Dark of Night

by T. F. Walsh

  “Hey, girls! Come down here.” One of Sparrow’s aunts peeked from below the hatch leading into the coffee shop basement. “It’s important.”

  Sparrow glimpsed at the customers, met Tera’s gaze, and then shrugged. Her aunts were an unpredictable lot. Tera called out to the kitchen. “Keep an eye on the counter for a minute. Sparrow and I are going on a five-minute break.”

  Tera opened a trap door in the hall and descended into the basement. Only Sparrow and the aunts had the spare key to enter her hidden arsenal. Flipping on the light, she inhaled the scent of dust and metal. Guns, swords, stakes, and boxes of bullets filled the room. Ah the sweet smell of self-defense.

  “So, what’s up with the mid-day hidden meeting?” Tera raised a brow at the ritual set up on the ground.

  Between their big, curly gray-blond hair and ample curves, Sparrow’s aunts, Morgana and Melissandra, took up the majority of the floor space. The younger of the two pointed to the entranced sister, her eyes rolled back and closed to half-mast so they looked like tiny white crescents. “Bad news. Sit down, sugar.”

  “Why does this feel like an intervention?”

  Melissandra chuckled. “The only one that’d ever need an intervention is Sparrow and her addiction to karaoke.”

  “You weren’t complaining last night when I did some Stevie Nicks,” her friend shot back good-naturedly.

  “When the planets align once more, there will be a new cycle.” Morgana’s feminine voice whispered ominously in the dimly lit room. Candles flickered, and the scent of smoking anise hung in the basement arsenal.

  “Well, duh.” Sparrow smiled through the gloom. Leave it to her best friend to make light of ill news.

  She heard Melissandra deliver a shark slap to the back of the Sparrow’s head. “Don’t interrupt your aunt when she’s having a vision. Besides, this rarely happens. It’s important.”

  “The portal is buzzing with an arrival. I didn’t see who it was, but I felt the desire. The entity wants to destroy all of Artemis’ children.”

  “Great. Someone wants to wipe out all the Dryads?” Tera was shushed by Melissandra only a second later, so she dragged her fingers over her lips to focus on the foreboding message.

  Morgana Reed’s eyes were a stark white contrast against the dark space of the room as she embraced the vision. Warmth surrounded Tera as magickal electricity emanated off Morgana.

  “There will be a new cycle, when High Gods and Goddesses can visit the Human Realm once more.”

  “High Gods?” Sparrow’s raised an eyebrow, and even in the dark, her blue eyes smiled with mischief. “Like, under the influence?”

  It was Tera’s turn to smack her best friend.

  Morgana’s voice interrupted them, the eerie, distant tone demanding attention. “There is more. Your mom is concerned for you, Tera. An ancient Goddess will be coming for you.”

  Silence. Not even comedic relief from Sparrow.

  Finally, Morgana’s eyes became focused, the whites giving away to gray-blue irises. “Is there something you haven’t told us, Tera?”

  In her nearly three-hundred years of life, Tera had never known family like the Reed Coven. With her own mother MIA, Sparrow and her family had given Tera a new outlook on life. She never would have been able to brave the modern world without them.

  She hated to admit that she had a secret that could endanger their household.

  “C’mon,” Sparrow put a hand on her shoulder. “We already know you’re not human. We’ll be with you no matter what your bad news is.”

  Tera sucked in a breath, and looked at her dear friends around the table. “Before my mother left me, she warned that she wouldn’t be able to visit the woods for some time.”

  “The Goddess of the Hunt was taking a vacay?”

  Tera smiled a little at Sparrow’s reference to her mother. The family knew about her origins as a Dryad, born from a tree with the blood of Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt. What they didn’t know was that another Goddess was looking forward to seeing Tera as well.

  “Artemis warned me that someone else would be coming for me: Eris, the Goddess of Chaos.”

  Silence.

  “I’m pretty sure that chick must be responsible for the state of my closet.” Of course, Sparrow would be the one to break the ice.

  Morgana chuckled, color returning to her round cheeks as the effects of the ritual passed. “I don’t think chaos is the right word to describe your closet.”

  “Destruction would be more like it.” Melissandra pinched her niece’s cheek adoringly.

  “Anyway,” Tera continued, realizing her adoptive family didn’t grasp the severity of the situation. “I’ve never met any Goddess besides my mother, but apparently this Eris is strife incarnate.”

  “And she’s got your number?”

  “I don’t know exactly what she has. Besides centuries of wreaking havoc under her belt, I mean. She caused the Trojan War for crying out loud. Imagine what she could do in the twenty-first century.”

  “Could she find you here?” Morgana didn’t hide the worry in her tone.

  “I don’t know.”

  In fact, all her mother had told her was that Eris had been dying for centuries for a chance to get back at Artemis, and hurting one of the Hunt’s children was the best way to do it.

  “I guess Eris has always hated Artemis,” Tera added.

  “I get that,” Sparrow nodded. “I read about Eris in my Greek mythology class.”

  “That you failed?” Morgana snuck in the playful jab at her niece.

  “It was a D-.” She wasn’t fazed. “Anywho, Eris was responsible for starting most of the wars back in those days. Her name is notorious for death. But your mom, the Goddess of the Hunt, receives praise when she takes a life.”

  Tera narrowed her eyes at her best friend, and smacked a curled fist into her palm jokingly. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

  “Of course I am, Woods.”

  Tera cringed at the nickname Sparrow had given her. “This is a serious concern, Birdie, and I told you, I loathe that moniker.”

  “You’re born from a tree, and you’re so hot you give guys instant wood. How is that not perfect?” A smack from one of the aunts connected with the back of Sparrow’s blond head. “Ouch!”

  “Anyways, since you guys are obviously so concerned with the imminent danger … ” Tera heaved a sigh.

  “Go ahead, darling.” Morgana smiled fondly.

  “Artemis told me that Eris spends a great deal of time looking for Artemis’ other children, other Dryads. But I guess they’re very elusive. I’m the only one that has left her tree to come out in the open.” Thanks to an ability to sink into a hollowed tree, it was easy for the race of women born from the Goddess to hide.

  “So you’re an easy target.” Morgana’s voice was gentle, but laden with worry.

  “Auntie, nothing about Tera is easy.”

  “It’s true, Morgana, we all know Tera can kick some serious butt. Our fair Dryad does it on a daily basis.” Melissandra pinched Tera’s cheek.

  Tera couldn’t help but beam with pride — nothing beat family raving over her abilities. Being born and trained by the Goddess of the Hunt had its perks. Kicking-butt abilities and a green thumb were her natural gifts.

  But even so, she didn’t think either of those talents would be good enough to go against Strife herself.

  Chapter Two

  Eris, the Goddess of Chaos, ran her fingers down one of her long, dark dreadlocks. Her fingernails were pointed and painted with gold. The same precious metal graced the top of her ratted mane. The Goddess’ crown was soaked perpetually in blood, flowing from the many bodies upon which she had brought death and chaos. The Goddess’s eyes were deep amber, and the bloody crown framed her wild eyes so that they
looked akin to flame. Layers of sheer black and crimson fabric were held in place by thick golden ropes.

  After waking up from a century-long sleep, Eris woke with a thirst for revenge. Not that she wasn’t usually bitter anyway. Gazing into her black onyx mirror, her eyes penetrated all planes of existence as she looked down upon the Human Realm. Her favorite place to wreak havoc, the human plane brought her much joy — in the form of tyranny and discord, of course. But now it wasn’t a human that she desired to seek revenge upon. It was a Dryad.

  The onyx mirror on the wall was her personal portal. Sliding her long fingers through the mirror, her fingers magically traced through realms until finally she found the Asuras plane. A realm filled with miscreants and various demons, this was her favorite place to find turmoil.

  Chaos was personified by strife, and she was good at it. Spying a Nunanish demon, she chuckled with excitement. Just what she needed. A gangly sort of creature that could take the form of thick, black smoke, the monster could infect beings with violence and hate. She possessed the body of the Nunanish just long enough for the demon to escape the Asuras plane and travel through the Portal Realm past the Knights of the Fog. Then she sat back and began to watch chaos enfold.

  • • •

  In the Portal Realm, the fog was thick with travelers, and Sabin was on edge. Gypsies, jinn, and shape shifters were frequent travelers between planes. On the other hand, demons, dragons and other, more conspicuous, mischievous creatures were forbidden by the highest order to travel across many realms. Sabin’s ears twitched in awareness, and he predicted that a demon would try to get past him this day.

  A Knight of the Fog, Sabin Grey’s job was to keep the peace between the different realms that converged at the site of the portal. Throughout his career, he’d killed a thousand creatures who foolishly tried to slip past him. No matter what their portal, he saw through the thickest fogs and into every world. There were no escapes … not live ones anyway.

  A jinn slithered around him, its voluptuous body both erotic and disgusting, its skin a murky purple hue, its body knotted and disjointed. Bodies often broke when confined within various lamps and vases. The jinn were a variety of genie, and although they were allowed to travel between planes, they had a reputation as very mischievous creatures and were forbidden in the Human Realm. It eyed him as it walked past.

  The jinn were asexual, embodying whatever gender they felt as the moment struck them. And it appeared to him that this jinn was feeling highly female.

  Finally the creature gave up on him, and Sabin was left in peace to do his job. No wishes for him. He was mildly agitated by the jinn, but more disturbed by the foreboding chill he felt in his bones. A dangerous demon was trying to get to the Fog plane.

  Knights! Do you feel this?

  Sabin communicated to his colleagues in the region via telepathy. All Knights of the Fog were blessed with the ability to speak all known languages of every realm, but in the Fog Realm, they always spoke within their minds.

  I feel it, brother. I am guarding the Asuras Realm. Come quickly, the portal is vibrating.

  The Asuras Realm held disgusting demons whose only desires were conflict and violence. Legend held that long ago a demon leech escaped the realm and traveled to the human plane where it began infecting and creating vampires.

  He wasn’t taking any chances. The bodies of netherworlders of all kinds hit the ground as he ran through the mass of travelers, Sabin’s solid body clearing the way when his determined, violent gaze did not. When he reached the vibrating, glittering portal, he instantly saw what held the other Knights at bay: a Nunanish. The blackened creature towered over many of the Knights, its body skin and bones, save for massive shoulders, built as if it were meant to carry loads of dead bodies.

  If it escaped to another plane, the Nunanish could become nearly invisible to the human eye, taking the form of black smoke. The demon’s sole purpose was to infect others. The faceless creature rushed toward the portal in a frenzy. Sabin couldn’t imagine what made the creature desire to leave a land of such perfect violence, but now the demon charged toward the barrier.

  Fire!

  Sabin ordered his men to execute the creature with their specialized weapons developed to penetrate the mystical division between lands. Wielding their steel guns laden with astral bullets, the Knights of the Fog took aim.

  Flashes of light exploded from the weapons, but before each astral bullet could hit its charging target, the Nunanish became a dark cloud, letting the astral bullets streak through. The Nunanish manifested once more just as it crashed through the portal, blood seeping from the misshapen, black body in several places where the bullets had passed through the smoke.

  Get the travelers back!

  He yelled at his men to secure the masses that could easily become infected before they traveled to their intended destination. Of the five Knights in the vicinity, three focused their energy on pushing back the travelers. Some of the demonic pilgrims were innocent enough, but others would be dying for a chance to wreak havoc.

  Sabin and his closest comrade, Rowen, hunkered down for the impact of the demon. The two Knights were massive beasts of men, their eyes translucent as ice, glittering with intent.

  The demon collided with Sabin, who held himself like a brick wall. Despite the foe’s towering height, Sabin’s body was strong against the impact and rebounded against the demon, pressing its gnarled, blackened body to the fog-laden ground. Fumbling with the beast on the ground, he freed a hand to retrieve the dagger he had strapped to his thigh over thick leather pants, and sank the blade deep into the stomach of the gangly demon.

  Rowen aimed his astral gun to execute the beast but instead his body flew through the fog as a red gargoyle leaped on him during the momentary distraction. Hunched on four massive, powerful legs, thick with red fire-singed fur, the creature was a popular pet in the Asuras plane. The gargoyle’s wrinkled face roared, exposing jagged, serrated teeth. The beast ripped its claws through Rowen before he could get a shot off.

  Sabin began chanting in an ancient language, a magical incantation that turned the fog into an intoxicant. The Knights were immune, but their intended prey would be neutralized. “Ghheestia Avrlo Vestiiia Resim.” The primeval tongue was guttural and filled with clicks and inhuman sounds that came from deep within his throat. Just then a primal roar erupted from Rowen as the red gargoyle sank its teeth deep into his comrade’s neck.

  The Nunanish slammed back into the Sabin with all its brute force roaring in his face. All hell was breaking loose in the Fog Realm. Knight Sodor had rushed to aid Rowen, and the two remaining Knights were struggling to contain the hundreds of netherworlders. Sabin and the Nunanish demon rolled through the cold fog until suddenly they were falling.

  He cursed louder than he had ever heard himself utter anything in any realm. They had fallen through a portal.

  Chapter Three

  Sabin and the Nunanish fell through the fog. The demon dissipated into a dark cloud as Sabin met the ground with crushing force. Every bone in the immortal’s body was either snapped or crushed and even worse, the Nunanish was nowhere to be seen.

  Lifting his head, Sabin noticed that he was not on the ground, but atop a human temple of some sort. He crawled along the cold stone, dragging his heavily muscled but temporarily broken body. Peering over the ledge, he saw many humans buzzing in and out of the temple below him. Fog was thick around the portal ground, but in the distance, he made out the shape of a ship laden with people. He quickly realized that he was on an island. Using his gift for language, he read the sign near the entrance of the temple. Alcatraz.

  Sabin didn’t take the time to ponder the danger for the hundreds of humans that seemed to be arriving at the portal destination, even though any one of the humanoids could become infected by the Nunanish and bring chaos to the region.

  Grimacing against
the agony of regenerating bones, he stood, shaking off the pain. As a warrior, he was accustomed to it. Thousands of years of war were required of a soldier before they were trusted enough to become a Knight of the Fog. After all, only those who waged the best war could keep the peace.

  Standing atop the so-called Alcatraz, he tried to figure out his best course of action. Quickly deciding to inspect the local population for infection, he leapt from the roof in a graceful swoop.

  Sabin’s heavy boots landed on the cement and the people screamed and jumped away — the hysteria. They have indeed been infected. His eyes filled with icy rage.

  The people around him scattered like fearful little ants. The humans on this plane were indeed somewhat puny and frightful creatures. Sabin was overwhelmed with chaotic, frenzied voices.

  “Is it a convict?”

  “Is it a show?”

  “Look at his eyes, he’s meant to be a ghost of Alcatraz!”

  Ghost of Alcatraz? These people must be more crazed than I thought. Sabin was disgusted by the humans, so gullible, so easily infected. But as a Knight of the Fog, he knew that he must not disturb their existence, but preserve it.

  Speaking for the first time in English, he enunciated carefully. “Yes, I am part of the show.” He cleared his throat and spoke to the crowd as his height towered above them.

  An infidel spoke out. “Which inmate are you supposed to be?” There were more murmured voices, mostly from women.

  “God, he’s huge.”

  And from another, “He’s a gorgeous hunk of man, isn’t he? Models are so tall.”

  “Look at his muscles.”

  Suddenly he became aware of the fact that humans in the earthly realm were much more clothed. He wore only leather pants and combat boots, with thick astral artillery belts and guns strapped across his chest and slung across his hips. Losing his patience, he spoke again in a commanding voice. “There has been an escape. Has anybody noticed a dark spirit?”