The Trust

Chapter Seven

Beasts, monsters, vagabonds, and forest terrors congregated. They waited at the circumference of an enormous stone circle, snorting, roaring, and brushing up against each other. Overhead, thunder and lightning danced across the sky, the thunder reverberating like a drum and the lightning illuminating the sky.

In the center of the stone surface stood a tall, slender man with spiky black hair and sharp blue eyes. He stood on a large, pale blue gem, carved in the shape of a sphere.

He proceeded to clear his throat. “Citizens of the Darkue Lynds, I have united us today for one purpose: victory. Together we will conquer the pitiful humans who for so long have shunned us!”

The warriors cheered, waving their weapons, claws, wings, and other limbs around.

“March to battle! Reign supreme!” Teron raised his captor and struck the ground, and all around him swirled a violet mist into which the army ran until they were all gone.

All except for one.

A frail vampire, whose green eyes stared at his hands, lost.

“What do you fear?” The maniacal leader hissed.

No answer.

“Losing?”

Still nothing.

“Maybe not losing a battle… or a game… or an object, but perhaps… a person?”

The cloudy green eyes glance up.

“Someone who means the world to you. You would even sacrifice yourself for them… But you’ve lost them! How dreary! But it was them who forgot about you! They gave up on you in your darkest hour, and now, there’s nothing left!”

Voice low, the vampire lifted his head. “No one has ever meant that much to me.” A tear streaked down his dirty face.

“The portal won’t be open for much longer,” Teron dully picked at his claws.

The boy tightened his jaw, at least stepping forward into the world that lay ahead.

Devastation.

In the night, alarms sounded, fires raged, and building crumbled.

The city was in chaos. People ran for cover, screaming.

Creatures of fantasy ambushed humans at every corner, the smell of blood pungent and putrid.

On one street, a troll bent over light posts, broke windows, and trashed stores. On another, a dragon caved in cars and blasted anything that moved with fire. A dark, insect-like creature impaled things with its huge talons, screeching horrendously.

A taxi cab went flying through the air, smashing into an office building. Lights flickered and smoke went up, suffocating the atmosphere.

Down the hectic street came a lone figure, his gray coat whipping in the breeze, his brown hair singed, and his green eyes flashing.

He walked mechanically, focused on one thing.

Just ahead, a blonde-haired little girl stood in the road, crying. Her pink nightgown flowed in the breeze, blood-stained and torn.

From out of nowhere, a red car was tossed through the air, aimed directly at the child.

The vampire surged forward, grabbing the little girl and thrusting his hand out, stopping the vehicle. With a mighty crunch, it folded around them, splitting in half.

The boy gently picked up the child, heading north.

“It’s going to be alright,” he whispered, setting her down. “Take my hand.”