Chapter 10
Upon arrival at Nightshade Manor, Shadow found himself called to his father's study.
"Have you gone completely braindead?!"
"Do elaborate on your inquiry, I do not believe I understand." Shadow fought back a desire to smirk.
"You brought the impoverished into our home? And you purchased some ramshackle rundown apartment building without consulting me?!" The elder Darkrai all but slammed Shadow into a wall. "Does your blind devotion to that peasant know no bounds!?"
"Quite."
"Despite everything I've told you lately you decided it was wise to invite them here to stay?" Mare shoved him, releasing him. "I am tired of your rebellious actions of late."
"And I am tired of your wanton bigotry." Shadow floated closer. "I invited them to keep them safe."
"And you've likely endangered us all the more for it. If these Aberrations are hunting you and those close to you, you've made us a bigger target."
"Better to be together than to be picked off one by one!" Shadow showed a surprising amount of anger in his voice. "This discussion is over." And the younger Darkrai exited the room abruptly.
*Sentinels Police Station, Later*
The sun had set only an hour ago, and Anelace and her remaining siblings were searching for windows to look inside the station. Cleave had only been detained, and hadn't yet gone to trial or been sentenced.
"Anelace, I'm not sure about this…" Gladius spoke worriedly.
"Shut up Glad!" She whispered staring through a window of the police station. "Okay, I see him." She nodded as she climbed down. "Dad's just behind this wall."
"So we're doing this then?" Bardiche asked.
"Yeah. There's a move disabler on the inside, but, " Anelace felt ice coating her claw, "It seems to only be effecting the inside.
"Ann, this is a cement wall, at least a good few inches thick, there's…"
"Shut. Up. Gladius. Okay, masks on." the sneasel covered her face with a humorous mask of a pikachu sticking it's tongue out.
Bardiche did the same with a Pikachu mask, this one winking.
Gladius hesitated but lowered his own mask, this one of a screaming pichu.
Both Anelace and Bardiche pressed their clawed hands to the wall, and after a moment, Gladius joined them. Ice spread from their claws, and after a minute and a half, the ice was all the way through.
"Okay, now then, Bard, do it!"
Bardiche lifted his mask just enough for his mouth to be visible as a mass of energy formed, when released the hyper beam attack struck the frozen wall, and in its compromised state, the wall shattered.
Anelace lunged through the hole in the wall, and grabbed Cleave's arm. The weavile was surprised to say the least, but didn't resist as he was pushed through the hole in the wall.
"Stop right there criminal scum!" The detainment cell door flung open as officer Igni rushed through spitting a flamethrower through the hole. The attack struck Bardiche in the leg but completely missed the others.
"Run!" The group rushed down the street as Gladius and Bardiche created an ice wall behind them.
Officer Igni gave chase melting the ice as he did, but suddenly he stopped. Something gave him pause. He suddenly rushed back to the station peeking into the hole in the wall, finding the other detainees hadn't even attempted to escape.
"Okay, I'm gonna have to have you all move to a new cell. Stand up slowly." They did as instructed and lined up beside the cell door. "Why didn't you all try to escape."
One of them, a Salazzle, spoke. "With what's been happening at night, ha, officer we'll take our chances here."
*Elsewhere*
The group took cover deep in an alley.
"Thanks for the help back there." Cleave spoke. "You kids can take those masks off now, I know my offspring when I see them."
They each took off their masks.
"Can't believe they had you arrested." Anelace spoke.
"It can't be helped." He stepped up gently caressing her face. "You're a good girl Anelace. Not like those traitors."
Just a few feet away, Gladius was looking over Bardiche's leg. "Hmm, it looks like a pretty bad burn, best not to strain yourself right now." Gladius pulled off the small jacket he was wearing and pulling a bottle of water from it. He poured it over the cloth and gently wrapped it around his brother's leg. "The water should cool it a bit, and my jacket should stay fastened for a while, so we can rest a bit."
"What, one burn and you can't walk?" Cleave sounded furious. "I didn't realize you were that weak. And I didn't know Gladius was such a pansy."
"I'm fine dad, and Glad's just trying to help." Bardiche spoke up in defense of his brother.
"I don't care, you should be able to tough it out."
They fell silent, at the entrance of the alley stood a dark figure, it's features indistinguishable. That is until it turned to face them, two large vermillion gem-like eyes stared at them.
Anelace stepped back, helping Bardiche to his feet.
"Who the hell are you!? A cop?"
"Dad, I don't think that's…"
"Walk away if you value your life."
The creature stepped into the light, it's twisted, sickly body was off putting.
Bardiche stepped forward, feeling a need to prove his strength to his father. "You heard him, walk away!" The other three watched in silence. Bardiche stood his ground, even as the stench of rot and death flooded his nose. "Last chance, walk awa…" he fell silent. The other three couldn't see the creature past him.
What they heard was a choked sound, a voice struggling to speak. "Blaaaaaade…"
"What the hell is that weirdo talking about Bard? Bard?" Anelace seemed shaken, she couldn't tell why.
Until a small spot of red spread from Bardiche's back, soaking his shirt, followed by what appeared to be a claw sticking straight through him. Within that claws grasp, a still beating heart.
Bardiche collapsed to his knees in front of the creature as it suddenly yanked its arm up, tearing his body open and severing his shoulder from his body.
The sableye-like creature stared at the heart, slowing its beat in its hand as it looked to the hole in its own chest. It's claws constricted, and crushed the heart cruelly.
Gladius began to hyperventilate, his brother, Bardiche was lying dead on the ground, a hole in his chest that led to his entire left shoulder practically dangling from his side. He wanted to scream, to run, but his body wouldn't move.
Anelace was no different, her body screamed to run, but her legs were frozen in place.
Cleave however, had already fled, abandoning them both with the creature who had just killed his firstborn son.
The creature raised its claw over its head, letting blood drip upon its face and tongue. "Blade." The creature's voice was no longer a strangled mess, rather an almost angelic feminine voice. "I'm getting closer…"
In a split second the creatures eyes locked onto Anelace and Gladius. Despite everything, despite how much like their father she was, Anelace grabbed Gladius and pulled him running toward a turn in the alley. As she glanced back she saw the creature on their heels, a sickening grin across it's twisted face, and it's eyes wide with jubilation.
In that moment she believed she would die, and for what, to save a man who abandoned her and her brother at the first sign of danger. She looked back again at the sound of Gladius screaming, the creature was right behind them still, but there was something round in its mouth.
As Gladius faced forward, it became obvious, the thing in the creature's mouth was his left eye. In a surprising show of compassion Anelace tossed Gladius forward and turned to face the creature. What she saw instead was the caring smiles of a Charmander and Charmeleon.
Pyre and Tin. "Get your brother to the hospital, we'll deal with this thing."
Anelace shook herself and rushed to grab Gladius.
"They might be a bunch of screw ups, but nobody deserves this." Pyre spoke staring the creature down.
It seemed to sniff the air as it's teeth chomped upon the eye in its maw. And it's voice returned "You are sought by another."
"Cryptic, creepy, and completely unsettling." Flames burst into Tin's mouth as they did with Pyre's.
The two fire types let out a powerful combined flamethrower down the alley, but once the attack ended, the creature was gone. Tin suddenly pulled a phone from his pocket and held it to his ear. "Hey, Dad, yeah another one. It's worse this time."
*Nightshade Manor*
Shard was sitting down beside Blade and Nagi, as Shadow had been explaining how the manor staff operated, to ensure no one caused any problems for them. When suddenly, "Master Shadow? There is an Officer Ember Igni here to speak with Madame Shard." Codsworth had entered the room. "Your father has seen fit to permit him entry." The Lucario stepped out of the doorway.
Ember came through a somber look upon his face. "Miss Iceson?"
The sneasel answered calmly standing up. "Yes, is something wrong?"
"Ma'am, I…please, you should sit back down."
"What is this about Officer?"
"Well, first, your husband, Cleave Iceson, has escaped custody, apparently with the help of your children."
Shard was stunned, and furious. "That is a serious accusation Officer! What.."
She fell silent as he held up his hand. "The proof we have is…" He seemed to hesitate. "Miss Iceson, we…" he held out a small picture. "We need you, to…to identify this body."
As soon as Shard got a hold of the picture she dropped it and began to sob.
Nagi picked up the picture, "Bardiche…" she too began to cry seeing the image of her brother's mangled corpse.
"I, I'm sorry. He was found in possession of one of the masks worn by the individuals who broke your husba…"
"Get out!" Shard practically leaped out of her seat. "Get out! Get out!"
Ember bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry for your loss ma'am. We are currently searching for your other two children, as well as your husband."
Shadow sat down in front of Blade, the boy had been totally silent, but his eyes were dripping with tears. "Blade?"
"My big brother…" he hugged Shadow tight.