'The Circle of Life' from the Lion King came on while I was writing the last part of this chapter; it seemed kind of appropriate and a little freaky.

Chapter 5: The Chaos of Darkness

It had taken nearly three months, but Yami had finally found a small area where he might be able to set up a territory.

This was the third area he had tried. It was becoming more and more difficult as Shades wrestled for spaces destroying the boundary spells before they could be completely established.

Yami started setting up the spells.

It was much easier to maintain spells that were already there than it was to create a territory boundary from scratch and that was what was causing all the problems.

Shades were fighting over the humans; this was resulting in a terror ridden human population. Anti-Shade spells were going up everywhere and without Voldemort's Death Eaters to remove the spells Shades were being forced further and further out into unpopulated areas.

Yami had found several fading darkness's, dead Shades, most of them were either very young or of middling age, a couple of centuries.

Most of the old Shades like himself were still battling it out; they were wily survivors and wouldn't go down easily.

The wizard population seemed confused about the sensation of terror. Yami had heard some of them talking in the last place he had tried to set up a territory. The humans were putting the fear down to Voldemort; they seemed unaware that he had been using Shades in his fight.

That was probably for the best, the less the humans knew of the Shades association with the non-human the better.

Yami prowled around the edges of his new territory trying to set up the spells quickly. He could sense another Shade at the edges of his awareness, a young one, but he would waste valuable time if he had to fight it. He needed to get the spells active before any of his older kin turned up.

The younger Shade was moving quickly, but he didn't seem to be heading in this direction.

Yami added the third layer of magic to the spells, only two more.

Then he realised why the young Shade was moving so fast. Another Shade was following him.

The other Shade wasn't a youngster either, he was old and would at least put up a fight against Yami.

Yami rolled and flashed around his small borders, throwing magic as quickly as he could, but it was no good. The older of the two Shades had sensed something. His range of awareness was much larger than the younger's was. He had sensed Yami and would be able to detect the nearly complete spells.

Yami was forced to stop the spells and roll to meet his oncoming opponent.

As he turned, Yami thought he heard something and he paused, but the sound was gone.

The moment of distraction was enough for the other Shade to reach him.

Yami met the attack head on, just in time. Their shadows slammed together and fought for control.

The explosion of magic produced by the fight destroyed the nearby spells that Yami had been creating.

Once the last of those spells were gone Yami gave up. He hurtled every spark of power and strength he had left at the other Shade. The raw smashing fury knocked Yami's opponent flying allowing Yami to leave.

His darkings swirled around him in distress. Yami was tired now and with no territory of humans he would have to replenish his reserves from anyone nearby.

Yami managed to creep into a non-magical town and found a corner to hide in. It was undignified and desperate, but that was currently the general feeling in the Shade population.

It was as Yami was curled up that he heard that music again. It was a sound that he couldn't so much hear as feel; it hummed through every shadow of his essence.

Yami rose into the air, seeking it eagerly with his mind. He didn't know why, but it was important to him. He needed to find the source of that music.

Yami moved off and as he followed that soft chiming sound he grew stronger. It was as though the music was filling him in the same way that the emotions of humans normally did.

For a while Yami just travelled, his mind pleasantly numbed by the gentle music guiding him. Soon he was nearing the territory of a Shade that Yami did know.

That his borders were still up and functioning was testimony not only to his strength, but to the fact that he had not joined with the non-human.

Yami had only heard rumours of his status; apparently he held a territory which contained elves. Yami had originally disbelieved this idea, but now that he neared the territory boundary Yami revised his thoughts. There were definitely elves in the vicinity.

Yami hesitated for a moment considering heading over to fight with the other Shade. The music gave an especially insistent throb and Yami turned his attention back to the song, following the pathway through the forest. Bakura would have to wait.

He travelled around the edges of the other territory. There were no other Shades anywhere near him, but the number of elves had increased and the music was calling Yami towards one of their villages.

Yami glided into the village. The music grew even louder and stronger until it was almost a physical force pulling him in.

Finally Yami was able to see exactly what it was that had drawn him here. It was a child. An elfin child. He was the most beautiful thing that Yami had ever seen.

The Shade moved closer and the child opened his eyes. They were bright amethyst and they stared straight into his centre.

Yami shuddered and totally unbidden his shadows drew together. It was an unfamiliar form, a small slim body with multi-coloured hair. Yami knelt at the bed where the elfin woman lay holding the smiling boy.

She shifted slightly and turned to look at him, Yami expected a blast of magic. Elves and Shades did not generally get along.

However she simply smiled her welcome and shifted around in the bed to allow Yami a better look at the strange little creature who had so easily and completely ensnared him.

Well this is the end.

For those of you who are also reading Light in the Shadows I hope this has been helpful in filling in any blanks.

For those of you who just read this and ignored my other story, I hope you enjoyed this enough to now go and check out the other. If not, glad to have had you along for the ride.

And for those of you who read this and then went on to read the other, thank you and hooray for plugging.

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