It’s Darkest Before the Light
Kora stands beside Alice and Matthew, waiting in silence. The mechanical clock on the wall reads ten minutes past midnight. Surely, she will come soon.
Kora managed to find the blade easily. Robert didn’t spend any time hiding it. He simply left it in his office.
Safer in the Ascendancy .
She wants to laugh at how ridiculous he was.
Alice gulps beside her, holding a blade in her fragile, innocent hand. Matthew is on her other side, holding one in each of his.
“It’ll be all right, Alice.” Kora reassures her quietly.
Alice nods hurriedly. Kora can almost feel her nerves vibrating off her, she’s shaking that much.
A sudden clanging sound echoes outside of the building, and they halt their breathing to listen closely.
“She’s here.” Kora exhales, walking to one of the windows and peering out at the garden below. Several Infernals are outside attacking Clarence and Jordan. Her chest moves rapidly as she watches her brother and him fighting alongside each other like a team.
Clarence fights off two as Jordan takes on another three demons.
Slashing. Swiping. Jabbing. Kicking.
The Infernals are hissing and clawing in an effort to bring the two of them down .
Jordan manages to stab one through the throat, ripping it apart so that essence spurts from the wound, killing the demon instantly, before turning onto the others.
Clarence holds both blades in his grasp, swiping at an Infernal that’s carrying its own deadly weapon, slashing it in Clarence’s direction. Another is approaching him as well, but Clarence spins to-
Suddenly, a door slams shut, echoing through the large, silent building. Then there are footsteps racing up the flights of stairs. Each one climbing higher and resounding louder the closer they get.
Daisy .
Kora holds the golden blade out in front of her protectively, sliding Alice behind her as they wait for Daisy to appear. Fear builds inside of her. Trepidation floods in her veins. Her throat feels dry and scratchy as Kora tries swallowing.
Daisy’s head appears at the top of the staircase, and she stops in her tracks to stare at the three of them waiting to defend. Then her gaze falls onto Uriel’s blade in Kora’s grip.
She’s covered in someone else’s blood. Her skin is blotted with scarlet liquid, drying against her darker flesh. Some splatters decorate her face, which makes Kora sick to her stomach. Her bright sunshine dress is now ruined with gore.
“Give it up, Daisy.” Matthew says as gently as he can.
Daisy’s eyes lift to his, her pupils have swollen to devour her garnet irises and whites, leaving nothing but blackness in her gaze. “Never.” She snarls in a guttural voice and races towards them.
Kora strikes first, her blade swipes at Daisy, who moves quickly out of the way.
Matthew approaches, jabbing his weapon before ducking as Daisy pulls one out of her cloak.
Daisy aims for Kora, slicing her silver blade through the air, which Kora dodges easily, spinning in a crouch and knocking Daisy onto her back. Daisy lands with a thud as Matthew pins her down. Fighting his strength, wriggling underneath him, Daisy attempts to squirm free. Matthew is pushed off and Daisy is on her feet once more, looking around viciously, her teeth baring at them like a deranged animal.
Kora moves quickly, swiping the blade and nicking Daisy on the shoulder. Daisy grunts and glares a glacial frown at her, “You always know how to injure me, don’t you?” She hisses at Kora.
Kora spins Uriel’s blade in her hand while staring her friend down. Her best friend, who she’s always needed. Her best friend who kept all of this from her. Her best friend that her brother loves.
“Daisy, I’m not letting you have this blade.”
Daisy snickers, her gaze entirely dark. Obsidian. Demonic.
Colton is controlling her.
“Daisy.” Kora breathes steadily despite fear creeping up her skin like bugs.
“Give me the blade!” She hisses loudly.
Lunging for her once again, Kora moves out of the way. Daisy spins as Matthew comes at her, their weapons clashing in the air loudly.
Matthew pushes against her, but Daisy is too strong. He stumbles back, and Daisy stabs her dagger through his arm, cutting open a gaping gash. He yells out in pain as Daisy smiles at him ferally. Blood trickles down his skin and through his fingers.
He holds the wound as Kora goes for her. Arching her arm back to throw a dagger, it flies at Daisy, missing her narrowly.
Daisy’s head tilts as her black eyes glisten with irritation.
Kora jabs for her once more and Daisy pushes her to the floor. The blade falls from Kora’s grip since her hands are so slick with sweat. It bangs against the timber, and Kora lets out a small gasp.
Kora pulls herself closer, snatching Uriel’s blade up and turning to see Daisy’s knife poised at Alice’s throat.
* ? * ? *
Clarence grunts as he narrowly misses another demonic blade. He moves with agile ability, spinning and driving his dagger through the Infernal’s leg. The creature cries out in a guttural scream.
He pivots, kicking his leg out, and the demon falls to the ground harshly. Clarence jumps on top, pressing the blade into its chest. It screams deafeningly as essence pours out onto the earth.
Claws scrape at him aggressively, and Clarence rears back, almost colliding with Jordan, who is fighting off two more Infernals.
Clarence forces another blade through the demon’s neck, severing its head from its body.
Jordan grunts, stabbing one Infernal before knocking the other to the earth and killing it angrily. Its body collapses, and Jordan catches his breath, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Looking around, two more Infernals appear to take the place of the fallen ones.
Jordan curses colourfully as Clarence watches more appear from thin air, being summoned from the Beneath. “There’s too many. We need Valarie and Lewis.” Jordan rushes out as an Infernal sends a gust of icy shadows in their direction.
Clarence is knocked onto his back as Jordan pulls a knife from his rib sheath and tosses it at the demon. It shrieks out like nails being dragged on a blackboard, and Jordan cringes at the harrowing sound. The other two move towards him as Clarence jumps back onto his feet.
“You take the right, I’ll go left.” Clarence says as a steady stream of blood dribbles from his temple.
“You’re injured.”
Clarence shakes his head without looking at Jordan. “I’m fine.”
Clarence moves first, racing at the Infernal with a dagger as Jordan charges for the other. Clarence digs his dagger into the gut of the demon as Jordan is pushed back. He grunts, sliding a blade from his thigh, and lets it go. It flies through the air and embeds right into the eye of the demon. The Infernal cries, stumbling as essence gushes down its face and its body begins to disintegrate.
Clarence goes to help Jordan to his feet when he freezes in his tracks. Daisy stands frozen at the bottom of the steps. Eyes raven black. The golden blade in her hand.
“No!” Clarence yells out.