Darkness & Light: Book 1: Shatter Our Fates [COMPLETED]

21 - Tiber

Tiber Moon, Delta, Atlas, and Dax all return to the ruined castle. When they do, though, Dax is a bit more on edge than the rest of them. Tiber would ask why, but he's too focused on searching for Hayley to care. Delta and Atlas are together in a group, and he and Dax are, as well. They split up to make it so they could cover more ground.

Dax is in his wolf form, prowling through the rubble and searching for any sign of Hayley. But it's hard, as they keep smelling blood and ash and death. No sign of Hayley anywhere.

As Tiber is moving aside some large chunks of wall, he hears a moan from below him. Heart in his throat, he starts to dig frantically. He cuts his hand on something sharp, but doesn't care or even notice. Just keeps searching for her, digging and digging.

There's a crackling sound, followed by a low hiss. He turns around just as he is struck in the face by something hard. Tiber collapses, blood in his mouth, his vision going dark. Next thing he knows, he's waking up on the other side of the ruins.

"Look who I found snooping around, Indari," says a gruff male voice.

Tiber opens his eyes and lifts his throbbing head. He tastes blood and dust in his mouth, and when he looks up at the woman before him, he has to do a double-take. She's pale, her skin covered in dust and dirt. White hair piled on her head in a messy braid falls in her red eyes. She stares down at him, her black and silver armor glinting in the sunlight.

The demon sneers at him. "Who are you, boy?"

"Who are you, demon?" Tiber demands with as much fire as he can handle.

The demon chuckles.  "Ah, yes. I think I know you, boy."

"Oh, you know me, do you?" He scoffs and shakes his head, hating how much effort and pain it needs and causes to do that. He blinks away tears, staring up at her in defiance. She smiles, her needle-like teeth flashing.

She turns to the werewolf man behind her. "Did you see him with some others?"

"Yes," he answers.

"Fuck you both, I'm going," Tiber snaps, rising on shaking legs.

"Oh, you are, are you?"

Tiber glares back at them, and he draws his sword as fast as he can, pointing it right at the demon. The wolf-man behind her snarls, and steps forward a few feet, but the demon waves him off, and he steps back.

"You think you're so powerful. That you scare me, right, demon?" Tiber demands.

The demon grins.  "I think nothing, I know I am powerful, and I know that I scare you."

"You're wrong, then," he snarls. "I'm not scared of you. But what do you want, demon? Where's my sister?"

"You don't know where she is?" The demon scoffs.  "Well, I suppose you want to find her. So, come with me and Kieran here. But first, go get your friends. The journey is long."

"And why would I trust you, demon? Or your dog?"

The wolf snarls. But the demon laughs. "You don't have to trust me, boy. You just need to know this — your sister is in Norvo. She needs your help, she's been trapped by an evil sorceress."

"Yeah, bullshit," scoffs Tiber.

The demon snarls. "Come with me to Norvo, or your sister will die."

Tiber's heart skips a beat. He knows this demon is lying. Why would Hayley be in Norvo, which is so close to their home? Unless .... unless after the blast, she was taken. He did see that vision of her being taken away.

"Fuck...." Tiber whispers. "Fine. But let me gather my friends, we need to make sure Hayley's okay. All of us do."

"Alright," says the demon. "Go, help him gather his friends, Kieran."

Kieran, the werewolf, grunts. He follows Tiber away, and they walk back through the rubble. The two of them walk in silence, before finally reaching the others.

Dax, Delta, and Atlas are together. The three turn to him, eyes wide.  "Tiber? Who's that?"

Tiber looks at Atlas.  "He knows where Hayley is."