Creatures of the Dark

Fourth Dark

Fourth DarkCreatures of the Dark

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##### Forth Dark #####

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In the darkness I left you, in the darkness shall I meet you.

“I’m not the one you’re looking for,” I tell him.

“How would you know?” He asks, a little movement he make when speaking looks like animated painting.

“I know who I am. And I’m not her,” I say.

“You mean.... Arsene?” He says the name again, sending chills down to my spine. My facial expression might get stuck in the same blank one. But inside, I’m really freaking out. The sound of her name really scares me.... Somehow. I step back on the small wooden bridge on the river to get some space from him. I’m supposed to confront him to go away. But he doesn’t seem like to want to do it willingly. I distract myself by looking at my reflection on the running current, seeing how blurry I look on it.

“Arsene.”

This time, his voice sounds so close that I almost jumped when I turned to look at him. He stood right beside me out of a sudden. I can’t even see his reflection coming. When I looked down, I scream in horror. For doing it for the first time in my life, my voice comes out really high pitch and full of fear. I stare in horror when my gaze fell on him once again. My body freezes petrously in the spot. His eyes look into mine with the same captivating blue, yet fill with dissatisfactory.

“You’re afraid of me.” That’s a statement. “Why...?” He almost cries a tear, but none ever fell out from his eyes.

“....Y...you....” I stutter with pure fear. “You don’t have... a... reflection....” I look back at the surface of the river, too afraid to keep locking eyes with him. “Are you dead?” I ask with my lips stuttering.

“No,” he replies, calm again.

“Then you’re a projection,” I announce.

He nods. “That’s why I can’t get you out. I fear they might kill you if I try to.” His tone goes back to sadness. His voice sounds so lonely, as if he has frozen in the cold. “Besides,” he says, tucking a strand of my hair to the back of my ear, “You still haven’t regained your consciousness fully back, yet.”

His words are like melodies before I sleep, and before I can even wake up. Sweet and loving. Yet unreal. How can I believe everything he says? He just appears out of nowhere one night, and confirms that I’m his lover while I have no memory of him. I don’t even know him. But he speaks as if he already knows every inch of me.

I walk back, away from him.

The last sight of him is before I close my shack’s door.

The Yitzh Champion has finally arrived. Amazingly, the game is hold on near our manor. In fact, it’s right inside the Frontier Forest. Apparently, the elders of our family had decided to arrange the deal before and just confirm the corporation at the time the game finally starts. Me and my teammates are as ready for battle in the participants’ seats, as the elders from all over the strong families open the championship officially.

As expected, the Hollsworths are also here. The team keeps giving us glares from their seat, sending a silent warning to us. Even so, only I know the true purpose of their behavior.

The championship has finally started. The first round starts with team against team, since there are so many participants joined in this championship. Our team, of course, got the chance to fight with the Hollsworths’. Rather than afraid of losing, we are more excited in defeating them. It’s time for us Rainfolds to teach those Hollsworths’ kids some lessons.

“The next teams that are going to fight are Team Frontier as representative of the Rainfold’s family against Team Lineword as representative of the Hollsworths’ family,” announce the representator as both teams enter the fighting arena.

“Let’s make this a quick one, guys,” Macko says, connecting both of his fists in the air in front of his chest. “I know that you all want to enjoy this fight as much as I do, but we don’t have all the time in the world since we’re still have to fight with five other team later after this.”

“Are we even going to last that long?” Latherine ask shakily.

“Of course we are. And we’re going to reach the final battle, too,” say Laurant confidently.

“Yeah. Plus, even if this is just going to last for a while, I’m sure as hell that we can still have fun kicking those Hollsworths’ butts,” Ginnie says spiritedly.

The others echo their agreement at Ginnie’s bold statement.

I smile a little for that, but soon let it fall into a serious mode. “Let’s go, everyone,” I say with a firm tone.

“The battle starts in 3.... 2... 1... Go!” The representative shouts.

In cue, attacks from flora, earth, wind, fire, ice and light feel the air. All in unison going for members of Team Lineword. They all even didn’t notice when the attacks hit them so soon. They don’t have enough time to handle the firing attacks and instantly.... they all are pushed from outside the fighting arena.

“Man, I did say ‘quick’, but I didn’t expect it to be that quick,” Macko comments, admitting that he’s a little disappointed that we didn’t get the chance to have much fun.

We all just laugh at his remark.

Teams and teams come by later. And we’re still in the winning side. I don’t even have to do much during the entire rounds. My friends already pretty much knock every single thing they see down without even giving me the chance to appear the enemies. They are all too fire up. Or should I say, cold enough for Freadly’s case. Audience are cheers us all as we continue to win round after round, increasing out fighting spirit more and more.

We are finally down to the last team for the day. The next team we’re up against is with─

“Now, please welcome Team Frontier as representative of the Rainfold’s family. They are going to be the opponent for Team Fourth, the representative from the Cadnium family,” say the representative, cutting my thoughts.

I lift one of my eyebrows. Aren’t they supposed to be from the─

“Sorcier?! We’re going against members from Sorcier now?! And what, they are one of the top teams?!” Ginnie isn’t in panic anymore. She has lost her cool and goes freaking out. “WE’RE DOOMED!” she yells practically at everyone. Okay, inside and out.

“It’s okay, Ginnie. We’ve defeated many teams so far. What makes it impossible for us to defeat them, too?” Hendrick tries to encourage her.

“But, they are not just small fries like the others. They are─”

“Going down,” Macko cuts her. “Come on, guys. Don’t let your spirits down just because they come from a famous wizard organization. We still have our abilities to show,” Macko says in a serious leader mode and totally brings our courage out.

“Yeah. And you know what we monsters like to say: Save the best for last. We can finally show our true potential at this round,” I add as we walk into the arena.

The Fourth is just standing right at the opposite side of the arena. We all are waiting for the cue to start the....

“The battle starts in 3.... 2... 1... Go!”

....Rumble!

The cheering from the audience seats explode right away. And I’m sure that I can heal Haylen’s blaring cheers from one of the east wing. She always has that high pitch squeak that can really tear the midair. I even almost winced because of that.

I turn my attention back to the fight, spotting each team starting to run to get close enough to the other. Everyone sprinting with their own speed. I can read the strategy already.

Laurant is the first to get close, smashing earth to the enemies’ direction. Small mountains crash the ground right at the places of those Fourths, creating sudden fog on half of the arena. The audience goes silent as we all wait for the fog to vanish and let us look at what’s happening to our opponents.

The fog starts to fade. I can see dark shadows forming from the other side. I place myself in ready mode to silently tell the rest of my teammates. They all read my sign and start to get ready. Everyone already took their places as the Fourths stand to get ready for their comebacks.

Everything is so quiet and peaceful until─

Lasers of lights in every bright color are shooting at our direction. My friends panic when they get those hit at their spots. But as adrenalines kick in, they all starts to jump away from the lights. I even almost let myself get hit before I relaxed my muscles to halt. When we all finish dodging the attacks, the other half of the arena finally shows their giants.

Now, who says that the bright side is always the right one?

As our opponents are re-loading, we use that chance to start out attack. Hendrick, Freadly and Ginnie work together in order to form an opening. The last out the fire, ice and wind right into the other side openly. We know that the Fourth has no choice but to filter the attack. But as they do so, Macko will take that chance to dash into their side.

“Macko!” Hendrick shout to let him know that it’s time.

The boy rushes in like a super jet, then stops just as he’s at the center of the field. Both hand over his stomach, each claws start to regenerate into a ball of light. He really goes all-out when he blasts that ultimate light swords from the source focus.

Ha! How’s light for light for that?

Smirks start to form on our lips. Macko’s attack is the strongest force we have in this team. Once he uses that ultimate move, not even a giant can still move─

But those Sorcier’ soldiers prove us wrong. There are still those who can stand still even after that attack. How can they still stand up so firm? Unmoved even for an inch..... Soon, our faces turn to horror. But we still have hope. And I am it.

Freadly, Hendrick and Ginnie jump back from their places, letting Latherine and Laurant take their spots as Macko takes his rest. He’s practically out of breath. That ultimate out lash sure drained a lot of his energy.

While Laurant provide the land, Latherine practically blast the entire stadium with her flowers and plants. The tangling wasps are the best and more dangerous. She will use them to hold the Fourth’ boys long enough until the time comes.

Latherine is having some fun enough to fear those boys, make some of them stumble down their own feet and even make them all look like fools with her tangling wasps. Laurant even literally rolls on the ground when their leader, Dhase, is being swung in the air with one of Latherine’s swan. Even I can’t help but to giggle a little in this supposed to be serious situation.

Finally, I signal them with my index finger that I’m ready. The tangling wasps finally stop and they all fall at the same time as if they just lost their lives instantly. Both Latherine and Laurant are snapping themselves back in focus. They help me make the way by breaking the earth and wasps, building a dirt bridge for me to cross over all of these messes.

I copy Macko’s previous speed while I run. It doesn’t take long before I’m at the other side of the arena and close enough with the Fourths for skin contacts. I reach one boy, slamming him to the ground immediately using coordination of my hands and body. The next boy I spot, I pinch him on his sensitive part so that he can fall on the ground without any struggle.

“Stop her! Don’t let her fight anymore. I’ve enough of these low lives making fool of us. Make sure this one can’t walk anymore!” Dhase orders his cousins. And they simply follow his command, even though this tone isn’t that likeable to them.

Remembering how hard I’ve taken down the first one, I decide to play nice this time. Since I only attack the last boy on his weak spot, I think it will be my redemption to do the same to the rest. I’m as generous as them until I finally reach the leader.

I grip Dhase’s right hand hard enough until his bones almost break. I know that he want to wince in pain, but bit his lips together.

“You’ll regret doing this soon enough,” he says through grinding teeth. His facial expression is hard with anger.

His left fist is ready to punch me, until I slid down like a snake. I disable his left arm for the time being with one hit of a finger on his soft vein.

Finally, Dhase lets out a groan. His silvery green locks tangling on his face when I look at how many sweats are forming over his face. But this is not over just yet.

My left leg locks his, forcing him to kneel down above me. I land on his waist at the same time, my right hand hold him down on the neck.

My long, black hair fall to the front as I stare down to him. I, too, am sweating a little. I can see his face clearer now. Despite his cruel words, he’s not ugly. His hard face then suddenly loosens, turning into a shock expression.

“Arsene? Is that you?” He asks.

My body goes rigid as he calls that name again.