SHIFT 2 - Purgatory

The battle front

Nagisa thursted Collin behind him. His feet kicked out, as he used the other boy's shoulder for leverage. The whispy smoke thing disintegrated around Nagisa's ankle. Collin burst to his feet. A light blazed from his hand. Nagisa glanced sideways as Collin moved forward.

"You see, I have a weapon! But you push me aside!" Collin readied his stance. The whispy things darted toward them once more.

Collin was about to strike at one, when there was a sound. The calling of his name. He hesitated a second too long. The whispy thing got under his guard. Standing inside the cage with them, was the kitsune. Next to him was Carter. They were both bleeding. Yet, Nagisa knew he hadn't injured either of them.

Carter had a cut above his eye. It was bleeding down the side of his face. His pale blond hair was getting matted in the thick dark red. Nagisa ripped a strip from his shirt to tie around his brother's head. He had already looked over the Kitsune. Skye had a cut on his upper arm. The fabric was torn from it, but the talented eyes of the half witch had already noted the bleeding had stopped.

"What's going on?" Nagisa demanded.

"Grandfather is attacking." Carter growled pushing the smaller boy backward.

He adjusted the bandage a little. It had been covering part of his vision. He glared at Nagisa.

"With the two of you stuck in here, Ryu and Ziren not back yet, our inner forces are thinning. The centaurs and giants are keeping the mainstream of their army off of us." Carter ground out.

"Cami?" Collin asked.

"Is keeping Wyvern from bleeding out. He got injured when he went to get to the kids. He is in full dragon form..." Carter's voice died out.

"Mori?" Nagisa whispered.

"Marcus is keeping him..." Carter couldn't finish what it was he wanted to say.

Mori's mate was injured. His children were in danger. Nagisa wasn't out there to help them. This was bad. Very, very bad. Nagisa drew in a breath. He reached out, slicing his arm on the blade Collin still held out.

"What..." The vampire watched as Nagisa painted symbols around his mouth.

"I call upon the demons of the dark, grant me passage to the light. Give me your strength, to force apart the bonds of this world." Nagisa intoned in a voice much deeper than his actual one. He painted a symbol over his heart, he last was on his wrists as he spoke in a tongue no one there could comprehend. He held the hand out.

The cage around them broke apart. Nagisa's knee bent. He staggered a step. Collin gripped his shoulder. Nagisa straightened up. He held his hand out, face more determined. Once again he repeated his request. Things in the dark screamed. Collin felt Nagisa's shoulder shake. This was taking a toll on the vampire's body. He held firm though.

"The bravest fool I have ever known!" Collin muttered.

As his voice faded away, torn into the dark by yet another terrifying scream, a light cracked the darkness. Nagisa's knees dipped again he nearly knelt on the floor. Kicking one foot out, he stomped down, holding himself upright. A blinding reddish brown light burst out of his palm. He screamed in pain as the veins on his neck pulsed. Collin winced for him. Why did he put his own body through so much? He wondered, not for the first time.

The darkness around them cracked. Light grew brighter as Nagisa's painful screams tore through the darkness. Suddenly there was a crackling sound. Then light burst out from the boy. Or maybe, it found the teen. It engulfed him, wrapping light arms around him. Nagisa was picked up within the lightening. His body slumped, motionless.