Finding Darkness

Chapter 33

Part 5

~Astral/Black Mist~

~Astral~ I sit in a corner of my prison cell, back in my spirit form. I sigh. I still wonder how the humans get confused with Black Mist and me. I do not look exactly like him. In form, perhaps, but that is where the similarities stop. Could this be what Yuma has described to me? When humans get so frightened, they will believe what they want? Maybe so.

Footsteps reach my ears a minute before a human reaches my cell.

"What is it?" I ask without looking at him. Or her.

"Just wanted to see if you're still here," a male voice responds. Is it just me, or do the humans not trust me anymore? I suppose it was only a matter of time. I am an alien species to them just as they are to me. I admit that my trust in them is slim as well.

"I gave you my word that I would not escape, and that is exactly what I intend to do," I answer.

~Black Mist~ I relax in front of my one window, content with how my plan worked out. All the blame has been pointed to Astral, and what little trust they had is now gone. I can sense it. I chuckle to myself.

"Your plan worked, Number 96," Tar comments as he closes the door.

"Well, I don't want to brag, but I did have that planned to the slightest detail." I turn my body to Tar. "Though, it did help that my own underling's a detective working with them." I smirk.

Tar smiles slyly. "Yes, it did help, didn't it?"

"I guess I'll leave you to enjoy our victory, Edward."

~Astral~ Every hour, a human comes to check that I have not escaped. This has been going on for weeks, and it is slowly driving me insane. The bandage I wear feels more like a restraint than a cover, and I have sudden urges to rip it off with claws I do not have. I begin hallucinating, and I jump at every little sound. My thought process is getting harder to grasp, and every thought I have slips away.

What is happening to me?

"Astral?"

I jump at the sound of yet another human voice. Oh, how I long to hear the voice of another of my kind. Even Black Mist would have been welcome. Anything but another human!

It takes a while for my mind to register there was even a sound, then to identify it as familiar and welcome, then who the voice belongs to. I look up.

"Y-Yuma? It has been weeks, where have you been?"

"Yeah, I know. I have good news, though." Yuma smiles. "You're coming home, buddy."

I remove my hands from my head. I uncurl my body, and I look up hopefully at him. Home? That seems like a distant dream.

"How?" I ask.

"Cat and I have proved you're not guilty. Come on."

The bars open, and I slowly push myself up to a hover. This cannot be happening. Can it?

~Black Mist~ So, the human boy has set Astral free. I knew he would. I knew he would bail his friend out. It's too late, though. He's too far gone. I get up and step on the windowsill. I grin. Things are gonna get real dramatic now.

I jump out, momentarily blinded by the afternoon sun. I morph into my human form and stroll around the city. This form is actually useful. It lets me go about during daylight without suspicion. Also, since humans are used to the sun, I don't feel like Dracula. The only part I'm not used to is the fact that humans can see me.

I walk casually in the direction of Astral's light. All that time in prison must have really fucked up his mind because what I feel right now is just confusion and disturbance from him. I laugh to myself. The Light Agents aren't used to closed spaces because they've always trained in a wide open space because of all the explosive attacks. Basically, they have what humans call "claustrophobia." Humans have such long words for such short meanings.

I reach the house and go back into my spirit form. I float up to the second floor and sneak in through the window. I grin. The fun is just about to start.

~Astral~ The moment I reach the top of the stairs, something feels off. It may just be my imagination, but  sense a dark presence here. I close my eyes and think. In one second, I realize that Black Mist is here, and it only took that one second for something to lunge at me full force.

~Black Mist~ After tackling Astral, I separate from him, fly swiftly behind him, and kick the curve of his back. He smashes painfully into the wall before he could even register what was going on.

I chuckle. "So, Astral. We meet again. This time in circumstances I'm more suited to."

Astral gets up and turns to me. "What do you want, Black Mist? No, I take it back. I do not want to know; I simply wish to send you back to where you belong!"

He rushes toward me, and I brace myself for one of his tricks. Just as I expected, Astral chants in the language of our world, and light shoots our of both fists. I turn human and wait.

~Astral~ The moment Black Mist assumes his human form, I realize it is far too late to take back my attack. Since my attacks are only meant to harm the dark ones of my world, I will pass right through. That is exactly what happens, and I land harshly. I check for any vital injuries, but I only find minor bruises. I get up.

Black Mist grins and lunges at me again. I brace myself, but he liquefies into a goo form and constricts around my entire body. I struggle to fee myself, but to no avail.

"Well, looks like you're helpless now," Black Mist purrs, back in his spirit form. "This is my other surprise." He leans in to my ear and whispers, "I'm your brother."