[TaTu^HeRo]

Seth and Marc entered the room, striding with uniform footsteps until they faced Xein who turned slowly towards them, with his hand clenched, his cheek bones were taut giving warnings to creatures who dwell in the room.
“Where have you been young men? What took you so long?” Xein questioned with his fervent voice, the two men gazed at each other with stun.
“I woke up late father, it took me some time to get ready” Marc answered with a serious look taking over his past lively expression. Seth was preoccupied examining the scrolls with his green eyes. Xein ignored his son’s excuse, he touched the ring in his hand “And how are you today Seth? How is your father?” he continued.
“I saw him early this morning, he was busy with his marbles and metals, so I left to meet Marc. And here I am Sir.” Seth replied with his eyes still fixed at the scroll in his hands, “What kind of scroll is it master?” he questioned as he turned his head facing Xein’s eyes.
“Let’s get to work shall we? We haven’t got all day lads.” Xein answered ignoring Seth’s question, he slipped on his cloak, adjusted the ring on his finger. And walked towards the door.
“Where are we going father? Aren’t we going to encrypt the scrolls?” Marc ran after his father like a small baby following a butterfly. Seth who was still standing motionless stunned by Xein’s ignorance, his eyes were filled with inner ire but his words were destined never to speak at the moment. Xein stood not saying a word he paused for a second then turned towards Seth.
“Seth what was the first thing I taught you when you were just a new Black Phantom?”
Perplexed by the question and still the rage was burning by Xein’s uncouth behavior Seth responded, “I can not remember master, you taught us lots of scrolls and Warden morals.”
“If you can not remember, then all the years I trained you and Marc are just a product of fake flows.” Xein uttered in a soft voice. “Obedience…” he exclaimed with his deep voice tone growing strong as a mountain “that’s what I taught you… blind obedience… you do not question your older master… you follow your master’s orders with blind trust.” As he finished his words he walked out of the door not looking back at the two young men.
Sethron and Marc exchanged looks with shame and guilt filling their ego to the bone. They followed their master Xein with rapid strolls through the hallway as the blue torches were dimmed as they passed; Xein examined the torches’ light diminish.
“Damn those shadow levels, they’re getting lower.” He screamed in the hallway, he looked at one of the Black Phantoms “You!” he cried out, “Go to the soul revolver, and tell Master Raqt that the shadow levels are going down, let him haul his forces and get them up.”
The baffled Black Phantom responded immediately “Yes master, in an instant.” The three men walked away in the paths of the kingdom, the people in the paths were overjoyed with the sight of the three men walking. A lot of the Warden people considered the Shadow protectors and their children their heroes. On the other hand, a lot despised the shadow protectors but there were no protests, even though the shadow protectors are the righteous supporters of justice. Egalitarianism doesn’t exist not even the numbers of the universe are odd and even, there is divergence in every shade of life. Seth and Marc chatted along the way about scrolls and books they’ve lately read. Xein would occasionally stop to talk with one of his friends or people that know him. They followed Xein with no questions. Until they reached The Illusion necropolis, Seth stopped his hearsay when he saw where they stopped. His tongue was tied, his senses were numb, and his feet were heavy.
“Here you shall work, I shall assign Tand The Magic Hound to educate you how to clean the prisms of the necropolis and encrypt the scrolls in the library into the prisms.” Xein explained with his eyes looking at the little marble edifice. As the young men started to climb the stairs he added “You shall find him sitting in the prism scope, hurry up now.”
Seth and Marc marched inside the necropolis with great awe; it was the place every Warden wished to enter. It held all the knowledge of the Warden people, all the years of research and plans. When they reached the prism scope they were dazzled by the amazing view of transparent and black prisms, it looked like a war between transparency and black. A short, middle-aged man approached Marc, his baldhead and tiny arms made Seth examine him closely.
“I suppose you’re Marc” he addressed Marc, “You are of great resemblance of your father, with your eyes and hair. I can see Xein’s youth in you.” He continued.
He noticed Seth’s inspecting stares “Excuse my disrespect, I didn’t introduce myself, I am Tand, they call me The Magic Hound, Xein asked me to instruct you.” He responded to Seth’s stares.
“I am Sethron, the son of Raqt. It’s a pleasure meeting you Tand.” Seth said as he shook Tand’s hand.
“I’ve known your father for years Seth. He’s a man of Warden morals; I’ve even witnessed the day of your birth. Your mother was a true lady…” Tand began to remember everything about Raqt and his past.
“It was a shame that your mom escaped, I wouldn’t justify…” Seth interrupted him disgruntled “I don’t want to speak of my mother’s past now, the past doesn’t do me any good.” Marc saw the hurt in Seth’s eyes he didn’t say a word he just patted Seth on the shoulder trying to change the subject… he proclaimed “So shall it be dear Seth, let’s get to work.”
Tand turned his head towards the prisms and pointed, “I am sure you’re familiar with the prisms, I’ll just have to explain the rest of the mystery”

“Each prism carried the dark knowledge of each Shadow Protector, but only a shadow protector could encrypt and read his knowledge. The white transparent prisms would turn into black as each member of the Black Forge or The Shadow protectors encrypts his knowledge in it. Prisms of the Shadow protectors are known as Shadeks, they turn grey when their owner is in danger or when he in the zone of his epoch.” Tand continued to explain as he wandered between the prisms.
“It is best for you when you clean the prisms, not to think of your past or future, focus on your task, and only your task” He finished his words touching one of the prisms seeing a spot on it, and cleaning is with his bare palm.
Seth followed Tand while Marc sat on a distant chair away from the prisms. He looked at the prisms with thoughts conquering his virtue. His thoughts were stumbling in awe of this beauty his face was blessed with. Seth and Tand continued to chat as Marc’s thoughts flowed until they came back from their journey between the prisms.
“I shall leave you now, Jana my dear little sister is expecting me. Be careful with the prisms.” Tand left the room with his last words still echoing in Marc’s ears.
Seth stopped dead for a second making sure he understood all of the instructions. While Marc stood and walked to reach the prisms, when he stood adjacent to the prism. A blinding beam of white light appeared from the prism’s other side. “In names of darkness and shade, what was that?” Seth looked puzzled, still watching the white light beam.
“I don’t know Seth, I don’t know” Marc stood there frightened that the prisms would break as he felt the ground under his feet shiver. He moved away swiftly astonished by what he saw. The light beam was gone, the room was the same again, the transparent prisms and black ones fighting in the space of the scope.
Marc fell on his knees, feeling so much power in his body that he couldn’t handle it. Seth dashed toward Marc “What happened? Are you okay?” he asked as he helped Marc to stand up, but his knees were failing him to stand. For a minute or two, all they did was trying to wake up from the shock fate has threw them in, waiting for confusion to eat them up. Marc regained his balance, stood there with his eyes watching the room one more time. Seth still standing beside him with fear trembling against what he saw.
“I have never seen something like that before Seth, it’s light but it’s white. I felt the whole world inside of me, as if I was the center of the dreams, it was a dream I always had dreams where white conquered it. Isn’t white light what makes dreams?” Marc walked towards the prism again, “Don’t go there, you want to get yourself killed?” Seth warned as he tried to stop Marc. Marc stood there again; the light beam was created again, this time steadier and calmer. Seth watched the light with his green eyes glittering more than ever. His ears caught some footsteps distant in the hallway, “Quick, move away someone is coming, move or we’re all damned.” Marc jumped from his place quickly trying to recover his senses, as they heard the footsteps growing louder. A man with a black cloak came in; his ageless face was bold and fierce. The young men stood there perplexed, he approached them coughing several coughs.

“May I ask what are the two of you doing in the prism scope? And who gave you internal permission into the Illusion necropolis?” The man questioned with fury.
“I am Marc and this is Seth, Master Xein sent us here to clean the prisms and encrypt some scrolls.” March announced with a steady voice.
“I see you’re Xein’s son. I haven’t seen him in a while, he’s been busy with the Black Forge errands.” The man calmed and looked in Marc’s eyes as if seeing a lost part of him.
“I shall call Xein in this instant, I can not make sure of your truth. The last thing I need are two gatecrashers in my necropolis.” The man took off his shiny ring, and mumbled some language the two men couldn’t understand. Then he cried out “Xein, I need you here at once.”

The two young men were startled with the Man’s behavior, who was he anyway? And what did he do with the ring? Their confusion was drawn in their eyes, and they could see his impatience. “Seth, I believe you’re the son of Raqt.” He gazed at Seth’s startled face, “Indeed I am sir, but how do you know who I Am.” The man laughed with a silly grin on his face “How many mischievous sons of Raqt are there? Unlike Nansus and Utena you’re one of the kind. You’re tendency to damage makes the darkness inside of me overjoyed.”
“Well Sir, I do not believe my tendency is towards damage, it’s towards playful games, I learn the facts of the game of fate my own way.” Seth looked unsatisfied with the Man’s description. He examined his face that looked deceitful for his attitude, and his eyes were so familiar.
“Quiet witty, and you young man do you not believe your friend is mischievous? Or shall I rephrase that, since you and him are companions in the game. You know before knowing your identity, I had doubts. But now I believe you are here for some mischief.” The man stopped for a second, the door opened softly and Xein entered.
“Here you are Xein, don’t you care to visit your own grandfather?” The main smiled as he hugged Xein.
“You know how things are between us Master Jai, I have nothing to say” Xein answered annoyed with his grandfather’s comment.
“Never mind the family business now, I see your son has grown different than you and your mother, he seems to be the bouncy type. Did you assign him for some task here?” Jai spoke softly as he kept on staring at Marc.
“As a matter of fact, yes Master Jai. They are both Black Phantoms, as one of the decedents of the Shadow protectors they are in privilege to enter the Necropolis at such a young age.” Xein fixed his eyes in the eyes of Jai, not moving his sight for a degree.
“I see Xein, I shall trust your judgment. But be careful, your cloak protects you they have no cloak. They can’t clean prisms with their soul bare.”