The Night- A Short Story.

Chapter 5: Strange Friends.

As I wake up I hear the sound of tea bubbling. "Hey max," Elizabeth says, noticing me waking from my slumber. Groggidly I reply, "hey, did anything happen since yesterday?" It had only been a day since the murder attempt happened and Elizabeth was already wearing her Maladic clothes and had her hair in a military bun. "The neighbors knocked on my door this morning, asked what the noise was all about yesterday but that was about it." Hesistantly, I get up from the couch and rub my eyes before saying, "oh okay, sure it's a good idea to go to work today?" Elizabeth pours some tea from the kettle as she slowly says, "not exactly, but that's where you come in. Can you guide me through town today? Once I'm in my office room and working they wouldn't dare attack me." I nod at her and answer, "Sure, let me just grab my sword and will go." Elizabeth then turns around with her tea in hand and says, "thanks Max." I look into her eyes for a second but then turn around and go over to my gear. Looking down at it, I throw my supplies on my bag along with my sword and bow. "After this I got to go to emberend street, hope it's nearby." I say to Elizabeth, who was already nearing the door. Elizabety went over to the door and opened it up to the outside. As she went out she said, "don't worry, I pass by that street for lunch often, it's only about 5 minutes away from work." Quickly, I follow behind her and say, "well then let's go." Elizabeth held the door open for me and I went outside getting blinded by the darkness. I blinked my eyes a few times before they began to adjust to my new environment. Elizabeth put her hand on my arm and said, "are you okay?" Blinking my eyes, I hesitantly say, "yeah, I just got to adjust to the darkness, I can see now." Elizabeth then felt around until she found my hand, which she then held on to. "Let's go max, my work is on highstreet." Elizabeth says with a nervous tone. Hesitantly I hold on to her hand and guide her down the wall. Looking over at elizabeth, i tell her, "Okay, we're down from the wall, where to next?" Elizabeth closed her eyes and then opened them again as if she was trying to find where she was. She then said, "head straight then take a left, will be there in no time." I nod at her and take her directions with me guarding her all the way to work.

"Hey is this it?" I ask elizabeth while pointing towards a large fancy building. Elizabeth smiled at me rhrough the darkness and said, "you fail to realize I'm blind, but yes, if it's large and fancy then it's the place." I smile back at her and reply, "that it is, let's go inside?" She noded back at me and said, "yes, lets." Hesistantly, I go up to the buildings entrance. Guarding the entrance are two nightkin holding what looks like spears. "Halt!" One of the nightkin shouts as he looks over at me and elizabeth. "Who are you?" The other says in a confident manner. Elizabeth looks over at the two nightkin and answers back, "I am Elizabeth Tarrian. This human is my assistant, jerry rockyield." As soon as Elizabeth said her name the guards looked at each other in worry. Hesistantly one said, "ah... yes. Come in." As soon as the nightkin said that, the other guard looked at him in an angry tone but nontheless let down his guard. Not noticing this, elizabeth smiled and said, "thank you kind guard." The guard tipped his hat and replied with a smirk, "your welcome lady elizabeth." Elizabeth then went forward and guided me in with her. The entrance to the building was grand and made with what looked like stone and crystal. As elizabeth opened up the door to get inside she huffed, with the weight of the door almost too much for her small structure. Once opened she guided me inside to what looked like a grand castle. The place had art on every corner and had well crafted walls made of marble to rival even the greatest lords home. All this however elizabeth could not see, for it was all pitched in the usual darkness of the night. As we walked around the place I was so amazed at the nightkins architect and art that I almost didn't notice the reactions the nightkin had for Elizabeth's arrival. All the nightkin that passed either looked shocked kor worried for her presence in the castle, however none said anything to her face. That is, until an unusally fat nightkin with devilish wings approached her. "Oy elizabeth, what's this murderer doing in the capital building?" He muttered in an angry tone. His voice was low and slurred considerably. "This murderer is my friend and guardian mundo." Elizabeth spat. Mundo laughed heartily and looked at her with devilish eyes before saying, "friends with a murderer ey? Always knew humans were dirty traitors." Elizabeth looked away from him, tears coming down her eyes as mundo continued, "we ought to just get you and that murderer killed, you and the rest of those dirty sacks of daykin flesh." As elizabeth began tearing up, I Angrily looked up at the nightkin and said, "she was just attacked yesterday you sack of shit." To this mundo snorted and said with a devilish grin, "I know, too bad it didn't finish her off though. Now we got a piece of filth and a live murderer on the loose." Filled with rage I let go of Elizabeth's hand and draw my sword. Noticing this mundo just says, "go ahead, with my death the people now have one more reason to your race." Noticing what's about to happen elizabeth shrieks, "max! Please! Don't do it." Suddenly the other nightkin around begin staring at us with one muttering, "my god magnus's killer is in the capital." Hesistantly, I put my sword away noting that me and elizabeth wouldn't make it if we had a fight like this. I then take Elizabeth's hand and mundo smirks at us before going on his way. "You shouldn't be here." I mutter to elizabeth as she continues to guide me towards her room. Hesistantly she then replies, "if I'm not, who's going to keep our race safe?" With a stern face I look over at her and realize she's right. If not for her, there would be no one to safeguard our species in maladic.