THE ENDING

LOST SHADOWS

 The weeks that followed were riddled with the unexplained. There was the day of "No Shadows." A cloudless sky with a heavy sun beamed down from the heavens. At first no one noticed this anomaly. Ever so subtle it was. Who would've noticed something as trivial as a missing shadow...... "The innocent always sees what the immoral cannot." Aarkaneus laughed loudly to himself at this quote. Because it was Amina who had made this known to him. She was barely 4 and the daughter of the blacksmith Rowan. This oak stomp of a man was revered because of his strength and metallurgy skills. One might think that perhaps his lineage might just be dwarven. The stout muscular body and thick limbs and the skin on his forearms were heavily calloused and darkened from the heat and ash. Vise-grip like hands pounded the helpless iron against an unmovable anvil all day long! But no one questioned him about such trivial things. Whom being of sound and sober mind would even entertain the thought of angering a man who could bend horseshoes with his bare hands! Rowan often built various contraptions by using blueprints and drawings from the wise one. With Aarkaneus residing within a stone's throw away that little girl followed him everywhere! The cottage of the wise one contained all manner of scrolls, artifacts, books and vials of foul liquids. Amina was always rummaging through his collections! He wasn't particularly fond of this little "Crumb Snatcher!" at first but his heart began to succumb to her innocence. He tried all manner of experiments and tests to disclose the reasoning behind the unexplained. Shadows danced rather lively from the flickering flames of the chimney fire. And from a lit candle...... but yet outside in the open they do not exist. The sun offers its radiance for light and warmth. A shadow is just a side effect caused by the presence of light. Could its presence be compromised or neutralized by an opposing force of some kind? How can this even be possible? The Old Ones need to make this known to King Duncan. For he knew that his majesty still despised him strongly. And the King would at least grant those men an audience. "All of the shadows of the kingdom have vanished you say!?" King Duncan rubbed his reddish-brown beard, rather seriously after making such an inquisitive statement aloud. "And did the kidnapper of shadows demand a rather large payment of gold for their return?" The Banquet hall erupted with laughter as the King laughed even louder at his own idiotic statement. Oh, what a rabid buffoon this king is! Aarkaneus thought this to himself while he remained concealed behind some large drapes. With so many dignitaries drinking and filling their bottomless gullets no one paid him any mind whatsoever! With all these tell-tale prophecies happening one after another like clock-work the people should be warned!