A/N: Follow-up to No. 6

No. 11: "All the lights going dark and my hope's destroyed." | Captivity | "No one will find you."

Lavender lightning split the sky, briefly illuminating the otherwise pitch black landscape of the Fold. Somewhere in the distance, a Volcra screeched. Nikolai sat curled in the corner of a ruined building, the demon nursing its wounds after tangling with one of the Fold's monstrous inhabitants. The demon had escaped with its life—unfortunately. Having broken Kirigan's hold on him, Nikolai was once again a captive in his own, deformed body, and he prayed to find death rather than remain enslaved inside the demon for eternity. He had no hope of rescue. He didn't even know if his friends had survived the trap after Nikolai managed to escape before the demon killed them all. And he couldn't risk trying to seek them out, couldn't risk the Darkling finding him first and binding the demon to his control again. No, the demon had to remain in the Fold. Which also meant no one would find him here, if they even dared to come looking, which Nikolai doubted anyone would. And so all that was left for him was darkness and despair.

The Volcra shrieks grew louder and more numerous—they were attacking something. Someone. Nikolai was torn between wanting to find out who was here and remaining hidden, but it didn't matter anyway; the demon was in control and it was drawn out by the scent of blood.

The scene he came upon filled him with both hope and dread. His friends were alive but engaged in fierce battle with the Darkling and what appeared to be living shadow monsters. Kirigan had apparently decided to replace Nikolai with some new demons. The Volcra had also been drawn by the commotion and were attacking as well. Nikolai saw Tamar, Tolya, Zoya, and others attempting to fight them while Alina knelt over Mal, who already appeared gravely injured.

The demon turned into a dive to take its own chance at prey, and Nikolai summoned up the strength he'd used to take back control once before. He managed to veer sharply before the demon could tackle its target, and they went careening back up into the broiling sky. The demon shrieked and thrashed inside him, but Nikolai gritted his teeth and held fast. He banked hard and swooped back around to intercept the incoming Volcra. The monsters screeched at the disruption and turned sharply to chase after him.

Nikolai wasn't sure how—maybe he was able to briefly tap into the Darkling's power that had changed him—but he felt the summons that went out…and the Volcra responded. Now, instead of chasing him, they were following his lead, like a swarm swept up in a hive mind. Nikolai turned and led them straight at Kirigan.

The look of shock on the Darkling's face was satisfying, but then his new shadow monsters were retaliating, targeting the threat that now came from the sky. Nikolai swerved to avoid getting hit, and one of the Volcra screamed as it was obliterated. Other screams punctuated the darkness as the Fold's creatures ripped into the Grisha loyal to the Darkling. One even managed to deliver a blow to Kirigan himself, throwing him to the ground.

A column of fire shot up and grazed Nikolai's side, sending him spiraling. The demon inside raged and tried to regain control, and Nikolai bit down with all his might to keep it in check. As happy as he was to be aiding his friends in the fight, he was not going to allow the demon to tear anyone to shreds.

A beam of light suddenly exploded outward, and Nikolai flinched as the brightness seared his eyes. He couldn't see quite what was happening, but the light was engulfing Alina, growing ever larger and brighter, until Nikolai was blinded. Unable to see and hampered by his wounds, he went crashing to the ground. The light expanded, like a sun going nova. Nikolai covered his eyes and cowered. He heard the screams of the Volcra as they were incinerated, and he wondered if the light would destroy him too. But when it was over, Nikolai remained.

He cautiously moved his arms away from his head—he was still a demon. But still in control. He blinked dazedly at the wide open space all around him, a barren landscape of sand and dust. But no Fold. Alina had done it; she had brought it down.

Nikolai turned his head toward his friends. Tamar and Tolya were bent urgently over Mal, while Alina strode toward Kirigan, who was on his knees, weakened but not defeated. Nikolai couldn't hear the words they exchanged, but in another moment, Alina summoned a Cut of sun and killed the Darkling once and for all. At long last, all of his evil was gone.

Except for one.

Nikolai looked down at himself, his heart twisting with anguish.

He heard Alina and Mal exchange cries of relief, and Nikolai started to slink away, though where did a demon have to hide now?

"Alina," someone said sharply.

"Nikolai?" she called a moment later, and he froze. He heard footsteps coming toward him. "Nikolai?"

He turned toward her, his shoulders hunched and shadow wings flattened against his back. Her wide eyes searched his face.

"Are you in there?" she asked cautiously.

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He hadn't tried before, but now he knew the demon was incapable of speech.

"Be careful, Alina," Mal warned.

Nikolai flinched away and prepared to flee.

"Don't!" Alina exclaimed. "Nikolai, don't go. Let me try to help you."

He hesitated, wondering if there was anything she could do. If destroying Kirigan and his magic hadn't done it, then what could?

In his indecision, Alina carefully moved closer, one hand raised. The demon inside him snarled. Yet Nikolai held himself rigidly still, hope and fear warring within him. He wondered if she could see the plea in his eyes.

Alina's gaze softened. "I'm so sorry," she said, and then she moved her hands slowly, fluidly summoning up light. Again, the brightness made Nikolai recoil, but he managed to hold his ground as the sun enveloped him.

At first the touch burned, her pure magic against the Darkling's evil mark. Nikolai doubled over in pain, and then the light was pushing into his body, much like the shadows had, and Nikolai wanted to scream. The demon did.

"Hold on, Nikolai," Alina urged, pushing more blinding light into him.

He dropped to his knees.

"You're killing him!" someone yelled.

Nikolai shot his clawed hands up to seize Alina's wrists, praying she understood not to stop. He would rather die than remain like this.

"Alina!"

"I'm fine!" She took in a deep breath and drew forth more sun to surround them both. "Stay with me," she said, holding Nikolai's gaze.

The light coursed through him, burning out the shadow. Maybe burning him away too, but he held on. And then it receded, leaving a radiating warmth across his skin. Nikolai gasped and collapsed onto his side. A second later, Alina was pulling his head into her lap.

"Nikolai?" she called frantically.

He struggled to open his eyes and blinked dazedly up at her. She broke into a wide smile, and he lolled his gaze down to his body. The black veins were gone. His torso was bare, his torn trousers fluttering in the light breeze.

"Thank you," he breathed.

Several people clamored around them, hands reaching and prodding, but Nikolai was too spent to follow them. He simply lay there under an open sky and shining sun he thought he'd never see again.

A/N: To be continued in No. 15