The Four Horsemen by Michael Chatfield

Author:Michael Chatfield [Chatfield, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter: 19

A shadow opened his eyes. Great claws flexed and relaxed. The shadow unfurled to his great height, as tall as two men.

Crystals flickered around the cavern. In its middle lay a ritual circle carved deep into the stone. The central circle looked like it was covered in liquid obsidian that shifted around without a clear pattern.

Shadows, like incense vapors, spread from the edges of the inscription at the center of it.

At the edge of the circle, a shadow held a man kicking and yelling. With a quick, almost bored stroke, the shadow’s claw tore the man’s neck open. He gurgled and went still, his mana drained from his body. The shadow tossed the man into a pile of bodies. Human, beast—it mattered not where it came from.

Humans were the richest fuel in the woods, the monsters lacking in mana.

The greater shadow reached out toward what had awakened it.

People had entered the forest. His forest.

The master had given him strict orders: Send out the sneaky shadows. Have them kill the things that would enter the darkness. Use them for the ritual.

Soon, his master had promised. Soon they would spread beyond this forest. They would blot out the sun, through valleys, over mountains, into the cities filled with many to fuel the ritual to dominate the land. Destroy the one that harmed his master.

Then he would see who was the master.

The shadows obeyed no one. They hid from the sun carefully. Though they never disappeared totally.

With time, he would come into his full power on this plane and harvest great rewards.

The darkness shuddered around him as four creatures formed of shadow, fog, and malice congealed at the edges of the room. They were half the size of a man, floating in midair; cloaks of shadow covered their features except for the four claws on either hand, each claw as long and sharp as a dagger. Perfect for rending and stabbing.

He pointed in the direction of the creatures. “Hunt.”

They faded away, dashing through the shadows of his forest. Tonight, he would feast well.

He closed his eyes to the sound of a deer being sacrificed to the ritual.

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