Shadow Rising - EDITED

Chapter One

Zane Martez was a fifteen year old Shade living on the outskirts of Eirwood. He had liked to think he was normal, but after turning eight, he decided it was a lost cause. His family's bloodline led directly back to the original Shade and founder of Eirwood, Umbrus. Zane's relatives had been some of the few survivors of Ember's wrath, but they were quickly becoming extinct after Jane had died.

Although being the descendant of Umbrus may sound extravagant, Zane was always taught that it put a higher risk and bounty on he and his family. He swore never to tell anyone about it, because Shades could never know who to trust and who to turn to.

Zane lay in bed in his dark room. The only light was the Moon's illuminance shining through the window above him and reflecting on his black hair; just the way he liked it. Through the conversations and the occasional speeches from his father, Zane thought that for a second he could hear his mother playing her signature composition on the family piano, but he knew it couldn't be her.

No use thinking of it, Zane scolded himself. Even his father had told him to leave the past in the past, but Zane couldn't shake the feeling that Jane Martez was still in his pitiful life. It was as if his mother wanted to remind him of the dangers of the world, or maybe she just wanted to make sure he didn't get sleep at night. Both of which she was already accomplishing. Zane was warned beforehand at his mother's funeral that he would periodically hear her voice and see her caring eyes when he closed his, but Zane never thought it would last seven years, let alone one. At least his mother had taught him that Shades didn't need sleep, despite the controversy.

Zane could ordinarily sleep fine during his family's weekly parties, which he was never asked to attend, but this wasn't an ordinary party. His father was travelling to Quailes in two days, leaving Zane and his little sister Kelly by themselves for roughly two weeks, depending on how quickly Manuel Martez was able to find the materials to test his latest breakthrough. There was no trusting what Zane would do during those two weeks, but it could either turn to spending that time curled up reading a book with some hot chocolate or terrorizing the little kids in the small town with mediocre Shadow talents.

He couldn't say he wasn't bored at this time. Zane's family was two rooms away getting drunk off their own tears. Somehow they all thought that Manuel's "promotion" was something to cry over; somehow it was more important than crying at Jane's funeral years ago. Zane knew he should at least try to get some sleep, but he saw no point in it. August was the worst time of the year for him, because his mother had been shot this night. August 8th, the day Zane's life changed for better or worse.

Zane decided he didn't want to lay around any longer.

Although he was forbidden to join any of his father's parties, Zane had nothing better to do. He slipped out of his bedsheets and turned on his desk light. Instinctively, his hand reached for the glistening silver dagger on his desk. Shades never knew when they would be attacked or apprehended, so Zane brought the weapon with him everywhere he went. Since he was only walking down the hallway, he decided he wouldn't need it. If any fights broke out, it would be between his family, and he wouldn't want any blood spilled there.

Zane ruffled his messy black hair to make it elegant enough to blend into the party crowd. He at least wanted to be caught in the right attire. Zane decided he needed something different to wear, preferably something colorful. That was a problem, however, because his entire closet was black, the slight exception of white. There were few things that Manuel would consider formal. Zane shrugged and hastily pulled a loose black dress shirt off its respected hanger.

"I didn't think you'd have the guts to come out into the crowd," one of Manuel's attorney friends leaned against the doorway of Zane's room.

"Get out, please." Zane muttered, standing face to face with the man.