Rekindle the Darkness

2.1

[A/N] I would recommend some tissues for this chapter.

I scrambled out of the door to find Marcus and Elinor, to tell them of my new-found information, freezing at what I saw before me.

They were seated on a log, with their backs to Archie and I. Elinor leaning into Marcus as he has his arm around her. He seemed to be whispering something to her, which appeared to be consoling as her sobbing had subsided enormously. He was smoothing down her hair.

A pang of pain pulled at my heart as I let myself dwell for a moment on how lonely I felt. I then quickly wiped my eyes before pushing the feeling as far down as I could. I was going to find him and nothing could come in-between us.

Feeling the adrenaline leaving my body, I headed back into the house, jumping a little as I realised that Archie had been with me the entire time. I crouched down to his level.

"Archie, did you call your mum?" I asked, sniffing.

The little boy shook his head, wiping away a tear that'd manage to escape. His expression mirrored my own.

"Don't cry, Princess." He mumbled. "It makes me sad."

I nodded, putting on a smile for him. "I think we should call home."

Freya, to say the least, was hit with relief as she heard her son's voice down the phone. I couldn't make out anything she said to Archie, but I could tell it was loud. He then headed into the other room, with the phone to his ear, returning a few minutes later, holding it out to me. I took it, heading into the neighbouring room.

"Freya?"

"He's safe?"

I nodded, before replying. "He's safe."

"Nika, I don't know how to thank you-" She began.

"It was my fault, Freya. I wouldn't be thanking me."

Freya paused for a moment, seemingly hesitant.

"Hello?"

"Nika.. It's-It's Eli." She started.

The colour drained from my face as my hands started to tremble. Her tone told me that whatever it was, it weren't good.

"What happened?" I asked, my voice frail.

"He's alive, but he's fading. Quickly."

Relief spread through my body at the fact that he was still breathing, but was almost replaced with dread and confusion.

"Freya, he's human. It shouldn't affect him."

There was a pause which stretched on forever.

"Freya?"

There wasn't an answer.

"Hello?"

The line went dead.

My eyes widened as I dropped the phone, running out of the house and almost into Marcus as I did so. His eyes were wide too, bags clear under his eyes. Elinor was stood behind him. They knew already, Freya's SOS beam was broadcast far and wide.

"Formless."

Formless were a rogue group, one that had been thought to be extinct. They would take the shape of whomever they had previously consumed, but would have to continuously consume them over a long period of time to keep their disguise. The longer they kept their disguise without the original to consume, the more unwell they got, until one day, they'd either explode, unknowingly consume themselves or consume someone near to them.

A small whimper escaped my lips as I processed this and I slunk to the ground. My breaths slowed right down, before picking up again, increasing with every intake of air. The tears came slowly at first and pretty soon, I was brawling. Marcus had slunk down to me and his arms were around me as I screamed and cried and wailed. My best friend, whom I'd known for my entire life, was dead. He had been dead for well over a month and I hadn't known. Ever since I saw him in the forest, it had been a lie. It had all been a lie.

Eli was dead. And I couldn't do anything about it.

The realisation hit me hard and I couldn't take it. Freya was now in trouble and I had to stop crying over something that'd happened and make sure that she was okay.

"You need to leave." I mumbled, loud enough only for Marcus to hear, after I'd calmed down a little.

"You're coming with us?"

I shook my head, sniffing. "I know where Kit is."

Marcus stiffly nodded before standing, giving me a hand up. He then glanced over at Elinor, motioning for her to follow and she did so, the both of them leaving me to my thoughts. Only then did I realise, Elinor had gone through the exact same thing with her brother and I managed to pull myself out of the pitiful hole I had dug myself.

---

"Princess, I want to stay with you." Archie told me, as I was helping him pack.

I shook my head, my heart still heavy. "Your mum wants to see you, Archie." I said, my voice expressionless.

He just nodded, keeping quiet.

Soon, they were ready to go. I presumed Elinor was going with Marcus and Archie and, if circumstances were different, I would have loved to befriend her and do all the things that girls would do together. Perhaps there is still time, I let myself think.

Archie gave me a tight hug, squeezing his eyes closed tightly as not to cry, but a few tears just managed to escape from him.

"Don't cry, baby boy," I murmured, "I'll be back soon."

He nodded, pulling away before placing a kiss on my cheek. "Go find your Prince, Princess."

The atmosphere was bleak. The clouds still overshadowed the Earth below, and the rain still poured, but where I found peace once, I found nothing but death and misery.

The thought kept replaying in my mind, although I hadn't managed to fully comprehend what it was saying. I felt that if I did, I wouldn't be able to find Kit. I would cry later.

I would mourn the death of my best friend later.

I laughed bitterly, not surprised when I lifted my hand to my face and I felt tears.

I watched as Marcus slowly drove his car away, as it shook from side to side, driving over the potholes. The rain had started once again as I grabbed my backpack, heading over to the back of the house where Marcus had mentioned there was emergency transport in the little shed.

Throwing the shed open, I saw a motorbike. On it, lay a leather suit and a helmet. All black. Black as black.

Black as a never-ending abyss of shadows.

Throwing on the suit, accompanied by the helmet and the backpack, I sped out of the forest, the only sound being the engine, and the rain.

---

[A/N] Heartbreaking.

Hated writing this chapter but it had to be done.

Stay tuned.