The Dark Side of the World (TDA)

*Chapter 20*

**Please read the authors note if you don't usually. Just the end part. (You'll see) Thanks!

James

The walk home is slow and tedious. 

We walk in a pairs, Tess and Sophie in front with Livvy and I just behind them, trying desperately to avoid oncoming people that can't actually see us. While concealing runes might make us invisible to most, they don't do anything for the solidity of humain beings. A young couple nearly nocks Tess and Sophie to the ground when they come tearing out of a coffee shop at top speed. Probably late for something.

We cross the street to a small grassy park near the institute. It's a place I remember hanging out at a lot as a child, climbing tree's and such, with Tess, Sophie and, on rare occasions, May. Amy would take us here when Mom and Dad were busy. It's perfectly placed, only a couple blacks away from the institute, so if anything ever went wrong, we'd be have pretty quick access to help. Plus, it's seems to be pretty undiscovered, so there's never anyone here.

"Pretty, isn't it?" I say to Livvy when I notice her staring at a clump of bushes. 

She shakes her head, her eyes still fixed. But it's not amazement in them, or even curiosity. It's fear.

"Livvy?" I demand. "Livia, what's wrong."

The bush moves, and out comes the worst thing that could possibly come out of that bush. A drevak demon. 

Drevak demons are some of the ugliest things you'll ever see. Beetle-like eyes and a slug-like form, everything a disgusting shade of gray. Brains the size of a pea, but venom that hurts like hell. I take a deep, long breath. This isn't my first demon and won't be my last, but it my first with someone to protect, someone who can't protect themselves.

"Go over there." I whisper in her ear, pointing to a big tree that looks perfect for climbing. "And don't move. Just stay there no matter what happens. We've got this, I promise you."

When she doesn't answer, I worry that she's frozen up. But she nods and on shaking legs, starts over to where I pointed.

I look to the side, down the path, to my next priority. Tess and Sophie. I know they can handle themselves just fine, but not as much with a surprise attack. I wonder momentarily if it has ears, the horrible thing I can feel inching closer to me. Some of them do. I wonder if maybe I should be quiet so I don't scare him or show him my next move. I dismiss the thought quickly.

"Tessa." I say in a calm, clear and somewhat loud voice. "I need you both to get weapons ready and come back over here."

"What-" I hear a sharp intake of breath from her direction and know she see's it. But no, not only it, not only one. There's three now.

Easy, I tell myself, this will be easy. Three is nothing. Maybe for one person it's a bit much, but for three it's no big deal. Three on three. Equal. But then why do I still feel scared? 

"We'll take these, you take that one." Tess shouts.

I glance over to see her staring down the demon closest to her, Sophie very far to the right. They fight together. As parabati. There are rarely times when I wish for a parabati of my own, but this might be one of them.

"Alright then." I mutter, half to myself, turning back toward my slimy enemy. "Lets get this party started."

It's a young one, I can tell by its size and skill. With a short dagger, I don't have much reach, but the demon doesn't make me. It stays close enough, so close I wonder if there's such a thing as suicidal demons. I kill it within minutes. Only downside is my blade melts away too.