ILLUSION, ELI HALE

nineteen | sword-wielding ninjas

Nadia just about let out another slew of curse words, shocked that she still had energy left after last night. These sword-wielding ninjas just had to be the next villain in her eventful 24-hour journey. Why couldn't things stay calm for one second in this town?

"Are you kidding me?" She managed to say in disbelief before Eli pulled her down to the carpeted floor. "Ninjas?"

Tall men dressed up in all-black attire holding long swords started down the hallway. Beneath the detailed black mask, Nadia could see from her position on the floor, their eyes were a neon yellow color, similar to one of a firefly. The girl would have assumed it to be a coincidence from the night earlier when she saw a bioluminescent firefly outside the school, but after the night she just had, the girl knew better than to leave things to fate. Those things had to be connected.

The three men housesitting seemed to be acquainted with these creatures—that being the only word Nadia could categorize those intruders as. Something told her that with those eyes, the ninjas could not be human. There was a faint feeling of recognition in the back of her mind. She was sure she read about these people in her lore deep-dive.

In sync as if they'd done it before, the men got their choice of weapons. Stilinski brought out his gun, Deaton donned a taser baton and Derek pulled out his claws. Nadia had been frozen in place, watching from behind the sofa as the man she'd gotten close enough to call a father figure began donning bright blue eyes. The first time seeing the change was with Scott and Eli in the woods, but even now knowing more than she ever had, it still was shocking.

Sounds of fighting ensued. Deaton called out that there were only three of the ninjas, one for each of the adults to take care of. Eli and Nadia hid, once again, from the terrifying intruders.

"Come on, we're not splitting up this time," Eli ordered the girl, standing up quickly, taking the girl's hand, and leading her into the kitchen. They'd just narrowly missed a sword to the face as a result of an Oni being pushed back by one of Stilinski's bullets. If they'd stayed beside the couch any longer, one of them would have gotten sliced.

Passing by Deaton who had brought out his taser baton, Eli and Nadia slid under the counter where the barstool seats were. Maybe she looked a bit freaked out because Eli just gripped her hand tighter, attempting to explain what was going on.

"They're called Oni. My Dad told me stories about them. Back when his friend Stiles was possessed by a Nogitsune." Eli shouted above the clatter. When Nadia's eyes showed that she was completely lost, he continued with his rant. "A dark trickster fox spirit."

Nadia just let out an exasperated sigh, trying to find a way to get out of this place. It looked like Stilinski, Derek, and Deaton knew what they were doing. The sound of gunshots from the Sheriff's gun, loud roars coming from Derek, and the clanging of metal swords filled the atmosphere. The girl would have made a joke about noise complaints but she was more concerned with not getting stabbed again.

"Tell me more when they're not trying to kill us, yeah?" She squeezed Eli's hand. The girl took a peek around the corner of the kitchen counter and looked in the direction of the bedrooms. It was empty. The three Oni were busy fighting against the adults. They could attempt to slip through the back. Nadia felt bad for planning to leave, but it was a game of survival. "Is your bedroom window unlocked?"

Eli nodded. He poked his head in the direction of the empty hallway, before laying his head back against the wood paneling. He'd been close to a beheading from a stray sword. "I always leave it unlocked. Can we make it?"

"We can try."

The sound of Stilinski shouting took their attention. In the most frightening moment, an Oni put his sword straight through the Sheriff's abdomen, stabbing him through the heart. The older man let out a cry before he vanished in thin air. Literally. A cloud of black smoke engulfed the man's body and as soon as it came, away he went; leaving no trace that he'd been there in the first place.