A/N:Those who have read my stories know that my stories have a habit of taking off in directions I'd never expect, especially in the middle of battles. This chapter did just that, and as usual, I really like where this caused the story to go. I was really excited though, I even wrote chapter 7 along with this, so it should be out soon.

Thanks to DarkElements10 for betaing.

Chapter 6: When Light Goes Dark

Clouds that would normally indicate a storm or a sunset hover overhead. Normally I'd expect lighting and thunder, but I know it's something far worse. Within them, lie a thousand beating metal wings that were about to fly down at us. I gulp for a moment, my body already shaking in fear. But I'm here for a reason. My family is different, perhaps nearly gone, but some still lived. Some still had hope that this wasn't the end.

I don't know their stories.

I don't know their motivations.

But while the light is fading around us, they still have the fire in their hearts that would not go out.

Their light has yet to be claimed.

And neither has mine.

Jayden gathers fire around him that seems to glow like the light of the sun. It has a white hue to it flickering around him, similar to how Riley's was tinted with darkness. The ground around him seems to shake at his power, quaking in fear. We could do this. Whatever darkness struck us would be chased out by light.

Gathering my own power of silverwind, I prepare to join in his attack. I take several even breaths. I can't lose control now. My attacks must be accurate and sure. I know power. I know what it's like to lose control of power.

They get closer every second, but I wait for them, resisting the impulse to strike as soon as I think I can reach them. Jayden is the first to attack shooting several blasts of fire up in there air. Several of the Xyscons fly at Julius, but Jayden sees them before I can strike. He turns to Julius and sends fire in that direction, destroying several of the creatures covering Julius so he could run over to us.

"Nice to see you again Noah," he says, looking much older than I remember, but I still know him as the Julius we loved so much. His eyes of peace and harmony give me hope. That whatever he had gone through hadn't beaten him. Julius was possibly the strongest of all of us. He had the ability to keep us calm and together when the world wanted to tear us apart. And even though he's lost so much, I can see in his eyes that his resolve is as strong as ever.

Our few attacks weren't enough to beat these Xyscons though, only insignificantly reduce their numbers. It will take more than some happiness and good feelings to overcome this enemy. Some of them landed on the ground and now are starting to charge at us. However, the sound of the wings in the sky makes me look up and see that the far bigger danger is the hundreds of them that are still are descending upon us. The beat of their metal wings is like starting near an airplane as it's about to take off, so much so it's making my body vibrate.

I don't let that stop me though. I focus intently on my powers and shoot up several blasts of wind, cutting one of them in half. I don't let this small victory stop me as I keep firing, trying to keep them at bay making sure my attacks are as focused as possible. However, I see how weak my attacks are against them. Their metal like skin fends off any of my attacks that aren't dead on. Julius tries to keep those on the ground at bay, using his control over the earth to beat them away if they get too close. Unlike most of the elementals, Julius wasn't restricted to just one element, instead he was gifted with many of them. While this was a blessing, it also meant that he didn't have the focus in one which restricted his power somewhat.

Still, I've never seen Julius combine the various elements like this. He pulls up rock from the ground, surrounding one of the Xyscons in it before shooting a concentrated stream of fire in there. In a matter of seconds, the heat causes it to explode, the Xyscons along with it. I gulp, noticing how ruthless and cruel Julius is. Even with the darkness in our own hearts, Julius was one to keep it at bay.

Has that changed?

"I won't let them hurt you Noah," he says with a gentle smile.

No, it hasn't changed. One can be pushed to their limits, forced to embrace the darker side of their souls, but that doesn't mean light has to be gone. He's fighting for those he loves. And even if this isn't the world I know, I'm doing the same.

I jump forward, pushing several of them back with my wind, and Jayden uses this wind to speed up his fire, sending it at the creatures with explosive results. However, it wasn't enough, as more just take their place. Julius is quick to respond as he brings up several shields of earth to block those who got around the explosions.

It doesn't hold them off for long as they quickly fly over it, and leap at us. I slice another one in half while Jayden is trying to blast those he can with fire. However, we seen now how fast these creatures are, able to leap out of the way of our attacks or let them just glance off them. And for every one we kill, another dozen seem to take their place. I use a wider guest of wind to blow a few of them away, but they're right back at us in a matter of seconds.

We back up, trying to put some distance between us and them. Though their speed makes it hard to get away. Even if we ran, they'd be on us in a matter of seconds. What can we do?

Pain suddenly erupts upon my back and I see drops of blood splatter around the ground around me.

I look around, glancing, trying to figure out what just happened. But I can't stop the confusion, the pain that seems to slither all across my body.

"Noah!" Jayden shouts and I feel a strong warmth from behind me, and see the bits of the Xyscon that must have attacked me. I turn to look at it, wondering, not quite sure of what's so strange though. Maybe that's what makes it strange.

I find myself fall to the ground, trying to hold myself up with my hands, but I see the blood that must be dripping from my sides. It's strange, I'd think that landing so hard would cause my hands to hurt. But they don't; I can't even feel my fingers. My breaths are heavy, like there isn't enough oxygen in the air, and I can feel myself getting sleepy.

"What can we do?" Jayden yells.

"Fend these guys off, get him back to the base and hope we have enough of the antidote for him," Julius says, though his voice his broken up, like listening to a CD that had been played way too many times.

Or maybe it's just my hearing.

But I know now that this is poison that's doing it to me.

Can they win though?

"There's so many of them," Jayden says but I feel my eyes closing. I want to get up and fight, but my legs are falling asleep. I fall over onto my side, seeing the flashes of fire and the dozens of the beasts around us. I can't give up though. They aren't. There has to be some way I can help, but I can barely keep my eyes open.

I slowly roll back onto my stomach, push myself up just barely, but feel extremely light headed as a result.

I can't do this.

But I have to.

I turn my eyes up to the sky, and I see them. Countless Xyscons. And what am I? Weak, powerless.

I see her above them. A woman shrouded in darkness. She holds a staff in her hand, that seemed to guide the Xyscons. I feel like I know her. I can hear her thoughts, her commands. It's in a different language, but I can also hear the Xyscons responding to her.

So, she's their leader.

I open my mouth to try to tell them, warn them. But my tongue is dry and my lips barely move. Maybe I can do something to help. Though I was useless to them. That information though, that is key.

But before I can say anything, the pressure on my eyes becomes too much for me. I try keeping them open, keeping my limbs moving, but I can't. I just feel myself getting weaker and weaker.

This can't be the end.

No!

I've been through so much, fought so many. Now's not the time to die. Now is the time to get up, fight, win, and figure out what the hell is going on here.

But I can't.

I'm frozen in place. It's like my body is floating away. The darkness, the sweet darkness.

Its consuming presence welcomes me.

Its warmth blankets me.

It's beauty consumes me.

"Noah's not looking good!"

"No, not again!"

Who are they?

Who's Noah?

Why are they screaming?

It's better just to sleep.