Shadow Walkers

By way of explanataion of the next stall.

When I was not fighting I was researching, looking for answers to what I was. I traveled to many worlds chasing legends and scientific knowledge but I never found answers, until I reached Faseet... a world under a red sun. The sun was red, the sky was blood and when I got off the transport I saw a strange, twisted city in the distance. I had been there before, my dreams had taken me there more than once.

"We face an enemy we do not see." began the briefing, "They come out of the shadows and someone is gone. The people live in fear, the streets have become a gauntlet. Most of the activity centers on Esyo, our largest city. It is up to you to take it back." We had many questions but received few answers, it was apparent they did not what was going on, did not know how their enemy could be stopped, how we could even engage them.

As we drew near to Esyo I felt as if it called to me, as if I needed to be there. I did not want to go into that city, it was filled with a dark evil I did not want to face, but I went in anyway. I wish I hadn't.

Our mission was to each patrol a sector and shoot anything out of the ordinary. I was not long before I heard blaster fire going off here and there. I was sure innocents would die and not just at the hand of the enemy. More than once I was spooked into drawing on a civilian, I knew others' hands would not be as quick to hold fire.

I was walking down a street and in front of me a shadow formed and arms reached out to take someone. I fired into the shadows but I did not appear to score a hit because the person was pulled in. As the shadows dissipated I saw a flash of red. I continued my patrol and sometime later I was going down another street when I heard a breath behind me. I began to turn when a titanium grip circled my arms. I was pulled into shadows. I drew my silver knife and then came the words I was expecting to hear, "Why do you threaten me?" "Release your hold and I will not." I demanded. He let go and said, "I would not have harmed you, brother." I knew his answer but I said it anyway, "I am not your brother." I heard a low laugh, "I once was like you, one day you will be like me." "I am not like you!" I shouted and out of the shadows came those red glowing eyes with their drawing, hypnotic power. I looked away, I would not see the images in his eyes, I would not see Dawn Song die again. He laughed, "Your time will come." and threw me into the street.

I searched the nets for any references I could find of Shadow Walkers. It took two weeks to find something. It was an ancient book about vampires, not like the books I had read, this one was knowledgeable, written by someone who knew vampires. In the book was this passage:

Shadow Walkers

There is a legend from vampire antiquity, the legend of the Shadow Walkers. An ancient vampire, centuries old at least, can learn to enter a realm called the Shadow Lands. From this place they can wrap shadows around themselves in order to walk in daylight for a time. If a vampire walks in shadows too long he will become a Shadow Walker, permanently tied to the Shadow Lands. A Shadow Walker does not feed on blood like a vampire but on the minds of thinking beings. Their blood-red eyes carry a hypnotic quality and if one is caught in their gaze they become powerless while the Shadow Walker drains their mind of all thought. The Shadow Walker then temporarily possesses all the knowledge of its victim. Shadow Walkers are not easily killed, they are far more powerful than ordinary vampires, though they still are susceptible to prolonged sunlight and silver. It has been told that one day when men live among the stars a leader would arise among the Shadow Walkers and build a city in the Shadow Lands. From there he would lead the Shadow Walkers to dominion over all thinking creatures.

I now understood why the Shadow Walker called me brother.

Excerpt from The Thrall Wars Journals by S.E.Estes