After Darkness II

by J. F. Johns

  And maybe, just maybe, it would work.

  Chapter twenty-three

  The shadows of the city seemed to seep through Terra's clothes and latch on to her skin. A part of her wanted to tear them off, no matter how much damage she did to her skin in the process. But another part wanted to vanish within such darkness. She wanted to disappear in the misty tendrils that spread through the city like an octopus.

  Glancing up, she stared at the neon lights that shone brighter than the sun. The glare shone on every surface of every building, and yet, they were so high up that they didn't reach the lowest parts of the city. Only obscurity ruled down there.

  Drones flew by, and Terra hid, keeping her breathing steady and low. Everyone had spread out so as not to travel together in one large group. It was safer that way. They kept small formations of just three or four, choosing different routes to reach their destination as to not cross paths. Terra's heart was in her throat as she climbed up the building, Kalem and the twins only a few feet behind.

  As soon as they reached the rooftop, she stopped to catch her breath, glancing down at the city below. It wasn't one of the tallest buildings, but it still had taken a toll on her. Her body wasn't as strong as it had once been, and now something as simple as climbing buildings had become difficult.

  'Couldn't we have done this on our own roof?' Eric muttered, appearing on the rooftop from a different angle.

  Terra shook her head. 'What if something goes wrong? You want to end up with half a house missing?'

  'Point taken.'

  The X-Prototypes appeared from different directions. Vladimir and Persephone materialised on the roof from thin air and Terra remembered that Vladimir could become invisible. Morgana flew across the sky before landing mere inches away from them just as Tristan climbed up the side of the building.

  They were incredible to look at, so fierce and dangerous. But Terra couldn't afford to get distracted by them, so she turned her attention towards the twins, kneeling in front of them. 'Are you ready?' she asked them, gripping their arms. Ten nodded, excited at being outside of the house. They kept looking in every direction, taking it all in. Terra couldn't blame them. If she'd been locked up in a house for almost her entire life, she would be bouncing with excitement at being outside in the real world.

  Eric approached them, pulling a dagger out from his waist pocket. Terra's hold on the twins tightened at the sight of the blade, but upon noticing the mischief in their eyes, relaxed. Ten and Rife didn't need as much protection as everyone thought. They weren't afraid of what needed to be done.

  'Not too deep, okay?' Terra said.

  Morgana stepped forward, clearly displeased with what they were doing. 'Why don't we start with Terra first and see what happens?'

  Ten's eyes sharpened in annoyance. 'No. We want to help too!'

  Terra sighed. Morgana was right. Even though Ten and Rife were connected to Scarlet, making them participate in this part seemed a bit too much. 'Let me go first, okay?' she said, turning towards the twins. 'Ill need your help afterwards when Scarlet comes. You need to be ready.'

  They both looked sullen and disappointed, but perked up as Eric slashed Terra's arm.

  'Ohhhhhhhh.' Ten's smile twisted in delight at the blood that was now pooling out.

  Ignoring the child, Terra stared in awe as the crimson liquid began to make its way out of her body, dripping onto the dirty floor.

  'Terra...' Kalem's voice was a soft growl, painful and broken.

  'I'm okay.'

  'What if it doesn't work?'

  'She'll come.' Terra glanced up and around. 'She saved me once. She'll do it again.'

  'You were dying. This is just a cut.'

  Biting down on her lip, she kept her eyes on the sky. Maybe Kalem was right. Why would Scarlet risk coming for something as simple as a cut?

  'Do you have the gun?' she asked Eric. He nodded, removing the flap of his coat to show her the weapon strapped to his belt. 'Be prepared to use it.' Turning towards the twins, which were messing about with the blood on the floor, she said, 'We need to try and connect with Scarlet when she arrives.'

  Terra still had no idea how they were going to pull off any of it. Scarlet had saved her in the past, had told her they were connected. There had to be a way to bring her back between them.

  Minutes ticked on by and Scarlet didn't appear. Terra kicked a small pebble in frustration as she glanced down at her arm. It was coated in blood. Frustration bloomed in her chest at the realisation that she'd been wrong; Scarlet wasn't going to come just to cure a cut. They had failed even before trying!

  Staring at the dagger Eric held, an idea began to form in Terra's head. An idea that was crazy and ridiculous and made her head spin. She couldn't think through it too much or she'd back out, so instead, she rushed forward, snatched the blade out of Eric's hands and stabbed herself with it.

  The pain clouded her vision, but she saw Eric's surprised expression, those yellow eyes widening in panic. And then Kalem was running towards her, his mouth open, probably screaming. Every single sound was muffled and when her body hit the ground, everything vanished except for the dark night sky.

  ...

  The Destroyer halted, its head turning with curiosity.

  Scarlet, who slept within the cage of the Destroyer, opened her eyes.

  The pain that took over was immense. Part of the Destroyer was dying, losing its power. It wasn't far; across the city.

  Stretching its arms out, its flesh and bones disintegrated and melted, turning into particles that floated into the night sky, blackness and shadows swirling higher and higher, eager to reach the part of itself that was missing, that was suffering.

  And maybe, perhaps, it could pluck its power out of the human that kept calling for attention.

  ...

  Terra could hear Eric and Kalem barking orders at each other, but her eyes kept fluttering open and close. She wondered if perhaps she had overdone it by stabbing herself, but the shadow of darkness floating towards her convinced her otherwise.

  One moment there was nothing, and then darkness appeared above them. It fell over them like a blanket and Terra was unable to see anything from where she lay. Seconds later Scarlet was standing over her, those black eyes narrowed, that pale face clenched in annoyance.

  Terra turned her head slowly, searching for Eric. He was next to her, to one side, but his attention was fully on Scarlet. Terra searched for the gun and found it attached to his belt. Struggling, she extended her arm, her fingers outstretched, trying to reach it.

  Scarlet grew closer and Kalem and Eric gave her some room, their eyes sharp and alert in case she did something to harm Terra. 'You are hurt,' the Destroyer said. Terra wanted to nod, but her body wasn't properly responding. Her hand was still trying to reach for a weapon that was no longer there.

  The Destroyer placed its hand on the wound, the darkness around her expanding, blowing up into the air, taking over. The pain in Terra's side vanished, but only for a few seconds before it returned.

  'You have something of mine,' the Destroyer said. 'I was willing to let you keep it, but you disturb my presence time after time...' Terra felt as though her life was being drained out of her. She cried out in horror.

  What was the Destroyer doing? It clearly wasn't healing her. In surprise and shock, Terra realised that it was taking the little power it had granted her all those years back when it had saved her life down that alleyway. But if it took such a power away... Terra would die.

  ...

  Scarlet screamed at the Destroyer.

  She could see through its eyes what it was doing and she wouldn't allow it. Not anymore. She needed a way out of its control. The darkness of her cage was so enormous it made her tremble in fear at what lay in front. She didn't know in what direction to go, or how to defeat the Destroyer that had taken over her body. But Scarlet ran and continued to run without giving up hope that she would find the way to break the chains t
hat kept her locked up.

  ...

  Eric could tell something was wrong. Scarlet was holding Terra, but instead of getting better, the human girl seemed to be growing paler by the second. Darkness swirled around them, enclosing their bodies behind a circle of wind and shadows that wouldn't let them get too close. Kalem was on the other side of it, screaming at the top of his lungs. Each time the cyborg tried to get closer, the circle grew in intensity, pushing him back.

  Tristan tried throwing his body against the barrier but was tossed back by an invisible force. Each Prototype tried using their power to break the barrier, but nothing happened.

  'Something isn't right!' Eric yelled.

  Ten, who stood to his right next to her brother, stepped forward. Eric went to stop her, but her small hand latched on to her brother's and then they were lunging forward, their bodies passing through the barrier. Eric screamed in horror at the sight of them vanishing to the other side where Scarlet was probably killing Terra.

  Grabbing the weapon from his belt, Eric aimed it at Scarlet's back. He wouldn't be able to get past the barrier she had created around herself and Terra, but maybe the weapon would still work. Curtis had added Terra's blood to it, so maybe, just maybe, it'd get through.

  Eric hesitated, his hand shaking. Nothing would happen to Scarlet. He wasn't hurting her. The opposite, he was doing all of this to help her.

  The gun fired and the small vial full of Terra's blood shot out, crashing through the barrier, piercing Scarlet's back. The Destroyer made a choking sound as it let go of Terra momentarily. At first nothing seemed to happen, and then the Destroyer twisted and convulsed as the darkness swirled around it like a tornado.

  Ten gestured at her brother to hold Terra who lay completely unconscious on the ground. With fierce determination, Ten stepped forward and grabbed Scarlet's hand.

  An explosion took over as the darkness leapt from one body to the next, encompassing them all, making them disappear in its thickness. Eric's heart beat quickly at the sight of shadows and wind deepen to the point he could no longer see anyone inside.

  ...

  Scarlet continued to run, screaming for help through the darkness that surrounded her. She wouldn't stop until she found the way to escape the cage. She'd been trying for so long to fight the Destroyer and yet nothing had helped. But maybe this time she'd finally make it back. Her heart ached at the thought of returning to Eric's arms, of holding Ten and Rife whilst combing through their hair. She needed to be back with her family, where she belonged and not there, trapped in the darkness of a monster she had lost her control to.

  Something appeared in her vision and Scarlet froze, unsure and wary of what it could be. She lifted her hand up as if she could touch it, but there was nothing there. It was so small and faint, but it began to grow and grow.

  Light!

  Scarlet rushed forward, her arm outstretched, eager to reach it.

  The darkness began to fall away, disappearing as the light took over, and then she was breaking through the chains and escaping the cage that she'd been trapped in.

  ...

  The circle of wind and shadows slowly began to lessen and Eric was able to see everyone that was inside of it. They were all standing still like statues, their eyes black, their hair up in the sky floating like water. A dark power swivelled around their bodies and Eric watched in fascination as Scarlet's black veins began to vanish from her pale skin like tendrils quickly retreating. Her body arched and her mouth opened, but no scream came from within her.

  Terra's eyes were now open, also as black as the others. The black veins that had once covered Scarlet from head to toe completely vanished. Now they were making their way across Terra's face and melting into the skin, as well as on the twins. It was harder to tell with them because of the amount of screws and wires on their small bodies.

  The wind and shadows abruptly stopped and Scarlet, as well as the twins, collapsed beside Terra's motionless body. Eric rushed to their aid at the exact moment as everyone else hurried forward.

  'What happened?' Eric asked no one in particular, cradling Scarlet in his arms. She didn't stir. Her eyes were closed and he prayed for them to open. What would happen if they did? Would it be her again or the Destroyer? What would happen if they didn't open at all?

  And then her eyes fluttered open and Eric's heart stopped beating.

  ...

  Terra could hear someone calling out for her, but she felt so comfortable and safe that she didn't want to wake up. Something was crawling through her mind, fighting its way across her body. Something else was burning her arm.

  The world came back into focus as she opened her eyes, a gasp escaping her lips, forcing her to look up into eyes made of steel. 'Kalem,' she croaked.

  'You're okay,' he said.

  Sitting up, Terra glanced down at her body worried there was nothing left. Everything looked okay, but the burning sensation wouldn't stop and she turned her attention to her right arm. Pulling the sleeve of her jumper up, she gasped at the sight of the black veins trailing up and down her arm. There was no blood or injury. The cut had been cured and now only darkness had been left attached to the skin. She wondered how far the black veins spread to, and quickly checked her other arm which was bare of any marks.

  The twins had awoken too, their bodies safely nestled in Morgana's arms. Terra frowned at their eyes. They had always been green, but now one of them was black. On careful inspection, it was obvious that one arm was also covered in black veins but it was almost impossible to see because of their screws and metallic sheets.

  And then Terra saw Scarlet.

  The X-prototype was sitting, her face scrunched up in agony and shock. The black veins that usually covered the entirety of her body had gone except for one arm. Her eyes were now mismatched; one blue and one black.

  Terra couldn't help but place her hand over her face. She'd only ever been able to see a few shadows or movements through her blind eye, but now...

  She could see, but it was as though someone had thrown a curtain across her vision. A curtain that led to a different world where everything was made of shadows and darkness that twirled around. She was able to see Kalem's face, but she was also able to see so much more.

  'Is it you?' she asked, turning towards Scarlet.

  The X-Prototype nodded, her hands shaking. Then she looked up at Eric and he was hugging her, tears rolling down his face as he pressed her against his chest. If she hadn't been an X-prototype, Terra was pretty sure he would've crushed her. It wasn't long before Vladimir and Persephone hurried to embrace their sister. Morgana was busy with the twins, but she squeezed Scarlet's arm in delight as Tristan nodded, clearly pleased deep, deep down.

  'Where's the Destroyer?' Terra asked.

  'It's been trapped,' Scarlet whispered softly as if she didn't remember how to speak. She looked surprised at hearing her own voice. 'It's in the cage it kept me in. But now...' She glanced around at them all. 'Now we all keep parts of it locked up, not only me. It lives in the four of us.'

  Terra wasn't sure what to think of such a thing. A tiny part of the Destroyer had already been living inside of her before because it had saved her life, but now it was trapped inside and...

  Terra felt its presence, felt the way she could use its power. Lifting her arm up, she watched as it slowly began to vanish, turning into shadow, floating away into the night sky. The fear of what she was seeing brought it to a stop.

  'It's okay, Terra,' Scarlet said, crawling towards her. 'It's okay. It can't hurt us. It's been divided and it won't be able to hurt us. It won't be powerful enough.'

  Terra nodded, unsure. She leaned back and found herself wrapped in Kalem's arms. She didn't mind. The comfort of his embrace calmed her shaking body as fear settled in her mind.

  'Your eyes,' he said. 'They're no longer white and blue.'

  Terra already knew the answer but couldn't help but ask, 'What colour are they?'

  'Bla
ck and blue.'

  The four of them had the exact same features now; black veins running up and down their right arm and one black eye. The monster was now trapped and locked up in each one of them, divided and cut up so it could never be whole again.

  'Let's go home,' Kalem muttered against her only ear.

  Terra nodded and tried to smile even after she felt the monster screaming at her from inside.

  Chapter twenty-four

  The celebration of Scarlet's return had lasted all night long. Terra had sat in the kitchen with a cup of steaming hot honey tea, cheering like everyone else. Time seemed to slow as laughter echoed off the walls and wine and food dropped over clothes as the excitement intensified. Everything dimmed as Terra sat there, watching the people she had grown to care for sing, dance, drink, eat, laugh and shout with happiness. She became part of the wall as the world around her continued to celebrate.

  She needed to cheer, dance and sing like everyone else, but what she really wanted to do was scream, cry and curse.

  At some point Terra escaped the kitchen, running away from those happy and gleeful faces. She hid inside the bathroom, breathing hard. There was a growing fear trapped inside of her, rattling her chest, crying to be released. Shaking, she glanced down at her arm. She'd kept it hidden from view beneath the jumper, sick at the sight of it.

  Terra pulled her jumper off and stared in horrid fascination at the length those black veins travelled up her arm and across her chest. They stopped just where her heart was. No other part of her body seemed to be affected. Was that good or did it make her weak?