The Guardian of Nowhere

What creature brings fear to the world? Fear that is so all consuming, completely haunting that even though you do not believe is still what brings you fear. Such a creature is a Shade. Most believe a Shade is a person possessed by a spirit of hatred. No. This is not true. A Shade is a creature of darkness. A being of pure shadow with eyes of burning emeralds. Dark and lonely. It believes itself needing no one. No love. No hate. No emotion. I am a Shade. I have a sense of loneliness. Seeing the bad in all I do. But the Shade in me is proud and never wanting a companion or friend. What he needs is conflict and power. So that is what I give it. I train and work at such things. I fight for everything I want. I fight for love and I fight to end the loneliness the Shade has forced on me. His darker then black heart begins to consume my own. It consumes me. Now even I no longer care who I am with or what I do. I am becoming a creature of Darkness and loneliness. But I no longer mind. I no longer search for someone to end my suffering.



But Life has a power all it's own in such a way that nothing can stop it. For the first time for years, while I was consumed by darkness, i saw what I was missing. Inside another there was a Being of Light. Shining completely. The light was searching for it's other half. Where there is light there is darkness. Even in darkness there is light. Two halves will always search for each other to become whole. Both knew each other exist and spend their whole existence to find that other half. But there I was. When i was at my darkest there she was. The other half of me. My very Soul. My heart. This was the half i was missing and let be consumed by the Shade. Her light broke threw me and began to sear the Shade. It's cries and howls released from my lips. Tears of jaded blood flowed from my eyes. My very being had become the Shade.



I was the creature. The beauty of the light was so intoxicating. It drove me to further cry out in pain and agony. There the heart that was dead inside me began to beat again. It began to pump out the dust and shadows of the past. There was nothing I could do. The light began to wash over me and into me. The light began to take the darkness from my soul. Her beauty began to take the loneliness from my heart. I wanted her. I loathed blinking. I loathed looking away. I had to keep her in sight. Though the pain increased I rose to my feet. I was shaky and weak from the darkness. Finally I decided to change. There was nothing I could do for the darkness any longer. i began to walk to the light.



The Light broke against me and the shadows forced out of me. In my wake the shadows were driven. Behind me there was nothing but darkness. But in front of me there is only Light and Beauty. How I drew on that Beauty. In the darkness my body had become like a ghost. My body nothing but death and destruction. This was all I was. A Destroyer. Death. Turning to the light my ugly features were brought forth. I was ashamed. I looked at the Beauty before me and began to cry out once more. I turned away. I was ashamed. But even though I was ugly and deformed by the darkness I felt warmth on me. I felt a hand touch me. I saw light around me. My eyes were cast down as I looked at the feet of the one who sought me. Even her feet made my heart ache. It was what I wanted. The pain of being in love.



Behind me a roar of rage was let loose. It shook my core. Though I was out of the Darkness, the Darkness was not out of me. It still held me and called to me. I was afraid and wished only to be in the light. Then the Shades voice once again spoke to me.



"The Light will never love you. The light will never want you. There is nothing for you. The Light will never accept you. You are ugly. You are death and Destruction. You belong to the darkness inside your heart. You belong to me."



The words he spoke rang true to my broken heart. The loneliness wanted to take me back. I looked to the Light to see any kind of Love . Any kind of want for me. But thought i saw such things, there was another. I saw the want in Her eyes. And again I wept for the broken. I wept for myself and the Shade. The loneliness was returning. Inside the eyes of the Light and Beauty was a Hero. Her Hero. Hero of the Light was there before her. A Villain of Darkness was who I was. meant to fight against the Hero. Though the Hero believes me wanting to Destroy the Light I fight for her heart. For her Love. Though the Darkness has me, the Light can fix me.



She shone for her Hero and I cried out against him. From my realm of Shadow I brought forth my Weapon. A Scythe of bone and Hell Forged Steel. Her Hero brought from his Realm a Sword and Shield of Celestial Bronze and Iron. A match made to destroy Darkness. His body began to shine with the Love of his light and brought forth Hero's Armor. Rage filled me. Pain moved me. Hate surrounded me. From me Darkness brought myself Armor. A Skull Helm and Hell forged Steel breast plate with bones decorating it like a ribcage. I was a skeleton of who I was. I wanted back my light. My Shade screamed for his head. The Hero must be gone from this world. Gone from his light. GONE FROM MY LIGHT.



The Hero has challenged me for my Light. Without hesitation is my Acceptance to fight. To feed the Shade. We meet on the battlefield of Ancient wars. Strewn with the corpses of the losers of the Past. The one before me. The Hero of Light will be the next to join these souls. With my Scythe in hand I approach. We greet as is tradition and salute with fist over our hearts. We fight to the death. Something that I was accustomed. I will find his heart with the blade of my Scythe and reap his soul from his body. "Your Scythe is the Harvester. You are Death. Live up to your Name. Bring me his heart and soul to feast." The Shade demanded.



Once the greeting is over we charged. The Harvester handled with ease. We fought, sword and Scythe and shield clashing against each other. Blows were traded. Bodies beginning to bleed. The crows and Carrion eaters circled over head waiting to feast on fresh flesh. The Light looked on in Horror. She would Lose her Hero or Lose her Cast Love. Her love who was Cast into darkness believing himself no longer worthy of her love. She covered her mouth in fear. Her cries covered. But unable to stop her fighters.



The battle lasted 20 years. none giving a break to the other. blows were stuck for the full 20 years and none slowed. A crow came from above and attacked the Hero. Temporarily Blinded, the Hero was stuck by the Harvester and brought to his knees. Sword and Shield cast aside. The blade of the Scythe at the throat of Her Hero. My teeth clenched and seething he was going to end with this blow. I brought the Scythe up and was about to send the blow when I heard a cry so heartbreaking that I hesitated. Both turned their heads to the cry and they saw the Light and Beauty on her Knees with her hand stretched to her Hero. Her tears stained her cheeks. My mouth hung open as tears of jaded blood filled my eyes and tears filled the eyes of Her Hero. With our fight we had hurt her.



My heart broke from it's cage and freed emotions. I lowered my scythe. My eyes once again cast down. Turning my back on her Hero I dropped Harvester and began to leave the Light and her Hero. The battlefield went back to it's realm of war. Back to the Warriors. The Last words I spoke to the Light and Beauty were only three.



"I Love You."



Into Shadows I faded once more. But not to become consumed by darkness. No longer did I Wish to be of the Shade. Still I was unworthy of the light. So I turned my back on both. I cast out my Armor and began to cast out the Shade from my heart. Finally with Half my Being destroyed and Gone I walked the Realms. I was alone. No longer a Champion of Light. But no Longer a Villain of Darkness. I walked the boundaries knowing there will never be Happiness for me. I only wanted My Light and Beauty to be Happy. If her Hero does just that then I will watch from the Realm of Purgatory. Not Alive but not Dead. I will be there whenever she needs me but never knowing it was I.



I am now Of the Background. I am now a creature and a being. I am a Villain and a Hero. Of everywhere but Nowhere. With one Sword in each hand, half Armor of grieves and gauntlets I am home. I am a Guardian and a Protector. An Attacker and Destroyer. I am the Guardian of Nowhere. Never will I lose my Love again if Again she ever chooses me to Call.