Malicious Tales

Chapter 4

    The next morning was silent, unusually so, considering Salem and Fallon would usually never shut up. But nobody felt like talking, not properly. The battles of yesterday, against both enemies and each other, had taken a toll on each of them. Fallon was still without her precious “Mollie”, Malice was just trying not to blame anyone else for their troubles, Salem was trying to think of a way to make the Necromancer happy, and Felix was inwardly panicking. He hadn’t mentioned it to anyone yet, hoping it was just a false alarm, but he couldn’t find his pills anywhere. He hadn’t seen them since the restaurant the day before and he could feel the hunger beginning to creep up. He had decided the night before that the others had enough on heir plate, that he didn’t need to add to their troubles, but at the same time, he knew he needed to do something before he got out of control.

    “We can’t keep on going this way.” Malice’s stern voice interrupted his inner turmoil.

    “Huh? What do you mean, Malice? What else are we supposed to do, give up and become their guinea pigs?” Salem demanded, the fear evident in his voice. Malice shook her head, frowning deeply.

    “Obviously not, Salem, but constantly moving clearly isn’t doing much good either, is it? We can’t keep relying on Synister to tell us when to run. Sooner or later we’re going to get caught and it’ll be a bloody massacre. It’ll be like New York all over again.” Everyone tensed at the mention of the past incident. It was not something that needed dwelling on, especially in times like this.

    “Where are you going with this, Mal? I know you wouldn’t bother with this outspoken pessimism if it wasn’t leading up to anything,” stated Felix.

    “We need a home. A proper one. Permanent. Somewhere that neither Fallen nor Risen can find us. There has to be somewhere.”

    “Perhaps I could help with that.”

    All four swung around, ready to attack the intruder. The newcomer just grinned at them from the doorframe of the camper van, sweeping his silver hair out of his face.

    “Father?” Felix asked softly, unsure whether he should be attacking the elder Risen or running to him.

    “Hello again, Felix. It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it? I sincerely hope that child isn’t yours,” his father replied with a wink.

    “Felix.. What is going on? Why is he here?” hissed Malice, her glare not moving from the Risen in front of her.

    “Oh of course, where are my manners? Vesper Light, at your service. You must be Miss Ruin. There’s a lot of talk about you in the Risen world, m’dear, I feel as though I’m in the presence of royalty.. Although, the way I hear it, you are royalty, aren’t you? Illegitimate daughter of the Necromancer Lord himself. Impressive, I must say.”

    “Father, enough of your taunting. Why are you here?” enquired Felix, his suspicion obvious.

    “I came to offer you a safe haven, actually. Turns out, Lord Ra made a deal with the hybrids. All of you stay out of our way in your little Sanctuary, and we don’t hunt you. It’s a city of hybrids, untraceable for the Fallen too, so you don’t even have to worry about them. I’m sure the little girl would be extremely happy there, as would the rest of you. What do you say, hmm? Give it a shot?” Vesper offered, seeming entirely genuine. But Malice was having none of it.

    “No way! Why should we trust you, or your kind? I think it’s just one big, bloody elaborate trap designed to round us all up and kill us! It is, isn’t it? And you’re going to offer this extermination to your own son, you gutless ba-”

    “Malice, stop. I.. I have no reason to distrust him,” Felix cut across.

    “No reason to distrust him?! Are you serious? He’s a Risen, damn it!” Malice yelled, little flames appearing at random spots of her body.

    “And your half-brother is a Fallen, yet you trust him and we all go along with it. Why should we only listen to your orders? We have our own instincts, we don’t need to depend on yours, Malice. I think we should go. We’ll be safe. Fallon will be happy. Everything could be normal,” declared Felix, making it quite clear to Malice that he was not backing down on this one.

    “We can’t go, Felix. It’s a terrible idea. You know I trust you on most things, but this is just signing our own death warrants!”

    “Well, maybe instead of ordering everyone around, perhaps you should see what the others think for once,” said Felix, turning to Fallon and Salem.

    “I’m sticking with Malice, Felix. She’s never led us wrong before, and I trust her with my life. That’s not going to change,” said Salem confidently. Fallon, on the other hand, said nothing, instead making her choice clear by moving to stand behind Felix.

    “Well, well, looks like we have a direct split, don’t we? What a pickle, eh? Tell you what, Felix, Fallon, you can come with me. Malice and the other boy will realise their foolish ways eventually,” said Vesper gleefully.

    “Yes, Father, I think you’re right.” With that last declaration, Felix took one last look at Malice, before turning and walking away.

    “Felix, wait, what’re you-”

    “Goodbye, Malice.”

    And just like that, Malice lost half of her family to a Risen.