Chapter 2: Into the Darkness

Name: Noir

Location: Eastern Gate

Aaron and I ran out of the dark filled store and back into the mall. The monsters in there were increasing in numbers and we would be quickly outnumbered in no time. "Noir, look up there!" I looked at Aaron, who was pointing frantically at something on the top floor, the third floor. "I saw something drop from up there, it should land at any second. I looked like a girl being chased… we should go check it out." I nodded in agreement and started for the escalator, but remembered that the weird fluid took it out earlier.

"Hey, we can't get all the way up there like this. We have to find an elevator or something before we lose our chance to get to her!"

Aaron nodded and he pointed to his wrist saying, "Look at this." He clicked the side of his index finger on his middle finger and a strange ping noise ringed in my head. "This is sonar, like in the old military games and movies." Aaron lifted his head and looked around. I looked around as well, but nothing appeared before me. "Try it and see what I see."

I flicked my fingers and a pulse went out from my position to those all around me. When I looked around this time I could see bright lights like auras around the monsters. I did it again and looked up to the top floor and saw two auras of the same color, but different from the monsters, in comparison, red to blue. "There! She's with someone else, top floor beside that store there."

Overwhelmed by joy that I now stand a chance in getting to her I rushed to the steps across the mall, Aaron slowly behind. I could hear him running heavily behind me, tired. "Take this set of stairs, here. It's faster."

I paused and turned to the steps, facing the open window ceiling with the image of a bloodcurdling red moon engulfing the sky. Aaron walked past me and up the steps. I'm not sure if he saw it or not, but it seems his attention was set on the goal. "Aaron, is this moon normal?"

He stopped at the top of the steps and scanned the area for enemies. His eyes were constantly moving for the sight of an enemy in which we can hide and avoid confrontation. "Well," he started, "I've only been here for an hour, it shouldn't be night in only a matter of seconds." His logic is clear and sensible but didn't fit the current situation. "C'mon, the enemy is starting to gather in that area. Now is our chance to get around safely."

"Right," I followed behind him along the second floor to a winding stairwell that was damaged and covered in the black liquid from before. "What is that stuff, is this what caused those things down there to come out?"

"Maybe, don't touch it," Aaron hopped over the ooze to the next step and continued upward. "I don't get it, why would this happen at a Gate."

"Gate?" I hopped over the ooze after Aaron and landed on the step, creaking as I straightened my form. "This mall is a Gate?"

"Yea, um, Gates are like the entrance ways for people to come into this world in one peace." A crumbling noise, faint but sharp, signaled for us to end our little chat short. I took another step, my foot went through the ground and I nearly went through but I managed to grab hold of a solid piece of what remained. The rest however dropped to the bottom floor and alerted all the monsters of where we were. I glanced down and saw the monsters gathering below. "Noir, hang on!" I looked over at Aaron and saw a dark figure walk up behind him. " I'm coming, j-just hang on!"

"No, there's someone behind you!"

The figure yanked Aaron back into the darkness in a chokehold. I could hear Aaron struggling as I tried to pull myself up, but when I got a hold of good ground, they were gone. I called out Aaron's name, but nothing answered. "Dammit, Aaron answer me!"

I ran up the remaining steps and sent out a pulse of my sonar, nothing could be seen around me. I tried again and again, but to no prevail. "Why isn't it working? It's sending out a pulse but not even Aaron or whatever took 'em are here…" My senses kicked in and I suddenly fell back, stumbling into the railing. The monsters from below were climbing up the walls like spiders, agile and fierce. I pulled out my pole from the PDI and got back up from the ground. They were surrounding me quickly, so I turned around and sprint toward the opposite side of the mall. The floor was loose and continued to crumble. I could barely walk straight and the madness was driving me insane. My two first encounter with people in this world lead to their deaths.

A piece of tile stuck up out the ground, out of my view, causing me to trip. I fell hard, scraping my leg. The monsters drew closer and closer. I could tell the same fate that befell Sarah and Aaron was going to happen to me, very soon. My pole had slipped out of my hand when I fell, too far from my reach. I grabbed at the air, each a missed attempt to obtain my pole. The monsters were only a few feet away. The growling of the monsters sent chills up my spine, but knowing that I'd die having done nothing to protect my friends makes my existence feel meaningless.

I reached out one last time at my pole; my fingers grazed the edge of the metal, only pushing it further from my grasp. The monsters seized my legs and jerked me toward them, my fingers rubbed and I could see a large red aura ahead of me. It was moving very rapidly at me. At a moments notice I could feel its footsteps pounding the ground, shaking the entire floor. I kicked the monsters holding my legs and rolled to the rail for support. The brute of the red aura slammed into the horde of monsters behind me. The rail rattles upon impact, sending me into a mild disillusionment, causing me to fall to the ground. The darkness began to affect my mind. I could barely see and my body was weak. I could feel that the brute had stopped and was holding still to the many monster underlings, which he viciously ripped apart.

My fingers rubbed again and I could see a faint aura. It approached me and knelt down in front of me. I could hear a voice, a male voice. It said, "looks like I got the spoils of this victory, kid. Catcha later, if you can last through the darkness of coarse." He stood up and let out a sigh. I managed to turn my head, but an immense pain shot up my neck and down my spine. "Too bad though, guess you weren't all pure of heart after all. You're just like me, kid. A no good crook, a criminal, a vile villain." He paced away to a darkened store with a flashing light flicking in the back. He stopped at the door and turned to me. "Come find me when you wanna join the winning side."

He stepped into the store and stood for moment. The light flickered and he disappeared. My vision was severely damaged and I could barely move. The brute walked up to me, covered in darkness. It stared into my eyes, snorted and reached its hand over my head, but stopped. I could hear yelling, not of fear, but of anger, countless voices approaching me from all directions. I heard a swift kick and the brute was sent flying into the store doors, crashing through them. "Take the boy and the girl to the infirmary for examination." The voice drew closer, "what is this thing? A boy?"

I could feel warmth touching my skin, like a hand. The owner, I could not see, had soft gentle hands. "I might be able to reverse this, but it's a risk that we don't need to take."

The footsteps drew closer and stopped in front of my face, kneeing in front of me. It was a young man, about elder 20s, who placed his blade in front of my eyes. "Well, if he wants to live, he'd best hope that the darkness doesn't cling to his heart. Or else I'd happily end him… slowly."

Disclaimer: (Sorry I forgot it for the first chapter but here it is now) All rights are reserved to their rightful owners. I do not own characters (intentionally or unintentionally) from the anime or manga of the two anime I based this off of. This is meant to be an original story and not draw toward the story of either anime, so sorry if it was a letdown for those who sought a cross-over of character, I only crossed the concepts.