Lux Tenebris: The First Act

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Malkuthe Highwind

Malkuthe Highwind

Kayyan'Haien
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  1. Prestige
  2. Douche
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  1. Male
Genres
High Fantasy, Modern Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Yaoi, Political Intrigue, Supernatural, Post-Apocalyptic
The First Act

The Shadows Lengthen


Three lonely caws drifted through the night. To the Elynians, it meant only one thing: there were murders nearby. Yet to the Tenebra, it spoke of something more sinister, a growing threat with a pride and lust for power nigh unequalled by any other. Corvus, purple eyes shining dimly in the darkness, gazed back at the lighthouse of Allune. Its milky white exterior was magnifying the moonlight; it was a certainly alluring sight for the Tenebra.

Four days had passed since the Luxes were consumed. Four days for Corvus to scheme in its mad dash for absolute power, greater even, than that possessed by the Voids.

Vividly it remembered how light and dark had faced off in the lighthouse. The Voids wielded shadows that grew darker and darker; the Luxes wielded light that gleamed brighter and brighter. The titanic struggle for dominance grew and grew until finally, after a dramatic crescendo, the light gave way. At that moment, the Tenebra burst forth from the lighthouses, ravaging the land and devouring any Elynians who had the misfortune of being nearby. All too clearly, it remembered flying away in the darkness, relishing the wind as the strangled screams of Elynians pierced the once-serene silence of the night.

The night had fallen. It was a strange time for an Elynian to be smiling, but Magnal was quite evidently not your average Elynian. His fingers tapped the wood of the setilum's neck as well as that of the bow. His body quivered with excitement for the carnage that was about to come.

The very room he stood in was a scene of carnage too. There were no lights, save for Magnal himself, who glowed with the full glory of a Radiant. On the floor was the partly eaten carcass of his friend. The flesh was pale and a pool of dried blood had gathered around the body. Debris was scattered on the floor from the time when the Tenebrae had tried to enter the home to devour him, but had strangely fled when his music began.

Now the door swung freely on its hinges, creaking and squeaking with each movement. To Magnal's ears, it was a steady beat that would add flavor to the music that was about to begin. He could already begin the whispers and the scratching that signaled the rousing of the Tenebrae for their nightly meals. The screams had been growing fewer and fewer over the past few days, but it was still enough for wondrous music.

The first screams rose from the distance and Magnal raised his blood-caked arm to begin drawing the bow across the strings. The music began softly, almost pleading. As time went on, the symphony became stronger and stronger, becoming more and more fearsome and haunting as it did. To anyone else listening, it would have been terrifying, fear-inspiring, yet to Magnal, it was beautiful.

The aura of light that surrounded Magnal blazed into life. The original gold now had slight hints of crimson, and it danced with a crazed intensity. Magnal's blood-caked lips curled up into a smile as he advanced on the carcass of his friend. It was almost time to feed once again.
 
Latifa was in her house. The night feel and with it came shadows. Not the ordinary shadows. Those were darker, more menacing. Despite all the terrific atmosphere and the screaming, unfortunate Elynians in the background, Latifa giggled. She was sitting by one wall, hugging her knees and slowly rocking from side to side while humming a lullaby. No, she wasn't trying to calm herself down. She no longer knew what it meant to be calm. Her mind flipped, she had many friends now and they were all talking. It was a mess. Latifa heard them but couldn't see them. Whenever, they started to talk, her stomach began to hurt as if some unearthly beast gripped her innards and tried to shatter them or tear them out of her body. Her giggling turned into quiet scowl, he stomach rumbled as if in agreement to this torment.

"Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet," she pleaded the voices and put the palms of her hands on her ears, shutting her eyes tighten. Her humming increased as did her rocking. But no, the voices has just decided to speak even louder. You need to sink, drink, blink, said one voice followed by a grunting noice that resembled laughing. Yes, you need to find someone who would let you sink, drink, blink, added another of those invisible people and giggled. Latifa rocked and banged her head on the wall. Sometimes, she wanted those voices out of her head so desperately, that she would hurt herself. The pain defeating those intruders. However, it wasn't going to work today. It was few days from her last kill and Latifa was already getting very hungry. You wouldn't find a deceased body but bones in her house. Yes, she ate everything, partly because of her hunger, partly because Latifa didn't want anyone to steal her food. Sink, drink, blink! Joined all the voices together, proding her to leave her habitat and go for search. Another howl left her lips as Latifa sprang to her feet flailing for a while. Abruptly, she stopped. Her eyes narrow, her teeth bare as if in a growl. She knew that she wouldn't escape those voices until she would 'sink, drink, blink'.

Grabbing her provisional weapon which was made of sharpened bone that was tied to a long firm stick, Latifa carefully left the house by the back gate. She was no professional hunter but in this survival, she has learnt few tricks and skills. As she crossed the threshold of her house, that part of her which was still sane but small, gave out a weak cry of despair. It was a pity that with each feeding, this old Latifa slowly died being replaced with a cannibalistic monster.
 
Sharv hated it here. The constant hunger, the endless cries of terror, the lack of peace. It all compounded within him, driving him to a point of near insanity. His former life seemed so perfect in retrospect, why did the gods have to steal what was most precious from him? A puff of smoke crawled around the ground, clinging to faint shadows given off by various buildings, the faint obscurities in the light the only hint of his existence. It was the only thing Sharv was good for these days; staying out of sight and out of mind from the much more potent predators lurking around Elyne. However, the need to feed grew on him, and even he needed to come out of hiding, if only briefly.

Sharv was currently stalking the alleyways of Allune, searching for a poor Elynian to stumble across his path. He was hoping for a Halo type, but at this point anything would do. He just needed to make the hunger go away, at least for the moment. He wished he could rid of it permanently, but that was impossible, hungering soon after a few measly hours. The constant ache in his stomach, the pit that he carries with him constantly, it ate at his sanity and made him all the more paranoid. He was grateful though for the slowly decreasing amount of screams in the atmosphere. The fact that this was due to fewer victims was a detail Sharv made a point not to focus on, it was better that way. As he crept along the corners of the road, he heard a noise down an alleyway close to him. He glided over to investigate, and the sight made his blood run cold.

Sharv saw a hunting party of sorts, a group of around 15 Elynian's, armed with various pointed stakes and torches. Already behind them you could see the corpses of Shades that had been overwhelmed by numbers. Sharv made it a point to watch from behind the corner, curiously fascinated by the first sign of organization by these people since their invasion. They appeared scared, but the situation had turned them grim and rather than resort to cannibalism, had made it a point to band together, realizing that their enemy was not, in fact, immortal or omnipotent. Sharv was about to head the other way when he his stomach stabbed him, and his focus turned on a Halo that was a part of their group. Her aura was delicious, and his eyes zeroed in on her. His mind drooled over what it would taste like, how delectable she would be. The rational part of him feebly tried to point out the mistake of attacking such a large group, but it didn't matter anymore. He would have her, taste her delicious light. The primal urge was too strong for him to resist in his weakened mental state. He'd resent this later, but for now he had to have her, and began to stalk the group, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

(Sharv laments his situation and this foreign world that he now inhabits. He is hunting in Allune, and has stumbled upon an Elynian hunting party, of which is a Halo type that has attracted his attention. He now is set on hunting her, and is currently stalking the group.)
 
Cerily cocked her head sideways, staring at the scene before her with innocent curiosity. Because of her self-imposed seclusion, she had rarely seen an Elynian kill another. It was an... odd sight. So this is what it looks like? she thought. Having not eaten anything substantial -- aka, anything not a plant -- in a few days, she had finally given in and returned to the fringes of Ignis to feed. The pain in her stomach intensified as she watched the scene; she had to stop herself, nails digging into her skin as a reinforcer, from intruding on the scene. The part of her containing her sanity cried out in despair and quailed, having been shoved to the back of her mind by the hunger. Finally, the Elynian finished, dragging off the remnants of his kill to some safe haven. She waited a few moments before venturing out of her hiding place, trembling with conflicting emotions. Finally the urge to eat overcame her and she ran off, avoiding shadows. She shivered as the screams grew louder the closer she got to the city. She knew that she was weak; she had to be careful. Her makeshift weapon, a metal lamp pole, was held ready at her side. Now just to find her victim...

After an unknown time, she finally found her prey: another Candlelight like her. The girl was even smaller than she was. Perfect. she thought, then pounced, taking the girl unawares. Screams and other sickening noises resounded as Cerily killed the girl, but they stopped soon. She stood panting over her meal, then quickly made sure no one else, Elynian or otherwise, was around. It would do no good to be taken while she was weakened by a fight, so she took the girl's body by the shirt and dragged her into a nearby building. There she locked all the doors and windows, hoping it would be enough to hide her while she gorged herself. She started eating, but it wasn't until she finished that she sat in a horrified stupor. What have I done? she thought, looking at her blood-covered hands in fear. Yes, she was afraid of herself. Afraid of what she would do. Afraid of completely losing her sanity. While she was clear-headed, she fled the scene, but part of her insisted that she hide her kill for later. She reluctantly followed this instinct, unable to ignore this other side of her. A thrill of excitement still ran through her that she both tried to deny and also embraced. It confused her terribly, and she found herself retreating to her old hiding spot, just outside of Ignis. She sat at the base of a big tree, curled into the fetal position and mumbling random snatches of poetry.
 
Grant ran around in his basement, scrambling in search of the last of his rations, rations that he had eaten 2 days ago. His stomach gurgled. He pounded the thick steel exit door with his fist, spewing curse words before he contained himself. "I guess it can't be helped," he mumbled, grabbing a large pointed stick, and walking into the cool, horrid air. He begin sneaking through the trees, keeping himself in the shadows.

As he walked, he came across a woman, sitting at the base of a tree, curled up in a ball, blood covered. Grant took a few steps out of the shadow. "Hey! Are you ok?" he said ruefully. She looked rather terrifying, making Grant a bit apprehensive about approaching her. A part of Grant couldn't let her sit there. He lowered his weapon. That was his first mistake.
 
Shadows melted into shadows, devouring each other, fading away to give the faintest hint of light, a blue glow making it clear enough for Elynians to see. Not that Sie required that glow to navigate by, she was doing quite fine on her own. Walking ahead of her down the streets were two large, intimidating shadows. A typical Elynian would not be able to see their form at this dark of night, aside from two pairs of simmering yellow eyes and the occasional flash of white teeth. They would assume that those shadows joined the shadow of their owner at the feet, and they would be correct.

They would not be able to see Sie clearly either. The uppermost of her body was in shadow, and the lowermost half was practically translucent, making it difficult to see that her form was not much different from the humanoid form of an Elynian. Dark hair fell over her shoulder, over her face, to the point that one red eye was covered. It didn't seem to bother her though, as she kept her gaze locked on the ground, only looking up to glance from side to side every few minutes, checking to see if the coast was clear.

Luckily it was. Most beings living in this place were long ago eaten, or had immigrated elsewhere. The remaining ones ate each other or were being picked off by Tenebra. Sie was confident enough in her power that she felt no concerns for her safety walking down the middle of the empty streets. Any Elynian or lesser Tenebra who ran across her and tried to attack her would not have it easy. Already she had gained great power from her first four cannibalistic meals, and the shadowy shells of these fallen Tenebra now walked in front of her, forever a part of her body, forever bound to do her will. Naturally, it came with drawbacks--- if they were hurt, she would feel it. If one of them was lost she would loose that amount of power proportionally. But they were plenty formidible. Hurting them would be a task for the only the strongest of enemies, and as long as she had them to protect her, nothing could attack her weak body directly. And Sie wanted to gain even more protection.

"I need...I need...need something....I need more...." her whispers were so quiet that they could have been mistaken for belonging to a wisp. They were followed by a tiny laugh. "Someone out there will give me more...I just have to find them...where did they all go?"

The sound of silence, constantly thrumming, filled with jarring static...it was making her crazy. As she continued to turn up nothing along the streets, her pace quickened, and she made a sharp turn towards the forest. Elynian and Tenebra alike were bound to be using the forest to hide themselves before going out on the attack at night. It could be dangerous, but it was probably more dangerous for anyone hiding in the forest than it would be for her. She was confident that she would find Tenebra prey, and confident that she could finish them off just as easily as her first meals.
 
A voice sounded, dangerously close to her. Cerily started and scrambled up, ready to defend herself. But what hope would she have against someone stronger than her? She tried not to be afraid, but her heart was pounding. Her own weapon was in her hands, held at the ready. It took only a second to recognize the stranger as an Elynian. Not any Elynian, though. A Flame. She stopped herself from trembling, but her knees felt weak. Am I going to die? she thought. And then his words finally registered, making her almost drop her makeshift weapon in shock. "Are you okay?" he asked. Her mouth gaped for a second before she snapped it shut and got a hold of herself and closed it. It didn't make sense that someone was talking to her, what with the state of their world now; people attacking each other and whatnot.

After a long moment, she finally found it in herself to reply. "Yeah, I'm- I'm okay. I guess," she managed. Cerily let her guard slacken a little, keeping her weapon at her side instead of completely ready. Adrenaline still raced through her, though. Her muscles were tensed and she forced some of them to relax. But she couldn't take it any more. If he was going to kill her, he should get it done and over with. The waiting would be worse, she figured. "Are you going to kill me?" she asked bluntly. Please be quick, she thought. If he was going to kill her, she didn't want to suffer through some long ordeal. If it was odd that she was thinking about how she'd prefer to die, it didn't register with her.
 
The hunger burned in Corvus. None of the flock had fed yet for the glorious leader Cajel thought it would be best to let the chaos die down first before diving in to pick off the remainders. Of course, none of the flock had any qualms with this, for intelligent as they were, they were loyal to Cajel alone. He believed that they must not feed yet for fear of an Abyss assimilating some of them.

Corvus did not approve, but of course, the situation was well to its advantage. It gave it time to plot its next move. The flock was distracted, keeping on the lookout for other Tenebra and battling the burning desire for light. None realized that two of the flock were around Corvus more often and did not act quite right. None, that is, save Cajel who had become quite edgy around Corvus.

He suspected something of the other Murder. He could feel that there was something wrong. Yet his relatively insignificant intellect could not fathom just how wrong that something was for no longer were the two other Murders in his flock just under the influence of Corvus, they were Corvus itself. Corvus proposed to Cajel that he would search for easy pickings.

Eager to get rid of the other Murder, and hoping that an Abyss would devour it, Cajel agreed but demanded that Corvus make it appear as though it was his idea. To his surprise, Corvus agreed and took off immediately, followed by the other two Murders, much to Cajel's chagrin. Their flight was short-lived for they quickly spotted an Elynian fleeing from a scene of carnage not that far off. Its silvery-blue hair shone in the bright moonlight as it ran.

Using its two other bodies, Corvus went in pursuit of the Elynian that quickly noticed the sound of two pairs of shadowy wings flapping. It ran faster with Corvus flying above, just ahead of the chase. It was quite quickly steered into an alley that ended in a tall fence. It was there that Corvus chose to alight on a fencepost. The Elynian stopped in its tracks and met Corvus' gaze. Silvery-blue eyes met dim purple ones and the Elynian froze in shock.

For a moment, silence hung between the two, predator and prey locked in a mutual understanding that only one would survive. The only sounds that filled the night were the dying screams of other Elynians, the rasping of the wind and the creaking of broken down doors and window shutters. Corvus then ripped through the Elynian's consciousness and said "We will be the last thing you ever see." This broke the Elynian out of its shock and it screamed something incoherent as Corvus took off to attack her.

Corvus realized that the Elynian probably did not understand it, but then again, it thought, why should the cattle know the language of the farmer?
A crimson-streaked golden light pulsated with the rise and fall of the Elynian's breath. It danced with an almost sinister, crazed delight. The rest of the house was bathed in darkness, but even the shadows seemed to crawl away from the maniacal laugh and jovial feasting that was occuring.

Magnal dined with a fervid gusto and savored the squelch of flesh being torn from the carcass of what was once his friend. There was also a sickening crack as he broke a shin bone in half to get to the marrow. It was delicious and for some reason, he could feel greater strength flowing into his body.

He would have to hunt soon. He was addicted to the taste and the sound of eating his fellows. They had all ridiculed him behind his back; now was the time to take his revenge. He knew, though, that the screams were getting shorter and softer over the days, meaning that few Elynians survived and that the few that did, could push back the Tenebrae.

But he could see that Sol was still the brightest of the cities. He knew that as the resistance grew, so would Sol's light. Others from Allune and Ignis would come in for a better chance at survival. He would be waiting. They would be the fodder for the screams that made his music so beautiful and for his hunger for flesh.

He smiled, his bloodstained teeth taking on a yellowish tint due to his light, and stood. As he walked to the door, a drop of blood rolled down from the edge of his lip down to his chin, leaving a crimson trail in its wake. He had fed well.
 
The city was in ruins. Elynians had gone mad and the weak willed had turned on their brothers and sisters when the food supply had run out. The city with it's beautiful structures, it's thriving life, joy and dancing, song and love. He was going to help the city advance, he was going to be some one others looked to for guidance and knowledge. They would trust him because he loved the city and wanted nothing more than to make her thrive. But no, the Tenebra had arrived and caused the city to burn from the inside as well as out. The poor city. His city, and the girl he had waited too long to reveal his love to. Jarl'eth sniffed and realized there were tears on his face.

He had been staring in the direction of the city of Sol as the sun moved across the sky, a sort of brooding habit he had fallen into. Wiping his face he turned around and rolled aside a rock that rested at the bottom of a tree. He discovered this hollow a couple days ago and found it was big enough for him to enter and had been digging into it to make it deeper. From outside none of his light could be seen once he rolled the rock back into place, it was a hideout he was very lucky to stumble upon, and it was comfortable enough.

Lowering himself into the hole he carefully rolled the stone back into place and then carefully slid around the roots of the tree until he could move around enough and get comfortable. At first there had been many bugs underneath this tree, but Jarl'eth's rational brain convinced him that the bugs would be a decent source of protein especially in such a large amount. Now there weren't so many bugs, just a bunch of soft moss he had gathered and used for bedding and insulation, and some rough tools he had made made for future use. Now he would rest until the night came.
 
"Kill you?" Grant laughed. "Hell, If I was going to kill you, you would already be dead." he joked. "I don't kill unless it is absolutely necessary. Honestly, there isn't anything I'd like to see better than this whole thing just blew over." He spoke cheerfully. He sat his weapon on his shoulder, surveying the girl. She was covered in blood, and seemed the run down from her mouth.

Grant furrowed his eyebrows slightly. "Who did you eat?" He asked, coldly.
 
She relaxed a little at his "joking". It was true that he could have killed her already, but she appreciated the attempt. She agreed with the sentiment, wanting the ordeal to blow over, for everything to return to normal, but she knew it would never happen. Most people had... changed, and not for the better, including herself. Cerily looked at her hands, then clenched them and winced as the stranger asked her the inevitable question. She looked like a scolded child, head down, shuffling feet. "I... I don't know," she finally whispered. Inside her mind, she fought. Part of her reared in anger at the stranger; how dare he question her! She was just trying to survive! But the other half knew the enormity of the crime she had committed and fought for control. A hint of this battle showed on her face, but was quickly concealed. Finally she looked him in the eyes. "I don't know how else to survive. I saw someone else do it. We're all going to die anyways," she said defensively, showing her torn mental state.
 
The night was relatively calm, a slight breeze shifting its way down the road, enough to make the occasional leaf dance across the ground. The light that the lamps gave off was a dull glow: enough to show the way, but making it seem as if your eyes were unfocused, as if there was some detail not seen. The whispering of the Elynian's was low, unable to be heard by Sharv as he watched behind the corner. He had been following them for a while now and had learned part of their purpose: to find survivors. The more numbers they had, the safer they felt. And indeed, the more of them their were, the harder it was for Sharv to get close to his prey. The girl seemed to taunt him, her light so teasingly sweet, that Sharv had to remind himself that he couldn't attack now. His body was not robust, and would burn at the light they would produce. No, he had to play it patiently. His time would come, he knew it would. They couldn't stay alert forever, and all he needed was a moment to get in, drink her essence in, and escape.

They were now backtracking, their footsteps shuffling across the cobblestone that built up the street. Their shadows were multiplied by the lamps, flinging themselves forward only to drag behind them and repeat the process. The men of the group held the perimeter, keeping the weaker and more timid in the center as to make them feel protected. Indeed it worked, and the Halo was among them. Sharv cursed, his body screaming for light, demanding it of him. He knew that he could slip inside of them, to the middle, that much was certain. These Elynians were accustomed to looking for the large, slow, lurking Shades. They weren't expecting smoke to steal their lifeforce from them. It was his only advantage. But it was not the getting in that was hard, it was the escaping. Because she would scream as soon as he touched her, and then they would be upon him, having him trapped. And being trapped meant certain death.

Soon they arrived at a courtyard, a small fountain marking the center, with various benches scattered around. It was here that they decided to form their makeshift camp, appointing watches and setting a rotation through the night that let them all catch a bit of rest. Sharv felt a bit of joy surge through him, knowing that here, he could strike. Here, he could scare them, set them in a frenzy. Here, he could feed. And here, he could get his prize. And that, made him happiest of all.
 
Grant glared. His temper took the best of him as he brought his lead pipe back up. His eyes were full of bloody rage, almost pure. He slammed his weapon into a tree behind himself, trying to control his anger. How could she make excuses. He stormed off from the woods and back out onto the cool air. The part of him deep down inside, The darkness that he kept at bay for so long since his friends had been killed, killed at his hands. The secret he wouldn't dare ever speak, the secret he struggled to forget, erupted almost at once. His muscles tensed. An aura of insanity covered him as he dropped his weapon, and fell to his knees. He laughed. She was right. They were all going to die, and he accepted it now. He looked up, an ironic smile on his face as he stood up and began to walk towards the largest Eylnian he could find, in this case, a Volcano Kid, it looked like. He began jogging, then sprinting at him.

The Volcano Kid turned to him. He was about 6'7" and looked to weigh at least 300 pounds. Damn, Grant thought. How could he be that big without the food to sustain himself. Grant began to run faster. His prey took a few steps forward, laughing at Grant. Before the burly man could finish laughing Grant had spring-boarded off of a downed trash can, flinging up into the air and hook-punching the man in the face. As soon as Grant's feet touched the ground, the man had already countered his landing, punching Grant in the face. He stumbled back a bit, wiping a bit of blood from his nose. He laughed, insanity covering his face. He stood back up from his kneeling position. He began to run again at the man, this time readying his lead pipe. As he ran, he remembered, his prey was called a Vulcan. He again used his springboard, this time he nailed the man directly in the head with the lead pipe, a sharp crack rang through the air. A bit of the molten hot splattered on Grant's chest, melting through his jacket as the Vulcan punched him in the face again, this time he took it, but his vision was groggy. With the final blow of his lead pipe, hitting the man again on the temple, Grant fell unconscious, succumbing to his concussion.
 
Night had come, Jarl'eth could already tell before opening his eyes. He sat himself up, his hair brushing lightly against the roots of the tree dangling from his dirt ceiling and gathered up a makeshift spear and a makeshift knife he tucked into his belt. The clothes her wore were almost rags now, he had done a lot of running through branches and bushes at one point, escaping Tenebra and Elynians alike.

Cautiously, Jarl'eth moved the stone covering the entrance to his hideout making sure it was safe to come out. He waited several minutes, senses alert. It appeared clear and so he moved the rock the rest of the way and crawled out slowly, making sure it was indeed safe. He hadn't made it this long without being careful. Now that he was out he moved the stone back into place and pulled some foliage across it to help hide his little dirt home. With that done he began stalking through the forest to check traps he had set in the day time.
 
Magnal stood by the door, watching the moonlight play upon the golden facades of Sol's homes. His setilum hung by his side, the music faded away like the screams that accompanied the strained, shrieking, haunting chords. Blood encrusted his fingers and much of his forearm and his mouth was surrounded by fresh blood that still dribbled down to the soiled rags that were once his clothes.

He drew his fist across his mouth, wiping away the blood as he watched some of the smaller shadows approach him and then cower when his light blazed golden. He would have to find a way to capture one of them and extort the knowledge of torture so that he can have the screams that he desired. But at the moment, he needed to find more food.

The streets were deserted and the houses, once brazen in their glory, were now dilapidated. Hinges squealed, shutters creaked and tatters of books, scrolls and clothing littered the streets. A soft, haunting breeze lingered across the once-lively roads, stirring up the remains of Sol's glory. There were no Elynians to be seen anywhere, but he doubted that they were all gone. He knew that they were hiding somehow, and he had to find out where.

He heard a faint rustle not far in the distance and his head perked up when he saw a flash of light at the edge of his vision. Carrying his setilum as gently as possible, he ran towards the source of the light and watched it vanish into one of the grander houses in this part of the city. He watched as Tenebrae gathered, intent on devouring his light. He could swear he saw some of it being drawn towards the larger ones.

Wary of this, he took up the setilum and the bow. He began to play the same terrifying melody that he would play when the screams arose. However, with just the ambient noises and the haunting breeze, it lost some of its power. Regardless, the Tenebrae seemed to shrink away. Keeping up the music, he approached the house that the other Elynian had vanished into.
The moonlight glanced and danced off of the silvery surfaces of Allune, giving the illusion of being rocked by the waves of the sea. In the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by an assortment of benches and lamps, a fountain gushed. It was a surprising, unexpected beacon of calm in an otherwise troubled time. The group of Elynians that had found it was quite fortunate in that regard.

Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched. They were being watched not by one of the hulking shadows, or the ravens, or the swarms or the ones that looked like thunderclouds, but rather one that appeared to be nothing more than smoke. As the men milled about, setting the watches, the rest of the group talked, including a particular Halo that the lurking shadow found to be quite a tasty morsel.

"We can't stay here much longer. Food is scarce and few more of our kind remain" said one, gesturing wildly with her hands.

"But where do we go? The situation must be the same elsewhere. None of the lighthouses remain lit!"

"I look into the distance and just above the peaks of Allune's spires, I see the soft golden light of Sol. Perhaps there are more there" said the Halo, looking around at the small group that had gathered. The rest of the men were now with them, having left the others to keep watch.

"Their light is naturally stronger than ours... Maybe they were able to stave off the darkness" she pointed out. There was little objection in the group as to their next course of action. There were grumbles about the journey, but pretty much everyone understood that unless they tried their luck to go to Sol, they would all die soon.

The men went to speak to the watch about what had just transpired. Everyone else tried to make themselves comfortable as that jarring moment when the world simply ceased to exist began to creep up on them.
Luckily for Grant, a band of Ignis Elynians had been nearby to hear the ruckus. They were on their way to the city of Sol, having decided that that was their best chance at survival. Luckily for him, they didn't think twice about attacking the Vulcan, believing that he was intent on eating the unconscious Elynian, not knowing that it was in fact he that had intended to attack and devour the Vulcan.

Whether they chased him off or managed to mortally wound him, no one knew. All they could remember was that he trudged away from the scene and a few moments later they heard a thunderous thud. They treated Grant and did what they could for his battered body. When they realized that he wasn't about to gain consciousness any time soon, they carried his prone body with them, convinced that they should not leave a fellow Elynian behind.

With that they trudged towards the few, widely-spaced trees that marked the way towards Sol.
Atop the lighthouses, upon the thrones that never should have been theirs, the Voids writhed in pain as wretched, treacherous memories tore through their beings.

In the distance seethed a growing sea of black, stone-like bodies... Blood spurted forth and stained the earth... A tearful farewell... A blinding flash of energy... Cold... Cold... Cold... An emptiness like none other... The hand of an ancient malevolence... Cold... Cold... Cold...

These memories would echo through the world, ripping into the minds of any Tenebra, reminding them of a fate that they had never wanted to begin with.
 
Latifa was walking in the street, her eyes flying from one shadow to another. She had that strange feeling in her back like something was amiss yet her half crazy mind couldn't quite place that feeling. She still thought that it was due to the strange, painful sensation in her stomach. I need it...I need it... She kept on repeating it in her mind like a mantra and if it was spoken aloud, there would need in her voice and despair. Her hand gripped the weapon she carried, her knuckles turning white. Somewhere in the distance, someone screamed. Latifa looked in the direction, her eyes wide. What was it? She asked herself and tendrils of fear found their way into her subconscious. Not noticing that she stopped in her tracks and wasn't even breathing, Latifa suddenly began walking faster her breath shallow. Her eyes flew around the place in wilder manner than before. What was happening? Why was she so unnerved?

Turning the corner, she heard another scream and it made her yelp. Pressing her back hard against the wall, she began trembeling. Now she clutched the weapon close to her body with both hands. She waited few seconds or maybe minutes before she managed to pull away from her support and set off to hunt. However, Latifa was too distracted that if she would have to face any Elynian as hungry as she was, she would become the dinner. Suddenly, she heard something. No, not heard...felt. Every little hair stood on her body and Latifa suddenly felt cold. Once again, she stopped dead in her tracks. There was nothing in front of her, though something in her mind was telling her that what frightened her so much was behind her. Slowly turning around, Latifa trembled again. Something spoke...or it was a noise that Latifa didn't understand. As her eyes fixed on that something, now in front of her, she could smell the pungent scent and a warm sensation from between her legs. She dropped her weapon and that so long stiffled scream rose from deep inside her throat. It rang towards the skies and then bounced back to travel through the streets. It was filled with fear, confusion and finality.
 
There was a disturbance in the atmosphere. Jarl'eth froze where he crouched and carefully looked around without moving his head or body, using only his eyes. There was dark movement in the distance, Tenebra were moving. All moving to one location? Carefully Jarl'eth first moved his eyes then turned his body to face the direction he perceived the dark bodies to be moving. It was toward his beloved city. What was going on. Shivers shuddered his frame that had nothing to do with the crisp night air. He stalked carefully through the forest to investigate.
 
The forest was just as perfect for hunting as Sie had imagined it would be. Her dogs, sniffing the ground ahead of her for scents, blended so perfectly into the shadows that they vanished, and any onlookers would see nothing but the girl-like Tenebra, walking calmly with her arms at her side and eyes straight ahead. She was good at making time. Already she had been over two minor hills, only to turn up nothing.

"...Stop...". A whisper. Maybe she only imagined it, but it was worth investigating. She ordered her dogs to search harder.

"Stop...stop...stop..." So quiet...Sie could barely hear the words, as if they had been carried too far on the wind.

"Stop..." Sie picked up a scent, growing stronger. Her dogs growled, baring teeth that shone white, a stark contrast to the rest of their bodies. Their ears went back flat as Sie honed in on the sound. "STOP STOP STOP..."

"Please stop....don't hurt....me....."

Peering around the edge of a tree, she came face to face with a young-looking male Wisp. On either side, her dogs braced themselves for a fight, and her birds riding on them jumped as far as they could into the air, flapping around his head menacingly. The boy could barely be seen he was in so much shadow, but there was just enough light in this place to highlight his smoke-like form. Was it even boy like? Was it nothing more than an it? She wondered, watching his smoke-like body shift, disappearing and reappearing. Her dogs and birds reflected her confusion, sputtering, growling, pawing the ground. The wisp only stared. She stared back for some time before speaking.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "Don't you know how dangerous it can be all alone? Now that prey is running scarce, Abyss can be found anywhere." Her beasts felt her emotions as she did, and projected her lies, smirking and taunting the same way she was.

"No...you...are....Abyss." The wisp shuddered, and it's entire body seemed to shift. "You're going to...eat me..."

"So you picked up on my insincerity? I knew all Tenebra weren't stupid. Though you have shown lacking in judgement not moving along with the rest of us." Sie smiled, but it wasn't a victorious smile, or even a happy one, it was forced. Crooked. Out of place. Like some minuscule part of her knew this was wrong, but was overrode by the survival instinct that had so warped her body and mind. She dropped the smile instantly. "Yes, I am going to eat you."

______________


Sounds. But different, more...solid. Sie sent her dogs ten feet out to look around.

She was sitting under the tree trying to rest and let what she had eaten absorb fully into her system and create a new follower. Once digested, she would be ready to move on, to where the disturbance in the air called so loudly to her and other Tenebra. Next to her, little remained of the wisp except for light colored shreds on the ground, fading in and out. Her head resting on her knees and hair falling over her face, she didn't need the eyes of her core body to see. She could see just fine through the eyes of her dogs.

It was a small man, maybe a boy...an Elynian. A dawn. He had purple hair and an expression filled with many emotions, mostly negative, somewhat curious. He was investigating something.

Before she could stop herself, one of her dogs issued a low warning growl at the Elynian as he passed close by their location. She froze, hoping he did not hear.
 
Sharv sighed to himself, as he carefully observed the Elynians. Several times, they gestured to the glow on the horizon. As Sharv looked at it, he realized that it wasn't the sun, or some other celestial body, but instead a place, somewhere that had a bright glow if it could be seen from here. Sharv was by no means strong, but even he had to eat, so if they went there, he would have no choice but to follow. It worried him though that they were heading there, he wondered just what kind of place it was if it could give these people hope. Most likely dangerous for someone like him, but Sharv hoped he was over worrying. He wasn't.

So he waited, and waited, as the Elynian's talked amongst themselves. Most were skittish, and flinched whenever the wind gave life to some bush or tree branch, causing shadows to dance merrily across the courtyard. Soon though, fatigue overcame each of them slowly, and the talking subsided as they tried to rest, falling into light, turmoil-filled sleep. Sharv almost moved there, but the watch was about to change, and he had to stay his hand a bit longer, eyes locked on the Halo as she too succumbed to her weariness and slept. The watches exchanged brief talk, nothing of note having happened, before switching places, the former watchmen taking their turn to sleep while the others went to flinch at every movement for what seemed like eternity to them.

Sharv took his opportunity to strike, knowing it was now or never. It wasn't hard to sneak past the guards: sure, they guarded the 4 paths that led into the center courtyard, but for him it was easy to glide through the pre-existing shadows and cut into a corner between two guard, his smokey existence keeping him from being noticed. He crept past the other sleeping Elynians, his shadowy form sliding over some, causing them to shiver in their sleep, though he was not after them, their light he did not desire. No, hers, was all he came for. Sharv looked down at the peaceful face beneath him, and for a brief moment, hesitated. But the famine in him screamed out, and he rushed forward, his mass condensing around her as he began to draw her essence into him.

She awoke with a gasp, as she felt herself slowly dying as he pulled her light into him. Sharv uttered a low growl of ecstacy, his mind awash with bliss. However, as she came to terms with what was happening, she screamed. High pitched, a cry that echoed through the alleyways branching off from the plaza. One that struck fear into all nearby, Sharv included. All hands around him were awake and alert, and came to notice the dark figure over one of their own. Sharv was wrenched away from his pleasure, survival paramount to all else. He had had his fill, the girl passing out from his feeding. Sharv looked around and found himself quickly surrounded. He had to think fast, or his life would be forfeit to those around him.

(Sharv learns of his prey's plans to travel to Sol, and decides to strike that night when she's sleeping. He is successful, restoring his hunger, but is caught in the process, and is currently in a bad situation)
 
Cerily cowered at the sudden transformation in the stranger. He glowered at her and raised his pipe, making her raise her own weapon defensively, but she found herself running before either could use their weapons. I'm going to die, she thought as she ran. Her next thought was her "hiding place", the place she had come to recently call home. Her feet turned in that direction, but she didn't know exactly where she was; this exact area was unfamiliar to her. She continued running in the general direction of Ignis, hoping to find a familiar landmark or something. She burst out of the trees onto the edge of a property, one she didn't know. But a path led from it to Ignis, like all paths did, and so she slowed, walking along the path. She didn't want to stop moving in case the stranger found her or worse, a monster did, so she urged her burning legs to move, damn it. Eventually the path widened and intersected a familiar sight: the "road" from Sol to Ignis. Cerily smiled and decided to rest, feeling safer now that she was in more familiar surroundings.

Edited; (Yes, it's considerably shorter, but it makes much more sense. Sorry it took a while, I've been sick and classes just started up.)
 
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