Light and Dark

Everyone gather around, for the story I tell you is one of the very balance of all things. I appear to you as no other. I am a Shadow among many others in the world of Magic Duel and there are Beings who are Light. I am a Traveler from near, far, and places beyond that. I know full well how much the balance of all things must be kept in order for this land to thrive. I summon you who sit to hear this tale. This tale is of two people who you may very well know, two people whose paths are very different and yet collide like meteors in an explosion of color and flame: One of Darkness and One of Light.

A well-known woman of the Light, and one not to be bested, came upon a stranger, a Dark and tall stranger of no appearance, but who could see right through one's very soul. The woman of Light was polite and courteous, as she treated all those who frequented the Root of the Matter Inn she ran. This “Shadow,” out of habit, was respectful, but at the same time challenged most everything that went on in the place. Time passed as the two made challenging comments and exchanged verbal cuts to the gut. This was observed by the patrons of the Inn who whispered of romance, whilst others wondered if an animosity was brewing. Before long it turned from lashes of the tongue and funny comments to pranks, just like when we all were young, when a boy would tease the local girl because he thought she was cute, but when asked, would say girls are stupid. The Start

Now mind you, the woman is well-known among the general crowd, and had long before given up on the idea of a man of her own. The Shadow was a stubborn, and hard-headed dominate man who tended to walk his own path. He was known to push others out of the way rather than lend them a hand. This woman was a “Walker of the Light” and she battled as well as healed. The Shadow was known to fade into dark corners and listen to all the things that went on in this land behind closed doors. Always quiet, and always thirsty for knowledge, he would creep through the lands, springing out and attacking people at random. Others were always cautious with him, because he talked often about voices inside his head. The mere thought of them having some connection besides in general, caused a stir far across the lands. An Emotional Storm was brewing that the people could see, much to their amusement, while the two did not.

Then one day, out of no particular timing, the End of the Beginning happened. The Shadow chased the Light, much as the Night chases the Sun, out of Loreroot, by the wishing well, through the gate leading to the dojo, and down into the tunnels beneath the Marble Dale Park. This was no chase of fun. Oh No. It was more in the way of a hunt. The Shadow right on the heels of Light as they traveled further and further down into the Darkness below. Thinking foolishly enough to hide from the Shadow, the woman hid in the corner of the Room Made of Doors. The Shadow instantly flew at the Light and pinned her against the wall. Grabbing her by the neck he picked the Light up and threatened to extinguish it. The Light in a clever rouse said “I submit!” The very thought of it disappointed the Shadow and he replied “Bah!! What fun is that?” Turning to leave; feeling as if there should have been more fight, the Light leaped upon his back. Surprised the Shadow turned only to be pushed by the Light down the stairs. The Light fled in the opposite direction into the Gazebo of Chaos. The Turn

Being unaccustomed to being in such a dark place, the Light made a terrible mistake. The woman ran down into the Gazebo of Chaos, in which had no exit. Knowing full well she was cornered, the Light turned to watch the Shadow advance and hear him taunt her. The only thing way to escape was her knowledge of Darkness; it’s hate of Light. The very thing she was, the Light! So the woman summoned a ball of Light energy more powerful than any mere shadow could withstand. In his Rage and over confidence, the shadow made his move, dashing towards the Light with all the speed he possessed to tackle her down. The Light dodged his blow, and as he passed she raked the shadows arm with her free hand. Feeling the hot pain from her nails, the Shadow grabbed her arm, jerking her out onto the walkway that leads between the Gazebo of Chaos and the exits. The woman lost her balance and dropped the ball of light. Shock registered on both their faces as they realized that the Orb would explode when it hit bottom. The magnitude would blast both Light and Dark to Murdom Come. The Fall

“RUN, you Shadow Twit!” she shouted. It had never been Sagewoman’s intention to kill the Shadow, just teach him a lesson... Springing into action, Phantasm grabbed Sagewoman into his arms and he dashed with all the speed he could muster, into the next room. The speed was so great that they both collided into the door across the entrance and fell to the ground. Phantasm fell upon Sagewoman and tried to cover her as the Ball of Light exploded in the cavern below causing a flash of Light far brighter than any the Shadow had seen before. With wounds already leaving Phantasm vulnerable, the Light proved too much and instantly knocked the Shadow out. Seeing the flash was over Sagewoman looked to see how the Shadow had fared. “You ok Spook?” she whispered, staring down at his limp body. “Wake up spook, are you alright?” Still nothing was heard from the Shadow that lay tattered on the hard ground. “Oh My Goddess what have I done?” Sagewoman cried out. Phantasm’s stare was black and empty as he looked towards the ceiling. Realizing she in fact cared more for this Shadow than she had ever known, she became panic-stricken. “Mother…Mother…Mother!” she screamed over and over hoping that Mother Earth would hear her plea. Even a heart of stone had its breaking point. A Cry For Help

A breeze blew strongly up the stairs as the essence of Earth Mother entered into the dark and dreary part of the world. “What have you done child?” the vice whispered. , “No time to explain….what must I do, he’s dying!” wailed the woman. “The Light can not exist without the Dark, My Daughter.” the voice said. “They must have each other to balance each other.” said the breeze cryptically. “You have acted foolishly, and I cannot help you. You must figure this out for yourself.” the breeze whispered as Earth Mother retreated to leave Fate to decide itself. The Light looked at the Shadow, who began to dissipate and fall apart, and realized she could do only one thing. “I must extinguish the Light within me and breathe the Darkness back into him.” “I summon the Light within!” she shouted as her eyes began turned to Light. “I release the light within! I invoke the Darkness around me! I invite the Darkness within me!” The woman’s eyes began to swirl with a mixture of light and darkness far blacker than any seen in the tunnels below. Shouting one final time, “I extinguish the Light within!” With those final words she kissed the Shadow and blew a breath of Darkness back into him, clutching him tightly to her. A Cry of Anger

Now at first, nothing happened. The woman watched as her body began to die. Just as her eyes began to flutter, she saw movement. The Shadow began to form back into its shape; the torn and tattered Cloak molded and shaped itself back around him. Opened his eyes, he saw the woman of Light, the one he chased so eagerly, staring down at him with eyes as black as his own. Realizing her eyes shone with darkness instead of light he pushed her away with what little energy he had and she collapsed at his side. “What the…,” his voice trailed off as he tried to piece together what had happened. Phantasm knew that no child of Light should ever be burdened with dark eyes only caused more confusion. “What in the name of Mur …,” he whispered as he looked at the now still body of the woman. Summoning what little strength he had in him he crawled over to her body and asked, “What have you done woman?” “Saving your…”cough “Dark hide…” she said as her eyes blinked once and then remained open with the darkness taking over.

Phantasm had never felt such pain; never had something tug at his heart string as he gazed down upon the one he called woman, His Woman. Realizing how much he cared for the woman he gathered her into his arms and roared, “I am the Darkness. You are the Light. You can not be as me!” Even in a time like this, the Light made a sarcastic comment and said, “I know…and don‘t call me woman…” Her voice trailed off, coughing up a laugh, as she slipped further into the darkness. Knowing he had a hand in causing His woman of Light to be snuffed out enraged the Shadow to his full power. Grabbing up the woman in his arms, they both begin to levitate off the ground. Screaming at the own voices inside his head, “Legion you have done this to her!” The Dark Side

Invoking the Chaos within his body, the Shadow began to twitch as different voices of different identities unknown to all began to speak. “Who are we to care who she is, or what she does,” echoes a voice though the Shadow’s lips did not move. “She has saved the Host whom we live through. Do not falter in help,” another voiced cried out. A more maniacal voice shouted, “Leave her to die! She is a being of Light and deserves no less!” All the voices were silenced as one voice, one deep and more menacing than all the others combined, began to speak. “I speak and you all will listen..” Strange words of a tongue not known to anyone begin emitting from the Shadow’s mouth as the two begin to rise higher above the ground. His cloak spread out far around the two of them as more strange words are spoken.. “Let he himself decide what is to happen,” the voice uttered as the Shadow once again becomes himself. The Light Side

Just then a breeze of warmth blew up from the stairs and causes the cloak of the shadow to begin flapping as if caught in a wind storm. The eyes of Phantasm turned back to their soft blue color as he whispers close to the woman, “Even a heart of stone has its weak spots.” The two begin to spin in the air, the mixture of all the presences in the room causing a vacuum. Earth Mother whispered in the breeze, “Phantasm.” “More voices in my head,” said Shadow unknowingly and tried to ignore the new voice. “She has given the Ultimate sacrifice for you and even that smoky voice inside you knows it. What is the dark without the light? Light can never by truly extinguish and she knew it, though she is in need of you,” said the breeze as it swirled with the darkness. The shadow’s eyes rolled to black as the voice took over his body again and said,” Aye” knowing this as well. Let us do this together Earth Mother.” Phantasm’s eyes faded back to blue and he whispered, “Woman, return to your Light so that I may see your bright eyes again… Woman I need you…,” and as the words trailed off he kissed her passionately. Light and Darkness begin to swirl together in harmony, and in Balance. The End of the Beginning

The woman inhaled sharply, and then exhaled, blinking her eyes open. The black in her eyes began to fade to one blue, and one green.. She whispered not more than inches from the shadow’s face, “Spook...” “Yes woman?” he replied in a calm tone. “I need you too, ya jerk,” she said with a weak smile upon her face. “Bah! The things I go through for you,” he replied with a loving snort as they begin to lower to the ground. “Oh shut up and kiss me already,” were the last words she said before they embraced once more in a kiss. Intertwined, they slowly returned to the ground, the kiss seems to be drawn out for ages. Finally Phantasm stood and offered a hand to his new found mate and said, “Come along Woman, you have an Inn to run.” Sagewoman grabbed his head and after another quick kiss replied, “Don’t expect rose gardens and sunshine, and yes I do.” With that, the Light challenged the Dark and leapt away for the Root of the Matter Inn with everything she could muster. Her laughter could be heard echoing off the walls of the cavern as the Shadow stood there a moment before following. A smile crossed his face as he ran after and said, “The Darkness always catches the Light.”