The Inevitable Eclipse

Chapter 16 - Points to Prove

    By morning, Clarissa was aware that her statue had been exploded. By afternoon, Illumina was in her office.

    "I don't know how they keep getting away with this," Clarissa paced the back wall of her expansive office. Every click of her heels irritated Illumina more and more.

    "There have been so many attacks recently." Illumina replied, she leaned against the door at the other side of the office, willing her face to stay relaxed.

    Clarissa stopped her pacing, Illumina stood up straighter and stopped leaning against the door. "And why is that, Illumina?"

    The air shifted and Illumina felt every muscle tighten, adrenaline leaked through her body. "I suspect that they have increased their numbers. Whether we like it or not, City Hall was certainly eye catching."

    Clarissa smiled but it did not reach her cold eyes. "Would you like to hear my hypothesis?"

    Illumina nodded. She had to fight to keep her hands still and her leg from bouncing. It was all Void's fault really. He was the one who blew up the statue, he was the one who came and distracted her with movies after.

    "I think that you are becoming complacent."

    "I don't—"

    Clarissa cut her off. "I see a lot of myself in you. I know how easy it is to take your eye off the prize, to become distracted by the glimmering of life's simpler pleasures. Believe me I know how alluring the promise of love can be but I also know how easily it lies. I know the desire to be like the rest of them, the deep pull in your chest and then the heavy weight when you accept that you will never be like them. People like us are wired differently. We will never be satisfied by other people. That's why you cannot afford to be blinded. Hard work is just that, hard. But it takes hard work to get this office, that's what you want one day, isn't it? Well, darling, I am here to tell you that you cannot take your eyes of the prize, not even for a moment. Or everything comes topping down around you. The Night Fall wins."

    "I am not taking my eye off the prize." Illumina assured her.

    People like us.

    "I would be lying if I said that I wasn't beginning to have my doubts about your capabilities. I sacrificed everything and I don't know if you have the ability to do the same."

    "No, I have a plan, I—"

    "I have lots of work to do." Clarissa sat down in that sweeping chair with the ridiculously high back in front of the aggressively large monitor. "I trust that you can see yourself out." 

    She hestiated by the door, Clarissa began to type and did not look up. There was no point in arguing with her. It was be as useful as arguing with a blank sheet of paper. Illumina turned around and left and as she did, she made sure to give the door a extra helping hand as it closed. She stopped to listen to Clarissa's typing abruptly stop as the door slammed shut.

***

"I think that you will all agree with me when I say that we are ready for Clarissa's gala," Hawk said to the assembled members of The Night Fall. "So everyone go home and get some rest. I thank you all for being here. Night is falling."

There was a chorus of 'Night is falling' as people began to leave through the corridor and up the stairs. Muffled conversations filled the room as the members discussed evening and weekend plans. It was strange to hear them discuss elements of their life equally casually and guardedly. They all trickled out until only four people remained in the room.