Chapter 9: Shadows.

About 2 kilometers away at the same spot Dez and his friends met a moment ago stood 3 ladies.

3 very uniquely beautiful ladies. These 3 ladies were from 3 different families. They were there sharing the same route and the same purpose. They have already met before. They had no relationship with each other but nevertheless, walked together.

They were the Guardian's every family assigned to protect their young inheritor.

Each of them had been specially trained for years. Drilled to the very limit physically and mentally.

They have no kin. No partner. No nation and sometimes even no names, no registration, and no identity. Only a single master. They were not from the Tybalt continent either, not born on this land no one knows where they came from. Maybe not even they know, their past is just a distant memory. Nevertheless what every single one of them has in common is that they were all sold. Scattered across the human continents they started alone, they fought alone, and they prevailed alone to the very end. They fought for everything they accomplished.

Some people called them the living shadows.

People who live in the shadows, murder in the shadows, and wither in the shadows.

They all live in a world of their own and fight a dangerous battle of their own.

They started by being sold to different cities. They were children of war, they are war captives.

Not every continent has a peaceful alliance. Some siege brutal and deadly wars against each other. Those who are, and also those who aren't from the union of governance. The holy empire will not interfere unless it's a meaningless slaughter.

Some organizations profit from those wars by buying war captives. And selling them on another continent. They even have their hands in other races' wars, selling ‘exotic goods’ to those who pay astronomical fortunes for them. The second most expensive ones are the soul awakened fighters who lost the war. Followed by useful adults, and the cheapest ones are the human children. These Children when bought will have to undergo brutal shadow training and only the best survive. They Are taught to obey orders at all costs. that only the success of their mission matters. no morals, no shame, no mental barriers, no honor, no hesitation, no emotional attachment, and no dignity, only obedience, and success.

How can you teach them to be so detached from everyone and everything like that? Well, I can only say it’s a dark and painful process. Some adapt and others break. These lessons were taught at a very young age, and kids can easily be shaped to do, think, and behave in a specific way.

Some even had to kill those they once called friends. Those they share a room with, a bath with, The once they had shared a thing hardly called meal, maybe even those that you told the last bit of memories you still held of your past. Those you shared new memories, new emotions with, and a new happiness. those that couldn't... Well, they are no longer part of this world. Forgotten memories and a vivid lesson of what to expect for those who held onto ideas or anything that can be called weakness. They were brainwashed then reformed to only believe and follow their masters. Their layers were broken when they had to live naked for years then shaped to hold no embarrassment or shame of anything, they had no bottom line, they fed on anything, drank anything just to stay alive, and were taught nothing is undoable or unacceptable. Their humanity was taken down and molded into human machines. If you weren't good enough you are a liability, a flawed product, and simply disposed of. It was abusive and it was dark.

Empires that are proclaimed to be friends may be fighting a brutal battle in the shadows. To be a ‘shadow’, especially a ‘shadow blade’ it’s a dark path to walk. Traps, schemes, assassinations you name it, They did it. They work breaking your empire from the inside. There is nothing they can't do or won't do. The only way is to have your shadows defend yourself from the attack of others.

These 3 lady’s had the mission to protect their young master even if they had to give up their lives for it.

Receiving that mission they were no longer considered shadows but guardians. To be promoted as a guardian was considered a huge honor. Only the best, the most talented, and the most trusted shadow were promoted to be guardians.

When you're considered part of the family you were bestowed the last name of that particular family too.

Guardians are able to live a more “normal” lifestyle than they were able to live before as shadows.

You went from the darkness to the light they say. But did you really?

A guardian needed to be a protector but also a sister or a brother to entertain the young lord. a nanny to take care of all his needs, a teacher to help him in his education, a combat master because the heir will need to represent the family in front of others and no way he can be incompetent at fighting, a sparring partner a beautiful way to call you a punching bag to release his frustration when his temperament flared up, and in some cases even lovers. A tool to release stress. They had to be everything the heir desired or needed.

So did you really come to the light? to glory?

A guardian’s life wasn’t more colorful, true. But it mostly depends on who you serve and have as a master. but your life still wasn’t yours. and your body wasn't still yours you went from a killing tool who can die at any time to a slave that had to babysit your master's child. Some may even become wives or husbands, but that rarely happens because they are broken, humans. but no matter what you are promised you will rarely ever be free.

Leven city has also trained its shadows for thousands of years. Every prominent family is forced to train them. The selklors, they had enemies all around them. They fought internally, against corruption and betrayal. Cities under the Selklor empire were attacked on a regular basis. Their Intelligence networks were being taken out. Their people were manipulated to revolt. Important people died each day the empire suffered. Trades were sabotaged, war tactics were exposed, allies left one after another. Food reserves were destroyed, beast hordes attacked the weaker city's on a daily basis. The selklor empire was being dismantled from within. The Selklor family was a nice piece of meat ready for devouring.

But power can determine everything. And powerful people can change the downfall of a whole empire. Kaihen was that powerful person.

He took care of those in the dark and set up his own network. He went against all the enemies of the Selklor empire and wiped them all out one by one in a matter of days. Rumor has it Emperor Kaihen used a single magical being on his side and in a single day he already knew who the enemies were who betrayed the Selklors and what they were planning.

He cleaned out all the traitors and mole in every aspect of the whole empire even members of the Selklor family weren't spared. He killed them all.

He ruthlessly and decisively cut into the Selklor Empire and established a force that made others fear him.

The next night after the night of cleansing people started to have weird dreams of glory and prosperity under the rule of the new emperor.

The shadows of the Selklor’s were no longer needed. Blyana’s group was the very last one. Kaihen made his own artificial lifeforms work that job. And left one of his soul companions in charge of it. There is nothing that can do a better espionage than mature itself.

Most of the former shadows went to the army. And most of them are married and have families.

The Leven city still buys children of war to this day, but not to become shadows instead to become humans of the population of Leven city. With his wealth, Emperor Kaihan has been buying hundreds of thousands every year. Paying the highest price, sucking the whole market of war children. He buys them to be integrated into society and live a meaningful life. He designated a big chunk of west farmlands and expanded the city and made it an exclusive area for them. I nearly resemble a new city. Where everything is covered until they turn 15 and can join an Academy or the military in which you will have to leave that area. close to 80 % of them regardless of gender join the army. The only price they need to pay is to be loyal to this empire if ever needed, to defend it, and to love this land. All of them always 'Dream' to serve the emperor and savior of their life.

Why waste all that money and resources you ask.

It’s simple, Leven city needs population. The Selklor empire needs soldiers.

Because the empire will soon go to war. Not a war against humans but a war against whatever lies in the inner lands of the Tybalt Continent. a war where humans will conquer this continent. And Leven city does not need slaves he needs capable men and women to push and stand for this empire.