2003
Jade Skrekk was definitely an interesting character. Her hair was as dark as a neverending tunnel and rumor had it that her eyes were as cold as her heart. The false accusation that she was half-giant also made its way around occasionally. The only basis for that rumor was that she happened to be quite an abnormal height. It didn't matter who you asked, everyone on the island would admit they were at least a little intimidated by Jade.
It probably wasn't a conscious decision. Jade Skrekk was a notable six-foot-five, how could others not be intimidated by her looks. There was speculation she was so tall because she was a Champion of Rán: the fearsome giantess of the sea. Jade’s knowledge, however, told her that this was highly unlikely. Champions were usually chosen in their teenage years. They weren't like the demigods of Greek mythology. They had no godly blood in them, they had simply proven that they were worthy. Think of it as if the gods were their mentors.
The Island of Darkshadow was the one place where the Champions of the gods congregated. Now, Jade had lived on the Island of Darkshadow her entire life. That wasn’t a rare phenomenon among Champions. About a third of the island’s inhabitants were born and raised there. Don’t assume that this meant Jade hadn’t seen anything outside of the island though. She had gone outside the perimeters plenty of times in her life. She had even gotten to see the pyramids in Egypt at one point. Regrettably, she didn't usually go to these places for a vacation. The island sent her to these types of places on various types of missions. The Champions were meant to protect the earth for the gods, so that’s what they did. If it must be put into words, they were kind of like the exterminators of the bad things on earth; giants, mutations, mares, et cetera.
Darkshadow had its ups and down. To begin with, the education system was lacking -- as most usually are. There weren't too many classes you would recognize as "general education". While they did have courses in math and english, most of the island’s classes were on martial arts, battle strategy, mission training, and other things that would help them face the real world. There were even courses in reading runes.
Jade had recently graduated from the university on the island, and had to start thinking about what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot to study at the island’s university. For the most part you basically had to choose between becoming a doctor or a warrior. She could also decide to become a historian, but that wasn’t really in Jade’s taste. Instead she had decided to study battle strategy. She didn’t plan on moving off the island (the amount of things that will attack you on the mainland is atrocious), but she figured it would help her in the future.
On the way to the picnic pavilion Jade’s phone buzzed. She immediately took it out of her pocket to check who was calling her.
“Hey Michelle.”
Michelle Williams: Jade’s closest friend, and also the second wife to Alexander Darkshadow, the head of the island. He had lost his previous wife a couple years prior, but Jade didn't know the details on it.
“Hey, I thought you should know they’re holding a meeting at the amphitheatre. You might want to get down here.” Michelle told her.
“Got it. Thanks. I’ll see you there then.”
She hung up the phone and headed straight to the island's amphitheatre. The whole island was crowding into the seats as Alexander was speaking at the center of the stage.
“-Now, this may seem like a very worrying matter, but I assure you we have it all under control.” He said, wiping the sweat off his forehead. This seemed to indicate he did not have everything under control. “It has been decided that a selected few of you will go out and find out where his lab is. He’s been a menace for almost ninety years now and as head of the island I am putting a stop to this as soon as I can. He’s over a hundred years old, there’s no way he’s even alive-” He paused for a second as if he doubted this. “Someone else must be running the operation for him now, which would explain the influx of mutations.”
Although Jade hadn’t arrived early enough to hear the entirety of Alexander’s spiel, she knew exactly who he was talking about. Anybody on the island would have known. He was one of the figures you had to learn about in history class. Killian Neil. Back in 1909, Neil had devised a series of scientific experiments to enhance a Champion’s natural abilities. He had hoped that these experiments would eventually lead him to achieving immortality; something even the gods didn’t have. He wanted to “put the gods in their place”. To his displeasure, his experiments failed. The subjects bodies rejected the serum violently and changed them into a new kind of monster. They’re what became known as “the mutations”. The mutations had lost all sense of morality resulting in random killing sprees around the globe.
As Alexander finished his speech a jar was brought out. It was the same jar they used anytime they needed to assign people to missions. Everyone on the island who was older than fourteen had their name in that jar, unless they had a job. For example, if you were a doctor at the hospital, it was pivotal that your name never be called.
“Jade Skrekk. Twenty-six. Champion of Rán.” Alexander read off a small piece of paper.
Funny how a lottery chose the next person to be taken by Hel.
Jade Skrekk had wasted three weeks of her life trying to find that crazy old man’s lab! Who would have thought she would stumble upon it accidentally.
She had been frustrated that her investigation was taking her nowhere and decided to let off some steam in the woods. Coincidentally, she tripped over a crusty wooden door that lead underground. When she knelt down and opened it, it creaked with proof that it had been years since anyone had last touched it.
She decided right there that she couldn’t tell Alexander she found it by accident. She had to make it sound like she had meant to find it this way. Before she could go brainstorming any ideas, she had to figure out if this actually was Killian's lab.
She finished prying open the wooden door, despite all its protests, and looked down at the staircase that descended below her. The stairs were covered in weeds and were obviously made by someone who had no idea how architecture works. They were almost too steep to walk down. The further she went down this rabbit hole the darker it became. She pulled out her cell phone, but the flash could only provide her so much light.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, she saw a very dim light ahead of her. She had no choice but to walk towards it unless she wanted to go back up those horrendous stairs. When she was closer she realized the light was actually a candle mounted on the wall. A chill went down her spine. Someone was down here with her. Maybe even multiple someones. Who else could've lit that candle?
Her eyes started to adjust to the poor lighting and she started to see engravings on the wall. They looked like tally marks. What were they counting?
Walking further into the unknown she came across an intersection of hallways. She heard footsteps and voices coming from the right corridor, so she pressed herself up against the wall and hoped the poor lighting would help conceal her if they walked by. Every hair on her body was standing up in fear. If these strangers found her, she was dead. They might not even be mutations, they could be much, much, worse. As they got closer she could pick up what they were saying,
“Why doesn’t Will come back? He was only here for a year, but I miss him! He’s the hottest guy who’s ever been down here.”
“You say that about every guy that’s in a five foot vicinity of you, Claire.” The other girl snarked.
“Okay, but I really do miss Will! We haven’t heard from him in ninety years!”
Ninety years? These girls still sounded like they were in their late teens though. Oh, this was not boding well for Jade.
They walked past Jade as they continued to bicker over the supposed “missing boy”. Jade continued straight down the corridor, so that she wouldn’t get caught by either of the girls. At one point Jade ran into a cobweb and had to refrain from making any squeamish noises. She spat out any strands and made a mental note to wash out her mouth thirty-eight times when she got home.
Eventually she came to a dead end. At the end of the hallway there stood a thin wooden door. There were cracks running from the top of it to bottom and she was afraid if she opened it it would fall apart in her hands. She was still obligated to try though.
Well here goes nothing.
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