Dark Glory

{1} Insanity and Memories

Squeak!

I wince as my boot scuffs against the dirty tile floor, sending out an echoing squeak. I cringe  knowing exactly how un-sneaky it was. I could practically hear Demeter teasing me about it later, probably on the ride home. Telling everyone exactly how loud I was and how obvious I was. Of course, I could also already hear myself telling her to shut up before I shoved her twin swords up her nose.

"Be quiet! " She hisses, whipping her head over to glare at me. "Do you want to scare off every Shadow in a thousand mile radius?" I roll my eyes, adjusting my hold the dagger in my hand.

"Oh, shut up. It wasn't that loud," I mutter back, my eyes scanning the many doors of the hallway. This hallway was one of many that we had already checked, all as empty and haunting as this one seemed. A shiver ran up my spine as the old building howled against the wind outside. The old insane asylum that we had been dropped off at just screamed of trouble and I knew, sooner or later, we would find something. The warm, steady pulse that blinked at my wrist, and at Demeter's too, also assured us that we were walking into a shit-ton of trouble.

The deeper we got into the abandoned building, the worse the chilling feeling got. The first few hallways were covered in graffiti, from brave teenagers dared to take a few steps in. The farther we got it, the less graffiti we saw and the creepier it got. Paint peeled from the walls, their once clean colors stained and dirty from many years against mother nature. Most of the windows were broken and shattered, littering the halls with their shards. A broken chair lay here and there, while bed frames and tables with moth eaten straps took up the rooms. Moonlight threw a haunting shine through the empty window panes and I almost wished it was dark, rather then the eerie glow that lit up Demeter's pale skin.

I could clearly see her in the glow, and she was glaring viciously at me. Her wild red hair was escaping the tight braid Mom had tried to contain it in, curling around her temples and brushing her honey-colored eyes. She was taller then me, but only by a few inches, and  just as slender. While she seemed small, she was all muscle and was always tense and coiled, ready to spring. She wore her favorite beaten, weathered leather jacket over a simple white t-shirt. Her tattoos curled around her collarbone, their protective marks bright and stark over her pale skin. Dark leggings and thin hunting boots covered her legs and the many tattoos that covered her body. The markings she had carefully etched into her skin, refusing to let anyone else help her. I remembered the jagged edge of a particular mark on her shoulder, where she had been startled while drawing a mark. Diana was scarred for life with the yelling she had endured before Gram had shut Demeter in her room.

Her silver twins swords were strapped to her back, and I could see the handle of a bone dagger peaking out of her boot. She carried her rifle, though she rarely used it. Everyone knew that she was more dangerous with her swords. She had trained with them for as long as I could remember, until they had simply become an extension of her limbs. Shadows didn't know what hit them when she flew at them. Her bracelet dangled from her right wrist, mirroring my own. The multi-charmed pieces of jewelry had saved both of our lives more times than my pride would like to admit. The green pulse was caused by a green gem that our aunt had charmed to pulse when Shadows were anywhere close. A blue gem allowed us to communicate, no matter how far away we were from each other. Sometimes it got annoying but when you're trapped in a room with four angry Shadows, weaponless and alone, it was nice to be able to get your sister to come and kick some serious ass.

"C'mon," She muttered, eyes locked on a door a few feet down. "My gut's telling me that that door holds the most trouble."

Snorting, I follow her carefully, gripping the silver dagger in my hands. My rifle was to my back, short sword was strapped to my side, and, like Demeter, a small bone dagger tucked into each of my boots. Not owning a beat up leather jacket like my sister, I wore a black zip up hoodie over a t-shirt, leggings, and my combat boots. As we edge closer to the door, the temperature noticeably drops until, as we reach the door, I can see my forced calm breaths in the icy air.