AN: Well here you go, the latest installment of Dark Night, and yes everything will be explained, eventually.
A big thank you goes out to all of you who have reviewed, I really appreciate it and it made my day to look at my little review box and see as many as I did. You all are so sweet, and thank you so much.
Disclaimer: I do not own SM, but oh how I wish I did.
Warnings: A little bit of cursing, but hey your warned!
Looking for a good read? Go check out:
Stories:
Draken
Will you be there when I wake?
Authors:
VO1
Diamond Rouge
Cosmos
They are all good, and very talented. I do believe I have them in my favortie authors, and favorite stories list.
Okay enough plugging, on with the story!
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Chapter 3
~~~
They were the hunters; they were the hunted. They were the Prince's of darkness; rulers of the night. No man dared deny them; no women tried. It was a curse that should have killed them, only to make them even stronger…
As they thirsted for blood, for innocence, and what they could never have…
They were the hunters; not just the hunted…
~~~
It took most of normal humans' life to become a warrior. Trained and skilled in their gifts, and even then the best of their race would be hard pressed to kill a vampire, or anything similar to it. They just did not have the stamina, and the skill that it took to be able to successfully kill one of the immortals.
This was why the fact that mere children had killed two of their people, and managed to escape one of the best, and most powerful generals in the immortal realms, caused him to think twice. Hell, he would even used to word worried, and he Kunzite was never worried. For that was showing emotion, something that he had sworn to never do again after that bitch had played on there emotions after she had changed them.
Closing his eyes against the memory he scowled at the dark night, that repulsed him and attracted him all at once. He was dark, a thing of the night, and yet the sun attracted him more than the night. It was almost as if he was destined to be caught like the moth to the flame, a flame that he would never be able to hold or to have.
Looking around the forest in the cool night air he shook his head. The had finally found Zach some food, so he was no longer ranting and raving with blind fury about being hungry. That was one less thing to give him a headache right now. Now all he had to deal with was Endymion's anger at a girl managing to escape them,
"She just threw ice at you?" He questions Zach again, now that the blood rage had left his friend his eyes had returned to there normal green color, instead of that of deepest red, the color of the hearts last drop of blood.
"Yes, she became slightly detached at first as if she didn't know what she was doing and it just kind of came, I am not sure." Turning cold eyes towards the direction that the girls had fled, he took a deep breath. He could still smell the girls fear on the air.
Shaking his head Kunz mentally curses whatever deity had granted these children the gifts that for so long had been out of their reach, the only thing that was keeping them from extracting there revenged on the bitch that had done this to them.
"She used the elements." Justin breaths, confusion on his normally composed features, as he stares at the men in front of him. "Do you know what that means?"
"We are no longer the only ones with a semblance of power?" Nathan growls, his own anger lying deep in the clear, star like depths of his eyes.
"There have always been others we just have not been in this close proximity with them." Zach says smoothly though the anger that he was trying to hide shone clearly from his eyes. They could all read his expression clearly, whoever the child waif had been she would pay for humiliating him, even is she had not known what she was doing at the time.
Looking at the moon Kunzite silently pleaded with it for the answers, even though he knew it would be as silent as it always was, it was a cold-hearted thing that never ever responded like it should, basted of a thing that it was. Not only did it represent of what they would never be again; it was a symbol of the night and the pain that it brought them.
"We must find these children, and bring them back to the castle." Turning to look at the rest of the group again he nods his head, "Or kill them, no one with enough power to stop Zach in a blood rage, at that young of an age, must be allowed to live if they will not come under our tutelage."
"The one with the blue hair is mine." Zach growls out, "I am to see fit how she lives."
Shrugging his shoulders, Justin nods to them once. "Then we must catch up with our prey first wouldn't one think? They do not have much of a head start, but we are not the only hunters in the night tonight."
As if to reaffirm his point the sound of a clear bass werewolf was heard. Causing them the entire group to jerk slightly, they had forgotten, even if briefly, that they wolves were prowling the woods tonight.
"Then let us go." Endy says coldly his dark eyes alight with a battle light and thought of a chase, "They can not have gotten far."
A few moments later there was nothing in the glad to even suggest their presence but the few drops of blood, and ashes of the fallen. The wind blew silently over the meadow in a haunting melody, as if it anticipated the chase.
~~~
Running as quickly as her terrified legs would allow her, Serenity, otherwise known as Serena, daughter of the ex-chieftain of the mountain clan, fought back tears and tried to act brave. Or as close to Minako as she could. The elements though were slowly starting to wave against her.
The night was cold, even though it was well into spring. She was tired, hungry, and her dress was ripped with mud stains clear on it. The once white fabric told the tail of many a bush that had tried to stop its owner, it also showed that the owner had a good head on her shoulders, or in her case, a strong hand to pull her out of any mess that she managed to get herself into to.
Feeling something snag her foot, Serena gave a muffled squeal and gave a head first dive into the mud that had been sucking at her feet a few moments later.
"Serena!" Came Rei's exasperated voice behind her before strong hands yanked her up and pulled her along the trail.
Looking up at her friend, and rescuer of mud puddles since they were little, Serena fought back the tears that threatened to pull her down.
"I am sorry, Rei." She whispers, while looking down at the ruined gown that rippled in tatters around her feet. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
Looking down, Rei face softened before giving her friend a weak smile. "I know just try to stay on your feet okay. They could be after us."
"Make that a definite, they are after us." Makoto's voice rang from behind them, a clear beacon in the night, full of anger, and realization.
"How can you tell?" Minako pants while pushing tree limbs out of the way of face and hair.
"The trees." Came the quick reply.
"Keep moving." Ami calls over her shoulder, while adding Minako in her task. They had to get to the mountains before they caught up with them.
"Why are we heading towards the one place we do not need to be," Rei demands while helping Serena through the mess that the others were making.
"Because it is sacred land," Ami explains while working quickly, her short frame was being pushed to its max, and she could feel the exhaustion start to creep in.
"Uh?" The other four girls chorus together.
"According to legend, there was a great battle their once, and the blood that was shed to protect the innocents there, made the ground sacred to protect those who must be protected, from the evils of the world. Or in our case the creatures of the night." Ami declares in her lecturing tone, it was tone normally reserved for Serena when the girl needed help on her homework but today it would have to do for the others as well.
"We are running to God knows where on the bases of a legend?" Rei demands horrified.
"Yes, it is our only chance right now." Ami tells them softly.
"Why?" Serena questions innocently.
"Because there are werewolves on our trail as well now, and there have been for the last thirty minutes, we are never going to make it home otherwise."
~~~
"They definitely passed this way." Justin murmurs while running easily across the night filled landscape.
"Glad you think so." Zach taunts his own eyes picking up the trail, it was wide enough for a babe to find, and they were no babes.
"Enough sarcasm," Endymion snaps his own temper flaring, they had been at this for the last 10 minutes at it was starting to get on his royal nerves.
"Enough talk, period." Kunzite orders.
Falling silently behind him the other four fans out in a well-oiled maneuver that reeked of practice and mind thought.
'Werewolves' Came Justin's silent warning as they entered a clearing and came face to face with one of their moved hated enemies.
'You," Came the haunting mental voice of the alpha leader.
"Yes, us." Nathan replies smoothly his tone goading, though his muscles were tense for action.
"You must leave this place." Approaching them his lean form gleaming in the night air, the wolf glared menacingly at them.
"After we are through with our business." Kunzite states coldly and calmly. His tone was commanding and un-giving causing the wolves to bristle with anger.
"You are after the girls," A female states boldly her golden eyes gleaming in the night air.
"If we are?" Zach questions softly.
"They are not for you to have." She replies her eyes taking on a menacing glare. "They belong to our lady."
"All the more reason for us to get there first wouldn't you think." Endymion replies, answering for them all.
For their lady was the most hated of all their foe's, she was the one who had changed them, in the very beginning.
"You will have to get past up first."
"Not a problem let me assure you." Justin snarls darkly his fangs dropping from his gums, anger blazing in his eyes. No mere dog was going to tell him how to live his life. They were going to learn that lesson, the hard way.
~~~
"Climb faster." Minako orders, while straining her own muscles against the wall that they were being forced to climb, well forced was putting it mildly. About ten steps on the other side of this god forsaken rock wall was the sacred ground, that was of course according to Ami. On top of that only, if Ami was right about the ground.
"Uh guys," Serena says, her voice rising to the pitch that only she was able to attain and hold. "There is something moving around down there."
Taking a quick look behind her Minako curses, something that no eight-year-old was supposed to know, and repeated her command. "Climb faster."
"We are WORKING ON IT." Rei snaps from behind her as her hands and feet desperately try to find handholds, which would not break or crumble under her hands. Blinking up at the girl in front of her through the dust, and small rocks that were falling into her eyes, she glares at her. "So SHUT UP."
"Come on move." Makoto snaps from the bottom of the line, her own voice was starting to line with panic. "They are getting closer to the bottom."
"I want to go home." Serena wails.
"Fine," Ami pants, wincing as more rocks cut into her already slashed hands, "If you want to go battle whatever is chasing us to do so, go ahead, no one is stopping you."
Looking down at the drop behind her Serena whimpers, "I hate heights."
"Stop looking down them then," Rei snaps angrily.
Looking up Minako desperately tries to ignore the arguments going on behind her. Giving one more desperate heave she managed to pull herself over the top.
Wincing as the rocks dug even further into her hands she turns and grabs Rei's hand and tugs hard, barely managing to get her friend over the top.
"Why did we stick Makoto at the bottom?" She gasps falling down with the effort.
"So she could catch whoever fell," Rei replies before heading towards the edge of the face and hauling Serena over the top. Rolling her eyes at her friends, she reaches out and grabs Ami's hand, while Sere kissed the ground that she was now currently resting on.
"Gotcha," She murmurs, while sitting down and catching her breath before all of the tugged Makoto over the edge. It wasn't that the girl was fat, she was just a lot taller and bigger than they were, and their smaller muscle's really had to strain to get the girl up over the edge.
"Come on, it can not be far from here." Ami murmurs pushing some swear soaked hair from her face.
"Well, well lookie what I found." A deep voice murmur's causing the four girls to look up startled.
The sight of the five men standing there in the moonlight normally would not have frightened them as much of them, but the site of the fangs easily perturbing from their mouths was enough for them to jerk violently. Or in Serena's case, scream loud and long.
"Someone shut the wench up." The one with dark hair snarls angrily, his crystal clear blue eyes darkening.
"She is not a wench so watch your mouth." Makoto snarls angrily.
"Oh, this one has a temper." The one with short blond hair mocks.
"Shut up, Bitch." Rei snarls, using language that normally would have gotten her in so much trouble that she would be cleaning the trash pit for a month. But this was not her home, and her mother was not around, and he had just insulted Serena, and in her book that was enough to get this ass hole fried. And she was more than capable of starting a fire.
Snarling in the back of his throat he took a step towards her, only to be stopped by the one with long blond hair.
"What you gonna let the albino tell you how to act?" Rei taunts, while positioning herself in front of her friend, her dark violet eyes taking on a fiery look.
"Shut your mouth," He snarls.
"Or what?"
"Rei, be quiet." Minako snarls.
"Now who is getting ordered around little one." The blond man taunts.
Her eyes narrowing, Rei growls in the back of her throat, though she remains still. She didn't know what Minako was up to but it had better be good she ready to kill the man in front of her, fry him actually, in a very tender area. That was when she noticed, Ami.
The girl was looking around, and had a hope filled expression on her face, nodding to Minako she grins.
"Sorry looks like we are going to have to say goodbye again." She states softly before nodding to Minako who opened her palms and let the golden light she had used earlier in the night, fill the night air like a golden song.
It also blinded whoever were looking at it, most importantly the men in front of them.
Feeling something tug on her arm, Rei runs blindly, praying silently, that whatever happened to her that Serena was safe. The next thing she knew something warm tingled over her skin and the feeling of safety filled her body.
"We made it," Makoto exclaims her expression full of wonder.
The sound of howls of anger caused them all to turn around again. The next thing she knew, Rei, was fighting the feeling to run like a chicken even though she knew, somehow, that she was safe.
The five men were furious, whoever they were, and their eyes were blazing with an un-holly light, while their fangs hung even further down there lips.
"Uh, I want to go home," Serena whispers fear filling her sliver/blue eyes as her lips trembled with unshed tears.
Pointing at Rei, the one with short blond hair, snarls out. "Know this, if you ever step out of this sacred ground, you will be mine, and your life will be hell."
Her chin jutting up Rei grins back at him. "I will fry you first." She retorts, even though she was trembling with fear, she would never let him see that, though.
"We will find you again."
Before all five of them disappeared into the darkness that they had appeared from in the first place.
"Is that it? Are we safe?" Makoto questions her emerald eyes confused.
"Yes, you are." Came a soft voice, filled with amusement and something else, something that none of them could put their fingers on at the moment. It was like that dream that you always forgot the moment you woke up.
Whipping around the girl's gape at the site in front of them. There before them was a beautiful women with long blond hair that flowed in the moonlight, her features were not recognizable but she had the most beautiful cornflower blue eyes that they had ever seen.
"Who are you?" Minako demands, stepping in front of the other girls as if her body could shield them from whatever this new thing was.
Chuckling softly she shakes her head, causing the golden waves to fall once more around her. "I am one of the guardians of this place, and I will not harm you little one."
"Sorry, but I have been chased enough tonight, how can I be sure your not just saying that to say it then when I turn my back you attack."
What they could only assume was a smile spread across the woman's face. "Being wary is a good trait, little one. But I and my friends are not threat to you, if we were I could already have killed you."
"Mina," Serena says softly, "I think she can be trusted."
Looking at the girl in front of her Minako sighs softly. "All right."
"Follow me, there is a place to sleep and rest here."
"But how did you come here?" Rei questions. "You are obviously not human."
Hesitating for a moment, she nods her head. "That much at least I can tell you. The others and me are the last remnants of the war that happened so long ago. We live to protect and to teach only, and when are duties are done we will rest."
"But when will your duties be done and how come yours still alive?" Serena questions her blue eyes wide with wonder, and curiosity.
"Our duties will be done when our foe is defeated and changelings are set on the right path. As for why we are still alive that is for another day."
"But,"
"You need to rest and to sleep, your questions will be answered in due time." She says before once more heading down the past.
"I don't trust her yet." Makoto whispers to, Minako.
"Me either but we have no choice, I really don't want to face that rabble behind us." Minako replies gently. "Just stay on your toes."
"No problem," Makoto replies out of the corner of her mouth. "No problem at all."
~~~
"How did they reach the grounds?" Justin snarls, "We had them trapped."
"Crafty for children aren't they?" Nathan replies in a thoughtful tone. "But they can not stay there forever, when they emerge they will be ours."
"Until then we have enough problems on our hands, the werewolves should never have challenged us tonight." Endymion says smoothly, "And they escaped to easily, especially with Justin in the mood he was in. She is helping them again and that means she is planning something."
"But what?" Kunzite ponders.
"Whatever it is I think those children are the key." Zach says smoothly, though anger still glinted in his eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"She is after them as well, and at least 3 of them have the powers of the elements. Something that before now was thought to be impossible." Shrugging he shakes his head. "I wish I knew what."
"We need to find out," Nathan says smoothly, "The stairs have fallen quiet and that is never good."
"Then our first order is to find out what is going on, kill the children if it comes to that, beat the bitch, and stay alive in the process" Justin says smoothly, "Sounds like a normal job for us."
"First I need sleep, well conquer the world tomorrow." Zach says sarcastically before heading to find his own bed.
Nodding his head Nathan smiles coldly. "I to must find my rest, until tomorrow my friends."
Shrugging at each other, the other three follow their example though they knew they would get little rest. Sometimes acting like you knew that you were doing worked just as well as doing it.
~~~
"Bitch I am, Justin," A cold voice whispers again the night air, before dismissing the image in the crystal in front of her. "But defeat me you never will. As for the children, you can only hide them for so long." She whispers to the five spirit images that now danced in the crystal, "My power has become great, you must realize this."
Laughing coldly she grins. "They will be mine and then the world will bow to my commands." Her laughter rang as an echo across the frozen and cold room; it was a laughter of anger, hate, and promise. Soon her plans would fall into place, and by the time the pathetic ramble of Endymion's found out, it would be too late. It was all to close; she would not fail now. "Soon."