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"It has been three days," said the kid in the green hoodie and grinned, "Sorry, guys, really glad that someone can see me, can't help myself. Being locked at school, especially at night," he shuddered, "you'll see for yourself at midnight."
Erik looked at his watch — they had twenty minutes, not much.
"Why did I see you in the morning, then?" grunted out Alex as they climbed the stairs to the roof, deemed the safest place here by the ghost named Armando, call-me-Darwin, who was not really the ghost… Well, Erik was sure that Charles has already mentally prepared a lection on the topic, judging by the thoughtful expression and the odd lack of comments, seeing how Raven and Alex painstakingly tried to walk through the walls, doors, windows and get outside, but in vain.
"I'm a shifter, I would demonstrate you, but my ability rarely obeys me in the Ghostworld. Sometimes, people can see me, it's like a tear in the veil, but it soon evaporates," he looked straight at Erik and made a welcoming gesture, "rooftop is the best place to hide when it comes."
"What comes?" dryly asked Raven walking straight through the door.
"Darkness," shrugged Armando, "I wish I knew, it's different every time."
"You seem strangely calm about this," observed Raven, in full suspicious mode.
"Panicking won't do any good," the boy nodded at her, "and you, and your friends don't seem surprised as well."
"We are used to this," simply said Alex, "We've came here to investigate tonight; actually, we go to this school."
"That was supposed to be my first day when I got sucked into this. I wonder what my mum is thinking right now…"
Nothing good, scowled Erik and looked up — the stars were innocuously blinking at him from the pitch black sky as if taunting him. Somewhere out there Shaw has probably collected all remaining relics and they didn't know where to search anymore. Shaw is always two steps ahead these days, even Charles' enthusiasm has somehow dimmed, which Erik previously believed was equivalent to the world peace, pigs flying in the sky, vampires smiling at him and kissing him goodnight and other highly improbable stuff.
"What happened to the other hmm… ghosts?" suddenly asked Charles and everyone turned to stare at him.
"That thing, darkness," gulped Armando, "I saw it devouring a girl the first night, she was also incorporeal, as she tried to sink through the floor. And, and then it, just, sort of clung to her and she was gone in an instant, I ran up the stairs and that, I…"
"That's alright," soothed him Charles, "You couldn't do anything. May I ask one more question," he waited for a stern nod, "Have you noticed anybody coming here at night by chance, not exactly human to be precise…"
"I think, I saw someone," the boy briefly glanced at Charles, "the man was walking along the corridor or… I don't know, I'm not sure, he seemed so unperturbed by… okay, I think he was something like darkness."
Erik subtly stepped closer to Charles and offered him a pat on the shoulder as he suddenly felt the need to reassure him, but didn't know how. He was new to this, to tentative commitment that bound them together and let Erik accept the assurance from Charles as well as inspire certainty in the other — those were Charles' words, not his. But Charles was absolutely right, regardless. He was also right when he insisted they deal with this ghost-phenomenon, because Shaw was not going anywhere, but lot's of evil has been drawn to the hellhole nonetheless.
Charles looked up at him, startled, but then smiled in a radiant way, which never failed to have a magical effect on Erik's state of mind.
"Vampire?" almost screeched the new kid, staring at Erik with wild eyes, "I knew it!"
"Not the tall and hostile, dude," Alex rolled his eyes in exasperation, "That one is a hunter. Charles is a vampire and if you're going to say something I might not like, I suggest you think twice before you do. Clear?"
"Relax, I'm cool about it. Vampires are great. Understood," weakly smiled call-me-Darwin and turned to Raven, "Is he for real?"
Raven practically fumed with anger as Alex was holding her hands in the tight grip and didn't let her pounce on the unsuspecting guy.
"Raven, darling, calm down," Charles took a step between her and the poor sod, who, by the looks of it, was seriously contemplating fleeing right through the ground.
"Hey you, hoodie boy," Erik gripped his shoulder and meaningfully squeezed, "and who was telling shit about not panicking, huh? You stay here and listen to Charles. Got it?"
"As if I have any choice," muttered the kid under his breath.
"We came here to help you, Armando," Charles nodded to Erik and he let go of the kid, staying close just in case.
"I need to take a closer look," continued Charles meanwhile, "to be absolutely sure that this is what I think it is. I reckon, I've dealt with it the past, the occurrence you've described is a parasitic essence feeding on life energy. Though, the last time I observed it, it was in a dormant state, so someone must direct it. That's the current hypothesis — a sentient mind must be keeping it under control," sequence of tremors interrupted him as the building itself seemingly groaned and came alive, "and it means, that I need to go down," finished Charles.
"Excuse me," Erik couldn't believe his ears, "I didn't catch that."
"I know that you did," evenly said Charles and cut upcoming protests with a curt gesture, "Let me clarify," Erik watched as dark, thin, flexible tendrils crawled through the steel door to the roof and made his hair stand on end, "those are feeding on life energy, I'm technically dead, hence resilient."
Dark appendages grew thicker as they completely covered the space before the door and crawled in their direction.
"It's never crawled that far," gasped Armando and helplessly looked at them, "once it touches you, you're doomed."
"Maybe, you're lying," huffed Raven but backed away.
"I don't believe he does," Charles was holding his gaze when he said, "Erik, you're in charge," — I have always been, wanted to protest Erik, — "whatever happens, don't touch it and don't try to follow me. I'll be back soon," with these words he sank through the floor and Erik's frantic hand caught nothing but air.
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"It doesn't work," Alex clenched his hands into the fists and started swearing. Erik caught a couple of words he could use himself.
Fifteen minutes after Charles was gone and the dark, living matter has covered nearly every corner of the rooftop, except for the one they have huddled on together, Erik and Alex flanking Raven and Armando.
Alex's magic was out of the picture, Raven couldn't change her form, Armando likewise, and does that mean that Charles, shit, damn it, he didn't have time to make sure that he wasn't affected. Trust him, you have to trust him to be alright, man up, everyone is adult and he is even more so — then why wasn't this mantra helping to steady his inner anxiety.
"Never thought I'd die like this," heard he a humourless chuckle as Raven leaned in to his back, "this is so mediocre, I can't believe it," whispered she.
"Death is often not heroic," Erik got out through his teeth, not in the mood for consolation, his mind and heart screaming Charles.
And then he closed his eyes, because Erik was certain he didn't want this rooftop to be the last thing he sees, it wept. The sound pierced through his head like thousand needles and made Erik drop to his knees. Wailing, screaming, crying, laughter filled his head with voices of hundreds of men, women and children, and he had to clamp his hands over his ears, distinctly realizing that it won't help, that his mind isn't able to withstand the pressure and then it stopped…
He found himself on the ground, slightly dazed but otherwise fine and slowly got up. He did it, Erik grinned with mirth — Charles has done it. He felt a strange sense of pride when he looked around and there was no dark tendril in sight.
Alex helped Raven to her feet and questioningly looked at him.
Right, Erik is in charge.
"Let's go and find Charles. Hoodie boy?"
"Yes, I'm in. Vampires are awesome, I got it," nodded he in mock defeat.
"Not vampires, dude," smirked Alex, "Charles is."
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"I've heard something from the cafeteria," said Raven and zipped past them at breakneck speed.
Erik followed behind, silently thanking all deities that she was not screaming Charles' name aloud and giving away their approach. She could be sensible when she tried. They got back their powers but having looked through all the classrooms on the second and first floor they still didn't have any idea where Charles might be. Erik stubbornly refused to go through different what-if scenarios and his gut feeling was telling him that this is not the end.
"Thank god, Charles!" she rushed to the vampire, who was heavily leaning on the door, "Are you hurt?" demanded Raven.
Charles smiled at her, he looked shaken and there was a gash on his face which started from the temple and ran to the cheekbone, but otherwise he seemed fine. Erik's heart faltered when Raven tugged him closer and Charles sighed in surrender.
"Raven, I'm fine. After all, I was right about a puppet-master, the demon from the nightmare category, as I call it. More importantly, is everybody alright?" he tilted his head in the easily-recognized manner and glanced at them, inquiry in blue eyes.
"Peachy," remarked Alex.
"Thank you, man," grinned Armando, call-me-Darwin, alright, Darwin is shorter, "Can we go home? Now that I think about it, I'm totally famished."
"By all means," nodded Charles and gestured ahead, "Shall we?"
"Right," muttered Alex and strolled down the corridor to the hall, "I'm sick of this place during the day, nothing can make me stay here more than absolutely necessary."
Erik silently followed them to the exit, tiny voice in the back of his mind setting a constant hell-bent litany — something's not right, something's off, look, don't you see it. He grimly watched Charles' back as he was mentally cataloguing the small details; there's nothing unusual — Charles' accent, too familiar smile, the gait is somewhat stiff — that coat probably hides some severe bruising, the coat was previously smudged, Erik felt almost guilty for trapping Charles in the dusty corner, but he couldn't help himself. The coat? Shit! Alex already pushed the doors open and Darwin was ready to step out. Erik dashed forward, putting himself directly in the demon's path, as he pushed Raven and Alex out of the way and with one hand slammed the creature wearing Charles' face to the doorpost.
"Erik!" it sounded so genuinely hurt, that Erik nearly faltered for a moment, but no, it won't do.
"Where is Charles?" his hand gripped the lapels of the coat and he jostled the creature's head, "Answer me!"
"Lehnsherr, explain," hissed Alex behind his back, "Or I swear, I'll…"
"What happened to his coat? Raven, you've noticed it yourself, right?" Erik carefully watched the creature for any signs of unease, the blue eyes reflected disdain for a brief moment and then it was Charles' bewildered gaze all over again. Fuck, this won't prove him right. Nobody has noticed.
"Alex," murmured Raven, "maybe Erik's telling the truth, unless he has discreetly visited the cleaners while we were looking for him."
"This is easy to check," sneered Erik at the creature, "If you're really Charles, why don't you get yourself out of my grip and out of the door. Oh, you can't," mockingly drawled Erik lowering his hand, "someone has to open the way. Unfortunately for you, my friend," he didn't intend to use that form of address — the reminder stung, "we're not going to do it."
He let go of the demon, who in response was sadly watching Erik as he righted the collar and shimmered.
"Erik, my dear boy," said his mother, "you've always been so careful. How could you let the vampire deceive you? Did you forget what your father used to say — beware of the darkness — veneer pleases the eyes but the demon will eat your heart at the end."
Erik felt as if he was drowning, his mother's words, not in the exact context, but those were his mother's words.
"Charles!" screamed Raven, "Where is Charles?"
"Raven, calm down," tiredly answered Charles' voice and more sternly, "you need to deal with that temper of yours if you want to survive in the normal society."
Enough.
"Alex, Darwin," barked Erik, "take Raven and get the hell out of here."
He was not afraid of the demons, he knew what they were capable of, and he also knew that real Charles was still inside. Those petty tricks are nothing. He's seen through illusions, found a weak point in the projection and he…
"By the way," Shaw turned to face Raven and Alex, Armando already stepping on the threshold, "there's something those two are not telling you. Someone of you has betrayed Erik and your benefactor, has told me the exact time and place, so that we could spend a quality time together. Of course, Erik is an old protégé of mine, but that vampire, the traitor, had to learn…"
Erik buried the dagger in Shaw's heart to the hilt.
"Get out! Now!"
The doors closed with a bang.
Charles looked him in the eyes, wistful, "I realize that you'll never love me back, I do. But I didn't expect you to hurt me so badly," he pulled out a dagger and held it like an offering, "Try one more time, Erik. With me, you have all the second chances in the world."
Don't look, don't listen, don't look…
Gods help me.
Erik backed away and ran.
Cafeteria! Check the cafeteria.
"Erik! Lord, you're here," Charles dove from the shadows, grabbed his wrist and tugged him to the kitchen door, "we don't have much time! We must burn down the corporeal remnants of the essence or it will keep trying to leave the premises."
Erik pushed him away.
Charles has frowned in confusion, the gash on his face more pronounced than before.
"Ah, I see," he looked at himself standing near the fridge.
"What took you so long?" panted Erik. Surely, one must be real.
"I was in the basement," replied two of them simultaneously, "The demon is dead, but the essence he called, grew in power after consuming human spirits and bodies. The central element of the seal is there, I couldn't leave it undone. It's reading our minds, Erik. Don't fall for it. Focus."
"If we leave it like this…"
…it will regain its power."
"That's excellent news," got out Erik, "Charles, do you trust me?"
"I do," they smiled.
"Okay, then let me choose."
He swallowed, hard, — who knew that fairy-tale scenario can be sometimes handy and reached for Charles' hand. Stupid thing, grinned Erik to himself, this is the easiest decision he's made tonight.
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They stumbled through the front doors together. Erik didn't let go of Charles during the crazy sprint down the corridor, roar of fire hot on their heels. He sank to the ground once they were out and Charles followed, never letting go of him, two of them locked in tight embrace. Erik's hands had fisted in Charles' coat, what a moronic demon, lucky them, but the things it has said — Erik's sanity, beliefs, memories madly mashed together, damn, it nearly got him there.
Raven's cries in the background, Alex, patting his shoulder, Darwin, anxiously asking something, seemed too far away. Charles, Charles is here…
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