The tavern was empty as the storm hit the old walls harshly. River sits behind the blue-stained, pine bar, anxiously awaiting any customer’s arrival. A yellow flash of light brightens the dimly lit room, leading him to glance toward the black, double door that leads to the street. A roar of thunder rattles the poorly framed windows and River sighs. His gaze returns to a reflective gold coin between his bleach white fingers.
River flips the coin across his blue fingernails to his pinky and back. The coin ducks behind his middle finger and under his pointer to his thumb. He flicks it into the air and watches it drop onto the bar with a clank. The coin lays flat without another bounce and River just stares. His yellow eyes reflect the candlelight as he stares at the oddly behaving coin engraved with the Rites of Knights emblem.
A ding from the entrance bell causes River to snatch the coin and slip it into his black cargo pants. “Welcome,” he states, his voice soft.
River watches three well-dressed men enter the bar and he immediately goes on alert. He recognizes the leading man, as Jin Reap, the Quec’s leader. The scar across his left eye distinguishes him easily. His burgundy eyes provide any information a stranger needs to know about him. The men following him are both towering giants, who swore an oath to mindlessly follow Jin around and do his bidding. River stands up, knowing Jin’s visits to Kith town never end happily.
River’s eyes begin to glow a soft green, as he examines the men. Two guns each, he finds through the men’s matching black suits. “Oh, River,” Jin begins, scanning the empty booths. “It’s a shame you’re alone!”
A quick flash of lightning and a crash of thunder spikes River’s heart rate. He clenches his fists beside his hips, preparing for a fight. “Sorry to hear about your dad,” Jin states, sliding a barstool between his legs.
Jin sits down and his henchmen follow. “Wh-“
“My men tried to provide him with a chance,” he explains, grabbing a glass from behind the bar. “Sad, he chose death.”
River’s jaw tightens and a bright blue vein appears on his left temple. He knew his dad was killed by a Quec but didn’t know Jin was involved. “You kil-“
“I didn’t!” Jin interrupts appalled.
The green glow fades from River’s eyes as his blood begins to boil with rage. His eyes become dark gray and stand out against his bald head. “Now, now, River,” Jin says, pouring beer from the tap. “I just want to talk.”
“Get out!” River demands, yanking the pint from Jin’s massive fingers. “Now!”
Jin’s henchmen stand up and reach for their hips. River throws the cup into the nearby sink, shattering it. Jin starts laughing, casually glancing at his men. “Just like your father,” he taunts. “Pathetic and dead!”
Jin’s eyes illuminate blood red, as his body turns jet black. His hair turns into a ginger flame and River panics. He watches Jin smile, exposing two sharp, white teeth. Jin lunges over the bar, but slams into the glass shelves, sending glass across the bar. “Give me the coin!” he demands.
River slides over the bar top and ducks as Jin’s henchmen attempt to grab him. He rolls across the floor and flings a table at his attackers. Jin leaps over the bar and grins menacingly. River’s head pivots rapidly while his eyes attempt to locate an escape route. Jin and his henchmen move in and River is stuck. His back is against a booth and his only exits are blocked by his attackers.
A loud roar of thunder shakes the ground violently, causing the candles to go out. There is a sudden shatter of glass followed by a roar of pain from one of Jin’s men. A flash of lightning exposes a masked shadow kneeling on the table below the shadowed window. River turns as a whistle echoes through the darkness only to fade when another roar erupts. There is a loud crashing sound like one of the henchmen falls over. The glow of Jin’s eyes fades behind a gray mist that flies straight toward River who ducks. “You’re dead!” he yells as the mist crashes into the beam between the dark covered booth benches and disappears.
A hand grabs River’s wrist and he instinctively throws a punch. The punch is caught by the gloved hand of a new attacker. “Let me-“
Before River can finish his sentence, a bright pink light blinds him. He clenches his eyes shut and the light engulfs his body before fading. When the light disappears, his eyes open and he gasps. He is no longer in his tavern, but in a large room lined with beds. A black rug lines the center of the metal walled room and leads to a line of tables. “Welcome to the Shadows,” a female voice states, as a hooded figure walks into view.
His woman pulls down her hood to expose her gorgeous blue eyes and platinum blonde hair. River recognizes her face. His heart skips a beat, as his face twists in confusion. “Ra-“
“Nice save, Ratil!” a proud, male voice interrupts.
A tall, extremely muscular man walks by and takes Ratil’s gear, while River stares awestruck. “You died?” he mumbles.
Ratil glances at her friend and waves him away. “River, th-“
“How is this possible?” he asks, tears racing to his eyes.
Ratil sighs and her head drops. “Let me show you!” she asks, motioning for River to follow.
River is overwhelmed by emotions. He scans the busy room filled with staring eyes. Mostly strangers, but a few familiar faces linger, heightening his confusion. “You-“
Ratil leaves the room, and River quickly follows her into a long hallway and through a nearby doorway. “Your dad created the Shadows,” she explains when he catches up.
“Wha-“
“The Rites fell years ago, but their power remains,” she continues, as she leads him to a massive glass case.
Inside the case is a mat with shapes engraved into it. Two shapes are filled with matching items, each with the Rites’ emblem on them. A dagger with a serpent running down the blade and a gold amulet. A glow illuminates in the corner of the match, catching River’s attention. A perfect circle alone in the corner of the box glows a light red shape. Ratil unlatches the box and lifts the lid. She holds out her hand and River hesitates. His gaze travels between the glowing circle and her hand. “Wh-“
“Coin,” she demands, shaking her hand in front of him.
River’s eyes drop to his pocket and his hand slips inside. His fingertips touch the cold metal of the coin and begins to slide it out. Before reaching the surface, he shakes his head and backs away. “Tell me what happened!” he demands.
Ratil huffs and rolls her eyes. “Just give me the coin and I’ll explain everything,” she rebuttals, holding out her pink hand.
“No!” He demands, his face tense with emotions. “You died, we buried you!”
River’s screams alert other nearby residents who rush into the room. “I had to disappear,” she explains. “It’s the only way it works.”
“I cried!” he screams. “Mourned missed you!”
Ratil nods and approaches him. She tries to grab his hand, but he rushes away. He backs into the man from before and jumps. He rushes behind the glass case and panics. He stares at his high school sweetheart who tragically disappeared a year ago. The officers found her body and for months, River refused to believe she was gone. Now, he stands in front of her in disbelief. A hand drops onto his shoulder causing him to snap out of his emotions. His head snaps backward to see a familiar face. “Zill?” he asks, a rush of stronger confusion entering his brain.
Zill hung himself in ninth grade. Everyone blamed his death on bullying, and his school changed policies to honor his death. “You-“
“Am very alive!” he exclaims, proudly.
“How?” he asks, remembering watching his body be rolled away on a stretcher.
“Your dad recruited us,” Ratil explains, pointing toward the man in the doorway. “His family thinks he overdosed.”
River’s gaze falls to the ground, as he struggles to process what he is seeing. “Why?” he mumbles.
“To stop the rise of the Quec’s and revive the Knights!” she replies, stepping to him.
River glances up and sees Zill rushing toward the glass case. His hand reaches and puts the gold coin in its place. River reaches into his pocket with an urgency only to find it empty. Zill closes the lid and nods to Ratil.
Ratil grabs River’s cheeks and passionately kisses him. His heart stutters and his legs go weak. “I’ve waited so long for that,” she states, backing away.
River stares at her, his eyes a soft pale yellow, as a smile crosses his cheeks. Suddenly a thought crosses his mind. He perks up and asks, “My dad?”
Ratil’s head drops and shakes. “The Quec’s got him,” the man blocking the doorway asks. “But he left you something!”
Zill pats River on the back and rushes out of the room. The other two follow, leaving River alone. He hesitates, swallowing back tears of loss. He sighs and follows. They walk to a bed covered in odd metallic, scraps, and watch Zill pull out a cylindric container engraved with foreign words. He hands it to River, who stares at it intently. He twists the two halves until there is a soft pop and a glow illuminates from the inside.
River pulls the two halves apart and the blue glow shines into the air in front of his face. “River, my son, welcome to the Shadows,” his dad’s hologram says. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t introduce you sooner.”
River glances at Ratil and Zill, as tears escape his eyes. “The Shadows need your help, River.” His dad continues. “Collect the power and unlock the Rites’ again.”
A map appears in the hologram. “Be a hero!” his dad exclaims. “I love you, son.”
The blue glow fades, but River remains starring forward. “We’re sorry about your dad,” Zill says following several long minutes of silence.
River glances at Zill, his eyes gray with anger. “Jin killed my father,” he says.
River glances at the device in his hands and puts the halves together then pulls them apart, but nothing happens. “The map, he states, repeating the movement.
“If you join us, we ha-“
River’s eyes pierce into Ratil and she freezes. “Anything for revenge.” He assures her.
Zill pats River on the back, as the room erupts into cheers. Ratil rushes to kiss River then grabs his hand. She pulls him out of the room and down the hall away from the celebrating crowd.