A new storm is brewing over us. We seek refuge in a cabin for the night. A poor decision, our pursuers catch up with us. I can''t let my companions die. I won''t bring them down.


    "Wake up, get the fuck up now!" I yell.


    Vene, Shiroi, and Meredith sit up quickly.


    "Shiroi is concerned, Dirk, what is the matter?"


    I shake my head grabbing my sword. I look back at Vene before I head out into the storm.


    "Keep them safe."


    Vene loads the girls up in the wagon. They look back at me reluctantly, but I just shake my head. Vene nods, he knows what I need him to do, even if it costs him his life. I''m alone now, well not completely.


    "I''ve seen them, they''re a hundred strong, this is a losing battle," Umbra says grabbing my shoulder.


    I grab her and kiss her. Her eyes light up and she pushes me away. I don’t see any disapproval on her face though. Perhaps my advances aren’t unwanted. I was just curious to see her response incase this really is a losing battle.


    "What was that?" she asks flustered.


    "My last kiss, I''ll surely die tonight," I reply.


    She shakes her head and grunts.


    "If I grant you shadow step again then you owe me more than a kiss," she says angrily.


    "Anything."


    Umbra chants something and I feel cold and lifeless, such as a shadow should. A hundred men, more like a hundred bodies bear down on me.


    Blood, I can''t feel the warm blood as I soak the ground with it. When they catch on to what''s happening, it''s too late. Is this what it''s like to be a shadow? Cold and lonely. Is this how she feels all the time?


    The screams of men cut through the night like a razor. It’s the same as when they took her from me. When they took my mother from me. I can see Umbra in the shadows. There is a look of concern on her face as I slaughter them mercilessly. They beg for their god, but none escape my rage.


    I cut the throats of the last few men and lean against a tree. The night is getting cold, and it''s humid from the rain. There will surely be a frost. It''s funny, my enemies couldn''t touch me, but I may well freeze to death.


    "I welcome you to my home," Umbra says holding out her hand.


    I grab it, and then everything goes black. I can''t feel anything, but I know I''m going somewhere. When I open my eyes again, we are in a cabin. It seems like we are deep in the woods somewhere. I can see trees through the window. I''m laying in bed and I''m naked. Where am I? Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Here''s a robe sweetie, so do you like my place?" Umbra asks.


    I stand up to put on the robe and she stares at me blushing a little.


    "What is this place?" I ask walking around the room.


    It''s fairly open and seems like the kitchen, dining room, and bedroom are all one room. That must mean that door leads outside. I put my hand on the doorknob.


    "Don''t do that," Umbra yells grabbing my hand.


    She pushes me away and opens the door slightly. All I see is darkness, just an endless ocean of shadow. She shuts the door quickly.


    "There, you happy now, when I was first bound to the sword, I wandered around out there for what seemed like an eternity before I found this place."


    "Is that the shadow realm, isn''t the shadow realm part of the Netherrealms?" I ask.


    She sighs, "what, did you read that in a tome?"


    I shake my head yes and she leads me back to the bed. We sit down and she runs her fingers over my chest. She seems most unprofessional. I doubt this kind of physical contact is appropriate. Her lips approach my cheek and she licks my face.


    "What the hell was that?" I say wiping my cheek.


    She smiles.


    "Honey I''m a soft scale, that''s how we show affection, I''ve been in here all alone for so long, won''t you show me a little affection too?"


    You know what, it couldn''t hurt anything. I lean in and kiss her running my hand down her back. She''s so firm and, wait what''s that?


    "Oh yes, please more," she cries out as I pull on what seems to be her tail.


    Horns sprout from her head as she bites her lip. I pull back suddenly. I saw them before but figured it must be an illusion.


    "Don''t stop now baby you''re making me horny," she giggles.


    "What the hell, you''ve really got horns and a tail, are you a demon?"


    She pretends to pout in an enticing way and paws at me.


    "No, I told you I''m a soft scale sweetie, now get back over here and touch me."


    I give her a nervous look. It''s not that she''s unattractive, but what the hell is even going on here? I crawl to the edge of the bed. She starts to crawl over to me waving her tail through the air.


    "Down devil girl, I don''t even know you."


    I roll off the bed into the floor and sit up.


    “Awe don''t be that way, I mean I can''t promise you I don''t bite, just that you''ll enjoy it when I do,” she says biting her lip playfully.


    I scurry over to the wall pressing my back against it. She crawls down off the bed across the floor. I''ve got nowhere to go. The only thing between me and her intended intimacy is this thin robe.


    She gazes at me with her big golden eyes as she crawls into my lap.


    "I know what you need, a little foreplay, how about some oral persuasion?"


    Her head sinks down between my legs with a smile. I grab at the floor digging my nails into it. It''s not that I haven''t been with a woman before. I haven’t had one do this to me though.


    "Oh God Umbra!"


    She looks back up at me.


    "Oh honey, God has nothing to do with what we are doing."


    Somehow we make it back to the bed. She only gets more aggressive there. I lay back in bed out of breath. Umbra leans over me running her nails over my chest.


    "Stop acting like it''s your first time, I know about when you soiled that girl Misty, I heard she was quite the snake handler."


    "How do you know about that?"


    Umbra smiles.


    "Honey I was in the room, I am where the sword is."


    I sit up and grab her shoulders. She bites her lip like she wants more. I just stare into her eyes. They are filled with pain just like mine.


    "Take me back, my friends need me."


    She looks away, she wants something else from me. It seems her infatuation is deeper than desire. She knows I can help her with something.


    "Help me find my sister."


    "Why should I?"


    "She was in your father''s sword."


    It''s like time hasn''t passed at all for me, but it''s morning. I''m leaned against the same tree clutching Umbra. I stand and head down the road alone. It''s a long walk before I reach wagon tracks. I follow them for hours before stopping at a tavern in the woods.


    That’s when I see it. The wagon.  I crawl into the back of it and collapse from exhaustion.


    Cheerful laughter surrounds the wagon. I can hear Vene flirting with Meredith. Damn he''s a tool, never mind that I''m sure everyone has a room. I''ll just stay in the wagon tonight. It''ll be peaceful to be alone. It doesn’t seem my companions are too worried about me.