Balance of Darkness

Welcome to London

   Halley and Karine sat at the table, eating a meal fit for royalty. The only thing out of place was the loaded gun sitting next to Karine's meal, a habit she had picked up when she realized mortals could be so much more dangerous than anyone realized.

   A few servants were waiting to the side of the table, their eyes glazed over. Whenever Karine spoke, they smiled cheerfully.

   "Nyxium is coming, I assume?" Karine asked as she cut a piece of steak. "And the girl has eaten?"

   "Yes and yes," Halley nodded, taking a sip of her wine. "And you're sure this is the best course of action? Can't we find a more peaceful solution?"

   "You sound like your father," Karine scoffed. "And that is a very dangerous thing around here."

   Halley paled. "Yes ma'am. I just wanted to make sure-"

   "Yes, I'm sure," Karine growled. "If you doubt me, you can join their side and see how that turns out."

   Nodding frantically, Halley put down her silverware and scampered out of the room.

   "Ma'am," Karine mused to herself. "I like the sound of that."

   "London is amazing," Triste smiled. "I'm so coming back here after this."

   "I'm more of a Frenchman," Fleur shrugged. "But London's okay... I guess. There's a bunch of castles."

   "They actually aren't that expensive, if you know the right people," Kit smiled. "And it's pretty cool to be able to say you own a castle. Sadly, I'll just have to take you to my apartment."

   "Why do own an apartment in London?" Lithium asked.

   "I like London," Kit answered simply. It was true, she did. Kit liked people in general... unless they were immortal.

   That may seem a bit hypocritical, since she could be considered immortal, but she never liked the feeling immortals gave off. While mortals seemed to be generating warmth and happiness, every single immortal Kit met gave off a strange, foreign feel. Kit could even see their aura's a phenomena that was rare for mortals. 

   Karine was like pure fire, lashing out tongues of flame at whatever dared defy her. When she spoke, her words were like smoke, warning of the fire to come.

   Electricity sparked off of Fleur, leaping it's way into her words. Whenever Kit got close to her, she expected to be shocked.

   Lithium... well, he was literally the sun. He was so bright that he could provide light to the entirety of London. When Kit first saw him, she had to squint.

   And Nyxium was as expected; cold. Whenever he looked her way, Kit shivered.

   Immortals were peculiar, definitely. Although Kit technically was one, she had long since abandoned any hopes of understanding them.

   But damn, mortals were awesome. Kit loved catching each and every one of their eyes, just because you could see a bit of their personality.

   Triste, for example. Their eyes were wide and blue behind their glasses, and when Kit first met their gaze, she could see how Triste saw the world. Everything was a canvas waiting to be painted.

   "Here we are!" Kit smiled, opening the door to her apartment. It was a simple but comfortable place and would serve to pass any inspection. Except, of course, for the firearms.

   "How do you shoot this, again?" Triste asked as Kit placed a handgun in their hand.

   "Like this," Nyxium demonstrated. "Just don't shoot us, and you'll probably be fine."

   "Probably?" Triste paled. Nyxium shot them a quick smile.

   "Is a review of the plan needed?" Lithium asked. A few no's echoed throughout the group, and Lithium sighed nervously. "Okay then. Let's go."

   "Hey," Nyxium said, grabbing Lithium's hand.

   "What?" Lithium asked, meeting Nyxium's eyes.

   "I love you," Nyxium declared, leaning in for a kiss. Fleur smiled.

   "Okay lovebirds," She said, breaking the couple apart. "Lithium said let's go, so let's go."

   Halley about jumped out of her skin when the doorbell rang. Nyxium was here. Halley had never seen her father, and her heart was racing. Stop it. She chided herself. You are a fully grown adult, not a teenager.

   Karine was the one who answere the door, but Halley was peeking over the stairwell anxiously.

   "Hello Karine," Nyxium spit Karine's name out like it was poison. "I'm here. Now, where the hell is Richard?"

   "Come in, stay awhile," Karine invited, her voice like the hiss of a snake. "I so rarely have guests as prestigous as you."

   "What about Halley?" Nyxium challenged. Halley stiffened. "Does she know all of the evil stuff that you've done, or is just as corrupt as you? Corrupt enough to kidnap her own daughter?"

   "Richard's fine," Halley said, stepping down the stairs. Nyxium and Karine looked at her. "And you told me you were doing this stuff because they humilated you, right?"

   "We humilated her because she was trying to destroy all of humanity!" Nyxium snarled. "Are you really so willing to believe her that you would use your own daughter as blackmail?"

   "She takes after her mother," Karine smirked. "Shame she didn't inherit her fathers brain." Without hesitation, Karine pulled her gun from the folds of her skirt and shot Halley in the chest.

   Nyxium immediately ran to her side as she collapsed down the stairs. "Shit," He muttered, panicked.

   "Richard's upstairs," She told Nyxium, putting her shaking hands over her wound. "Just make sure she's safe."

   "She'll live," Karine scoffed. "It'll just hurt like hell. But if you don't want to end up with a bullet hole in your chest, I would suggest you cooperate."

   "No way in hell," Nyxium growled, ducking behind the stairwell wall as Karine fired a bullet at him. He scampered up the stairs, entering the first room he found. Luckily, there was a window.

   "I found a window!" Nyxium shouted. In about thirty seconds, Triste poked their head inside.

   "Good," They smiled. "Lithium and Fleur are currently plying cat and mouse with Karine, although I don't know who's which. And Kit is keeping the cops away."

   "We need to find Richard," Nyxium said as he helped pull Triste through the window frame. "Karine shot Halley. I don't know if she'll do the same to a mortal."

   "I have your back," Triste assured. Nyxium put his hand on the doorknob.

   "One the count of three-"

   "Wait!" Triste interupted. Nyxium looked at them questioningly. "I wanted to say thank you."

   "For what?" Nyxium asked, tilting his head. Triste opened their mouth, then closed it. They thought about the nonchalonteless of Nyxium's attitude, the upbeat attitude of Lithium, Fleur's never faltering hope, and Kit's understanding.

   And Richards acceptance.

   "Just thank you," Triste smiled.

   "Your welcome," He answered, smiling, before pulling open the door and stepping into the creepily quiet room.