The Flashlight Goes Out
839 Words
The moment the flashlight died, darkness swallowed everything.
Not normal night-darkness.
A heavier one.
A suffocating one.
Like the shadows themselves were alive and pressing in on them.
Celia clung to Liora, trembling so hard her teeth chattered.
Arin whispered, “I can’t see. I CAN’T SEE. I’M BLIND. I—”
Nova hissed, “Arin, no one can see!”
Somewhere to their left, leaves crunched.
Then a cold voice:
“Return her… or fall with her.”
Liora’s heart hammered.
“Celia is not going anywhere with you!” she shouted into the dark.
Xaden’s voice cut through the fear.
“Back-to-back. Everyone move!”
They shuffled together, forming a circle, pressing their shoulders together.
Mr. Halden breathed sharply.
“They’re closer than before. Don’t let them separate you.”
Jace whispered, “What do they want with her?”
Celia sobbed.
“They want me dead… so I can’t talk.”
A Shadow Moves
Something brushed past Liora—
cold as ice water running down her spine.
She flinched, grabbing Jace’s arm.
Xaden turned sharply, sensing the movement.
“Show yourselves!” he barked into the dark.
For a split second, a mask flashed in the moonlight.
White.
Cracked.
Emotionless.
Then gone.
Arin whispered, “I hate this. I hate this so much. This is the opposite of fun. This is anti-fun.”
Nova whispered, “If you pass out, I’m not carrying you.”
Mr. Halden Reveals the Truth
A deep breath.
A shaky hand.
Then Mr. Halden spoke.
“I didn’t want to tell anyone this… but you deserve to know.”
Liora turned toward him even though she couldn’t see his face.
“What is it?” she asked.
Mr. Halden’s voice shook.
“The Shadows… they weren’t always like this. They used to be the school’s protectors.”
Jace blinked. “Protectors of what?”
“The chamber,” Halden said.
“The thing buried under the east wing. The thing Celia heard about.”
Celia covered her eyes.
“They said it’s weakening,” she whispered. “They said The Origin is waking up.”
Arin squeaked, “Origin of WHAT?! Bad life decisions?”
Nova smacked him again.
The Attack Begins
A sudden, sharp whistling sound split the air.
Something fast.
Something slicing.
Xaden yanked Liora down.
A black dart hit the tree behind her—
the wood cracking on impact.
“They’re using projectiles now?!” Nova cried.
“MOVE!” Xaden shouted.
The group scattered, pulling Celia between them as another dart hit the ground.
Mr. Halden grabbed a broken branch, holding it like a weapon.
“Stay together! They’ll pick you off if you separate!”
But it was too late.
The Shadows advanced—
Silent.
Precise.
Surrounding them.
Liora Makes a Choice
Celia stumbled, nearly falling.
“Don’t leave me!” she cried.
“We won’t,” Liora promised, pulling her up.
But then—
A masked figure appeared right in front of them.
Close enough that Liora could see the breath fogging behind its mask.
It whispered:
“You can save them… or save yourself.”
Liora stiffened.
“What does that mean?!”
The Shadow pointed behind her.
Another figure was closing in on Nova and Arin.
Jace was fighting off a third with the pipe, breathing hard.
Xaden was dodging a fourth, barely keeping it away from Celia.
They were all in danger.
Liora felt something heavy drop into her chest.
A choice.
A terrible one.
And she knew the Shadows were waiting to see it.
Xaden Shouts Her Name
“LIORA!”
Xaden’s voice cut through the chaos.
“STAY WITH US!”
But the Shadow in front of her whispered:
“Come. Alone.”
Her legs trembled.
Her throat tightened.
“No,” she whispered.
“I’m not leaving them.”
The Shadow tilted its head.
As if disappointed.
And then it lifted its hand—
A burst of black wind shot toward Liora like a spear.
“LIORA!” Xaden lunged toward her.
A Blinding Light
Before the dark wind could strike—
A blinding flash exploded from somewhere behind them.
White.
Pure.
Electric.
It lit the entire clearing like daylight.
The Shadows recoiled immediately—
hissing, twisting, retreating into the trees as if burned.
The wind stopped.
The darts fell.
The figures vanished.
Liora blinked rapidly, dazed.
“What… what was that?”
Arin gasped.
“My eyeballs are cooked. I can’t see future anymore.”
Nova pointed shakily.
“Guys… look.”
Someone stood at the edge of the clearing.
A silhouette.
Tall.
Cloaked.
But not masked.
And the glowing orb of light in their hand slowly faded.
Liora stepped forward, breath catching.
“W–who are you?”
The figure lowered their hood.
And Liora’s eyes widened.
Because she recognized the face.
Xaden froze.
“Impossible…”
Jace stared.
Arin fainted.
Nova whispered:
“Is that—your brother?”
Xaden’s brother stepped into the moonlight.
Alive.
Not masked.
And definitely not here to play nice.
- Writer
