The Sword of Shadows

The Oracle Of Delphi is a middle aged man

"The Shadow Realm? Why didn't Patton tell me?"

Emile looks down for a second.

"The Shadow Realm is uh, not really the nicest place. Demons and ghouls and monsters tend to frequent it, and they're usually bloodthirsty and cruel towards light creatures, particularly fairies. There are darker sides of nearly every being, and they exist in the Shadow Realm. It's not... a pleasant place."

"Ah." This explained why Snake-face told me to ask about Dark Aelfs.

"I'm going to need to do one more reading if you want a 'real' prophecy. Not an Oracle of Delphi type thing, but still a prophecy."

"Ok?"

"Are you ready?"

"I think so?"

He sat down, and closed his eyes.

He opened them, and they shone swirling blue and pink.

A harmonious voice spilled out of his lungs, and I know I should've been at least vaguely concerned, but all I could think was "he lied. This is some Oracle of Delphi type sh!t."

The voice spoke.

"A warning now, 'fore fate be sealed.

The world's safety means truth revealed.

The Aelf will find a darkened brand,

Hidden deep in shadowed land.

Darkness shall rise from ashes once more,

Bringing peace, or bringing war.

To fix the balance, one must fall,

Or End will come for one and all."

Emile's eyes stopped glowing, and I was freaking out about the prophecy.

Why are all prophecies about death and destruction and the end of the world?!

Can't we just have a nice "You'll get to go eat a cake!" for once?!

And why me?

Don't they get it?

I'm just worthless, I can't do it!

They shouldn't have the fate of the world rest on a fricken teenager!

My brain isn't even fully developed until I'm in my twenties.

You can't just shove someone who's basically a kid into saving the world!

I'm no Percy Jackson or Magnus Chase, I'm just Virgil!

Virgil the anxious, insane, stupid kid.

I'm not a hero, and I never wanted to save the world.

I just wanted to be normal, to be happy, maybe even get a boyfriend!

And now I have to do this, and I have to do this on my own!

Picani smiles at me sheepishly.

"Sorry, the prophecies are rarely that intense. You have a big future."

I kinda got that from the whole 'or end shall come to one and all'.

"What do I do?"

Emile looked at the ground.

"Remember the line that says 'a warn-'."

"Yes. How could I forget?"

"Well, I haven't been... entirely honest with you."

I try to look shocked.

"Why would you lie? And what have you lied about?"

He sighed, and rubbed his eyes.

"Um, I can see more of your future, but I was told to keep some parts of it from you."

"By who?"

I'm hoping he'll out Patton so that I don't have to stay with him on my 'quest', but he just sighs.

"I can't tell you."

I nod, and he continues.

"So, you're um... really important. The world has been off balance for a few years. Shadow beings attack the light ones, and they're on the brink of a realm-wide war. We don't know why the shadows keep attacking, but the Council has decided that to regain peace and balance, they must be obliterated. There's a weapon, a powerful one. The Council wishes to use it to end the fight, but only one kind of being can use it. The one kind of being that can use it is... a Light Aelf."

"Ok..."

I don't like where this is going.

He leans towards me and meets my eyes.

Oh heck no, they're not sending me on this quest! I mean, I already knew they would, but this is way too finalizing!

"Virgil, you're the only Light Aelf that's existed for a long time. They need you to find and use the weapon."