to…”



“I want Eoryon! He’s going to miss…” Isa screamed as sweat beaded on her forehead. She ran to Sérieux lands when she first noticed she was pregnant. They covered for her by telling her father that they were looking nonstop. A month prior the mayor found out she was living with Eoryon, and as promised the search parties gathered on the edge of the dark forest.

Isa knew that she wouldn’t see Eoryon before their child arrived in the world, but she prayed that he got to see his child. The pain tore through her body like nothing she’d ever felt. “There’s the crown, Isa. Get ready to push!”

Two hours later, Isa bore a beautiful baby girl with dark curly hair and bright blue eyes like her father. The pain still coursed through her body. “There’s something wrong with me,” She announced.

“There’s another crown,” the doctor answered in shock. “You’re having twins!”

After twenty more minutes, Isa bore another daughter. They were identical except for one small detail. Her oldest daughter had a birthmark on her shoulder that looked like the sun, while the youngest had a half-moon in the same spot.

“Neya, is my sun. Xerya is my moon,” Isa whispered. The girls were crying out as their mother faded fast.

Isa was dead by the time Eoryon returned home from misguiding the search party away from Isa’s screams.



I wanted to keep running. I needed to keep going. The more ground I covered the safer the only other human would be. Those creatures were coming after me, and that voice made it clear that they were going to keep coming until I couldn’t breathe anymore.

My legs collapsed underneath me. My lungs burned and ached like someone set my insides on fire. I closed my eyes and sucked in a few deep breaths. The wind slowly began to pick up around me. The sky didn’t darken, but I could feel the soft mist of rain. The weather was calm just moment before. “That is you causing the changes,” the soft growl spoke. I glanced around my surrounds before my eyes made contact with Hyphron.

“You need Dreigon. He will be a great help to you when you begin to remember who you are, Neya.”

“No, he’ll die!”

“You will be the one that dies,” Hyphron growled. “If you do not remember who you are and what you can do, Xerya will win. Trust me, Neya, if you were in your right mind you would die before letting her win like this.”

“Why should I trust you,” I hissed. Leaves crunched to my left.

“Because I am giving your memories back!”

He walked towards me, but I took a step back. He growled softly, and before I could react he rushed me. I landed with my back on the ground and his paws pinning my shoulders. His icy eyes bore into mine. A tall, muscular man with cloudy eyes and dark hair like mine flooded my eyes. Clouds of fog surrounded him, but his purple cloak stood out against the clouds. A short woman with dirty blonde hair stood beside him in a white cotton dress. She was holding two bundles in her arms.

“Do you see,” Hyphron questioned.

“That’s my family,” I whispered. I felt warm tears stream down my face. “That is where I came from.”