Shade and Dusk: Guardians of Analysia

(3) Healing Dusk

The next day, Shade was outside in her backyard, writing her paper in her notebook as she leaned against the tree. The paper was on the history of Analysia, and she’s doing pretty good so far. If you count two paragraphs good.

     “Hmm, the capital of Novian City. . .,” mumbled Shade. She tapped her pencil on the side of her head, until a strong wind snatched the paper and disappeared into the woods. “Seriously?” she groaned. She wasn’t allowed in the forest, but she had to get that paper. Shade took a deep breath and she went inside the dark forest.

     The forest was pretty in a creepy way. Tall trees filled the sky, with beautiful flowers you will only see in Analysia. Flowers like the ribbon lily, the peacock flower, etc. Finally Shade managed to find her paper, next to a squirrel eating nuts. Shade slowly went for the paper, “Okay, so I’m just gonna take this back now . . .”

     Even though it was only a squirrel, it did not like it when she reached for her paper. It threw a nut at her and snatched the paper and climbed the tree, holding it in its mouth.

     “Are you possessed or something?!” she said to the squirrel, now on the branch. Shade could tell it was laughing at her.

     “You’re so lucky I’m not Ray,” she grumbled and noticed that it left behind some nuts. She grinned, picking them up and climbing the tree. When she was at a good spot, halfway up between the ground and the demon squirrel, and started to throw the nuts at it. The squirrel yelped and ran all over the branch as she threw them, dodging every one. Finally she managed to nail it at the side (Note: Shade is not an animal abuser; but this animal is possessed she was sure of it), and it fell down to the grass.

     “Give up?” she teased it.

     The squirrel suddenly tensed, then dropped the paper and ran away.

     Shade raised an eyebrow, but shrugged. She looked to see if the paper was slobbery: and of course it was perfectly fine, just a few scratches. Sighing, she put it in her pocket. Shade was just gonna have to copy it down on a different piece of paper and wash her hands once she gets back home.

     Speaking of which, her mom is probably wondering where the heck she is. Starting to turn around and heading back home, Shade tensed has she heard a distant, familiar sound.

     She looked and wished she didn’t. A few feet in front of her was a shadowy figure in the shape of a dragon: and it was staring at her with its purple glowing eyes. Being her stupid self, she stepped back and stepped on a twig. It snapped, and that was just enough for the beast to trigger its hunting senses. The Shadow Dragon lunged as Shade braced herself for serious death and pain.

     But just as its claws were about to claw at her, something just as big tackled the Shadow Dragon. They went tumbling down, just enough time for Shade to hide behind a boulder as she watched. She almost gasped in disbelief at the creature that just saved her life. It was the same shape as the shadow dragon that attacked her but bigger, more solid and as dark as dusk. Its wings, same color but trimmed with dark purple, flapped as it roared in protested, darkness swirling around it. The creature’s tail kept swaying back and forth. It looked like the Shadow Dragon . . . but more solid, and its eyes were a dark purple.

     The Shadow Dragon growled and lunged, but the dark dragon dodged and clawed at its side. Roaring in pain, the Shadow Dragon made a screeching sound. It was so loud the whole town probably heard it, and Shade had to cover her ears. The dark dragon didn’t like it either, but he (Shade decided it was a he), roared and lunged again. He opened his mouth, and instead of flames it was darkness. At first Shade wondered if darkness vs. darkness was even a good idea, but obviously the dark dragon was stronger. The Shadow Dragon tried to control the shadows, but it just surrounds it as it freaks out. Suddenly the dark dragon did something strange: he made a sharp roar, as if he was ordering the Shadow Dragon to do something. He kept repeating the same sound, some of them a little louder. The Shadow Dragon suddenly backed up, as if he was telling it, Now be nice to this girl or I’ll skewer you.