The still of a clear night sky was broken by the black mist floating out of an abandoned hospital building. On top its roof glowing fumes of embers spouted its black clouds into the illuminate moon lit sky. Inside the burning building there laid an underground lab that seemed misplaced from the rest of the apparently long abandoned hospital.
A recently made tunnel that goes down a dark flight of stairs meets with a lone set of double doors at the bottom. These doors come flying off there hinges with men and women dressed in white coats running for their lives to get out of the collapsing building.

Many had already perished by the falling rubble and rocks, caught on fire by the heated blaze or trampled over by their peers. Truly an unsightly scene to behold as people screamed filled the air with terror as they ran choking on the thickening fumes begging for help but receiving none.

It was every man and woman for themselves.

Amidst the panic and beyond the double doors located down the stairs lied a room that suffered a huge gas pipe explosion as people where running back up the stairs to get out. In what looked to be what was left of a chemical testing lab a young girl sleeps as she floats in a tank filled with liquid. The room around her moved with the chaos of collapsing rubble from the ceiling and frenzy scientists trying to save themselves.

The remains of lifeless armed guards scattered all over the old hospital from the ground floor all the way up to the roof, along the corridors to some of the rooms there was a trail of splatted and spilled blood on the once white marble like floor to the rotted white walls.

Each corpse telling its own story of how they met there sorry end. Some armed guards clean separated from limb and body. This painted sight of death followed with the coming fire and smoke made it look like a scene out of an alien verse human horror flick. A horrific aftermath of fallen dominoes.

What kind of demon could have done this?

Following the trail of bodies in order of the oldest to the freshest victim led all the way through the floors up to a recently broken hole, this hole goes through the last two floors leading to the roof of the hospital. On top it were two young boys in the mists of an intense clash of steel with a rather elderly man.


This would have seem like elderly abuse if it was not for the monstrous deformity that was reaching out from the old man’s back. There were four giant spider legs moving about behind him one pair hovering over his shoulders whilst the other stabbed onto the ground like a pair of freaky hind legs. From its sharp claws down to the way they moved it looked every bit like overgrown spiders leg save for the fact that they had no hair on them exposing its fleshy pink skin like a shaved cat.


To his torn patterned robes, his large jagged shark teeth sword and the bitter eyes on his aging face that pierced through the two young attackers he seemed anything but human. The only human sign came when his forehead began dripping blood after the life or death exchange he had against them.

He looked to be losing wind and the sharpness in his eyes began to soften as he coughs heavily due to the smoking flames around him. He did not want to show it to his attackers but he was human. Bleeding out from slash wounds on his legs and side he stood there staring down his young attackers as he catches his breath. The two boys were also sitting back to catch a moment of rest. One of them seemed like he needed more rest than the other.

One had a medium build and stood at five and a half feet. Armed with a straight sword in his right and a pistol in his left he had a mix race complexion and wore a blood stained green hoody. He being the more exasperated out of the two kneeled down on one knee as he wiped off a splatter of blood on his left cheek onto his torn arm sleeve, there was splatters of blood stains on his hoody but none of which was his. He felt fatigued after slaying his way up here, only now looking into the eyes of the freak of nature he has been having trouble with can he see the end of the tunnel.


Seeing the softness in the old man's eyes he knew he was close. Just a little more and this bastard’s heart will stop!

He turns over to his partner in crime who was standing over to his left. Using one of the large rubble like a foot stool he stood there scanning the old man for weaknesses. Wearing all black shoes loose tracksuit bottoms and vest he stood just a little shorter than the boy with a sword and gun combo. Armed with a strange jet black diamond shape sword in his left and equally dark kunai on his right he had a brown skin complexion making the only easiest thing to spot on him in this late night his red headband that was on top of his forehead. The red ribbon at the end swayed freely in the breeze.

He looked to have already caught his breath and was waiting for the green hooded one to move. Closing his eyes he takes a deep breath. A moment later a layer of faint mist appears around him in a bubble like silhouette of his body.

This is a defence ability called knights armour. Much like a med evil knights armour this mist is a skill that uses the inner energy of a person to shroud there body making it harder to sustain fatal damage from an attack. This protection is also put over there weapon of choice as to lessen the damage and strain they put on it in battle as well as increase its killing strike. The stronger the person’s energy the stronger the armour.


However it requires great discipline to unlock and it demands a steady use of energy else it fades. It will put strain on the body of someone who tries to force it once they are out of energy leaving them weak and defenceless.

The boy in the red headband put his -knights’ armour- on as a nudge to the other boy to get off his ass and help him finish this. Picking up on the hint the boy in the green hoody shot a bitter glare at his kunai holding counterpart. Looking back at his target that was behind a wall of flames and smoke he takes a deep breath of the toxic air he creating a bubble like mist around himself as well before standing back up. The old man who was looking worst for wear noticed that they had already found there second wind draws a subtle, icy grin that cracked the wrinkles on his face.

Activating his -knights armour- also he stands off his hind spider legs and up on the ones his mother gave him in a sloppy fashion. The boy in green hoodie brushes a pebble that was under the soul of his shoe as to get a better grip on the ground, getting into his fighting stance he picks the right moment on instinct and begins charging towards the half freak with the headband boy following suit.

Coming in with swords in hand they met in the middle slapping there weapons shrouded in their will to kill. Attacking with such power that shock waves of sparks danced in the air followed with the clapping echo of metal hitting metal.

The two young attackers against the kingpin of this shady hospital the three of them darted around, shot, threw, slashed and defended from every angle they could find they continued with no intention of letting up until one of them land that fatal blow on the other.

Meanwhile the building was further losing its ability to stand as ceilings bent and crumbled slowly giving away. On some of the lower floors the boy with the red headband had cut the pillars clean so the building could fall and crumble in due time. He also started the fire as a designated timer as well as send all the survivors up in flames.


Back underground the young girl in a tank sleeps unaware of what was going on. With the sound proof glass of the tank she could have very well dreamed through this waking nightmare if it was not for one remaining scientist holding a thick old folder with papers tightly in his right hand stopped running and made an effort to try and open the tank. Wearing a white lab coat like the rest of them he wrapped his arm holding the folder around his mouth in an attempt to keep the smoke out of his lungs.

With his left hand he begins to fiddle around with the controls on the console that was attached to the tank. A few button hits later his eyes sharpened as he coughed, the smoke was starting to affect him. The tank had not reacted the way he wanted. Seeing this he then dramatically swings his free arm down on the console slamming a large red button on the top left hand corner as if taking out his frustration on it. The tank began to slide open from the top but abruptly stopped as soon as it started. He flinched in confusion as if this was not meant to happen.


Hitting the button once again in the hopes it will act differently this time he again looks at the tank with expecting eyes, but to no avail. Some of the liquid in the tank was freed but not enough to take out the young girl. Pushing himself away from the console he drunkenly took two steps back as he looks at the girl in the tank peacefully resting.

In a fit of rage he stepped forward and slammed his free arm over the whole console breaking it. He may have got his rage out of his system but other than a numb arm and split console it solved nothing. Shaking his head he stepped back again coughing more profoundly, his tantrum had wasted him more oxygen than he could afford.


Learning his lesson he calmed down and just observed his test subject with mourning eyes.

Around the same time the boy with the green hoody and his teammate with the red headband had at last decided the fight. Standing over the half monster half man with their swords pointed to his neck he kneeled there covered in open wounds, both of his top flesh like spiders legs where cut clean off and his sword was shattered and left behind his attackers. The glowing of the ever growing flames and moon reflected on the bloody wounds and his unsightly defeat.



They had him right where they wanted him. A pent up rage filled up the eyes of the green hooded boy. Like a just lit match his eyes burned as he looked his victim in the face consoling what he was about to do to him. This rage grew and began to overflow until he blinked, killing the flames dead, replaced with eyes void of emotion he looks back only to get the job done.


“This is for Gregg and Jon…” He said in a rough, plain voice, his eyes glazed out. He lifts his sword above his head about to kill a man who was already defenceless until a girl suddenly appears between him and the old man blocking his fatal strike with her katana and knocking him back.

The boy taken by surprise quickly regains his balance and points his pistol to the new target. However in-between his crosshairs his expression quickly softens when he recognises who it was.

She was a girl who looked around the same age as both of the boys. She had a purple vest with black quarter length shorts that where covered over with a purple cloth like short skirt. Part of her hair was long and jet black but tied to an odd pony tail directly on top of her head where it falls down to her waist. The rest was up to her shoulder length and hangs around her face of cream like pink. With a cream katana case tied around her back the most noticeable thing about her was her different eye colour. One of them being dark brown and the other being purple.

“May? What are you doing here?” The boy in green said a little agitated as he lowers his gun from her face.

May said nothing as she silently looked over to the green hooded boy for a moment studying his  features as if trying to build a story to what kind of bloody mess he been through. His blood stained clothes told her more than she would have got out of him with words and far more than she wished to know.

Her look of concern only surpassed slightly by her the look of gratitude for his safety.

“May my child, you’ve come back.” The airily soothing voice of the man she saved broke her mood. It had the tone of a noble preacher. For someone who was about to meet his maker his calm tone was misplaced. The boy with the red head band  made his way back beside the gun and sword wielding one after being forced back by May.

He did not seem all too alarmed by her appearance instead looked more bothered that the fight was over. With his diamond sword hung over his shoulder and his other hand in his pockets he turns back over to look at May and the old man with a dreary expression.

“Father,” May said to the old man with her back turned to him. A sense of dread was present in her voice. “I just wanted to know one thing… before I kill you.” She turns around to her father pointing her katana to him. Covered with a layer of duty her voice trembles.

“And what would that be my child?” Father said in his airily soothing voice.

Her eyes fall on him but flinch as if wanting to look away. For this was her father, caller of lost lambs and killer of many innocent children both orphans and family. For years he has bent and fooled the good, pulled and twisted the greed in lesser men. Helping himself to get what he wants. Using orphans as test subjects since they get better results because of their undeveloped minds and body are better adapt to the changes his tests force upon them he had built a cult like organization that followed his disturbing trail of thought.

Disguised as a preacher he would use pretty words to sway the weak, foolish and the sick to his vision, at some point he himself began to believe his own dribble and he became known as father. His sickness knew no limits. Even went as far as to experiment on his only daughter before she was born. The result, her strange purple eye as well as a list of other strange new powers unknown to man came to her.

Keeping her in the dark May only realised this later thus escaped his clutch and took shelter at a temple that is home to the green hooded boy. Sadly because of this, people he considered brothers were taken from him and so he took it upon himself to get payback. Feeling guilty, May came to right her families’ wrongs and end her father’s life for all the lives he had taken over the years up till now.

So now she is here, pointing her sword to her own blood.


“You have no right to call her that! After what you’ve done to her!!” The green hooded boy snapped and begins to march his way back to Father, his sword hand itching to cut him down.


“Stop!” May said in a demanding tone, snapping her head around she stopped him dead in his tracks. Realising that it came off too harsh she took a deep breath to compose herself before looking back at him. “It’s alright Spriiko, I can handle him.” She insists in a calm but sharp tone.

Spriiko walks back and forth as if there is an unseen barrier stopping him from getting too close to May and Father. Letting off a shout to get rid of the pent up rage in his system he walks back to where he was and leaves May to talk to Father. May seeing him back down she then went back to speaking with Father.

“Father.” She said looking down at him, she swallowed before continuing. “I remember one of the few time you came to speak to me, you would sometimes say: ‘you are my perfect child. After all these years looking I have found you’… Then of course everything changed when I told you what this eye sees in you.” May said her voice becoming a little sharp by the last sentence.

Father remains silent listening to her whilst she looks away to the floor, her eyes watered up whilst she calms down and starts from the top trying to find the best words to use.

“Was there someone else like me? ‘Is’ there someone like me? If so where are they!?” She said in a shout, her voice began to shake with dread.

Father’s eyes widened with shock but then transforms into a proud smile.

“Hang on.” Spriiko interrupts with a puzzled face. “Others? Meaning you’re not the only one?”

“And you think he’s going to speak if there was? That’s cute.” The boy with the red headband said with a chuckle.

“Shut up Sniper!!” May snapped. “This has nothing to do with you so say out of it!”

“Hey, I’m just trying to save you a load of headache later.” Sniper said with his arms above his head in surrender whilst backing off. Turning around he dropped them back to his sides and turns back around to take a look at Father as he sighs.

“I mean look at him, he’s clearly somehow finding enjoyment in all this.” Sniper said whilst walking back beside Spriiko. “The whole time we are fighting he had that calm look even when things where going south, in fact he seemed more calm now than before. I’ve seen his kind. I know there tendencies. Incas you don’t know what I’m alluding to it starts with ‘sui’ and rhymes with tidal.”

May was silently listening. She grips her sword tightly in anger. She hated to admit it but she could tell that there was no sign of repentance in his eyes. As his daughter she knew more so than him but even so she wanted to at least try and pull something out of him. Maybe there was a soul in there.

“I just want… need to know if I am the only one that had suffered by your hands.” May said as her breaths became horsed and tears began rolling down her cheeks. “That is all I ask from you. Can you at least grant me that? As a father?”

 

Back underground the man who was trying to free the girl from the tank was just about done accepting the fact that he can’t get her out. Looking at the files in his hand he glances at the only exit out of the underground lab. It led to the flight of stairs going to the first floor. His legs begin to reach for them without much consent form his mind and body.

 

He stops at the mouth checking his exit. It was all clear save for a trampled body of a woman, one of the few victim from the mindless stampede out of the room. One last time he looks back at the girl in the tank.

 

“Just when we were finally able to repeat our last success, what a waste.” The man said under a deep, dry voice. “Father, we were so close.” His head shakes in disappointment as he turns and makes for the steps fading off into the dark, smoke covered stairway.

 

At the same time up on the rooftop Father gives May a proud smile.

 

“I’m surprised you gathered so much from the little I said.” He said whilst holding that smile. “Then again you have always been a very fast learner.”

 

Spriiko and May where a little bit surprised that he confessed to something so vague with no resistance. Grabbing there attention Father continued. “Be it fate or the heavens will there where many who were not chosen to become my child. It was there impurities that in the end condemned them form embracing true blessings of the brand shone upon them, and thus they died.”

 

The message was cryptic and twisted but the answer came in clear like a morning bell to May’s ears. Her eyes widened in total shock as her worst fears had been realised.

Back underground the man who had fled after attempting to save the girl has long gone. There was nobody else left around except for the fallen victims who attempted to escape. She remained sleeping but thanks to the tube being open the sounds of outside reached her ears. Slowly she begins to open her eyes becoming aware of the carnage around her.

 

On the roof May was breaking down in tears to the grieve news that she was given. Trying her best to hold in her sorrow but failing she stood there with sword trembling in hand.

 

“However there was one that showed great promise of accepting the blessing… but. Sadly she too was a lost cause.”

 

The lost cause in question was the young girl in the glass tube named Natalie. Over a year now she had been kidnapped from her home village and experimented on to see if she could survive the transfusion of angels blood. For months she hanged on for dear life as her body rejected the holy blood. Not too long ago she was said to have lost the battle and died. That was until her pulse began to come back just moments before the base was under attack. Father was notified of her apparent death but the news of her revival never reached him. Even if he himself was telling the truth it was no longer the correct answer.

 

May getting her answer stood there falling into a pit of despair, coming back out with a flicker of rage she exploded in anger. She lifted up her blade cutting her father down with a hollow scream. The moment she did so she fell to her knees and let out her tears letting go of her sword where the strike landed.

 

Spriiko made his way to May and put his hand on her shoulder as to help comfort her. Sniper walked up beside them.

“We are leaving now, so grab her and go.” Sniper said in a commanding tone. Spriiko darted around to him with fuming eyes. “Are you serious?” Spriiko said his mouth left open in disbelief. “Do you have a heart!? She-” Spriiko storming up to him but bites his tongue as to stop himself form raising his voice. Getting closer to Sniper he looks back at May to make sure she does not hear what he says next. Feeling that they were not far enough he pushes Sniper back a few step until he was satisfied.

 

 

 

“She just killed her father.” He continues in inraged whispers. “We can’t expect her to just wipe her hand clean after this no matter how shitty he was.” “So you’re siding with him now? The man who put your friends in shopping sacks?” Sniper said. Spriiko was stunned by what sniper said. “Remember why I’m here, to keep you from killing yourself and from that old fart from skinning you alive when you come back to the temple. The only way I’m going to do that is to keep you both form being killed. I’m sure that May does not want to meet her father any time soon so she won’t hold it against you. Now let’s go.”

 

Spriiko fell silent and walked back to May putting his hand on her shoulders. “We need to get out of here.” May got up on her feet with her head bowed and face covered. Picking up her katana that she left on the ground after striking father down Spriiko guides May to the roof top and they both leap off into the sheet of the darkening night with Sniper following suit shortly after.

 

 

It was a moment before Father got struck down that Natalie began to fully wake up in a panic. Knowing that she needs to get out she tried kicking the glass but it did not budge. Getting nowhere she tried to call for help.

 

“Help me!! Get me out! Help!!” Natalie said screaming and pleading but to no avail. As the seconds went past her panic became more desperate. After all the hell she’s been though she sees a chance to escape, to get home but now she is stuck in a tube with no way out. All around her was the creeping fire and the bodies of the departed. Reality sunk in. The bitter reality that she had been enduring ever since she was captured, holding on to the hope of getting away.

 

It was as if someone out there was trying to prove a point that hope does not exist. Messing with her head like the injections the scientists gave her over the start of her known existence. Anything a week before this felt like a year, anything before she was caught felt like a something that happened to another person in another lifetime. Often she would wonder if the memories of her home where in fact someone else’s, something her imagination made up to keep from totally shutting off.

 

Even so she did not care; real or not, all she wanted to do was to reach that place. Her chance arrives and she is already doomed at the first hurdle. Her body responds to her desperate frustration and stress in in kind creating a current that tingled off her skin and built up around the tank like a balloon.

 

As her emotions raised so did the energy around her and her until at the very peak of her desperate plea like a held up sneeze it exploded in one go shattering the glass around her into pieces. She tumbles on top of the thick broken shards of sharp glass and hot floor cutting most of her body that fell right on top of it. Covered with nothing but a long piece of thin water proof cloth she screamed in pain that was drowned out by the far louder snap, crackle and popping of the burning building around her.

 

Back on the roof Father laid there peacefully as the fires closed in on him. With the freaky spider legs nowhere to be see he looked like nothing more than an old high priest dressed in robes from a time long gone. Down but not truly out from Mays attack he laid there bleeding out but healing at an inhuman rate.

 

May was still grieving as she was lead off with Spriiko and Sniper as they leaped off the building and began to make their way into the thick forest that stretched forth in front of them. However Sniper sensing that the job was not done turned back up to the burning building. Spriiko spotting the sudden shift in Sniper he stops also to look back at him.

 

“Why are you standing there?!” Spriiko shouts over the crackling of the flames engulfing the building. “We are done here let’s go!”

 

Sniper turns around to Spriiko and gives a cheery grin. “Go ahead; I’ll be right behind you.” Spriiko’s face becomes puzzled with concern. “What are you going to do?” Spriiko said trying to come off as if he did not care for his wellbeing but failing a little.

 

Sniper’s smile became cold whilst he pulled out his diamond shaped sword.  “He’s still kicking… Just as well because we forgot to give him a tomb stone.” Sniper said.  “Knocking down this building will bury him well enough.” “It’s more than he deserves” Spriiko said as he looked up to the top of the building with a cold stair. “Fine, we will head back now so hurry!” Spriiko leads the grieving May off in the dark forest whilst Sniper leaped up to the air covering twelve story high hospital building and beyond in one fell swoop.

 

 

 

 

Two minutes before Sniper’s great leap Natalie hat just woken up after passing out from shock. It had only been twenty seconds since she fell and ate glass. She had a number of cuts all the way along her legs to the side her cheek met the ground. Slowly waking up to the pain that gave her shock in the first place she gets up onto her feet in auto pilot and makes her way up the blackened staircase. Trampling on sharp glass and hot floor her feet was bleeding but the pain did not register. Adrenalin had completely taken over and her mind was transfixed on getting as far away from this hellhole as possible to find the home she had in another life.

 

Making her way up the stairs she passed the trampled body not paying it much mind to it. Completely numb and set only on one goal she pushed on. The stairway was heavy with smoke and heat but was much cooler under her feet as she climbed up. By the time she reached the top most of the cut wounds on her cheek and legs where almost completely healed. She was coughing heavily by this point and fell to her knees where she found it easier to bereave.

 

Inhaling less of the same poison she takes her time to scan the new room she found herself in. The flight of stairs led to the reception where hall once filled with the smell of disinfectant and  patients waiting for a simple check-up a long time ago. Now it became a shady hideout for inhumane acts. The flames seemed to make a good meal out of evil fuel. However within its wall it has caught an innocent girl.

 

She looks around for a way out within the flickering wall of flame coming from all directions until she sees it. A six foot gap with a clear exit within sight. A trail of water what was placed there had kept the fires from meeting. Seeing her ticket out she takes a deep breath and makes a straight run for the gap.

 

Meanwhile Sniper had just leaped up above and beyond the building. Channelling his energy into his sword he summoned it out above his head. It forms into a great glowing misty version of his diamond shaped sword. It’s size was immense rivaling the hospitals in width but far surpassing it in height. It floats above the building with its tip pointing to its roof with two hundred feet between each other. Its point of impact was aimed right at fathers centre.

 

As Sniper came falling back down to earth he cut the air with a slash and the huge blade came crashing down freakishly fast as it suddenly travelled from zero to mark speed in a moment’s notice breaking the speed barrier and obliterating Father along with the building in the blink of an eye. The giant blade explodes into small particles of energy that scattered to the winds and faded away to the night sky.

 

A moment before the impact Natalie almost made it out of the building until it was intercepted by Snipers attack that sent the world around her crumbling down. As unanimous objects come crumbling down to make her tomb her body froze as fear took over. She was too far to make it and all seemed hopeless. The fear of dyeing reached into her very core as the rubble loomed closer casting a shadow over her until her body reacted in kind. As she instinctively curls over to cover her face a pair of dark wings come out of her back and much like her arms rap themselves around her only they were able to cover her whole body.

 

The rocks come tumbling down covering her in total darkness. Sniper seeing the destruction of the building puts his sword away and makes his way into the woods also. If he had only took the time the stand there for a moment longer he would have noticed the disturbance under the rubble, He would have seen a girl’s hand covered in the flour like rubble break its way of the heavy rocks finding strength she never knew she had. With her purple eye if May had only looked back she would have seen the aura of an innocent survivor glowing in the dark night like a lone star. She would have seen her climb out of the rubble and collapse onto the ground just out where the exit of the hospital once stood. Natalie had the same eyes she did and could see the thee of them going off into the distance.

 

If they had just stopped the listened they may have caught the whispers of an extremely drained girl knocking on deaths door calling for them before losing the strength to even stay conscious.

 

If they only looked back… Then things would have been very different, her burden to keep living would not have to be tested so.

2: Chapter 1: Dark angle and protector

A piercing wind whistles over the rocky mountain and hill tops. A lone girl sat atop a large black bolder opens her eyes stoically as the winds blow at the back of her long raggedy cloak and straight black hair. Her pupils turning form purple to black shortly after she looks onwards to the vast expanse of green hill tops followed by patches of trees and a lake flowing between the shades of slopes.

 

The sky was met with little patches of cloud that where running away from the winds that blew them. The girl looked beyond the sights; she had no qualms sitting there her legs tucked to her chest as the winds batted away at her back. This distant looking girl is the very same one who found herself buried under rock from her escape six years ago.

 

“Natalie.” A voice from the mouth of a cave directly behind her calls.

 

A young man around her age comes walking out form the dark cave mouth behind her dressed in much the same cloak but with a large sword on his back. He makes his way towards Natalie before looking up to her atop of the black rock. Showing no sign of hearing his call Natalie looks onwards to a place that is not yet in sight.

 

“I’m sorry I kept you waiting.” He said in a soft voice. “I’m well rested now and ready to keep going.”

 

She said nothing back. Seeing this he drops his head ever so slightly. This is not the first time this has happened and it certainly won’t be the last. Being use to seeing her like this he shook off the subject matter for another one. His face showing general concern this time around.

 

“So… did you get any sleep thi-“he said before he was cut off by Natalie.

 

“Let’s keep moving.” Natalie said whilst getting up and off the rock to walk onwards.

 

The young man left standing there pauses for a moment.

 

“Understood.” He mumbled to himself before following suit.

 

Natalie and the yet to be named young sword wielder set off onwards to a nearby village running till sunset. They moved swiftly through the rocks, trees and any other endeavours almost as if in flight. The sword wielder however was lacking in grace and speed leaving him struggling to keep up. A number of times Natalie would pause for a moment to let him catch up before heading off again. He was doing all he could but there long days of none stop running at this pace has left him at wits end. He found himself losing balance thus falling off or catching him-self from doing so. Natalie would just wait for him to recover and catch up before running up ahead as if this behaviour was normal. Like there was someone else out there more in need than his fatigue.

 

As the stream they followed connected into a river Natalie sensed the presence of the young sword man had faded and so looks back to check up on him. He was on his last legs. His body denying him to take another step without rest. Catching up he bends down to put hand on knees as he panted heavily. He looked up to his untried companion with hardened resolve only softened by his wheezing.

 

“I can go on a little more.” He said between breaths. “Just give me a moment.”

 

Looking him up and down she could already tell that he was lying. His cloak holding fresh smears from falling into the dirt due to his lack of rest these past couple of days.  A glimmer of sympathy softens her eyes. Looking around she sees the river that was surrounded with the brown dead autumn leaves that made up the ground they stood on. The trees where spaced wide enough for a line of ten grown horses between them, that means less cover for possible hunters or Demons. The forest seemed void of naturel predators. This in hand with their being a fair abundance of game to be found in the waters made this out to be a good a camping place as any.

 

“Set up camp.” Natalie said as she turns her back to the river and towards the forest.

 

The young man leans back up at her, his eyes narrowed by her order.

 

“But I can still keep going!” He insisted. “If you just give me a second and I’ll-”

 

“I’ll gather fire wood, you get the fish.” her reply echoed through the trees around them as she walks further onwards.

 

The young man was left there frozen for a moment. As much as he wanted to insist he could not fool his body. Looking at the back of Natalie he could sense the growing urge to reach their destination being kept chained by his inability. The feeling creeping over he looks down in detest to the autumn carpet. 

 

“I’m sorry…” he whispered to himself, clenching his fists whilst doing so.

 

Natalie comes back some time later as the young man is in the middle of fishing with a make shift rod made of a stick he picked and string from his tattered cloak. Having made a second one he left it out next to the river hinting for Natalie to join him.  Spotting this however she chooses to ignore it and goes on to light the fire wood she just collected. With her hands placed over the bundle of wood and zapped it with a bolt of electricity, its noise signalling to the young man that she came back. With their eyes meeting he felt to knock the other rod into the river and let it be washed away like the bad idea it was.

 

As night falls fish is left cooked by the fire while Natalie sat opposite the young man. Silent she looks off into the blanket of darkness surrounding them. As the fires glow danced the young man prodded it with a stick as to keep it going. Watching Natalie’s eyes veer off into the blackness he though to stir up convocation.

 

“Fish will be ready soon…” he said.

 

She did not responded to his comment making him drop his head to go back to poking the burning sticks as he tried to start this from another angel.

 

 

 “Not too far now…” he said feeding his prodding stick to the flames.  “To the village I mean. If what the he said is true then the demon invasion must have happened three days ago. And if the rumour about set timing of the kidnapping that will happen a while after is true that means we at worst case would arrive there the day after it’s taken place.”

 

Natalie looks at the flames beside her. They ring back memories of her escape six years ago. Thankfully the smell of wood was like fragrant compared to the choking cloud of rubble and metal. Calming herself she pushes the flashes backs to the back of her mind as she tucks her legs into her chest.

 

“They summon low level demons to invade and scatter the people, and then to make it look like coincidences wait two to three days to kidnap any child that is left from the village.” Her eyes narrow.  “Any child left behind after that time either lost their parents to the demon invasion. From there, like picking up lost lambs.”

 

The young man nodes.  It was not a subject matter he felt too happy talking about but knowing how things turn out when trying to make small talk he had to make do.

 

“But what I don’t get is how you know that the demons and the kidnappers are all part of one plan and not just a coincidence.”

 

“I know because that’s how they got me…”she said, her purple eyes lock onto his brown ones.

 

The young man chest tightens as he read the pain within her. Eyes dulled and sullied by the events that took place seven years ago, a village under siege by creatures with flesh like steel and eyes like red stars. Rifts tearing the sky raining down upon them shapes of death. How Natalie was never heard from for over a year, the girl he knew assumed dead. And even though she somehow made it back a year later that girl he knew was no longer there. Was it possible? That these cause misfortune where more a sinister plan rather than a product of a thousand mishaps? He picks up his fish on a stick and scoffs it down. Natalie picked up hers twisting the stick slowly in her hands.

 

“It would make sense.” he unwillingly said. “But how can you be sure your right? Demons of them kind show up randomly around the world. And them being actives to boot… Are you saying they found a way to summon them at will?”

 

Natalie looks away from her food to stare into the flames.

 

“I just know it’s them…”

 

The camp fire falls silent. A silly question, the past three years they have been following nothing but hunches. They have gotten good at it but still have yet to find the people who they are looking for. Just then Natalie fixes her gaze onwards to the shadows.

 

“There’s a demon just ahead of us. An exhaust.”

 

Alarmed he reaches he hand out for his trusty sword before Natalie put her hand out to stop him in his tracks.

 

“You can’t see in the dark … I’ll take care of this.” She said, her eyes glowing purple reminding him of the changes made to her since that day.

 

Hearing this he let go of his sword and let her walk on past him. With no weapon to hand she wonders off into the darkness. As she past he saw a face looking for a distraction, something to vent her pent up frustration on walk onwards.  A touch of guilt washes past the young man as he felt this vibe. Suddenly a flash of lightening lights up the area for a second enough to see a bolt peer shine through the demon as looming shadows of the trees show themselves form the light display. The demon was seven a foot tall horned nose, known for its three foot long razor sharp scythe like nose. Its scream like a crow and elephant combined marked its quick demise at the hands of Natalie.

 

She comes back out of the shadows no sooner that she faded into them.

 

“Get some rest…” she said sitting back down by the fire. He nodes his in response. Looking over to her hardly touched food in concern. Again she hardly eats much. And sleep comes even less so to her. What did they do to you? A question he constantly found himself asking.

 

Taking her advice he lies down and uses his cloak as a cover he found sleep reach him rather quickly. As he rested Natalie sat there looking out into the forest, her eyes able to cut though the sheet of blackness. Finding no urge to rest her thoughts took her away, back to before she became… this. Before she lost her smile and warmth. Before she was kidnapped.

 

~#~

 

She a remembers a peerless blue sky stretched forth brightened yellow orb. She runs through a small patch of forest with a boy who looks much the same as the one she is with at present except more rounder on the cheeks. Reaching an open field of grass. Atop its light slopes laid a rock and beyond that a large village covered by a three story wall.

 

“Common Andrew!” Natalie said with a playful chuckle.

 

“Just keep going!” he snapped back.

 

Reaching the top of the hill they stop by the large rock and look onwards to their home village of Null. It was an out of the way place where traders and hunters would make used as one of the many veins that connect to the larger towns and cities.

 

“Made it…” Natalie sighed with a smile.

 

“I guess.  Just a bit further.” Andrew said.

 

Natalie turned around to glare at Andrew as if saying don’t-be-a-kill-joy. Andrew rolled his eyes when he picked up on that whilst Natalie giggled some.

 

“Yeah I know…” she said whilst she took a seat on the grass. “But let’s stop here for a while.”

 

“We are pushing our luck as it is being out here! What if one of them show!?”

 

“Hardly happens. And they are always exhausts.” She said laying back first onto the grass. “If any demon comes we can out run them.“

 

Andrew darted around his surroundings whiles shaking his head to her remark.

 

“Too dangerous… I’m going home.” He said.

 

“Chicken.” She spat with her eyes closed.

 

“I’m not scared!” Andrew shot back. “And why do you want to lay around out here so badly anyways?!”

 

“The open view is nice right? With no walls.”

 

 “Huh?” Andrew looks around trying to see what she was talking about. It’s not that she wrong it just a view they have seen a number of times.

 

“We hardly ever allowed out of the village because of the demons but if you think about it, walls or not it does not really matter where you are no-where is really safe from them.”

 

Andrew looks around again with her words and slowly sees what she means. “And when we are allowed play out we do so, so fast that we don’t get to take it all in.”

 

Andrew silently agreed. He had not truly felt safe when stepping outside the wall. Not many parents allowed their children to even set foot out of there village.

 

“Mum told me stories of long ago before the demons attacked. She said people back then could relax on the grass and admire the view without worry. And that most places where at least as green as this place. We are lucky to have a spot like that so close to us. I have always wanted to try it so you can go home if you want. But I’ll be going later.”

 

Natalie lies down on the grass and looks up at the sky. Andrew was about to leave but could not bring himself to move any further. Instead he turns back around and sits with his back turned to her. Natalie looks up in wonder before smiling.

 

“You’re not scared anymore?” she said

 

“No… it’s just that I don’t want to leave you here by yourself.”

 

“That’s nice of you. “She chuckles. “Going to relax with me?”

 

“No!” he snaps as he turns around to her. Calming down he take a breath and continues. “I’m standing guard.”

 

“With that sword of yours?” She said. “You know that I’m as good if not even better using that than you are. If you want to go back so bad then why don’t you leave your sword here so that way I can be safe and you can go home.”

 

“I-I don’t want anything happening to you.” he mumbled.

 

“Huh?”

 

Natalie a little surprised leans up to look at Andrew.

 

“You really want to protect me?”

 

Andrew turns away to cover his face if he was not dark skinned he would be red by now.

 

“Sort of.” He replied whilst scratching his head. Natalie seeing the back of Andrew could not help but smile at his reaction.

 

“Well if it is any help I like having you around.” She said. “And having you as a bodyguard really make me feel safe.”

 

She lies back down to watch the view. Andrew smiled also as he looked on for danger.

 

“I like having you around you too…” he said.

 

They would remain there until the sun began setting. Natalie gazing onwards whilst Andrew watched her back. Unknown to them the titles they will later be given and the danger they will face.

 

~#~

 

Andrew wakes up to the smoking embers of what was left of the camp fire. The sun has just creped though the horizon illuminating the trees golden in its glow. Natalie was still sitting in the same spot he last was her in. Getting up he looks around for the fish that he has cooked or her to see that is was nowhere in sight. Northing but the pile of asks that was the fireplace. Seeing this he smiled. Maybe she had gotten some food in this time.

 

“You’re up.” Natalie said looking at him.

 

“You should have woken me to take watch while you sleep.” He said. “I guess I’m so use to knowing you hardly sleep I did not get up.”

 

“I got some rest, so try not to worry.” She said.

 

“I see. That’s good.” He said with a warm sigh. “Shall we get going?”

 

With that Natalie and Andrew set off once again. The ashes of the fire wood show a fish thrown into the fire that has not been eaten. The one Natalie was eating, only bitten once and left to burn to ash.

 

Author’s notes: So now we see some of Natalie and the effects the kidnapping had on her physically as well as mentally. Also a little into of our second main character and his history with Natalie. Next time we will see a little more of how her powers work as well as the lengths there enemies will go to.

3: Chapter 2: Van of Bain

Having traveled among a number of slopes Natalie and Andrew where now not so far from where the village was said to be. Having seen a trail of black smoke rise onward beyond the horizon they were sure they were just a light slope away from reaching the village of Lucas. Pacing themselves up a hill there eyes meet with their destination. Natalie being the first to reach the top looked down upon the place her heart sank to her gut at what she saw. Summoning her dark wings in a sudden rush Andrew shielded his face form the burst of her wings feathers that danced on the winds around him. Kicking off she launches herself off into flight. Andrew begins to pick up the pace also with a look of dread in his eyes. "Wait!!" Andrew shouted towards her. Reaching to top Andrew bears witness to the sight that set Natalie off. The place was totalled. Huts burn and broken. Dirt roads ripped though as if a giant blade has cleaved though it. Some house still burned silently making for the trail of smoke they had been following. They were too late. Andrew still taking it in stopped at the top of the slope. He knew that these people where monsters going from how Natalie speaks of them. They have been chasing them down for years seeing horrid things by doing so. He knew things where bad, but this? He runs down the hill towards the village to meet back up with Natalie. The smell of burning straw, wood and rock filled his lungs as he got closer. A hint of flesh was also present among the cents he was picking up. Steeling himself of what he might witness he bursts though the village. A quick sweep around gave him the sight of desist bodies lying dormant on the shredded road. This gave him the hint that scars on the road was the cause of their demise. And perhaps the thing that did this is still around. Walking deeper into the village Andrew called out Natalie's name but to no avail. Meanwhile Natalie lands deeper into the streets. Her dark wings fading away she walked through the village passing through the narrow street leading to a "T" junction. At the end of the road was a house that caught her attention. A door broken down with long claw marks on the walls, showing signs of demons attack had taken place. Finding her legs moving her towards it she walked in and looked around the house. The inside looked no better, with holes plastered though the walls, a great gaping hole lay in the middle of the living room floor. As her gaze was focused on it she stepped on a homemade doll. It's stitched on smile and button eyes created a conflicting stir within her chest. The ragged state reminded her of the day her village was attacked by them, how the sky turned red and rained down spores of light that unleashed demons where ever they landed. Before she could get lost in thought she heard Andrew's voice call out form the distance. Turning back to the house entrance she activates her spectrum enabling her to see though the walls and highlight anyone who is living with a bright glow around them. She sees Andrew making his way towards her but also something else under his feet. Something fierce with thins and razor teeth. Swimming below the earth as if it's was water. Darting out of the house she makes her way towards Andrew. By now standing opposite the same road Andrew spotted her. His look of relief however was replaced by her one of deep concern as she summoned her wings to quickly make her way towards him. Being tipped off by her actions she pulled out his sword before turning around to face the intruders. He is met with three thins lurking out of the road like sharks at sea. The closes one speeds up before making a jump for it. Its two foot long sharp teeth and twelve feet sharp spread of rocky like scales forced Andrew to swerve to one side whilst cutting through its open jaw with his sword as it passed on by. His sword leaving a blackened arc behind it trail, it's body crashes on the ground before sinking though it like quick sand. The other two come in unison but Andrew reading there point of attack stepped out of range before cutting them along the middle letting them crash into the road behind him. The demons where swallowed back into the ground much like the first. Recovering from his long arcing swing Andrew puts his sword away before looking back to Natalie. He had trained hard in the ways of the pentagon knight in the hopes that he will not get in the way of Natalie's quest by being a burden. He won't clam that he was the best but at the very least he could handle any demon that this world would throw at him on a day to day basis. His trail of though was broken by Natalie still advancing at great speeds. With a narrow brow he looked around him to see if there was one he possibly missed but came up blank. Just when his confusion reached full peak as darkness overcame his sight from both side. A gap off jagged ends ascends in front of him. By the time his eyes a just to the sudden darkness he realise why she was rushing towards her side. He was within a pink fleshy wall with a tong to his right as teeth begin to close in over him. Before he could act the jaws of the demon where closing, he would not make it. However before closing Natalie busted though knocking Andrew out the other side. Tumbling to his feet he looks up to see a giant alligator snapping close its sixteen feet long mouth with Natalie inside. "Natalie!!" His lungs shout in shock. As shock became anger Andrew clutches onto his blade passing a great amount of dark energy though it. But before he could act out on it a huge bolt of lightening rips down though the giant alligator like demon with such force that its mouth was obliterated open. Teeth and flesh are tossed in all directions one of witch Andrew deflected with his blade. With alligator pasted out everywhere and a large jawline charade and sinking back into the earth Natalie walks on-wards with sparks of purple electricity glowing off her. Andrew watched as the dark angle steps over the remains of the demon as if none of this ever happened before walking past him. He wanted to apologise for his negligence but the words where stuck in this throat. "Landers, active ones at that." Andrew huffed out looking at the remains sink into the road. "There's nobody here." "Let's look for clues and then head out, find the people responsible for this." Natalie said as she walked on-wards. Her eyes burning with anger. Andrew sighs before looking around. Putting his sword back he begins to follow Natalie. "But going by the state of the place we just missed them by a day at least." He said. "Then that means this is the closest we have ever been to getting them." Natalie said turning around. "Nothing’s changed, we just have more time to act." Looking into Natalie's eyes he knew that there was no changing her. Folding his arms he nodes his head. "We will meet in the center of the village once we are done searching." Natalie said before walking on-wards. "Ok." He sighed before turning around to search the opposite direction. Sometime had pasted before the two meet up in the centre of the village. Finding nobody around they stocked up on what little food that was left with them before planning their next move. Sitting on a trunk Andrew helped himself to a hard loaf of bread and a skin of water that he found whilst Natalie put together events that took place in the village. "They would have fled the village to escape the demons." She started. Andrew slowed down his chewing to look at her for a moment before swallowing. Natalie seeing that she got his attention continues. "After a day or two demons that appear in this world normally go back to one they came. It's common knowledge." "Well in Null at least." Andrew said taking another swig of water. Seeing how his response gave him a mean look form Natalie he paused and nodded in an apologetic fashion. Natalie looking on-wards continues. "The people and children who run away would start making their way back home on the second or third day. But even then not all of them will make it back." She shook her head lightly. "You think that they are the ones that get taken away?" Andrew asked leaning forward to listen better. "Not all of them no." She replied. "Some are just... unlucky. The others however... they were-" Sitting down her palms became sweaty. Havening too much trouble trying to finish the sentence she paused as she began losing herself in horrid memories. Andrew noticed this when the clouds began to suddenly form above him. "Natalie?" No use, she looked on-wards still spaced out. Getting up he moved over to her grabbing into her shoulders to shake her. "Natalie." He said firmly. She snaps out of it meeting her purple eyes with his brown ones. Her eyes turning back to brown she glanced away suddenly making Andrew self-aware of the invasion of space. He lets go and steps back a little. The forming of storm clouds began to dissipate as fast as they formed. "You ok now?" Andrew asked. Natalie looks at him before standing up and walking off towards the exit of the village. "We need to find the people who do this." She picked up like nothing happened. Scratching his forehead Andrew quickly grabbed his stuff and made hast to walk beside her. "To stop them from kidnapping children. Same plan as last time." He said catching up. "No, this time we are going to follow them to their base... Crush the head of this snake!" She said, her tone charged with ice. Andrew watched her silently form one side. Her anger was to be expected. It was not something that he was not filmier with on their journey. But even so there was a sense of something different to it this time. Something more level, more personal. Maybe it was because of how much this village resembled the one back at home that was doing it. He was having a bad feeling about this. "What's wrong with the old plan?" he asked, already knowing the answer. "Stopping them is not enough. So this time I'm going to do what I should have done from the start." She said. She stopped walking on to bow her head before looking back at Andrew. "I know it's risky." She mumbled. Andrew wanted to blindly agree, he wanted to say that this was a bad idea but her troubled eyes stilled his hand. "I understand. If you feel that strongly about it then I won't let you go alone." He said. "Ok... thank you..." she said, the making of a grin could be seen on her face before walking on. This reaction made Andrew straighten up in surprised. 'Thank you' and a half smile? It was rear that she'd ever give out one of those yet alone both together. "No need to thank me." He mumbled almost to himself. Seeing this as a sign that this was bringing back all the horrid memories of her kidnap stole the smile that would have been on his face by that point. ~#~ That night the two of them begin to comb the forests on the outer skirts of the village of any leads. Thanks to Natalie's eyes however it was not long before they spotted damming evidence of a kidnapping taking place. A forest planted with speakers every mile or so form each other all linking up like a kind of wall from the village itself. As the night drew on sounds of demons cries began to echo out of them. Andrew and Natalie knew they were onto something begun to search any paths that led to roads. With that search, they found it. A sinister black looking tailor van parked out in the middle of the road in the neck of the woods. Given the rarity of motor running engines after the great collapse hundreds of years ago this was not just suspicious but damn right suspect. Poached in hiding they watched as the fake demons sounds lured in child after child where they. Gathering them up into a group before letting off a sleeping gas knocking them out. Andrew watched on at Natalie who mouth was opened with disbelief at what was happening. Seeing as Andrew does not have the same sight as he had to rely on her eyes for the events that where happening beyond the black van. Using her reactions as a compass he watched on. "How many?" he asked. Trying to get a better picture. Calming herself she releases a breath she did not realise she was holding. "Twelve." She answered. "Four being guardians." "Four grown up's huh?" Andrew whispered to himself as if to translate it. "Are they all knocked out?" "Yes." "It's a first seeing them use speakers. Bastards are getting creative. They are not just made anywhere, so where are they getting them from?" Natalie looks on in silence so Andrew freezing with a slanted face continues. "They don't take the grown up's do they?" "No..." She said. But it was not in response to Andrew but more in shock. A moment later the leans up a little holding the face. Andrew copies whilst looking at her with narrowed eyes. "Natalie what wrong-what happening?" Suddenly a loud bang of a gun fire echoed through the darkened night making Natalie flinch as the sound passed through her. Birds began to spread wings in a flock and take flight. Andrew grabbing his sword looked towards the direction it came from. It was the same place Natalie has been looking down the past hour. Then came another shot... followed by two more... then silence. Andrew shaking his head in disgust forced his raged grip off his sword. He did not need to see to know what just happened. Natalie summoning her wings suddenly jumps out of hiding and was about to head towards the group but Andrew stopped her by grabbing her wrist. "Remember the plan!" Andrew shouted. The sound of thunder ran through the air as Andrew held on to her. "You said it yourself! That it's not enough to stop the tails. We need to cut it from the head and I agree. So let's go in there grab the kids and goo crazy! But before that we need to know where to cut first before lobbing away." Natalie remaining still said nothing for a moment before falling back behind cover. Andrew exhaling deeply also begins to return to his station. What he said may have been true but it came easy to him. If he was the one that could see the deed being done he would have likely have done the same thing. Men wearing gas masks began to unload the children into the black van before jumping in them-selves and setting off. "The van is moving." Natalie said looking back to the location it was las at. She looks back to Andrew who only then relisted that he had yet to let go of her. By doing so Natalie Imminently slid down the slope and leaped up on a tree branch to jump onto another. "Alright." Andrew said getting ready for a long night's chase. Authors notes: So villages, swords, guns, vans, speakers. Where is this all going?! What era is this in. Well stick around and find out. Also having remade this book and working on the fourth it's been kind of hard to keep a weekly seclude with this so anyone who catches up to this or future ones just bear with me. It's all there just need remaking. 4: Chapter 3: Cliff's opening

The duo follow the van on the dirt roads though the cover of the trees. Slipping though the branches they keep up a steady but manageable pace. It was only thanks to power of their rigorous training that sprinting at driving speeds for long distances was even possible. They would often travel from one place to another on foot instead of opting for a horse making their bodies well adapted to the demand such a feat would require. Leading them out of the forest and into a group of mountains they sprint out of the tail end of the forest leaping out into a large plane of rocky land that lay as like a black line between the green forest and group of mountains shrouded by a cloud of mist. The great peeks oozed a sense of overawe as they laid in the blanked of fog. They now being out in the open they slow down to keep more distance between them and the van. The open space makes them feel naked to unwanted attention as they tailed them. Reaching the vertical cover of the mountains they released a knot in there gut they barely had time to notice. The van will zig-zag between its one way path though the peeks making it safe for them to move forward without always keeping an eye on it. Even so Natalie would lock her sights with it with her purple eyes. Andrew noticing that this was distracting her from looking out for where she was going took it upon himself to eyes there path. Just then he felt a trimmer as they were reaching to top of the half peek of the mountain they were running up. Finding it odd Andrew's eyes narrow. Looking around to the peak of the mountain they were on he saw nothing but the mist. And now he hears nothing. Just the sounds of their feet's crunch as they sprinting on the black coal like mountain face. Summing it up as nothing Andrew again points his eyes front to see the mountain top and what laid ahead of it. However the moment he reached the top his eyes widen. Before his body could register anything he latched onto Natalie just in front of him and came skidding to a halt. In shock Natalie turns around to Andrew with fuming eyes. Andrew ignoring it pulled her down into a crouch along with him and pointed to the slope just ahead of them. Natalie turns to his pointed finger to share the same face as him. Although it was hard to see within the mist there was clearly a gigantic figurer moving across the face of the mountain. Its body made of black rock; its four rhino like legs slowly stomp onto the land giving off a tremor. Its body stood at twenty stories tall and twenty five wide. Its head was shaped like that of a hammer shark. It was like watching a cliff face moving along land. But for all its size and sheer presence it did not seem to make a sound. If it was not for his walking Andrew would have not been tipped off it and that was what truly put his wits up about it. Andrew looks back at Natalie baffled. However Natalie shared the same look, none of them had quite seen anything like it in their travels. Then again it was not the first time they have been perplexed by the sight of a creature. Most times the discovery earned them an unwelcome engagement. From the looks of it the moving cliff face did not seem to be aware of their presence. It was grazing the black rubble off the mountain face as if it grass. Is it an elemental animal or a demon? Is it hostile? Andrew thought to himself. Going by its demeanour it did not look like it will care for them. Good thing too since its sheer size would prove it big trouble. "Want to change our path?" Andrew whispered. Natalie fell silent as she mulled it over. Just then though the mist came two more moving cliff faces making a kind of heard. "We can't keep track of the van and fight that off if it attacks us." Andrew continued. "Then we alter our path." Natalie said eyes pointing forward. Likely keeping an eye on the van even now. Circling around the unknowns the two of them carry on tailing the van though the mountains. They stop under cover of a large bolder as they watch the van make a stop by a large cliff. Being in the other side of the valley of mountains was nothing by a blank canvas of rock on all sides but behind them. Baffled by this random stopping location they watch onward's in silence. At first nothing, the van remained where it was in front of the cliff face. But suddenly the front of the walls split asunder slowly opening to a deep dark void; home to the unknown. The two watched in amazement as the rock wall opened wider and wider. The ground rippled as the rock face slid across the ground to reveal. Andrew was taken aback by the sight of it. He knew that the people they were after where likely hidden in plain sight but this? Looking over to Natalie who also held a shocked expression at what she was looking he gathered that this was her first time seeing something so discreet. After a full minuet of gawking the van had already drove though the cliff and the face was began to make it's slow and steady pace closing. Andrew snapping out of it shot up from his crouch. The gate was closing slowly and he knew they needed to move in order to reach it before it close completely. "It's now or never. Are we doing this?" Andrew said expecting that to be enough to snap her back to the goal but she remained silent. Narrowed eyed Andrew looked over to her. It was then that he noticed that it was not just awe that kept her, it was fear. Memories of her time in captivity began to flash vividly. The liquid in the tank it's awful bitter lemon teats suffocating her. The testing and passing out. The- "Natalie?!" Andrew shouted finely reaching her. She blinked at him for a moment before catching up with what she was doing. She sees that the opening was slowly put surely closing up. They won't make it unless they run and fast! The memories now a tool to move her forward. That is what they will do to them if I don't do anything! Her mind screamed the words thought her vary being kicking it into gear. "Let's go!" She demanded as she began running for the cliff. Andrew making hast just behind her. At full speed they run for the closing cliff but as they got closer so did Andrew's hope of making it. Knowing that she has come to the same conclusion and still does not attempt to fly tipped him off that she was holding back to make sure that he is not left behind and he heated it. He came on this journey to be of assistance to her. Not to get in her way. And now younger children lives are at stake because of him. Gritting his teeth and swallowing his pride he steel himself for what he was about to say. "I'll, find another way in! You can still make it if you fly! Don't let me hold you back!!" he shouted mid sprint. These words made Natalie suddenly stopped running. Andrew passing ahead of her stop his advance and turns around to Natalie surprised by her actions. Before he could call her name he saw the fear in her eyes once more. "I'll find another way in-" "No." Mumbled Natalie, looking up to Andrew after cutting him off. She shakes her head repeatedly ever so slightly drilling in the fact. Andrew was left in a state of conflict. Trying to reason with her left them no time and they both will miss out, he would go himself and try to get her in but he will just miss the opening at his pace. He knew that Natalie already noticed this herself. He remembers how she was about to go on this quest alone five years ago. They spoke of and understood the risk. How people can be curler than even demons. They knew the risks; that they have been lucky most times getting here. But there was too much at stake to stop here. Andrew doubles back to the now when he sees Natalie's wings of night being summoned. Seeing her resolve he bitterly nodded... until Natalie eyes locked onto his with a face of: There-is-no-way-in-hell-that-I'm-leaving-you-here. Before Andrew could question it he found himself being tackled by Natalie right to his centre lifting him up and leaping off the ground. With a good view of her wings flapping he saw the ground descend six feet and the plane around him flurry by as he picked up speed. To his disbelief he was being carried by Natalie and flown back first towards the closing cliff face. Too dreaded to look back he latched onto his sword to help him form knight's armour around his body to protect himself from a likely collision with the solid rock face. The dark illuminate mist around him like a second layer of skin formed. Just as Andrew adapted to the speed Natalie somehow flies faster. Almost losing his breath form vertigo Andrew's eyes widen almost out there sockets as the land mass shrinks in front of him. Imagining the closing rock face expanding in kind he closed his eyes as the sliding noise of the doors grew closer. Suddenly the remaining light though his pulps faded into total darkness. He feels himself crash on solid ground with Natalie still latching onto him as he fell and tumble. Andrew looks up to see the last slither of light form the outside fade away as the wall closed. They had made it in but just barely. Now shrouded in darkness it took him a moment to a-just. Weary of having just crashed into enemy territory he griped onto his sword and remained idle. "Natalie." He whispered seeking her ability to see living things in the dark. Natalie remained latched onto Andrew, her head buried in this belly and covered by her long black hair. "There's nobody here." Natalie said whilst shaking her head. Andrew's body relaxed hearing her say that releasing a breath he did not realise he was holding. Once he got his composure back he shot the still embraced Natalie a death glare. "The hell was that!?" he blurted at her scalp. "You said we will go together." She said, her voice muffled though his clothes. It was then that he felt her shaking. Never has he seen her like this. Today was turning out to be a list of wonders. He thought to himself. But he was glad that he could be of help to her. It was not like he was faring any better. His palms where already sweaty and he always had a hate for the dark. Hack, if it was not for her he would never even dreamed of being involved in a place like this playing hero to children whom he had never met. "Well, I'm here now right? Let's do what we came here to do." Andrew said calmly. Natalie looking up meets her purple eyes with his brown ones. Although he found it hard to adjust to the darkened room he picked up an outline of a smile on her face before she stood herself up. Seeing this as being the closes to the old her she has ever acted Andrew remained on the ground spaced out by the whole ordeal. Being both nostalgic and surreal. Natalie's extended her right hand to snap him out from day dreaming. Mumbling gratitude he took the hand and pulled himself up onto his feet. "So, any ideas on how we go about it form this point?" Andrew said as he rested his knuckles on his shoulders. "Not like we have experience in this filed." Natalie looks away to the ground lost in thought before shaking her head. "I don't know..." she mumbled. Andrew's jaw dropped when he heard those words come out of her mouth. However a second later he found himself smirking and even chuckling a little. Baffled by this reaction Natalie looked up to Andrew confused. Although he could not make it up that well he scented the puzzled expression. "No it's just I remember you saying the same thing before we first plundered there vans. Did not even know where to start looking for them. We were so clueless back then. But look at us now. Surprised that we don't get hired for it." Andrew remarked. "But it's not the same." Natalie replied. Andrew took this moment to look around them now that his eyes has adjusted the best they can by this point. The man made cutting of stone led down a narrow tunnel wide enough to fit several cars in and tall enough to take a three story building. Due to the lack of lights it was hard to say where the end of the tunnels led to. If it was anything to go by they were out of there depth. "Your right." He said more to himself. "Keeping ourselves alive will be harder if we have to protect them at the same time." Natalie fell silent in agreement. "Then what do you 'feel' we should do first?" he continued looking back to her. "I feel we should save them first. Before we damn this place to hell."Natalie his almost without hesitation. With her eyes transfixed Andrew nodded in approval. "Then that's the A and B of It." he said. As he turns around to face the tunnel he could not help be smile a little. No matter how crappy things might become he was glad to see an older side of her even if it was just a little phase. "Now where dose this lead to?" he asked out aloud. "Some place for the vehicles." Natalie replied. "Then there's a smaller tunnel that lead a gate made of iron." Natalie said walking beside him. Nodding Andrew was about to set off until Natalie stopped him. He turns around to face her. "There are lights there. And people guarding the gates." Natalie spoke as she looks on-wards. "We need to get past them without being spotted if possible." Natalie said. "You think it is possible?" "I don't see any other way around them." "We could pray in hope that they are blind men." Andrew chuckled to himself. Soon sighing at the irony of his words. "We are in a rock face, so all the light they must have here is artificial." Andrew feeling a bit neglected form not getting a response for his little joke only came too when he realise where Natalie was going with her sentence. "So if we were to cut the source of their power we steal them of their sight." Andrew said, neglecting to include himself in the ones effected. Natalie looks at the glowing cables that travel though the base like blood vassals and then as her hand. A spark of purple electricity emits from her palm flickering randomly with a low clicking sound. With her hand near her face the glow help Andrew almost catch the moment her idea sparked up in her mind. She looks him dead in the eyes with the current flowing of the hand making light. "I've got an idea." ~#~ The guards on the other side are patrolling the gate making sure nobody comes in. Having lights around there vicinity the two men had a very simple job. Allow in people who they recognise. Kill the people they don't to help them see. One of the men hears a clicking noise moment before the lights beside them dim. It grabbed him at first but when nothing happened he though it up as nothing. It was not until a purple current of electricity follows up the wire of the light to the bulbs making them explode and leaving them in total darkness. Alarmed they guards pulled up there automatic guns and pointed them to what they preserved as front. Before they could make sense they were swiftly taken out by Natalie and Andrew both. Andrewnodded at the silhouette that was Natalie to his left. The only reason why he managed to take out the guard was because he kept his eyes closed as they moved into the lit up car-park as to maintain his adaption to the dark. With them down they moved though the sliding iron gates and into the base itself. Thanks to Natalie's attack on the cables the whole building was now in a blackout meaning that she was the only one with eyes on thins among them. This also meant that Andrew could not see much of anything meaning that he has to hold Natalie hands as she guided them though the airy halls of the base. He could hear the clapping of other people footsteps tapping around them, Natalie would occasionally hold her breath and stop her running advance for some creeping tiptoes. He could not see well but he did not have to know that things have gone into disarray since the power outage as they treaded there creeping for more running and Natalie breathes seem to have normalised some. As they continued advancing it sounded like all the other men he heard have not gone, or maybe they have left them. Andrew did not want to risk speaking up in case they are within earshot. Suddenly Natalie gave a sight of delight. "I can see them!" She shouted. "The children? Where?" Andrew asked. He can just about make out Natalie looking downwards meaning that they are likely below them. She twirled around as she focused her gaze upwards before gasping in shock. "Damn!!" her one words response to whatever she saw. "What's happening?" Andrew said. Natalie squeezes Andrew's hand tightly, almost painfully. "This way!" She demanded and she pulled Andrew though some left and right turns. The sound of other footsteps where back but this time more in unison and focused. Running through what Andrew could only describe as an aisle of boxes the two of them cut corners until they reach a dead end with a big create sitting by it. Squeezing though the gap Natalie pulls Andrew thought and let's go of his hand. The sound of men shouting orders was getting closer by the second. "What are you doing?" Andrew whispered. Only able to rely on his other senses he feels around for her. He hears what could have only been her slide though the same spot he was sure they clambered though to get here. And then nothing... Moments later however the guards sounded like they heard someone and where hot on their tail. No shots were fired witch gave him hope. Until he heard a group of them in the same room he was in. Holding his breath he hears the slow steady footsteps of a man on the hunt for something. Have we been spotted? The latent questions run through his mind. He was confident in his skills as a knight even against guns but if they can truly somehow see in the dark then he is a sitting duck to their guns. Like an idle he dears not move nothing, say nothing or brave nothing. Worried that doing any of the three will make them the last something he does. Author's notes: Although I did buff this chapter up compared to the draft (Can I call a script a draft? Meh XD) I still feel like I'm selling you short with such a cliff hanger. It was going to be sooner but I pushed on for you peeps. Pulse with what's to come I think this is a good break away. But for those who still feel this is short I made a little poem for you. XD *clears thoroat.* ~For those of you who think this long, stop reading now to finish strong. For those of you who think this short. I'm only sorry that I got caught. If you are smiling now then do me well. By voting me a starry spell. If not then then by all means to tell. By weighting me a comment tale.~ Thanks and until next time XD.