Lost Empire

“Show yourself, or I shall remove your hood after I’ve removed your head,” he hissed toward the black cloaked figure standing before him. With its dark hood hanging low and hands locked together between loosely hanging sleeves, its shoulders began to shake with low, rumbling laughter. Jagged lighting forked across the sky as the rain intensified. Large drops of water sizzled against Eric’s sword as he held it out wide, waiting for his answer. Eric’s threat had been no threat at all, and he didn’t plan to wait much longer. “Who am I?” came a shrill hiss that didn’t match its low booming laugh at all. “Why, don’t you recognize me? After all, our hearts beat as one...Eric Aethello.” “I will not ask you again,” Eric growled, pointing his sword toward the dark specter. Flames pulsed angrily across his blade. Raindrops sizzled into nothing before ever touching the flame as Spark pleaded, begged, to be fed. “Oh, but I’ve already answered you...Gate Keeper. Is that not what they call you? Is that not the lie you’ve been told by so many?” Eric slowly lowered his sword, keeping his eyes glued to this specter. “Do you still not know who I am? Then perhaps your eyes will see the truth where ears have failed to hear it.”