Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : YoungAdult

"Humankind is a curious species. Not long after they were born, they felt compelled to build, learn… and destroy. Humans, greedy as they were, started fighting over "precious" trinkets and land, as if it belonged to them. Soon, humanity's darkness manifested into great beasts that lurked in the shadows. They were given the name of Shade's, and soon started to kill humans and destroy thier cities.

However, as with all living things, humanity wanted to live. Some humans evolved and adapted to thier new enemies by gaining the ability to tap into unique powers to fend off the beasts. They have been able to protect large cities by coming together and forming the "Shade Sladers" who are able to use these gifts called "Light" to keep their "monsters" at Bay.

But nature is always moving forwards. pray and predators are in a constant game of cat and mouse, always adapting, always changing. One day, however, this game will end and the land will be engulfed in shadows."

The forest was silent except for the soft "pit, pat" of feet on the ground. The vegetation was thick and the sweet smell of wild flowers were ever so slightly brushing Sarah's nose as she walked beside John. Sarah was eighteen, with medium length dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes. She stood at about five foot three. John was thirty eight years old and about five foot ten with short, black hair and hard blue eyes. Every so often, a ray of sunshine would make it's way through the dense tree tops and shine onto Sarah or John. John was teaching the girl how to fight a Shade just in case she ever finds herself facing one alone. John suddenly caught movement out of the corner of his eye.

"here doggie, doggie. Here boy!" He taunted the movement.
"Do you have to taunt it? I'm sure it will be mad enough without the taunting."
"It's easier to let them know where you are instead of chasing them."

As if on que, A giant wolf slowly crept out from behind the bushes. It's fur was jet black, eyes a dull piercing yellow and it seemed as if it was covered in a black smoking haze. The standard Shade look. Though Sarah also noted the smell of rot. The wolf let out a low yet loud rumble of a growl then a bark that sounded halfway between a large dog and a Lions roar. It charged for the easier pray. It charged for Sarah.
John smerked "Get ready kid, and remember, no Light."

The Shade pounced for Sarah. She jumped to her right, out of the way of the incoming beast. Sarah pulled the sword from her back and spun. the blade made an arch as it slashed the left hind leg. The wolf howled in pain. Turning on her, the wolf snared, showing it's teeth. Pray wasn't supposed to fight back. 

Sarah got back up to her feet and thrusted for the head. Ducking to the left, the wolf took it's large left paw and swatted Sarah off her feet. Sarah just managed to recover before the wolf jumped on top of her, slamming her small body to the ground.
"Bad doggie!" She sneered as she kicked the wolf off of her. It hit the ground with a "Yelp".

"Focus, don't be distracted." John sounded calm but signs of worry was there. Suddenly, more howling came. As the wolf gets back up, three more came up behind it. 
"Uhh... John?" John pulled his twin swords from his back and walks up beside Sarah. 
"I got this."

The one that Sarah was fighting pounced first but John effortlessly side stepped to the left and swiftly swung the blade in his right hand across the beast from chest to rear. It crashed to the ground with a dull "thud". Dead. The other wolves attacked at once. The sight of a fallen comrade fuelled thier anger. John ducked under the first one. He then jumped and swung both swords. They connected and went through thier targets, the necks. Two head's dropped, followed by the bodies and John. Before John could land, the first wolf turned and charged the man. John pointed both swords down. Jumping back before they landed on thier mark, the wolf now stood in between John and Sarah.

Instead of continuing the attack on the human that killed it's pack, the Shade turned and went for the unsuspecting girl. John raced towards Sarah before the wolf got to her, but it was too late. A piercing scream filled the air as teeth sunk into flesh.
"SARAH!" 

This was the first time, Sarah thought, that she has ever heard him call her by name. 
As John closed in, the wolf ran. Instead of giving chase, john picked Sarah up. She had a large gash on her left shoulder and her shirt was already covered in blood. John raced her to a clearing not too far from where they just were. He gently put her down and grabbed a small, diamond shaped device from his pocket.

"Sector 3-7-2, John Blacksilver. I need a medical aircraft now!" He then looked to Sarah. "Don't worry Sarah, they're coming."
Sarah was already finding it hard to keep her eyes open. The last thing she remembered was the aircraft landing and two people in white suits carrying her before she completely passed out from blood loss.

Sarah woke up in a hospital room. John was standing with a woman just a few feet from her bed. The woman was about the same size as John and had ocean blue eyes and long bleach blonde hair and was in a white suit.
"how many times have I told you to focus?" A look of concern flashed across John's face followed by relief. He let out a sigh.
"well, you're alive, that's the important part. Your injury wasn't too serious, how're you feeling kid?" 
She waited before answering to make sure she was correct. 
"A bit sore but ok." 
The woman spoke up now. "Sarah Ross? I'm Autumn, the head of Grim's Academy."
Before Sarah could say anything, John spoke up. "Autumn, a word?" He motioned out the door.
 
Once they were a few feet from the room, Autumn started the conversation.
"You told me when you first took her out there that she was safe."
"She was... Complications came up." John seemed a bit annoyed
"Complications?"
"Look, I know what you want." 
"We can help her, she has so much potential." 
"So your saying I'm not doing a good job?" 
"You have done an amazing job with what you've had, but we can help. You can over look over the course and if there's anything you don't agree with, we can work it out." There was a moment of silence as they studied each other. John loosened up.
"It's been a while hasn't it?" He sighed.
"Yes, it has." 
"Ok, but I'll look through everything before it's given to the class. If there's anything I don't like, she leaves." 
"Sounds fair to me." With that, they went back in the room .

Once they entered, they saw Sarah, now standing at the window.
"So, Grim's Academy? That's where people train to become Shade Slayers right?" She doesn't look away from the window
"That's right. So you heard us then?" John didn't seem surprised though. He knew that Sarah had excellent hearing. Sarah turned to face the older couple.
"Yep, I was wanting to come back to the city anyways, it's been a while."
"So you're ok with going, kid?"
"Ya, want to see what other people around my age are like."
This time Autumn spoke. "Then let me be the first to welcome you as our new student. We can take the train tomorrow, today you should rest up. I trust that, that" she motioned to Sarah's shoulder. "won't effect your work too much."
"I'll be fine, it's just a scratch." Sarah waved off the thought
"As expected of you Miss Ross."

The next day, although she was still sore, she got up early with the other two and left for the train station.
Autumn lead the way. "Alright, platform 9 is our train." 
Sarah looked at the platform numbers. "I wonder what it would be like if they went up by quarters... Like a platform nine and three quarters!" John gave her an odd look. "I think you've been reading too many books about witchcraft and wizardry."

Thier train pulled up. It was the largest one there. The carts seemed to have had a second layer on top. (the second  being what Sarah could describe as a balcony.) As they borded the train, Autumn tells them she has to head up to the first cart but they should look around. John instead decided to sit in a cubby, but Sarah wanted to go up to the balcony top. Once she got up there, Sarah looked around. It was Fairly empty. Sarah made her way to the front of the cart and the train started to move.

The scenery flew past at blinding speeds. Sarah started to notice a building growing on the horizon. She soon realized that, that was Grim's Academy. An announcement then sounded and Sarah heard Autumn's voice from the speaker.
"Good day everyone, my name is Ms. Rosette, the head of Grim's Academy and I personally welcome all the new students coming this year. I hope you will grow to consider the academy to be your second home just as I have."

"So this is it?" Sarah thought. "I'm finally going to see what life is like in the city." She looks at the grand monument like building getting closer every second. 
"This is going to be my new home."

Writer's notes: I'm just a novice and if you've read all the way to here, I am VERY surprised! Thank you. Any positive criticism is strongly welcome as I am not going to get better if I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have rewritten this, it was originally called Association of Defenders 😐

I am sure my quality of writing will get better before this series comes to an end. It will be interesting to see how much I have grown from now tell then.