No Such Thing

Into The Darkness

He followed the lead one of his acquaintances shared with him a few days before. He didn’t know if it would get him anywhere. The last 20 were dead ends. This informant had never failed him before. He had to have the perfect timing and be in the perfect location to be able to corner this being. If this isn’t who he was looking for, then maybe they would know who was. He was given a task. He was given a second chance, meaning. He was needed. And from no less than his best friend's nephew. He knew the family secret. He knew Bethany was a vampire and was relocated to Landsend Port over two centuries ago. He knew that she was a distant relative or ancestor rather, of Paul’s. On his mother’s side. But she and Paul’s grandmother were close. Bethany raised her after her own parents died mysteriously. Paul is one of the fiercest humans he’d ever met. He can’t let him down. Not like he let poor Bethany down. Through the years, he has learned that the people in that family are red lights for disaster or mayhem. He has also learned they are creative, innovative, and resilient. No matter what, they continue forward.

Fizzy was determined to make up for his failures. He would find as much as he could. Bethany took him in when he came to this town. She was known as the halfway house for monsters. If the Gaufe’s couldn’t find immediate accommodations, Bethany would open her home to those that needed it until they no longer needed it. Pixie’s are not familial people. They stuck to their own, and in most cases didn’t do that. In Ireland, pixies had hives. Their queen was the head of the hive. They lived and died for her. Fizzy was unfortunate and disliked by his queen, his mother. She sent him away. She wanted him dead. He never knew why, but a Guafe man collected him and reintroduced him to a new, better life. He would forever be indebted. He loved his new home, his new… family. He would not disappoint them again.

Fizzy waited near one of the mausoleums. He was told that the being he was looking for was known to stalk the area on a full moon, close to midnight. Before the moon made its way back down again. Fizzy thought it could be a werewolf, but they weren’t known for being in a cemetery at any time. Unless placing one of their own there. He still had half an hour before the recommended time, but he wanted to slip in. Sit in waiting. Hide, so to speak. He was the hunter afterall. Being a magical creature, it took him sometime to mask his abilities. Most non-humans can sense another non-human. If only a tingle of proximity. Fizzy has had hundreds of years to master his art. He could hide himself from even a vampire. He could hide from his own queen.

He made no noise as he sat atop the mausoleum. Listened with his ears, and senses. Just because he was hidden didn’t mean he couldn’t feel other non-human beings. He could hear a rabbit’s heart beating. He could feel the eyes of an owl on him. He snapped his fingers and the owl disappeared. He didn’t need to be interrupted or eaten. Again. Being this size, doing this job, there are always pitfalls. He learned early in his career that there are animals, predators that were bigger than he was and always hungry. He learned to watch for them and always be ready. Non-humans weren’t his only priority. Nature was also against him. ‘Everyone hates the little guy.’ Fizzy giggled to himself. Bringing his mind back into focus, he scanned the graveyard. This was the oldest graveyard in the county. It wasn’t just for the people of Landsend Port. It had been here longer even still. History books say the west wasn’t colonized until the mid 1800s. Missionaries were already in the area for decades before. The area around Landsend was the location for most travel. The land was more forgiving. This graveyard was placed by those nomads. For more than 500 years the dead have been put here. If Fizzy was anyone other than who he was, this place would give him the creeps. But, because he is used to this line of work. He sat, listened, and waited.

Like clockwork. 15 minutes later, Fizzy heard a huff. He followed the signs with his eyes. His eyes gathered all the light they could and focused in the area of the noises. He couldn’t take the chance of enhancing his night vision with magic, he didn’t know who was out there. So, he just waited for movement. He saw smoke first. No, it was breaths. Hot breaths in the cold air. At least he knew whatever it was, it was hot blooded. No lizard men, he was grateful. Those creatures were tough to kill. Even harder to reason with! Looking towards the swirls of moisture coming from the beings nose or mouth, whichever it breathed from, He waited for it to move closer into the moonlight. Slowly inching in one direction or the other. Seemingly undecided of what it was going to do. Fizzy got annoyed and a bit impatient. He waited it out though. He wouldn’t fail. Then it happened. The creature was, gone? Out of nowhere. Simply vanished. No poof, no smoke and mirrors. No, magic? Like a void opened and swallowed it. ‘A void?’ He shuttered. ‘No way. Not possible.’ he thought. ‘Not here.’ He rose and flitted off in the opposite direction of where he saw the breath. As fast as his wings would carry him, he flew out of the gates and on towards town. He would get as far from this place and not look back. He couldn’t look back. He didn’t want to see it again. He knew the legends. Although he’d never proven or disproven the tails, he knew they were true. If only because he was in fact a legend in his own right. The entire town was full of legends and myths. But he has to be sure. He has to verify. He can’t run! He stopped. Dare he turn around? He can’t let Bethany, Paul down. Paul commanded him to hunt. This isn’t hunting, THIS is running! Fizzy thought quickly and ducked behind a building. Feeling no danger in his immediate area. He focussed. He had to go back. Maybe if he waited until daylight he could find what he needed. ‘A void?’ He whispered. ‘But how?’ He knew he had to verify. He knew he had to go back. There would be evidence if it were true. He was truly hoping it wasn’t. There are only a few things in this world that pixies are frightened of. Their queen, their mate, and Void Reapers. There is nothing on this plane that can stop them. They simply are not ‘there’. If it indeed was a reaper, then it had to be what killed Bethany. If it didn’t kill her, he wasn’t sure why it was on this plane. In this area. If it wasn’t the reason Bethany expired, then had to be looking for something. But, what? What has he gotten himself into? Fizzy straightened his back. He flew back towards the graveyard. He’d find out, no matter what it took.