Chapter Five: Protect thy Treasure

By the next night I was able to move my shoulder a bit better, sitting in class checking if I could still move all of my fingers, kind of not focusing on the lesson until Penthesilia knocked on my desk to get my attention back to what we were reading. I picked up the book and found where we were in the chapter then followed along. The only issue with my arm right now was if I used it for too long it would start hurting and I'd have to set my forearm across my lap. Though at least soon enough we finished the chapter and the professor let us chat amongst ourselves. I set my brow on the desk with a sigh when Rebecca turned around in her seat and poked my head.

"Are you alright there, or should I get you to the infirmary, so the nurse can look at your shoulder?" She asked. I turned my head so I was resting on my right cheek looking up at her.

"No I'm fine," was I though? Or was I just saying that to ease Rebecca's worry over me? Either way I didn't know but I think I was okay. What I needed right now was to get away from everything and rest. Then again I can't today because well… I had that Dark Daughter's meeting tonight. I sat up and poked Rebecca's shoulder. "Hey you know where the Rec Hall is?"

"…You have to go to that Dark Daughters thing?" I nodded slowly. Rebecca turned in her seat to face me. "Yeah I know where it is, I'll show you there,"

"Thanks, say… how come you seem odd when someone mentions the Dark Daughters?" She looked away from me and sighed. I set a hand on her shoulder as she looked back at me with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"Púrpura… there's something not right about her, I'm scared of the energy I feel from her," She shivered and reached up grasping my hand firmly. "I just don't trust her around you; because she's… she's just creepy and scary,"

"Hey I'll be careful around her don't worry about that," I gave my roommate a reassuring smile just as the bell rang letting us dart off for lunch which was cheeseburgers and chef salad. As I sat down though I kept thinking about what Rebecca said in class and it had me wondering… what was Púrpura actually like?

Púrpura~

The violet haired fledgling peered into the dining hall setting her gaze right on Ali and her roommate Rebecca. A voice whispering in her ear from over her shoulder, making her gaze narrow as she turned from the dining hall door.

"They are a threat, you know that…" Púrpura left down the hallway shoving the doors open, shocking the blonde red vampyre and her husband at the sudden loud BANG of the doors. The Lankford couple blinked, as Púrpura nodded slowly and walked pass them. "Are you listening to me?!"

"Do you ever shut up, Neferet because you talk way too much for my liking," she grumbled heading to the Rec Hall. She pushed the door open and headed inside shutting the door behind her before turning to the apparition of the dark sealed vampyre. "So what do you think we should do? If they are here I know very well I can't break the seal on your 'cell',"

"You have to find a way! I cannot take being sealed away like this anymore!" Neferet, the cold hearted vampyre who became immortal and the one who hated humans since the day her father… saw her in ways a father should never see his daughter. Now she was sealed away making it hard for her to accomplish anything without the help of Púrpura. "Deal with that girl, she has that colored mark for a reason, Nyx knows something is coming."

"You're the one who talked me into calling that man to try and kill Ali," Púrpura crossed her arms and narrowed her gaze at the faded image of the vampyre. "I got him in there by your instructions,"

"But he failed didn't he? He ONLY wounded her," Neferet's image paced back and forth, tapping a sharp nail on her chin. "That girl… Rebecca, she has a strong ability one where she can sense energies, we need to have her removed,"

"Let me guess she's an asset to Ali?"

"Yes, if we do not find the cracks in them soon our plans will fall all to pieces before the cards can be played," Púrpura sighed.

"I'll keep an eye on them tonight, and if I need to I'll have you use some sweet talking influences to use a puppet to make Ali or Rebecca shatter emotionally," Neferet smirked darkly as she faded out of view…

Ali~

I found myself staring at my fork in my hand; feeling a chill dart up my spine and raise goosebumps over my arms. I was so lost in thought that when Rebecca touched my arm I nearly jumped clear out of my skin making a squeaking 'Eek!' sound as I did. My gaze darted from Rebecca to Simone and Lulu's faces before I sighed.

"Sorry I was just… thinking," I said clearing my throat.

"So we noticed, damn girl," Lulu chuckled only to be elbowed by Simone. Rubbing the back of my neck, Rebecca leaned over and whispered in my ear.

"You felt that energy didn't you?" Her voice was of a chilling fear and I knew she wasn't kidding about it because I had felt something; something very dark and something that was full of hatred and anger. I only nodded slowly and whispered back to her.

"What do you think it is?" I watched her shake her head wondering herself what the cause of that dark energy was. I stood, grabbing Rebecca's wrist and pulling her along with me out of the dining hall; darting outside. "Rebecca, Nyx warned me that there was a darkness lurking… like how my step father came her yesterday night? That look he had was of pure darkness,"

"Are you saying that there will be more darkness coming our way?" She shrank back into the wall, looking as if she wanted to become one with it or at least try to hide. I sighed and nodded admittedly scared in my own right. I went to reach my hand out to my roommate I heard a sinister growling coming from behind me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as my gaze stared at Rebecca whose face had gone ghostly pale. Her green eyes were gazing over my shoulder as she simply mouthed the word, 'wolf'. A bead of sweat ran down my face as I peered over my shoulder, spotting a large canine behind me, his jaws black as his fur while his eyes were bloody red.

"Get inside," I said to my roomie as her hand was sneaking to the door trying to push it open so we could beat a hasty retreat back into the school. Yet, just as she opened the door a crack the wolf sprang toward us, making me grab her arm and yank her away from the door as the wolf smashed head first into it, breaking it right off the hinges and slamming into the school corridor. I was pulling Rebecca along behind me as we rushed off toward Nyx's temple. I could hear the wolf's claws digging into the soil propelling it toward us as my heart was pounding in my ears and my breathing was labored due to the fear of being mauled by some wild beast.

I looked back seeing the wolf trying to snap at Rebecca's heels. I couldn't let her get bitten; I wasn't going to let it happen as I reached my other hand back pulling her before me just to get her away from the black jaws of the beast after us. The hot breath of the wolf was brushing against my ankles as now it was on my heels trying to bite at me. "Get in the temple Rebecca! Go, now! I'll distract him!" I yelled shoving her toward the temple doors and kept running, now able to pick up speed, sprinting for my life.

The snarling and growling was getting closer to my heels even as I was at my full speed, I knew it wasn't going to be long. I knew that monster was about to sink his teeth right into my leg then try to kill me. What was this thing? Was it the darkness? Right now I couldn't exactly stop and ask as I just kept running away. I turned, skidding a bit and ducking under the wolf as it had to try and turn, lashing its teeth at me. I got my balance back and started toward the temple myself hearing Rebecca screaming for me to hurry and get inside.

I was heading toward the door, reaching out my hand to grab Rebecca's when suddenly I felt teeth grab my calf muscle and yank me back making me fall. It yanked me back again dragging me away from Rebecca who was screaming for help. I turned onto my back just as the wolf released my leg and leapt up trying for my face and throat. Throwing my arms up I felt the jaws clamp onto my already injured arm and refusing to let go.

"Stark, shoot that wolf!" I heard Zoey's voice cry out as her guardian shot an arrow from his bow, piercing the wolf straight through the skull. The strangest part was the wolf didn't flop over dead… it dissolved away into a cloud of blackness fading into the night air. Rebecca rushed over, tears running down her face as she grabbed my arm wrapping it in her button up shirt to try and slow or stop the bleeding. Zoey ran over skidding to a stop beside me. "Ali, what happened? Where did that wolf come from?"

"Do you think I know? That thing attacked us! I had to get Rebecca to safety but that thing…"

"It was darkness," Stark said picking up the arrow he'd shot into the wolf's head. "I know it anywhere…" I sat up and reached over wiping away some of Rebecca's tears.

"Are you okay?" I asked her. She nodded without a word as I felt her hand press onto the shirt around my arm a bit firmer. My gaze turned back to Stark as he was staring at the arrow. "So you're saying Darkness is what attacked us? Darkness took the form of a wolf?"

"It can take any form it wants," Zoey replied. "Darkness is known as a pure white bull,"

"White, how? White was always known as pure or good," Rebecca said squeezing my arm. When I winced out of pain she released her grip and whispered an apology. Zoey shook her head and sighed.

"No the Black Bull is of light and good, while the white is the darkness," I peeled the shirt from my arm and checked the bite marks that were already healing up even if it was only slightly. "Really Rebecca you're lucky Ali took the bites for you, but it seemed that wolf was after you both,"

"W-why me though?" Rebecca hooked her arms under my arms helping me up. It was painful to balance on the leg the wolf bite down onto, but at least my roomie was there for me to lean on her a bit.

"We can't be sure but whatever is happening sees you and Ali as threats to the plan, though I'm not surprised, last time Nyx marked one as her own darkness broke out so I will not bullshit you two, you're targets in this new war," Zoey sighed and touched my shoulder. "It was bound to happen; you were picked for a reason by our goddess,"

"Forced into a job with no pay… lovely," I felt Rebecca lightly elbow my side. "Ow, what was that for?"

"Be respectful, Nyx chose you for a reason," I leaned over and smiled.

"I know, 'Becca," I swear I watched her cheeks tint with a touch of pink. She chuckled and poked my cheek.

"Good, now we should get you inside and bandage that arm and leg of yours,"

"Yes nurse," I limped off with my roommate to the infirmary with Zoey and Stark following after us back into the school. I peered back outside seeing two red eyes peering back at me from the far bushes sending a chill up my spine…

Neferet~

Her head had been pierced by an arrow, but luckily for her she was nothing more than an apparition; well one that can physically harm people through their fears. She stood rubbing her head as Púrpura walked over.

"What did you do!?" she hissed. Neferet dropped her hand.

"Figuring out their fears, that Rebecca girl was my target but I did injure Ali," She crossed her arms. "Rebecca fears wolves,"

"And what about Ali; what's her fear? Heights, spiders, black cats what?"

"Snakes,"

"She's afraid of snakes…Really?" Púrpura shook her head slowly. "Good enough I might be able to work with that,"

"You better, we have to find a way to get rid of them, they are the biggest assets to Nyx combatting us," Neferet grimaced at the very need to mention the Goddess's name. "But I am beginning to wonder why she wants those two to fight against me returning… Why not the one who defeated me? That goddess is making no sense…"

"You think I know?" she snarled. "Let's just focus on what we have and how we can pick them apart," She turned and walked away as Neferet's image faded away back to the location she was sealed at…

Ali~

Another injury; seems like a running theme lately of me being in and out of the damn infirmary. When I first got here, got shot, and now attacked by some wolf creature. I sighed as the nurse finished wrapping my forearm with the bandaging. Once she finished and moved away from me I stood and tested my leg that the wolf had a bite into. Luckily I was able to stand on it so there was no serious damage. But something was bugging me and almost making my hair stand up on end.

"The Dark Daughter's Ritual was cancelled by Thanatos because she wants to be sure the wolf that attacked won't come back," My eyes looked up and I realized what made my hair on the back of my neck, stand on end. It was Púrpura standing in the doorway with her near emotionless and blank stare that I swear was piercing my soul. I only gave her a nod then she turned and left without another word. I was also so focused on her I didn't notice that Rebecca was hiding behind a curtain. Walking over I poked her in the gut.

"Hey, dark and scary isn't here anymore you can come out," Her redhead poked out from behind the curtain and the look in her eyes was like a small kitten seeing a Great Dane about to eat the feline. (Keep your puns to yourself; I know you were thinking it… because I was too,) She stepped out finally and took hold of my good arm in a frightened grip. "Easy, I'd like to keep the blood flowing to my limb,"

"S-Sorry, I just don't like 'her', Ali, she's bad news…" I sighed and slowly nodded, glancing out the door to where Púrpura was.

"I know; something about her is off… I don't know what it is but she's got…"

"Aura of dead fish eyes," I spotted a face that was peering slightly around the side of the doorway. Leaning to the side, I caught sight of the red markings on the woman's face.

"Who are you, ma'am?" I asked as she stepped out in better view.

"I'm Shaylin, I have the affinity of True Sight, I can see aura around a person, and that Púrpura girl… she's got a dark aura around her I've seen before," She sighed and pointed at me. "You on the other hand have a bright and vibrant aura that reminds me of something warm and loving," Then her gaze shifted to Rebecca as she smiled a bit wider. "While you have a bright aura as well but yours shines brighter around Ali's meaning you have a close bond to each other, sorry but I've been kind of watching you both,"

"Yeah that's not creepy, are you stalking in the bushes too?" I gave a questioning expression to the red vampyre.

"No, I saw you when you first came here Ali, on Lenobia's horse, your aura then was weakened because of the state you were in but each time I see you the color of your aura shines golden which is unusual, I'm sure everyone tells you that you're special and unique but they haven't even scratched the unknown surface of what you really are,"

"Um, Miss Shaylin, may I ask you something?" Rebecca asked nervously.

"Sure,"

"Púrpura's aura you said was like dead fish eyes… what's that mean?" Shaylin sighed and stepped into the infirmary asking if the nurse could step out for a moment. When the nurse got up and left, shutting the door, Shaylin turned back to us.

"It means she's got some kind of darkness looming around or in her, I've only seen that color one other time," she sat down, ringing out her hands. "And that was when Neferet was on the loose,"

"What…Neferet, she had that same aura?!" I swear my heart wanted to stop as I felt Rebecca's hold tighten on my arm to help keep me upright and not fall flat on my back. I sat in a nearby chair and set my face into my palms. Could Nyx have chosen me because she knew Neferet might be back or that Púrpura was becoming the 'New Neferet'? I didn't understand though… why me? Why not Zoey who faced this darkness before!?

"Because there is something about you that is needed to defeat the new threat," Nyx's voice whispered in my ear. I shivered and gave a shaky sigh.

"But there's no way to link her with anything yet… no one will believe she's a new threat…" I said looking up. Shaylin sighed and nodded slowly.

"I know, but what we can do is tread lightly around her and we can keep an eye out for anything she's doing. Also the Dark Daughters being her group she is bound to hide her plans by being the goodie type when in the sight of others,"

"She's going to slip up, she's going to mess up somewhere and when she does she'll expose herself,"

"But I wonder what she's planning," I glanced to Rebecca who was tapping her chin in thought. I'll admit that Rebecca was a fairly intelligent girl who in the short time I've been here shown to be great at solving those mystery puzzles and she's outstanding at chess. She was planning with Thanatos to host a Chess Club and honestly I'd love to join it when that happens. I guess that's how she knew something was wrong with Púrpura. She was thinking several paces ahead and it showed. "Don't worry, Shaylin we'll be careful around her and I think we'll also be fine,"

"Alright, but do not be afraid to talk to any of the professors you know best, most of them have seen the darkness before,"

"We'll keep that in mind," I said standing. "There's no way Púrpura is going to get away with anything," Shaylin smiled and bid her farewells before she left the infirmary. I went to leave too but was stopped when Rebecca grabbed my wrist.

"You have to be very careful y'know, if you're chosen by Nyx because of this you know you're the target," Her grip tightened a bit, as she frowned. "I don't want you hurt," I turned to her and pushed her mouth to smile.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine, I've got friends like you," I watched her cheeks tint pink as she lightly reached up and lowered my hands. "Now c'mon we should head to our room and rest," with a nod I lead the way back to our room…

I swear once my head hit the pillow I was out for the count, but it felt like that instance where you fall asleep and don't dream so you feel like you just went to bed when you wake up. With a sleepy groan I sat up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. Glancing at my roomie, I saw she was still out for the count in her PJ pants and baggy shirt. There was one pillow at her side and the other on her head as she slept on her stomach. The bed sheet was barely on her and her lower back was exposed from her shirt being kind of twisted tight around her. I could hear her lightly snoring and even noticed her cat was sleeping on her upper back curled up.

I sat up and stood walking to the door as the knock rhythm hit the door again. When I opened it I wasn't really expecting Lenobia standing there. I blinked and gave a half smile from still being sort of out of it. "What brings you here?"

"Well by the looks of it she's still out cold under a cat and pillow," Lenobia peered pass my arm to see Rebecca still sleeping.

"Oh it's easy to wake her, watch," I walked over and with a swift SLAP to her butt, the cat jumped off and Rebecca shot up. "Rise and shine sleepy butt!"

"What is it?"

"Your mentor came here to talk to you," She looked over my shoulder and waved to Lenobia before she stood and walked to the door, stepping out and shutting the door. I flopped onto my bed and buried my face into the pillow only to feel Lela pounce on my head being all cuddly kitty like which meant one thing; my hair was going to be very messy. When the door opened again I sat up bumping my cat off as Rebecca walked in.

"What was that about?" I asked her. She smiled and sat on my bed leaning back against me.

"My Chess Club idea was approved, apparently Thanatos spoke with Lenobia and a few others about it and they liked the idea so I'm the chess club student president," She seemed to be on cloud nine, at least which was a change because of all the hell, we've been going through as of late. I sat up and grabbed her in a headlock giving her a noogie.

"Then I better get taught by you huh?" I laughed as she struggled to get away from the feeling of my knuckles burning on her scalp…

Anastasia~

With the sun finally down, casting the skies into the beautiful pitch blackness the Vampyre came to call home when she was younger; Anastasia sat up in bed and glanced at the clock beside her on the nightstand. 7:00pm. Then her gaze turned to find her husband still sleeping with an arm hooked around her waist. Lightly, Anastasia moved his arm from her waist and removed the sheets from her legs. Sitting on the edge, the red vampyre rubbed her face giving a wide yawn. She was still getting used to the fact that when she was first alive she had no fangs but now she had sharp teeth like the stereotypical vampyre people were more scared of.

"Anastasia…" The blonde glanced up and looked around. The voice was feminine and certainly was not her husband so she kept trying to figure out the source of the voice until she watched her closet door creak open very slightly. Wondering what was there calling her she stood and slowly crept over opening the door. Mostly all that was in there was her clothing and some of her husband's as well. But in the very back of the mid-sized walk in was a tall wall mirror that was misted with something in the reflection obscuring anything in it. "Come, you know my voice,"

"Nyx," she stepped toward the mirror and saw the Goddess begin to materialize within the glass surface. Nyx was dressed in a loose white Greek style Toga dress that looked to be made of silk, white as snow and laced with gold around her waist, just over her bust and at the end of the dress. Around her head was a band of silver with turquoise gems used to design it. "Did you need to talk with me?"

"Yes, Anastasia, you and Dragon have a bigger task I need to ask of you," The Goddess waved a hand showing the image of Ali and Rebecca in their dorm room playing on Ali's Xbox 360. "You may know Ali is a very important asset right now as well as a target for the darkness at this time,"

"What do you need us to do?" Anastasia kept watching as Ali would do a playful cheat by pushing Rebecca's controller away so she could try and win the race on the game.

"You may not know it but Ali thinks of you as a mother; she cares about you, but what I need you and Dragon for is to not only educate her on the Darkness but to watch over her,"

"…Do you mean for us to act as some type of parent?" the goddess nodded. Anastasia could understand really. Ali had been close to her mother but lost her at a younger age. It most likely made her cave in and withdrew herself from people at that time. Anastasia had been close to her own mother as well, being she was the only daughter, but what the red vamp could never understand personally was the feeling of being hunted by someone who was partly like a father. She remembered that night when Ali was shot. The look on the man's face was emotionless and he even smiled; a look of satisfaction that she was hurt.

"For you and Dragon to look over and care for her will keep her from the risk of being struck by darkness and possibly pulled to a darker edge,"

"I see… you're worried that if she falls too far you could lose a daughter like her…"

"Anastasia, darkness will try to either try to eliminate her or turn her, that is why the people around her are vital right now, but it's easy to see that she was pained that night during the parental visitation. Even Rebecca had a parent to go to,"

"I had seen that, she was standing by the wall looking depressed," The red vampyre sighed and nodded watching the girls still having fun. At least Ali had a good friend like Rebecca, and they seemed inseparable at times. She'd often see the two together and most times Rebecca would be clung to Ali's arm, as if either to keep her close and safe or something else. "I agree with you, Nyx. She needs every pillar of strength to face the darkness that is rising up; her mentor might not be able to if she leaves to the Island to become the new Queen there. Without Zoey, the darkness would be most likely attack further but…"

"Right now Zoey's very presence is keeping it at bay but only so much, once she is removed from the area the darkness will attack, it happened once so far,"

"W-What?!" with a wave of her hand the first image faded and another one of the event earlier that day. Ali was being chased by a black wolf and had shoved Rebecca toward the temple church to get her out of the way of the attacking animal. The Black wolf latched onto her leg and tried to go for her face. Her arms shot up to block the attack and she ended up having the wolf latch to her arm. "What was that?"

"Darkness creature created to try and kill them both," Nyx said waving the images away from the red Vampyre's view. Anastasia shivered at the sight of the pitch black animal. "Now you see why you must help?"

"I do, Nyx and I accept it. Honestly I see Ali needs someone she can count on when she needs advice. So I do understand why you need our help,"

"Thank you, Anastasia," With that the Goddess slowly faded away leaving the blonde vampyre alone in the closet. She took a deep breath and picked out her clothing for the night. Slim form fitting pinwheel pants and a deep royal purple; close to black dress shirt top which the sleeves fanned out at the bottom.

She wanted to go and see Ali, just—just to be sure she was alright; which surely she was but Anastasia; since being brought back felt connected to and cared about Ali. Maybe she just already felt motherly towards the fledgling? She couldn't describe it but it didn't matter to her. She had to help keep Ali from any risk of turning off the Goddess's path. Darkness just cannot be allowed to win…

Anastasia and Dragon were simply asked to help protect and even educate the Goddess's treasured chosen one. Ali Flair.