The streets of Swanford are meant to be peaceful at night. The world is meant to be sleep and children are meant to be dreaming about fantasy adventures. This is not the case.

The streets smell of filth from over flooding rubbish bins. The homeless sleep on the streets defenceless to the prowling eyes of night. Then some people see the cover of the night as a reason to cause atrocities. Of course, then there are the vampires, the werewolves, the mages and monsters from every book, religion or paperback romance would have you believe in. Then there is the Darkness.

The city of Swanford at night is a mess. The city of Swanford is a mess. The world is a mess.

But it can be fixed.

A young girl wearied a red nobles dress left the Warden Homeless Shelter. She whippingclutched her heart, the struggle these people went through, the hungry, the loneliness. The girl knew she had to fix this; plans for charity events flooded her mind. Ways to get her school involved in caring about people on the streets but she filed these thoughts away.

She was on a mission. To many the red dress with white highlights and gold trim was impractical but it really wasn't. It gave an air of authority about her like a princess. In fact, she was a Princess. Rose Tower, a Princess, a Grace of Court of Hearts. She was here to find the Dark-Spawn which had been plaguing the homeless community. She wasn't a fighter, but someone had to protect the city, she just wished someone else to help her.

The brief thought of going home and resting before school crossed her mind. Briefly, her tired eyes closed, and a yawn came from her lips. She snapped awake at a pain in her heart of the thought of leaving these people. She lifted her head and moved forward. Another night of patrolling, another night of the Dark-spawn escaping her grip.

"GOAL!" Shouted Emily Baron as football landed in the back of the net.

The pitch was cold in the early morning of September. All the girls had decided to wear their thick jerseys, aside for Charlie she had chosen to wear the standard white shirt. Despite the biting cold of the morning, Emily had worked up a sweat. Wiping her brow, she took a few long breaths.

"Miss Baron, why didn't you pass the ball?" Asked Ms Marrow. She was a tall woman who was never seen outside of her sportswear. That would be normal, but the rumours said her body is covered in scars.

"Sorry Ms, I saw my chance," Emily replied.

"Be a better team player, Miss Baron, if you want to be in school house tournament."

"I'm sorry Ms, I will." Emily looked down at her feet. She could feel her teacher's disappointment, an aura radiated from Ms Marrow. A black shadow loomed over her.

"Alright go to get changed. Tutor room is in half an hour." Said Ms Marrow weaved away from the team.

The girls ranging from eleven to sixteen fall into small groups. Chatting away about life, homework and how tired they are. Caitlin Atkins started to take off her goalie gloves as she came up to Emily who was still staring at her feet. Caitlin brushed her brown hair out of her eyes. Her warm fingers felt burned against her forehead.

"You ok Em?" Caitlin asked.

Emily's head whipped to look at Caitlin. Almost tripping over her own feet.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for making you worried," Emily replied.

"It's ok, don't worry about it."

"Yeah but I'm still sorry Cat."

"You've been saying sorry a lot lately."

"Have I? I'm sorry. We should go get changed?"

"Yeah, just tell me if you want to talk."

Emily gave a nod and smiled.

"I will Cat. I will."

The two girls made their way through the school. Students who were here early saw the paraded of the girls' football team going to the changing room. The old stone school building was adorned gargoyles looming over the students. Above the eroded guardian were clear glass floors with the new science and maths rooms. Taking the budget and leaving the rest to rot.

Inside the changing room, the creaking of the loose wooden floors boards was covered by the loud talking of girls. It was humid and almost defining, only talking people right next to you as possible. Pulling off her jersey off Emily allowed her body to cool. She looked over at Caitlin. She felt her heart hurt at the thought about her friend worrying about her.

"You're not staring at my boobs, are you?" Caitlin asked with a smirk across her face.

"What? No, I wasn't starting, I was just thinking."

"Yeah of course you were."

They meet each other's eyes and started to laugh. The pain in Emily's heart stopped at seeing her friend smile. It died down and the girls carried on changing. Slipping on a blouse which showed the houses. Wands, Pentacles, Cups and Swords. Caitlin was in Cups and around her heart on the blouse a yellow cup was embroidered. Emily was in swords and above her heart was a red sword. The two friends slipped on a friendship bracelet tucking it in under their sleeves. The bracelet had been fixed, changed and added to over the many years the girls had known each other.

The girls slowly filtered out of the changing rooms. Heading towards their tutor rooms. Emily and Caitlin said their goodbyes and about how they were going to see each other later.

Going down the hallways of Oak Vain Secondary School Emily could hear her footsteps echoing behind her. The clacking of her black school shoes against worn wooden floors became a hypnotic rhythm as she fixed her skirt.

A dull pain thought her nose was the first thing that told Emily she had walked into someone. The taste of hair was second. Stumbling backwards Emily saw Christine Williams, the queen of year nine. She looked at Emily. It was clear that she was aiming to become a prefect, even without any power within the school she always seemed to get events planned. Despite her perfect uniform, her elegant long hair there was tiredness within her eyes. Exhaustion of many late nights. Emily started into Christine's face, into her hazel eyes. A few seconds passed in silence past between the two girls. Christine blinked the exhaustion from her eyes.

"Emily Baron, I'm sorry for not looking where I was going," Christine said putting a smile across her face.

"I'm sorry I'm just running late for tutor," Emily said.

"Actually, I was heading to year nine tutors. Is it ok if I walk with you?"

"Sure. Did you get enough sleep?"

"Excuses me?"

"You seem tired Christine. Is everything ok?"

"Yes, sorry for making you worry. So, this way to your tutor." Christine pointed behind her.

Emily gave a nod and the two girls made there a way to the class. They came to a blue wooden door. The paint was chipping off and glass was dirty, barely being able to see in the classroom. Christine reached down and through the door open.

She walked in, the sound of her footsteps drawing everyone towards her. Mr Barnett stood with a slouch as Christine took his places at the front of the classroom. She turned to Emily and waved her into the classroom.

Emily walked in and took a seat at one the desks. The person next didn't seem to care. He seemed angry; a black shadow hung around him. Emily couldn't see the boy's eyes under the emo fringes he had.

"You ok?" Emily asked.

The boy didn't say anything back but turned away from her. She could feel some of the darkness slip from the boy's shoulders. Clap came from the front of the class; everyone was drawn towards Christine. She had a smile which was aimed at everyone individual.

"I promise I won't waste your time." Christine started. "I am running some voluntary work at the Warden Homeless Shelter. This will get you out of all lessons after the first break. If you want to help with this come to the front gates during the first break."

The class stayed quiet. No one talked but despite the promise of getting out of lessons no one seemed to care. Christine was on the balls of her feet as she scanned the crowds of faces. No one looked at her.

Emily's eyes meet Christine's again. Emily felt her eyes water while looking at Christine. Why did no one care like Christine did? Why did she feel like she about to cry while looking at her? All Emily could manage to keep tears flowing down her face was to smile.

Christine smiled backed and finished looking around the class. She gave a sigh and turned to Mr Barnett. He looked at some piece of paper with eyes which looked too much like a fish.

"You done Christine?" He said.

Christine nodded. "Thank you, Mr Barnett. Remember front gates, first break."

Standing in the burning white of the new third floor of the school. Emily and Caitlin both allowed themselves to slide down the wall as they waited for science class. The floor to ceiling windows which overlooked the front of the school let in rays of the morning sun.

"Did you hear the thing about Mr Whitehead?" Asked Caitlin looking toward her friend's sombre face.

"No, what happened?" Emily replied her voice being lost in thought.

"Well, it's just a rumour really. But I heard when he plugged his computer to show the class something and there was some fucked up porn on it."

"Cat?"

"Yeah Em?"

"Are you going to go to do the homeless thing?"

"Christine's thing? I don't know. Didn't think about it."

"I want to go do it. Want to come along?"

"Yeah sure. Everything ok?"

"Yeah, sorry for worrying you. My moods have been off all day."

"If you need to talk about it, I'm here."

"I know Cat. Thank you."

The two friends remained in silence as they watched the shadows grow longer. A few seconds past, the chatting of other students passing around them. Emily sighed, smiled and stood up straight.

"Want to come over after school and watch Sukeban movies after school?" Emily asked.

"Sure thing, want to me pick up a pizza?"

"Yeah, that'd be cool."

The bell rang out through the school. An order to head to your lessons. The classes seemed to drag, the teachers would come in greyed faced and dead eyes. Each saying to turn whatever page the school systems said the students needed to learn. Emily felt like she was staring at the classroom clock or her phone under her desk more than her work. The two classes before the first break crawled by. When the bell went off for the first break. Emily spirited through the school towards the front gate.

Christine smiled at seeing Emily. They said their hellos and waited for more people. Caitlin was the only one which showed up after that. The bell for the fourth period rang like a ghost wail through the school. With a sigh, Christine leads the girls towards the Warden Homeless Shelter.

"This is all you got from school?" Asked a lady who looked in like her mid-twenties.

They stood in a room which looked much like the cafeteria from school. Long plastic tables and chairs with a light blue floor and walls. The artificial light overhead showed every scrap and bump within the plastic and floor. One thing was not like the school was posters to different charities about helping homeless people. Most of them looked worn and old.

"Yes, but Emily and Caitlin are both from the football team so they're both strong," Christine said wrapping her arms around both the girls.

"I guess that's ok then. Ok girls my names Hannah Hunt. Nice to meet you." The women said walking up to the three and shook their hands. "I've been running this place for five years so let me be the first to say thank you for helping us out here. Christine, you've been around here before so why you don't show these girls the ropes."

"I would love to Hannah." Christine replied, "Which of you are better at cooking?"

"Which is the hardest job?" Emily asked.

"Well moving the boxes of food in and out is the hardest," Hannah said looking down at the short girl. "How tall are you?"

"I'm five one." Emily crossed her arms

"She's small but tough." Caitlin started. "She's like hardtack or a badger."

"Ok, why don't you two girls go get the bring the food from the alleyway into the kitchen," Hannah suggested.

"Sure thing," Emily said, smiling.

Emily and Caitlin went over to the back of the building. Both taking a red two-wheeled trolley. They got to the job of bringing boxes of Young and Smith's food from the dark alleyway into the back of the kitchen. Which was like the rest of the building with light blue tiles. Emily and Caitlin could hear the pots, pans and bubbling of Hannah and Christine cooking. The day carried on the friends talking casually as they worked.

"You Ok Emily?" Caitlin said as they slide the last of boxes on her trolley.

Emily leaned over her trolley; looking at Caitlin. Watching her work. Her gut twisted and guilt crawls up her spine. The inside of her head screamed at her.

"I-I am sorry Caitlin for making you worry. You shouldn't have to worry about me."

"But I do. You're my best friend."

"Thank you, Cat. I'm sorry for making you worried."

"So, what's wrong?"

"Hun…gry…" A raspy voice broke into the conversation.

Within the darkened mouth of the alleyway stood what looked like a human. It had hair and wore clothes, but something was off about how it walked. It was like a puppet of strings. Stumbling, clumsy and too fast.

Both girls' minds went numb at seeing it.

The thing moved into the sun showing its fingers which looked like old gnarled roots. The thing's nails were stained red almost black. It had pale white skin which showed dark black veins under the surface. The figure opened its mouth which hung loss like they had a broken jaw. Rows of yellow, broken teeth like a chainsaw made from a smoker's mouth.

"Fo…od." The thing cried.

Emily felt the blood pump in her temples. Her heart felt like it was about to burst. Emily mind told to her to run. Run from whatever that thing was. It was human but clearly not. But she couldn't, not when Caitlin was still here.

"Caitlin go get help!" Emily shouted.

"I can't leave you here." Caitlin sobbed. The confusion in her voice struck at Emily's mind.

The thing was now two arm lengths away. Soon it would be able to attack. She needed Caitlin out here now.

"Caitlin go! I promise I will be ok." Emily shouted kicking the boxes off her own trolley and lifting in between her and thing.

Caitlin looked, Emily. Taking in her words she managed to move her legs. Even though they were still numb she ran into the homeless shelter. She felt a nagging in the back of her head. She closed her eyes as she falls on to the kitchen counter. "Please let me trust you," Caitlin muttered.

Emily felt her hands shaking. Her feet unbalanced and the trolley heavy within her hands. She tried looking at the thing in the eyes but saw nothing. Emily's mind screamed at her. Protect Caitlin! Protect everyone!

With a tightened grip on the trolley, Emily swung at the thing.

A sharp pain exploded through her gut. Looking down Emily saw her uniform slowly being stained red. She suddenly felt out of breath. The trolley fell to the ground with a clank. The thing's claws were buried deep within her stomach.

The thing started to move its hand through her gut. Pain ran through Emily's body. Her mind felt like static. Her legs failed. The thing ripped through her abdomen spraying the walls of the alleyway with blood.

Emily fell to the floor. Her hands landing in front of her. Her friendship bracelet was stained in blood.

"How dare you make me a liar?" Emily wheezed out.

She scrapped her hands against the concrete. Using the last of her strength to prompt herself by her hands. Her arms shook but she kept herself up.

"You won't hunt them…I-I will stop you!" Emily shouted, using all the air within her lungs.

The thing seemed to stumble back a little. Its black eyes stared at Emily. Its loose jaw hung like a mockery of surprise. It tripped over its own feet as a new light source found its way into the alleyway.

Emily looked at the light. Her hands. Her friendship bracelet was glowing like fire. She felt the warmth washed over her body. The feeling of strength returned to limbs. The pain disappeared. Her heart beat with confidence. Emily looked at the thing in its black eyes.

"I will not allow you to hurt Caitlin!" Roared Emily with all her heart.

The glowing fire covered Emily whole. The light bathed the alleyway causing the thing to hiss and scream. Emily could hear a crackling hearth. A voice came through the fire, a voice which was like a passionate flame.

"Welcome back Champion of the Court of Swords. Welcome back Blazing Sun."