25: Encountering Shade

People flowed from that hall slowly this time, deep in thought. For once they were not shocked, and they had actual proper homework that could help them.

In their normal place Drenak frowned. “Why did Felinia talk about last night’s dinner?”

It confused the four of them for a bit. Other people probably were thinking the same thing.

Eventually Garion got an idea. “She was settling an issue, and delivering a veiled message. People were asking how Harlen managed to avoid trouble. After all, she is meant to be neutral except for her Domain. Yet she opposed someone’s actions. However, the veiled message is more important. She mentioned that Harlen could have gotten into trouble if she did not do that!”

Harlen frowned “But why me?”

Garion told her “It was not just for you. The message was ‘once you have a Domain, do your duty in it!’ This applies to everyone!

“She also told us how to lock in Domains if we did not already have one.”

Jane hesitantly asked “How many do you think are going to mess up?”

Garion was grim. “Lots of them. We can only lock in one Domain, and it has to be suitable. I’m a bit worried about people like that Surfer dude that’s here.”

Drenak asked the mortals “So, what are the two of you planning to do with today’s lesson?”

Jane frowned. “Try to find something that feels right for me, and is suitable.”

Garion nodded. “Same here, at least as far as Domains go.”

“As far as Domains go? What are you planning?”

Garion smiled. “I think it’s time to try making friends and get our names out there. I will try to do the others things we were taught today, but honestly, I don’t think I have ever felt like that before.”

Jane sadly added “Me neither.”

Harlen and Drenak just shared a look. They would have to fix this.

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However, someone else came up

Sandra had come looking for them!

“There you are! How dare you humiliate me last night? And being called out today as an example as well! How did you pull that off?”

The group looked at each other and Drenak told her “We didn’t set it up. She just used it as an example to help deliver a message.”

Garion frowned. “What Domain are you going to try for?”

That threw her. “What Domain? I am going to fight for the rights of the oppressed and discriminated against!”

From the shadows came a woman dark, grey skin and pitch black eyes. “That is a good ideal to have. I have my own plans to help them.”

Harlen asked her “Hello. What should we call you?”

“I go by the name Shade.”

Sandra asked her “What plans do you have? Maybe we could work together?”

Shade smiled sadly. “I would like that. You have no idea how often people are hunted down and murdered just because they are born with talents considered evil. My own family was slaughtered because I was born with a gift for Shadow walking. I’ve met Summoners, Necromancers and many more judged for what they were by birth, and not who they were. Things get even worse for Teiflings and part fiends!

“And of course if they are born as Healers or something similar, everyone praises them. Same with part Celestials. The Hypocrites! They often cause crusades slaugherting thousands of innocent people

“We can’t forget all those creations of mad researchers. Sure they may not be pleasing to the eyes, but they have their own minds and feelings. It doesn’t matter if they were designed to slaughter people, it is if and how they use that ability that should be judged!”

Sandra froze when Shade started talking about the kinds of people who was interested in helping. Her face has a look that clearly showed she was badly hiding her thoughts of “WTF?”

Shade finished it with “Turned out the Heroes in my world were mostly controlled by a Master Vampire making them Blood bonds. Kill him, and they died en masse! Some survived for different reasons, like being a reprogrammed android or being demonically corrupted and infused.”

Getting back on track, Shade asked Sandra, “So, I can count on you for support?”

Sandra made no commitment as she made an excuse to get away from there.

Once she would gone the group and Shade cracked up laughing

Drenak managed to control himself to a chuckle as he told her “I love it. Using her own beliefs, you showed her that she is in fact biased.”

Shade smiled, but seemed a bit sad. “I know. I actually pity her.”

That sobered the rest up. “Why?”

“Those like her have little if any real world experience. Everything has to fit her perception, and they deny all else. She may be misguided, but she’s not evil. Possibly dangerous to good people, but not evil. Try to help her.”

Garion asked “What is your Domain? You sound like you have one.”

She chuckled. “Shadow dwellers. Those who live in the shadows of society, as I once was. I was just more literal than most people.”

Drenak nodded. “I don’t like politics, but I can’t ignore my Domain, so I have to ask; how do you deal with lost souls, or those who don’t have an afterlife to go to?”

Shade was surprised. “I managed to pick up a few things, but you will need to ask Felinia that.”

“Do you think she can help?”

Shade laughed. “Can she? Yes. Will she? That’s a different question!”

She stepped into a shadow and was suddenly gone.