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Description
It was dark, darker than it ever had been. All light was gone, taken to some place beyond reach, and this world seemingly was the substance, sustenance of the banished shadows.  Goosebumps prickled.  He could sense them just outside.  The durable fabric of the tent walls would not hold them, and he would be devoured.  There was no way to fight the shadows but with light and light seemed to have abandoned them. Analith had left them.  Her name sparked in him a recollection of the subconscious.  A dream…? He had been drifting until something; he did not know what, had called to him. Then she had been there before him pale eyes gazing with some newfound realization and finality. He held out to her the jewel of Asaar that had once been in her keeping. Their hands met and he felt himself being pulled back and forward in the same instant. Her eyes never again met his, but he thought that in that last moment something had brushed his palm.  He could recall nothing else.  Loss filled him like he had never known, and mercy lay just beyond the confines of his shelter. He raised his hand to beckon it to him.

"King, they say his name is, king I see not."

Merle dropped his hand.  His eyes scanned the blackness around him in vain.

"Oh, he looks to see what cannot be seen and you are supposed to be man, whatever that is.  No different, you are no different than those that ate here before. Perhaps, I should just eat you."

The voice that grated at him was reminiscent of only one being, the old one that had first come with the Karish.

"I thought you were dead."

"That shows what you know of death. They will come and finish their feasting, and then you shall know death."

"Who are they?"

"They, you ask. You do not know the they after all this time. She thought you smart, I do not see it. You smell the best. I shall eat you and let the others have the rest. One good meal before the end comes, I think. What do you think? Better that I eat you than them. They've wanted to eat you a long time. It won't be pleasant."

He had never liked this one from the beginning, nor had he understood why Analith had trusted her.

"You refer to the Orbis."

"Ah, there it is, faster than expected but still too slow. Yes, they come. First their hunters and then them to finish what was started.  So, what say you? The shadows grow impatient."

"So all that we have done has been in vain, is that what you are telling me?"

She cackled at him.

"Answer a question with a question, how typical. No not in vain, that is until now. A little loss and you call for the end. This is why I think they misspoke. King you cannot be. You cannot finish what she started."

Merle glowered into the darkness.

"I called for the end?"

"Oh yes. She called the light to her, and you called the darkness. What does the outcome to these lands matter to you? You have called for condemnation, so roll over and await your masters. They will reward you by tearing her to shreds, King."

She mocked him.

"You depraved spirit show yourself!"

His command was met with momentary silence.  The guttural cries of the shadows were growing in volume.  It would not be long before they would break through whatever barrier held them.

"So there is some essence of authority within you.  Is that your choice then, to see?"

She laughed at him.

"Old one, you will show yourself, or I will force you from where you hide. That is your choice!"

"You dare to order me. Very well, ever shall you see."

The darkness unveiled itself, and he could make out the grotesque figures beyond his tent, now pressed up against the fabric.  Their jagged claws stabbed into the material just beginning to make the tiniest of holes.  Their appearance however did nothing to turn the stomach like that of the face that was before him now. This, hallowed sunken flesh marred with age and lacerations that had been wrought against it, was what had once been the old one.

"What now, King, does your impertinence desire? Would you like to live long enough to hear the screams of your comrades?"

Hot putrid breath filled his nostrils.

"No. You will tell me how I may finish this if you want to keep what life there is left to you."

"Will I?"

She smiled and revealed the oozing black maw that was her mouth.

"I tell you what it is that you would wish to know, and I may continue this half life. How very they-like of you, such a bargain you offer me."

"I make no bargain."

She snorted.

"What makes you think, King, that you can even dispatch of me so easily?"

Merle leaned forward.

"Something tells me that it is so. I will fall to those outside, but you, you I can kill."

The old one shrank back from him, restoring their previous distance.

"This one thinks something of himself. There will be no eating now, all opportunity of a meal lost.  You are truly cruel; maybe that is why they called you King.  No comfort for those who gave up their lives, doomed to always be hungry with no appeasement."

She frowned at him.

"I cannot tell you what you wish. You must choose and see for yourself, but know this, King, you choose for all."

At this she motioned beyond the tent.

"Do you wish for yourself and those that follow you to be what you ought?"

She waited and Merle was struck with the feeling that there would be no turning back. No way to undo what was about to be done.

"Yes."

Again she smiled.

"Then open your hand."

Merle looked down.  At her words he became aware that something lay within his grasp.  The old one peered down at his hand as well.

"Remember, King, if in the end you fail, you will wish that I had left you for your masters."

Merle glared at her, and opened his hand.

Description
It was dark, darker than it ever had been. All light was gone, taken to some place beyond reach, and this world seemingly was the substance, sustenance of the banished shadows.  Goosebumps prickled.  He could sense them just outside.  The durable fabric of the tent walls would not hold them, and he would be devoured.  There was no way to fight the shadows but with light and light seemed to have abandoned them. Analith had left them.  Her name sparked in him a recollection of the subconscious.  A dream…? He had been drifting until something; he did not know what, had called to him. Then she had been there before him pale eyes gazing with some newfound realization and finality. He held out to her the jewel of Asaar that had once been in her keeping. Their hands met and he felt himself being pulled back and forward in the same instant. Her eyes never again met his, but he thought that in that last moment something had brushed his palm.  He could recall nothing else.  Loss filled him like he had never known, and mercy lay just beyond the confines of his shelter. He raised his hand to beckon it to him.

"King, they say his name is, king I see not."

Merle dropped his hand.  His eyes scanned the blackness around him in vain.

"Oh, he looks to see what cannot be seen and you are supposed to be man, whatever that is.  No different, you are no different than those that ate here before. Perhaps, I should just eat you."

The voice that grated at him was reminiscent of only one being, the old one that had first come with the Karish.

"I thought you were dead."

"That shows what you know of death. They will come and finish their feasting, and then you shall know death."

"Who are they?"

"They, you ask. You do not know the they after all this time. She thought you smart, I do not see it. You smell the best. I shall eat you and let the others have the rest. One good meal before the end comes, I think. What do you think? Better that I eat you than them. They've wanted to eat you a long time. It won't be pleasant."

He had never liked this one from the beginning, nor had he understood why Analith had trusted her.

"You refer to the Orbis."

"Ah, there it is, faster than expected but still too slow. Yes, they come. First their hunters and then them to finish what was started.  So, what say you? The shadows grow impatient."

"So all that we have done has been in vain, is that what you are telling me?"

She cackled at him.

"Answer a question with a question, how typical. No not in vain, that is until now. A little loss and you call for the end. This is why I think they misspoke. King you cannot be. You cannot finish what she started."

Merle glowered into the darkness.

"I called for the end?"

"Oh yes. She called the light to her, and you called the darkness. What does the outcome to these lands matter to you? You have called for condemnation, so roll over and await your masters. They will reward you by tearing her to shreds, King."

She mocked him.

"You depraved spirit show yourself!"

His command was met with momentary silence.  The guttural cries of the shadows were growing in volume.  It would not be long before they would break through whatever barrier held them.

"So there is some essence of authority within you.  Is that your choice then, to see?"

She laughed at him.

"Old one, you will show yourself, or I will force you from where you hide. That is your choice!"

"You dare to order me. Very well, ever shall you see."

The darkness unveiled itself, and he could make out the grotesque figures beyond his tent, now pressed up against the fabric.  Their jagged claws stabbed into the material just beginning to make the tiniest of holes.  Their appearance however did nothing to turn the stomach like that of the face that was before him now. This, hallowed sunken flesh marred with age and lacerations that had been wrought against it, was what had once been the old one.

"What now, King, does your impertinence desire? Would you like to live long enough to hear the screams of your comrades?"

Hot putrid breath filled his nostrils.

"No. You will tell me how I may finish this if you want to keep what life there is left to you."

"Will I?"

She smiled and revealed the oozing black maw that was her mouth.

"I tell you what it is that you would wish to know, and I may continue this half life. How very they-like of you, such a bargain you offer me."

"I make no bargain."

She snorted.

"What makes you think, King, that you can even dispatch of me so easily?"

Merle leaned forward.

"Something tells me that it is so. I will fall to those outside, but you, you I can kill."

The old one shrank back from him, restoring their previous distance.

"This one thinks something of himself. There will be no eating now, all opportunity of a meal lost.  You are truly cruel; maybe that is why they called you King.  No comfort for those who gave up their lives, doomed to always be hungry with no appeasement."

She frowned at him.

"I cannot tell you what you wish. You must choose and see for yourself, but know this, King, you choose for all."

At this she motioned beyond the tent.

"Do you wish for yourself and those that follow you to be what you ought?"

She waited and Merle was struck with the feeling that there would be no turning back. No way to undo what was about to be done.

"Yes."

Again she smiled.

"Then open your hand."

Merle looked down.  At her words he became aware that something lay within his grasp.  The old one peered down at his hand as well.

"Remember, King, if in the end you fail, you will wish that I had left you for your masters."

Merle glared at her, and opened his hand.