The girls screamed and I will admit, I screamed along with them.

Once we took a moment to breath, we had the chance to hear someone laughing.

"Ha," Raquel gasped for breath, "Liz, I gotta say, you got us good this year."

"Raquel, I didn't do this," Elizabeta proclaimed.

Everyone was silent as I blinked to adjust my eyes to the darkness. The girls were accounted for, Kim and Mei stood at attention as Erika and Victoria held each other. Irunya was crying as Natalia comforted her and Bella was leaning against a wall, wrapping her arms around herself. I glanced to Elizabeta as she walked over to the light switch; she flicked it once, twice; nothing.

She sighed, "The fuse box must have short-circuited." She walked over to a hallway table and pulled out four flashlights. "Amy, you're with me, everyone wait here."

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Outside, that's where the fuse box is," she answered as she passed flashlights around.

"That's a bad idea," I proclaimed, "have you not seen horror movies?"

"Amy, this is real life not a movie, we'll be fine."

"Besides she's just screwing with us," Raquel added.

"I'm not-" she rolled her eyes, "whatever, come on." Elizabeta gestured for me to walk out the door. I purposely took my time to put on my sneakers, hesitating to follow her. When she noticed, she shook her head and pulled me along by the arm.

It was a cool, moonlit night. Owls were hooting, crickets were chirping and the leaves were wrestling. I was jumping and yelping at ever sound, "what was that?!" I asked turning my head from the left to the right.

"That was a stick, you stepped on it," Elizabeta said as she pointed the flashlight at my feet.

I looked down to find a twig under my sneaker, "Oh." I flushed, embarrassed, "hehehe."

She walked on and I followed, not being able to shake the feeling that someone was watching us. We rounded the manor to the left side to where the gray fuse box was. The older girl lifted the light to the box to find it completely wrecked.

"What the hell?" Elizabeta cursed as she ran a hand over the box. Three deep gashes had dug into the metal and wires. Some electrical currents sparked and hissed and the cover of the box was twisted off. Literally, it was lying on the ground in the form of a bow tie.

"It looks like something clawed into it," I remarked.

At that moment a flock of birds screeched and scattered in the wind. We spun around as Elizabeta flashed the light into the trees and to the ground. The air suddenly stiffens and the animal life grew eerily silent.

"We should go back into the house," I proclaimed.

"It's alright; it must've been a cat."

A ghostly sigh echoed and I flinched, "did you hear that?"

She groaned, "Can you stop!" She waved the light around, "There's nothing out here!"

I followed the light and I yelped when a flash of figure appeared and disappeared in a blink of an eye. "Go back!" I exclaimed, "To the tree!" I snatched the flashlight from her and guided the light back to the tree, the figure was gone.

She sighed, "You're as bad as your father, let's go," she headed back to the front door.

That hit a nerve. I grumbled a string of curses as I followed behind her, but the feeling of someone watching would not go away. My gut told me to keep walking but I ignored it and turned around. I pointed the light to a tree that was about ten feet away. A freakishly tall man, dressed in a black suit stood next to that tree. I narrowed my eyes, he looked oddly familiar.

The man lifted his head and I froze. He had no face.

My heart sunk into my stomach as I grabbed Elizabeta's hand and made a mad dash back to the house. I shoved her in and locked the front door. I was gasping, trying to wrap my head around the idea that my pre-teen nightmare had come to life.

The girls came running with their lights flashing, "What's wrong?" Erika asked.

"I don't know," Elizabeta said, irritated. "America got scared and dragged me back in."

"I got scared for a reason! I saw Slender man!" I exclaimed.

The nations gave me confused looks, "who?" Natalia asked.

My eyes widened, "You don't know who Slender man is?! Have you been living under a rock?!"

"No," she said through gritted teeth, "but I would prefer it that you wouldn't shout in my face."

"Okay, settle down," Elizabeta stepped between us and looked at me, "Amy I didn't see anything."

"Of course you didn't see anything," I exclaimed. "But it explains everything, the birds flying away, the insects going quiet and the fuse box being torn apart! Slender man's behind it all-"

Elizabeta slapped me and I cursed, "what the fuck was that for?!"

"To slap some sense into you," she exclaimed.

"But-" then the memory of Nina came rolling back; how some spirits love to scare humans. I released a short laugh and stomped back outside. "Ha! Kai, you got us! You got us good old man!"

"Amy, get back inside!"

"No!" I shouted. "Show yourself Kai!"

"Wasn't that the spirit that told us to run," Mei proclaimed.

I snorted, "Don't bother. He's just screwing with us!"

The air chilled and I glanced to my left to find Slender man. I mentally pushed aside the fear and remembered that it was just Kai. "You're still using that bit!"

The nations were leaning against the door, each of them staring in a mix of horror and wonder. "What is that?" Kim asked.

I rolled my eyes, "it's Slender man, but relax it's a guy in a costume." I figured that it would be too confusing to explain that spirits are shape shifters. "You better drop your act old man. It ain't funny no more!"

"Amy, get back in the house!" Elizabeta exclaimed.

Raquel laughed, "Liz you really went all out this year. Who's that? Germany? Prussia?"

"Raquel, do me a favor, shut up!"

I ignored them and stepped towards the internet mythical creature. "Seriously Kai, enough already." The faceless creature tilted his head and reached for me with his long, boney fingers. He had no mouth but yet there was a voice, it was unisex and it sounded like hundreds of voices were speaking at once.

"Iya is waiting," he proclaimed as he wrapped his hand around my neck and lifted me up into the air.

Some of the girls screamed as Elizabeta and Natalia came running. Elizabeta kicked this creature in the gut as Natalia pulled a knife and sliced his arm off. He screeched in a series of pained hisses as I fell to the ground, his discarded hand evaporating into dark smoke. The creature held its wounded arm as black vapor leaked out slowly.

I knitted my brows in confusion, when spirits are attacked they heal instantly by regenerating. Nothing about black smoke was ever part of the equation. "What the-" I murmured as Elizabeta forced me to my feet and shoved be back into the manor.

"Whatever that thing is we can all agree it isn't human," Elizabeta proclaimed as she locked the door.

"America," Natalia said as I turned to face her. She smacked me, "what were you thinking?! You could have gotten yourself killed!"

I rubbed my wounded cheek, "I thought it was just a prank," I mumbled.

"By who? This Kai person? By the way, who is he? Is he another one of your friends?"

The way she said the word, I figured she meant did Kai know about us. "Somewhat," I sighed, "My grandfather left me a journal and he mention someone named Kai Two Crow. But he died over sixty years ago."

"So is he the one haunting us?" Bella asked.

"He's the one that warned us," Mei remarked.

"Oh stop!" Raquel exclaimed, "This is all a joke. I give you props Liz, but don't you think this is enough? I mean look at Erika, she's about to cry."

We all glanced to Erika and she seemed fine, frightened but fine. The small blond girl narrowed her eyes at Raquel, "I'm not crying."

"I did say 'about to'."

"Brazil," Elizabeta hissed, "For the last time, I didn't plan this!"

Raquel rolled her eyes and spun to face the darkness of the main hallway. She grew silent as she focused, "Hey, Bell can you point the flashlight here."

Bella did what she asked and once the light hit the hall, Slender man was there. Everyone jumped as Raquel cursed, "Shit!" She smashed the vodka bottle she was holding against the wall and wielded the sharp, broken bottle at the faceless creature. "Get out of here you freak!"

When Slender man didn't respond, Brazil strutted forward and knifed him in the chest. Slender man moaned as black smoke leaked and circled around him. This black smoke quickly formed and hardened into tentacles. They wrapped themselves around Raquel and hauled her out the front window. Glass shattered as her body crashed through it and fell into the yard.

Elizabeta was the first to react, "Scatter!"

The nations ran in different directions; Kim, Erika and Victoria headed into the living room. Natalia and Irunya made a break for the front door as Bella, Mei and Elizabeta rounded into the kitchen. I was alone as I sprinted upstairs and of course Slender man followed me.

I leaped into my bedroom and locked the door. I frantically searched through the room, looking for anything to defend myself with. I found my phone and discovered it had no signal, for all the times T-Mobile had to fail, this was definitely not it.

That's when I heard something tapping at my window; I looked up to find a black bird. I ignored it and continued to search but that bird would not stop.

"Shut up," I threw a shoe at it.

The bird cried, "Amy, let me in!"

My jaw dropped; mostly to the thought of a talking bird, which I had to mentally slap myself right after. I've met talking animals before, this was nothing new, but what made me stare at the bird was that I knew that voice. I walked over, slowly, "Kai?"

"Yes, now let me in!"

I slid open the window as the bird flew in. He circled around the room and in a blink of an eye; he took his human form as he landed to the floor. He brushed off some dirt that was on his shirt, "thank you, those things were right on my tail."

So many questions spun in my head, but I was able to keep the number low. "What are the spirits doing?! Why have they taken the form of Slender man?! And why are they coming to get us?!"

"Those things are not spirits."

I froze as the realization hits me, "then Slender man is real?!"

"No," Kai sighed. "Amy, Slender man is not a new idea. The concept of a faceless creature is as old as time itself. The Duenne from the Trinidad, the Chi lobos from Mexico, the Noppera-bō from Japan, and the Allu from the Sumerians; all are different in shape and size but they have no face. Then there's Skuld, one of the Norse fates, she represents the future and has no face. Then there is Leinth, the faceless goddess of death in Etruscan mythology. Tell me, throughout all these years and throughout all these countries, why would a faceless creature myth be made into each culture?"

I remembered what Grandpa always said, "Because all myths are born from truth."

He smiled, "I told that to your grandfather, he taught you well." Then his smile disappeared replaced with a serious expression. "Do you know of the vapors?"

"Yeah, they're dark, evil spirits that survive on hate and anger, right?"

He sighed again, "There is more to them. It is true; they thrive on hate, anger, fear, everything that is negative about humanity. But a vapor is born in two ways. When there is chaos in the world and there always is, they can use that energy to multiply, to split themselves in two, over and over again. The second way is when a human soul is beyond saving, when they choose to hate and hurt people. They are tempted by the Abyss and are led into the darkness, where the vapors are waiting to devour them." His eyes grew sad, as if taking a moment of silence for the lost souls. "From those pieces of discarded souls, they lose their light and become vapors themselves."

I nodded, "okay so there is a hell, good to know, but that doesn't answer the most important question. What the fuck is behind that door?!" I exclaimed as we took a moment to hear something moan as it scratched at the door.

Then the faceless creature sank his fingers into the wood like claws and tore the door apart. I cursed as Kai took the form of the black bird and flew at his head. He pecked at him as the creature swung its long arms at Kai. I grabbed the chair from the work desk, kicked off a leg and used it as a bat.

"Kai move!" I swung as he flew away and I smacked Slender man upside his head. "Batter up bitch!" I swung again, landing a hit under his chin. He fell back and I exclaimed, "Is that the best you got!"

Kai, still in his bird form, soared to land on the headboard of my bed, "Amy, don't underestimate them, this is the vapors' most powerful form. In their weakest stage, they can only survive on the earth plane when there is enough negative energy and even with that they can only tempt a person into evil, whispering in their ears, promising them their deepest desires."

"I guess Christianity is on the right track there when they say the devil is on your shoulder."

Slender man stretched his arm and sank his fingers into my shoulder. With a simple flick of his wrist, he tossed me into the desk. The wood snapped and collapsed into pieces. I groaned as I moved myself on my side, "fuck," I cursed. Slender man crept forward and Kai flew with his talons out, slashing and pecking at him rapidly. I ignored the stinging pain in my back and pushed myself to my feet.

Kai screeched, "Out the window!"

I nodded as I grabbed a table leg and climbed out the window. Unfortunately, I quickly discovered that the manor only had a slim rim separating the first and second floors. I lost my only weapon as I had to use both hands to grip the window frame.

Kai followed me, "jump for the attic!"

I leaped for the roof of the third floor but missed. I tripped over the rim and fell back. I protected my head as I crashed to the ground. Pain surged through my hip and ribs, "Ow," I cried in a soft voice as Kai landed beside, "are you okay?"

"Do I look okay to you old man," I hissed.

He didn't have time to say anything else as Slender man crawled out of the window with his legs on backwards and his arms crouched forward. It found us by tilting his head in a full 180.

I scrambled back, "okay, that thing ain't Slender man." I grabbed the wooden leg and held it front of me.

Kai nodded, "in their second stage, when there's more than enough negative energy for them, like having a power source or opening a door into the Abyss," he narrowed his dark bird eyes at me.

"Why are you looking at me for?"

"The Ouija board doesn't just open a door into the Spirit World it also opens a door into the Abyss. Didn't anyone warn you about those things? Ouija boards are dangerous if you don't know how to use them," he lectured.

"I get it old man I screwed up. But again, what does any of this have to do with that?!" I pointed to the faceless, suit-wearing, spider-man wannabe.

"Knowledge is power," he proclaimed. "In times of war, there is enough hate and despair for them to come together and create a human form so everyone can see them. But what gives them away is that they have no face, no identity, no soul. They want what you all have."

My eyes widened, "A soul."

The creature leaped for me and I rolled away, jumping to my feet. It hissed at me as he twisted his mid-section around to a line with his legs. It moved like it had no bones, bending himself back into place.

I slammed the leg into its skull again, sending his head completely backwards. I watched in horror as he twisted his head back into place, "this thing's a demon!"

Kai soared onto the branch above me. "Well I guess you can call them demons, but we call them nunasishs."

I dodged as the demon moved to grab me. "And what does that mean?"

"It means a misshapen dark spirit."

I snapped and beat the nunasish in the head, crushing its skull and leaving it twitching on the ground. "So they are spirits!"

He tilted his head, "Not entirely-"

I threw the table leg at him, "you crazy old man! Why the hell didn't you say all this sooner?! Instead of showing off how much you know everything and that you can turn into a stupid crow!"

"I'm a raven," he remarked.

"Does it look like I care?!"

He snapped his head up, "Amy behind you!"

Before I could prepare myself for a behind attack from the nunasish, a black BMW zoomed pass me and crashed the faceless demon into a far off tree. The vehicle's hood had wrapped itself around the tree, pinning the demon against the bark. The wind shield was shattered, the air bag was activated and the engine spat out smoke as it died. A tan skinned woman kicked open the driver's door. That same door fell off its hedges with a thud as Raquel climbed out and leaned against the destroyed car.

"That is what you get for throwing me out the window and ruining my favorite night gown," she gestured to her pj's that were covered in rips and tears. She lifted her hand to her mouth and took a long drag from her cigarette.

I recognized the car; it was the BMW that we were borrowing from Gilbert. "How did you-"

She turned to me, "I hot-wired the car, found a pack of cigarettes in the glove department and decided to show this faceless bastard how we drive in Brazil."

"But that's not even our car!" I exclaimed.

"Relax, I'll pay for the damages, but more importantly, did I kill it?" she inhaled her cigarette again.

I shook my head as I walked to the front of the car. The nunasish was slammed by its side, restrained against the tree and impaled by the bumper. Its long spider limbs were limp and its upper body was spread over the hood.

"I think you did-"

The nunasish's hand twitched and started to move. "What the hell is this thing?!" Raquel glared at it.

"It's gonna be a pissed off demon if we don't get out of here!" I exclaimed. We headed straight to the manor but I missed the front door as something wrapped around my ankle and rammed me against the front step. I spat out blood as I was dragged back to the nunasish.

I dug my nails into the dirt, kicking at the black tentacle with my free foot. Raquel grabbed my forearms and I became the rope in their tug-a-war struggle. Unfortunately, Raquel was losing.

"Do something," she hissed.

"I'm kicking as hard as I can, dammit!"

We dropped to the ground as the tentacle around my leg disappeared. I looked back to find Natalia with a dagger in hand. The nunasish hissed as the wounded black tentacle sank back into its body. It then began to twist and dig its way out between the BMW and the tree.

Irunya came out of nowhere and in one swift move, stabbed the demon with a pitch fork. Raquel and I stared as the nunasish convulsed and cracks began to spread throughout its body. Bright yellow light peeked out through those cracks, causing the demon to scream in agony. Its blank face actually creating an expression; its gray skin stretched giving it a nose as three black holes formed where the mouth and eye sockets would be.

The bright fractures and splits covered the nunasish's body and like a vase, it shattered. The pieces disappearing into smoke.

"Irunya!" I tackled her into a hug, "You're amazing!"

She scratched herself behind her head, "thank you," she said nervously.

"I don't get it," said Raquel, "I crashed a car into it but it was killed with a pitch fork?"

"It seems its weakness is metal," Natalia proclaimed as she caressed the dagger in her hand.

I nodded, "okay, but where did you get the pitch fork?"

"From your next door neighbor's shed," Irunya smiled.

"Raquel committed grand thief auto and you broke into a shed and stole a gardening tool. We're certainly building up a record."

Raquel snickered, "she thinks that's a record," she inhaled her cigarette.

I ignored her, "So their weakness is metal," I clapped my hands together. "Let's gather the girls, give them some knifes and pray we live to see the sunrise."

"Their weakness is not metal," Kai called out as he flew to land on my shoulder. "Their weakness is your aura."

"Are you the spirit that had warned us?" Natalia asked the bird, unfazed that it had spoken.

"Yes, and I'm sorry I could not have warn you sooner."

"No need good spirit," Irunya added, "we should've taken your warning more seriously."

Raquel said nothing as she pulled the cigarette pack from the middle of her boobs and took out another fig. She burned out the last one and lit the new one with a lighter, also from her cleavage.

"Aren't any of you fazed that this animal is talking?" I wondered.

"America we are very old, we have seen many things." Natalia proclaimed as she glanced to Kai, "he is old magick."

Kai nodded to her as Raquel continued, "So, what is this aura you speak of? Is it like life energy?"

"Yes, Aura is your life essence that leaks from your soul and spreads over your bodies."

"Wait a minute," I interrupted, "isn't that what they want? Our souls?"

"Yes, but think of your soul as a blow fish, if prepared right, it is delicious but when eaten without being properly cut, it is poisonous. The only way a nunasish can eat your soul is when they drain it from your mouth or eyes." He continued, "The only way to destroy a nunasish is to stab it with your aura."

"How do we do that?" I asked.

"You already did it," he gestured to the Natalia and Irunya. "Why do you think humans have believed for centuries that the only way to kill a dragon or a monster is with swords, stacks or silver? What humans don't understand is that weapons become an extension of one's self. When you bond with a weapon your aura expands over the blade."

Natalia nodded in understanding, "so the metal of the weapon does not matter as long as we can stab it through."

"Precisely," Kai nodded.

Screams and gunshots echoed as bright lights flashed from the manor's windows. The three older girls took off and I followed behind as Kai flew above. Raquel kicked open the door and found Erika, Victoria and Kim cornered by another faceless demon. It was dressed the same way as the last, as Slender man.

"I'm guessing these things are not that creative." I remarked.

"Creativity comes from the soul," Kai answered me; "they have none."

Kim used a coat rack to flip herself up and spun kicked the demon across the face. She landed with ease, crossed the coat rack between her arms and smacked it over the head. The nunasish collapsed as Kim continued to beat it and didn't stop till the head was reduced to puddle of black ooze.

Kim panted as she stepped back, "you think that did it?"

Victoria's eyes widened, "His head's growing back! Erika, shoot him!"

Erika aimed her pistol but Natalia jumped in and stabbed a knife into the back of the demon. It died just as the last, breaking into tiny pieces like fragile glass.

Everyone was quiet for a minute till Kim proclaimed, "Erika shot three bullets at him and I crushed his skull but the only way to kill him is to stab him with a little dagger."

"It's because people bond with guns not the bullets and crushing them is useless," Kai answered.

"Wish we knew that before Raquel totaled the car," I mumbled.

"Oh merda, I said I will pay for it," Brazil hissed.

"Enough with your petty quarreling," Natalia exclaimed. "What I would like to know if that was the last of them."

A loud crash came from the kitchen and I just had to say, "I believe that answers your question."

She ignored me as we chased after her into the kitchen. Three nunasishs had surrounded Bella, Mei and Elizabeta, all three nations were wielding skillets and large knifes. The faceless demons leaped at them and the girls didn't even bat an eye. Bella bent low and stabbed a nunasish in the gut as Mei high kicked her demon to the floor and knifed him in the chest. Elizabeta smacked her's over with a skillet and stabbed it in the neck.

All three demons screeched in sync as they broke and shattered into pieces.

During the brief moment of silence I looked to each girl. Their clothes were ripped, their hair was knotted and they were covered in dried blood.

"Is it over?" Bella sighed, exhausted.

"Far from it," Kai proclaimed, "the only way to end this is to close the gate."

"What gate?" I asked.

"The Ouija board, also known as the door or the gate others would call them," he said sarcastically.

"Don't be smart," I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Amy, you do realize that bird is talking right?" Victoria asked.

"Thank you, at least somebody is questioning this," I pointed to the raven on my shoulder.

Elizabeta hurried into the living room, "Fuck!"

"What is it?!" Bella exclaimed as we ran into the room.

"The Ouija board is gone," she sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Seriously?!" Victoria whined, "Where would it go?"

"It's a magickal board that opens the door to the Spirit World. It does whatever the fuck it wants," Raquel pointed out.

"Like release faceless, soul eating demons," Natalia remarked.

"And give us the aid of a talking bird," Kim added.

"I'm a raven," Kai proclaimed.

"So why wouldn't it want to play hide and seek with us," Mei shrugged.

"Okay, before we do anything else, we need weapons," said Elizabeta.

"Why," I said sarcastically, "we seem to be doing fine with skillets and knives."

"Are you done," her eye twitched in irritation.

"Yes I am," I smiled.

Elizabeta led the way to the third floor, by walking into a spare room on the right side of the second floor. There was a doorway with a flat of stairs that led to the attic. It was filled with typical junk you would find at any garage sale. Old bicycles, a vintage type writer, worn out trunks and a wooden rocking horse; there were even photo albums scattered everywhere. I opened one to find Gilbert holding up a small blond haired boy, it was an old black and white photograph and they seemed to be wearing clothes from a Jane Austen novel.

"That's Mr. Germany when he was child," Erika said over my shoulder.

I jumped a little, "Holy crap, don't scare me like that," I whispered harshly.

"Found it!" Elizabeta exclaimed as she opened a massive black trunk. We walked over and my eyes popped out of their sockets as Elizabeta pulled out swords, knives, bows and arrows.

I blinked, "What the heck is this? The Lord of the Rings?"

"Not your everyday skillets and kitchen knives," Elizabeta smirked and held up a sword with a very sharp point. It had a basket handle, almost like a fencing blade. "Victoria, are you any good at fencing?"

She gave a prideful smile, "I've beaten Britain and France; they were no match to my skills."

"Then you get the rapier," Elizabeta handed the blade over and turned to Kim and Mei. "Are you two familiar with short swords?"

Mei nodded, "It's like the wakizashi."

"The waki-what?" I questioned.

"It's the Japanese version of a short sword," Kim answered. "Think of it as a smaller katana."

"But this one is European styled," Elizabeta added, "the width of the blade is several inches wide and its handle makes it look like a smaller claymore." She hands each one to Kim and Mei.

"There are three claymores," she continued, giving a sword that looked like it was a prop from the Narnia movies to Bella. "Irunya do you want one?"

"I'm fine, I'll stick to the pitch fork," she said.

"Here, take a knife," Elizabeta handed her one as she gave a leather harness filled with knives to Natalia, who nodded in thanks and wrapped them around her shoulder. Strapping it across her chest and tying it around her waist. "Erika, you got the best aim," she hands her a bow and a quiver filled with modern archery arrows.

I analyzed the arrows, "those seem pretty new, does Gilbert update these?"

"He must," she gestured to the cover and I read, "For Last Resorts," this was written in red letters.

"At least he sharpens them, Boss forgets," Bella commented as she practiced with the claymore.

Elizabeta grins, "Yeah, the last thing we need is dull weapons." She then held up a curved blade, it looked like a pirate sword. "Raquel, I found you a cutlass."

"Finally," she snatched the sword and unsheathed it. The blade was clean, sharp and shined when the moonlight hit it.

Elizabeta turned to me, "here," she shoved a sword's handle into my hands. "Take a claymore." She unsheathed her claymore, "let's go," she proclaimed as they headed out the door.

"Wait, I have no idea how to use a sword," I exclaimed but they ignored me as they walked down the stairs.

"You did play with them when you were a kid," Kai added.

I gave him a look, "they were Nerf swords; they were made of foam."

"Amy, stop arguing with the bird and come on," Victoria called.

I sighed and turned to the door as it slammed in my face. The nations on the other side cried out for me as I tried to break open the door. A chill ran down my spine as I side-glanced to a dark corner. A gray hand with long fingers bolted out and slammed me against the floor. My head collided against the wood as my vision blurred and I gasped for air.

I was so disoriented that I didn't even notice that this hand was pulling me into the dark corner. The nunasish fully formed, bringing its blank-less face an inch away from mine. "Iya is waiting," it whispered.

Kai transformed into his human form as bright purple light sparked in his hands. He shot this colored fire at the nunasish. It shrieked in agony and shot out a tentacle, wrapping around his neck and banging him against trunks, bikes and finally the wall. Once Kai was held down it continued to drag me towards the darkness, repeating, "Iya is waiting."

My vision finally cleared and I began to kick and punch the faceless demon. My hits were useless as it gave no sign of weakening. I stretched my hand over my head, trying to reach for the sword. My calves dipped into cold water and I instantly froze, this felt terrifyingly familiar. I grew desperate, kneeing the nunasish in the gut and sinking my nails into its face.

Again, it felt nothing as it tightened its hold on me and pulled along as it sank deeper into the pit of darkness. Tears formed in the corner of my eyes as my heart rammed against my chest.

"Amy, don't be afraid!" Kai exclaimed, "That's what feeds them!"

I heard nothing as I struggled for freedom, kicking, scratching and screaming frantically. I was only able to catch blurs of purple light as this light sliced off the tentacle and the arm of the nunasish. I scrabbled away as Kai tackled the demon into the black vortex.

"Kai!" I shrieked as all I could do was watch as the old man sank into the tar of darkness. Before he was truly gone, he parted one final look to me. He beamed as the tar swallowed him whole.

Fear disappeared as I leaped for the black hole but I was only met with wooden floors and discarded trunks. I ignored the pain from my shoulders and arms and patted the floor; the vortex was gone. "No," I whispered, "no, no, no! Kai!" I slammed my fists on the floor, "Kai!"

Elizabeta was finally able to force the door open. She cried out for me as she kneeled beside me, "What happen?"

"They took him," I said, "The nunasish took him!"

Elizabeta noticed that Kai was no longer in the room and sighed. "Amy, we don't have time to grieve."

"But I could've done something," I said through gritted teeth as I placed my forehead to the wood. "I should've done something," I punched the floor again, "dammit."

She was quiet as she pushed the fallen claymore into my hand, "sometimes fear grabs a hold of you but you must learn to overcome it."

We shared an understanding gaze and I pushed back my grief and allowed my frustration to take charge. I gripped the handle of the sword, rose to my feet and followed her out of the attic.

Everyone was silent as we moved through the second floor. The air carried an unnervingly atmosphere and I could feel the muscles of my shoulders tense with each step we took.

"Is just me or does it seem too quiet," Bella said.

Mei pointed her flashlight up to the ceiling, "it's not just you."

We looked up to find nunasishs scattered over the ceiling, looking down at us with their faceless heads on backwards along with the lower half of their bodies. They attacked and the nations struck back with slashes and arrows.

Kim made sure to carry the coat rack as she continued to use it as a bow staff. She slammed an end into the gut of a demon, with the force of her weight; the coat rack trapped the creature under its hold, allowing her the chance to stab it with the short sword. Then Mei swung herself off the same coat rack, kicking a nunasish in the chest and knifing another in the neck.

Erika and Victoria were back to back as one girl shot out arrows with perfect precision. The other thrusting her sharp blade into anything that dared to come too close to her and her friend. Raquel sliced off limbs till she drove in for the kill. The face she made was of pure bliss, almost as if she enjoyed the blood, gore and excitement of battle.

Irunya waved her stolen pitch fork with experience as she impaled nunasishs with ease and reeled them off rail, sending them crashing to the first floor. Natalia moved like a fierce lynx, dancing around demons as she flung daggers into their heads and backs. She aimed low to strike and jumped to slit throats. She would then run up walls, throw her knives like kunais (hitting her targets every time, I might add.) and land on her feet like an agile cat.

It was like watching a Kill Bill movie come to life. You know, instead of fighting Yakuza we were fighting demons. Yeah, my life makes total sense.

I wielded the claymore with both hands as I swung the blade around; I was blessed with lucky hits but I had no skill and it showed. The nunasishs had their focus on me, trying to snatch me with their boney hands. The nations realized this and moved to circle around me. Raquel took my back as Elizabeta and Bella guarded our sides.

I tried to mimic the moves of the claymore wielding girls as they clashed, blocked and jabbed at the nunasishs. They were ferocious as they slashed and pierced the faceless demons effortlessly. Shouting battle cries in different tongues and using quick two person strategy to take on three or five demons at a time. Their true nature as warriors revealed as they attacked in perfect sync, reading each other's subtle expressions and movement.

The battle raged on, and the nunasishs seemed to only multiply as we continued to rip and stab. Mei called out as she knifed a demon in the chest, "does anyone have a plan?"

"I got one," Raquel kicked her opponent in the knee and pierced him in the side of the head. "Shut up and keep fighting."

"We can't go on like this!" Natalia exclaimed as she flipped a demon over her shoulder and speared it with a dagger.

"I'm running low on arrows-" Erika screeched as demon seized her by the shoulder and yanked her up to face him.

The world seemed to slow as Erika's arms were held in an iron grip above her head. The demon wrapped his hand around her neck and stared into her eyes. His face stretched, displaying the three dark holes we had seen before; when we had killed them. This time was different. The gaping hole that was the mouth grew larger than the eye sockets; engulfing warm air like a powerful vacuum.

Erika struggled against his hold, but nothing helped. The nunasish thrusts his fingers into her mouth and yanked her jaw open. He drew her close, inhaling her air and scent. Erika soon began to glow. A golden light poured out of her body as it was sucked in by the nunasish. Her body trembled as her face grew pale and the light from her eyes began to dull.

Victoria jumped into action and sliced off the head of the demon. Erika dropped to the floor, shaking like a leaf. Victoria then, jabbed her sword into his mid-section and slit him in half. He shattered into pieces as Victoria slid to her knees and embraced her friend.

"Erika, Erika!" Victoria placed her head on her shoulder, rubbing her hands over the smaller nation. "Oh mon dieu, she's so cold," she whispered.

Irunya stepped in front of the younger girls, protecting them from the faceless demons. Natalia joined her as the nunasish focused in on the wounded nation. It was the perfect chance for the other girls to strike back. Elizabeta, Bella and Raquel charged, slicing apart any monster that crossed their path. Kim and Mei worked as a team to flip themselves off each other's backs and shoulders to kick and stab their opponents.

I adapted quickly, just as I did back in London. I swung my borrowed claymore like I was a character from a fantasy novel; thrusting and slashing at the nunasishs without hesitation. Then a boney hand grabbed hold of my shirt and threw me over the rail. I landed painfully on my back, "fuck," I hissed.

A nunasish dove for me and clawed his hand into my flesh. I bit back a cry of pain as the dark spirit pulled me into the kitchen. I grabbed my sword and slit his cheek, he showed no sign of pain as his raspy voice repeated, "Iya is waiting."

I stabbed him in the chest, "heard you the first time!" I tore the blade through his body.

Two more demons jumped from the ceiling, stepping forward with claws ready. I wielded my blade in front of me, "You want me! Come and get me!" They hissed and moved forward as light broke through the windows and the dark spirits screeched in sync. They stepped away from the sunlight and disappeared into the shadows.

I spun around and found the sun rising in the sky.