Roisin Midnight – Well, I try to update every day, but it is a bit difficult when I have a ton of work to do. This took so long to get done because I've had practice for the last few days, plus Disciple Now is at our church this weekend, so I'm going to that today and tomorrow. I'll try to work on more of my story, though.

(Author's Note: Yes, Night Terror's name was taken from Soul Calibur III, but not the character itself. I came up with the character in the middle of class one day trying to think of a good evil monster. :P I couldn't think of a name, so I chose that. Anyhow, I hope you like this chapter, because it was a pain to write… XX)

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Chapter 7: Night Terror

Danielle's chest hurt, bringing her out of her unconscious state. She felt something cool and wet on her forehead, and she was lying on something soft. Flashes of the battle in Kilika Forest passed through her mind. Kimahri protecting her, the other guardians struggling to fight, Vulcain, and ultimately the creature that had stabbed her with its claws.

But… I'm not dead… I should be, but I'm not dead…

Danielle slowly forced her eyes opened, the room she was in dark. She could barely see anything from her position, but as she tried to sit up, a burst of pain shot through her injury, and a hand gently pushed her back down. "Don't try to move," a familiar voice said softly. Danielle blinked rapidly, feeling dizzy, but recalling where she had heard the voice before.

"Yuna…?" she managed to whisper. She couldn't really tell who the figure standing above her was, since shutters were closed over the windows to stop the light from coming in. But as her eyes gradually grew adjusted to the dark, she could see the summoner more clearly.

"Yes, it's me. I'm glad you're awake. For a while there, I thought we were going to lose you… Tidus, Wakka, Lulu, and Kimahri are all awake now, but they've been out for a while. I did my best to heal you, but you're still in pretty bad shape. You've been running a fever, but I think it's gone now…" Yuna paused for a second, looking behind her. "Paine here fought off the creature right when you blacked out. If it weren't for her, we'd all have been killed."

Danielle turned her head to look at the second figure in the room. She couldn't make out any features all that well, just the basic outline. "That creature is known as Night Terror. It craves power and darkness, killing and absorbing humans, Ronso, Guado, Al Bhed… Even fiends." Paine folded her arms. "For some reason, it was particularly attracted to you. I've been keeping an eye out for this thing, and it's never traveled so far for one target."

Danielle thought about how the monster, Night Terror, had whispered into her ear before she blacked out. It was a voice so familiar to her, but she couldn't place it. But why would it come after her? What was so special about her that some insanely powerful monster would want to kill her? And what was that feeling inside of her when its claws had penetrated her chest? The cold chill, one that went straight to her heart, that had drowned her in darkness…

"Paine found us when your Ifrit was defeated. Night Terror's claws were in you, and it seemed to be draining the life out of you. Paine attacked it, and it ran off. She helped me get everyone back here." Yuna frowned slightly. "I've been really worried… I couldn't heal your injury as well as the others."

Danielle was about to ask how bad her condition was when Paine put a hand on Yuna's shoulder. "She needs to rest for a while longer. Check on your friends again. I'll inform you when she's well enough to travel." Yuna bowed and quietly left the room.

"What's wrong with me…?" Danielle whispered to Paine. "Something's not right… I can feel it…"

"Darkness devours the victims of Night Terror. In turn, it takes that darkness, and it becomes a part of that fiend. The darkness is like a poison that slowly kills a victim. I stopped Night Terror from killing you, but it's quite possible the darkness shall finish that job."

Darkness, huh? As if I didn't have enough problems with that already.

Danielle winced slightly, using one hand to push herself into a sitting position. There was a fresh burst of pain in her chest and her arm where she had been injured, but she ignored it. It actually wasn't all that bad. "I've fought the darkness before," Danielle said quietly. "I won't let it win again." Paine smirked, apparently impressed by her determination.

"You're pretty strong. I see why that fiend wanted you so bad." Paine moved through the darkness, handing Danielle a bundle of clothes. "Get changed and meet us at the ship." Danielle opened her mouth to speak, but Paine cut her off. "I'm traveling with Yuna's group to Luca. Don't be late." She left the room, and Danielle looked down at the shirt and vest in her hands. She decided to open up the shutters a bit so she could see better and cringed from the light as it temporarily blinded her. She blinked rapidly until her vision returned to normal and looked down at the white shirt and black vest in her hands.

"Wow. White and black. They really match, don't they?" Danielle chuckled and shook her head, amazed at how matching colors came to her head at a time like this. Maybe it was just to try and calm her shaky nerves…

Something caught her attention in the window. She peered at her reflection, noticing that there was no hole in her clothes where the claws had went in at. That, and she now bore a thin red line down the right side of her face, neatly bisecting the scar already there. But what really held her attention was the fact her shirt was in perfect condition pretty much. "That doesn't make any sense," she muttered.

When has anything in your life made sense? Get a move on. You don't want to be late, do you?

Danielle sighed, turning around and changing into the new clothes. She was especially careful with her bandaged arm as she slipped the shirt and vest on. She turned to walk out of the room, but a voice echoed in her mind, one that was all too familiar and always haunted her ever since that night a few weeks ago.

"My death… was just the beginning."

Pious Augustus.

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Danielle sat at the bow of the ship, one leg pulled up, her right arm resting on her knee. She heard people talking excitedly behind her, but she paid no attention. She was thinking about Night Terror and the voice of Pious Augustus that she had heard. Could that fiend somehow be connected to the Ancients? Was this all part of some kind of plan to avenge the death of Chattur'gha's servant by that man she had encountered in Ehn'gha? Or was this just an incredibly powerful fiend that had been able to defeat the entire group, including an aeon?

Footsteps treaded softly on the wood behind her, but she didn't even glance backwards. "Are you feeling any better?"

Danielle closed her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I am. Thanks for asking, Yuna."

Her friend knelt beside her, hands resting on her lap as she gazed out across the sea. Danielle looked over at her, her spirits lifted slightly by Yuna's warm smile. "Paine said she would be your guardian." Yuna laughed a bit. "And I heard Wakka talking about trying to see if you would cut it on the blitzball team. He says you seem fast enough to make it."

Danielle smirked. "It does sound cool, but there's the small fact that I don't know much about blitzball." She sighed softly. "We'll have to split up at Luca, won't we…?"

Yuna nodded. "Yes, we will. But we'll meet again. I know it." She laid a hand on Danielle's shoulder. "We're both traveling down the same path. We're bound to see each other once again."

Danielle stared up at the stars. How different they seemed than when she looked at them from Earth! She wondered how far away her home was. Would Edward inform Alexandra that Danielle was all right? She didn't realize that Yuna was staring at her until she gently touched her shoulder. "Ah, sorry. Did you say something?"

"What're you thinking about?"

"Home," Danielle replied. "I wonder how my sister's doing, if everything's okay there… And I wonder… if I'll ever get back."

Yuna looked over her shoulder, and Danielle followed her gaze. Tidus was talking cheerily with the Besaid Aurochs. "You'll both get back. And maybe I'll get to see both Zanarkand and your world one day."

Danielle smiled at the hopeful look in Yuna's eyes. "Yeah. Maybe…" She trailed off, looking down at her bandaged arm. There were so many scars she bore, but she learned to live with it. Each one had a story to tell, but there were some she could do with forgetting.

"Hey, Danielle!" Tidus called out. She looked up, and the instant she saw the ball coming at her, she caught it. Tidus grinned, looking over at Wakka. "Well?"

He nodded. "Well, she can't replace Keepa, but Botta hasn't been feeling too well since we left Kilika. All we need to do is show her the ropes and train her a bit." Wakka smirked. "Hey, Danielle, how would you like to join the Besaid Aurochs?"

Danielle glanced back at Yuna, confused, but the summoner gave her an encouraging smile. "Go ahead!"

She nodded and faced Wakka once more. "Yeah, I would."

Wakka held up his fist, a large smile on his face. "Welcome to the Besaid Aurochs!"

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Danielle was about to go below decks when she heard someone call her name. It was Paine. "Yuna told me about you."

Danielle looked back over her shoulder. "And?"

The warrior folded her arms, nodding at her bandages arm. "You've fought one of those creatures, haven't you? Not the fiends, but the ones that have been appearing recently."

Danielle hesitated, turning to face Paine. "Yeah, I have. So?"

Paine slowly paced in front of her. "Few who encounter them live. Those who do slowly go insane from what they've seen." She glanced at Danielle out of the corner of her eye. "And these creatures seem to be searching."

Danielle's eyes widened not only in surprise, but fear and worry. The servants of the Ancients were wreaking havoc in Spira…? "What're you trying to say?"

Paine stopped now, approaching Danielle and speaking in a low tone. "I saw the injury on your arm. Yuna told me that her healing wouldn't work on it. You obviously know what these things are if you haven't gone insane like nearly everyone else who fights them has. You aren't from this world, and I know those creatures aren't either. They've never been seen until two days ago, the very day Yuna told me you arrived. Tell me, what are they?"

"I don't know," Danielle replied.

Paine grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, pushing her up against the bulkhead of the bridge. Her voice took on a low and dangerous tone, and her piercing red eyes stared into Danielle's. "Don't try to lie to me. You know what these things are. I heard you yesterday from the forest when you fought one off." She gripped Danielle's shirt tighter. "Spira is in great danger from these things, and I'm guessing the one they're searching for is you. If you really want to help, then start explaining."

Danielle shook a bit. "Okay, okay!" Paine released her, and Danielle let out a small sigh of relief. "They're creatures of a dark race of beings known as the Ancients. They were bound beyond the Veil of Reality thousands of years ago. The Veil is basically something humans unconsciously created so that we would never see the Ancients or their servants." Danielle glanced around nervously. "But the creatures can travel beyond the Veil. Humans were never meant to see what's beyond it. Our minds are too fragile."

Paine nodded. "That does make sense. I know that killing the best sets a person's mind at ease. At least I know what they are now… One more thing. Let me see your hand."

Danielle hesitated, but held up her right hand. Paine carefully undid the glove, revealing the scarred flesh beneath. A single wound was there, but it was visible on both sides of her hand, as if something had pierced through it. Danielle looked up at Paine, who was gently examining the old injury. "What happened?" she asked quietly.

"There was a man named Pious Augustus. He was a servant of the Ancients, an undead Liche. His goal was to summon one of the Ancients, Chattur'gha, into my world. Alexandra, my older sister, and I had to fight him. It wasn't easy. That's how I got both this scar and the one across my face."

Paine was silent for a second, then handed the glove back. "That's not all, is it?"

Danielle gently clenched her hand into a fist, the dark memories of her past rising up again. "No… But what happened that night… I'm not ready to tell you just yet." She hung her head. "It's not that I'm hiding anything, it's just… It hurts to talk about it, you know?"

Paine closed her eyes momentarily. "I know. Go on and get some sleep now." Danielle silently turned around and was about to walk down the steps when Paine added, "Thanks."

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Danielle shifted restlessly on her small bed in the cabin. She couldn't sleep, memories of Night Terror filling her dreams and turning them into nightmares. The dark creature haunted her, not allowing her to sleep. She stared up at the ceiling, arms behind her head. What was Night Terror, anyways? Had it been human once? And how could it possibly be so strong?

She turned over onto her side, seeing Yuna sleeping peacefully in the bed beside her. An image of Devin flashed through her mind. Her adoptive brother had been missing for several weeks until she had found him in the Guardian City of Ehn'gha. He attacked her, claiming she had killed their parents. But Danielle would never harm the Sterlings. In reality, it had been Xel'lotath, the Ancient of Insanity, who had killed them.

Something else came to mind. All the times she had been with Devin and the Sterlings brought a smile to her face, but it slowly fell away as she felt something wrong. There was something missing, something from when she was just a kid. It was like there was a blank space were memories should be. Generally, she remembered things, especially her past, pretty well. But why couldn't she remember this?

Frustrated, Danielle just gave up trying to figure it out. She would put all the pieces together later. She tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable as she closed her eyes once more. Once she had finally fallen asleep, she was plagued by nightmares of that terrible battle just a few weeks back.