"That….was smooth. Couldn't have said it any better myself."
"Shadow, you have to stop sneaking around and spotting girls from a distance. Go up and talk to them in the face from time to time now on."
"Naa, I can't. The shadows are my thing. It's in the name you know. I sneak around, gather intell and am in and out without so much as leaving a footprint behind."
"Well guess you decided to leave a footprint this time. Helping damsels in distress this time around? Before you go home you couldn't help but feel sorry that I have to finish this story on my own? Had to leave your world of pretty girls just to come down and find the right girl for yourself cause none of them were the perfect fit?"
"Dam girl. When you want to lay it on thick you really lay it on thick. Here I thought I could stay behind cause I thought you still needed help but you go out and over exaggerate the whole thing. Why can't a super powerful boy from Dreamworld just come down to earth and hang with a girl whenever he feels like it? Does there have to be a lovey reason evertime two people are seen talking together?"
"Well no but everything that has happened to me has been for a reason. I may not know the reason yet but it has happened?"
"Oh really!! Then how come everybody is dead? Explain that to me."
"Look Shadow, I don't have all the answers right now but when I make sense of this all then I am certain that you will be the first to know of what I've come up with."
"Hmm. I see now why your mom left you. She bred you to succeed with her but instead you turn around and want to succeed her. The only problem is that although you know change is to be had you forgot that war is also to be had."
"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense."
"Are you sure that I'm not making sense or just that you can't grasp it? You wanted to come in and help just one person but little did you know that you would be unovering a network of pieces you don't know. Ohh, and guess what? There is a war that is not only intimate but already has been going on...and; you're arriving late to the party."
"What's your point, Shadow? Who is my brother and who..are you?"
"Umm. well; let;s just say throughout history there are those people that are born geniuses and people who are born with smarts but also people who it feels like they were born in a different time zone as in; they were born three, four, five and even ten years too early. Although they are hard to spot they can hide out looking like everybody else. Hopper is one of those."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"There are no lukewarm people in this batte. You are either in or out…..or you get left behind. You want the belt of truth? Before you can retrieve it from me I need to know if you really know the ground rules for this fight you are about to take on with your brother."
"Wait, so you killed my giant and stole his belt? What the heck Shadow, that was supposed to be my giant I was supposed to kill. Who gave you the right to kill my giant?"
"Ohh, I'm sorry. Did you want to kill that giant? Here, let me find you another giant so you can slay it yourself."
"If David can kill a giant then so can I?"
"But you're not David are you? David did not go around dreaming of killing a giant and then killing everyone he came across. That would be a no? He was too busy fighting lions and bears because he knew he wasn't ready and knew he may never be. Do you think you're ready? Croak wasn't ready and he needed you and him to kill his giant so what makes you think you are ready to take on a giant yourself?"
"So that means you can?"
"You might not want to hear this because you think you're ready and have more faith than others but you're still not ready? So I fought your battle and will lead you in the right path, but it's now on you to get your eyes open."
"When this is over I'm going to.."
"Everybody has been giving each their own measure of faith that God has appointed them to have but even the one with the most faith can still grow in faith and might. Come on Sixth. I want to show you something so take my hand and close your eyes."
"I don't trust you yet."
"Ohh come on. When have I ever steered you wrong? I healed you, helped fight your battles, led you away from a slaughter and was even nice enough to give you a fresh change of clothes. What more do you need me to do so that I can convince you?"
"I...I don't know. It's just all happening so fast and is a lot to process but I'm not ready."
"Look here Sixth. I thought you were faster than the normal person but I see that not even in your hast can you comprehend things faster. We don't have time for this. The storm is literally on your back approaching fast and safety is ahead of you so I don't see why you need so much patience to make up your mind but if that suits you then I'll be sitting ove here waiting for you."
"Shadow, I'm not stubborn. I just need time, that's all. You can'rush change. Change has to take its course just like anything else does."
"OH sorry. All I heard was I'm stubborn bla bla bla poor me bla bla bla change. Must've dosed off for most of your crying. You keep this up you will never lay eyes on the belt let alone hold it. If you need to sit behind to catch your breath then by the time you breathe it will be your last. In a war there is no patience and waiting. Defend at day, move out by dawn and slaughter at night."
"But I don't know what the future holds for me if I go with you?"
"Look here Sixth. I didn't just stick out my neck and my life for you just to watch you sit around and mope about your daily struggles. Now you're either with me…...or go join your mom and watch as the flood consumes all. You talk big but now it's time to live big. I am not waiting around anymore for your idle whining so come on. Let me show you my world.