Balance of Darkness

Goner

   Karine's second shot buried itself in the wall, barely missing Richard's head. Before she could cause any more damage, Nyxium fired at her without hesitatiion. The bullet took her back a few seconds, before the wound healed.

   Nyxium didn't give her a second to recover. The fight quickly turned from bullets to fists, as Nyxium practically tackled Karine to the ground. He repeatedly punched her, and although teh wounds healed in moments, she could still feel the pain.

   With a final blow from his handgun to her temple, she passed out as her body did it's best to repair herself. Nyxium simply walked into Richard's prison-like room, opened the window, and picked up Karine before throwing her to the ground, not really acring what became of her.

   "What happened?" Lithium asked, rushing up the stairs. His face was pale, and the sleeve of his shirt was ripped of to form a makeshift bandage to a wound on his left arm. Fleur followed him closely, her hands covered in blood from when she had done her best to treat Lithium.

   They both froze when they saw Richard crying over Triste.

   Triste's chest was rising and falling in short, shallow movements. Nyxium moved backwards, his face unreadable, as Lithium and Fleur desperately tried to save them.

   "No... I'm fine," Trsite smiled," shooing Lithium and Fleur away. They obliged and sat helplessly by their side.

   "An ambulance," Lithium said, voice full of panic. "We need an ambulance!"

   "I'll be fine," Triste assured, grabbing Lithium's hand. "I don't feel anything, I promise. I'll be fine."

   "Triste!" Kit screeched as she sprinted down the hallway, apparently having gotten lost then hearing the gunshots. Nyxium pressed himself against the wall as she raced past.

   "Thanks," Triste smiled, their eyes unfocused. Their hand fumbled, trying to find the glasses that had skittered against the floor. Kit picked them up and put them on their face.

   "Thanks for what?" Fleur whispered, her voice faltering. "You did all the work."

   "Just... thank you," Triste mumbled.

   "Your welcome," All three of the immortals smiled, tears dripping from their eyes.

   "Watch Luna for me," Trsite asked, her voice barely audible. "She isn't good... good with people... please."

   "I promise, Triste," Richard assured her cousin threw her tears. "I promise you."

   Triste smiled as their chest slowly fell for the last time, their vacant eyes staring at the ceiling. Fleur slipped her hand under their glasses and slid their eyes shut, so it was almost as if Triste was sleeping.

   "You were amazing," Kit smiled, her eyes glossed over with tears. "You did perfectly."

   And, in a minute, there went from being six people, to being four.

   "I see you came back for me," Karine smiled as she slowly sat up, wincing. "I wasn't sure you would."

   Nyxium sat at the open end of the alleyway, cornering Karine. His face was still, not even the dimmest flicker of emotion in his eyes.

   "Do whatever you want," Karine challenged. "I won."

   "Richard is safe, Halley knows you betrayed her an will heal soon enough, and you have no where to go," Nyxium replied. "You don't look like much of a winner to me."

   "But I am," Karine smiled, showing her blood-stained teeth. "Because I have what I want. Your mind."

   She dragged herself to her feet, using the wall next to her as support.

   "Every time you look at Richard, every time you look at Fleur, even when you look at that idiot boyfriend of your, you will see the pain you caused them. You didn't protect her. Her blood is on your hands," Karine paused.

   "I've gotten what I want. You have no one to go to that will forgive you for the death of an innocent," Karine took a step towards him. "And when you have no one to go to, you will come to me. I love you, Nyxium.

   "And I will never leave you."

   There was nothing but the background of London as the two stood only a few feet apart, before Nyxium turned and walked away.

   "Nyxium?" Karine called. "Nyxium!"

   He didn't respond.

   "You can't just walk away from me!" She screeched. "You are mine, and will always be mine!"

   But Nyxium walked, walking across the street and down the sidewalk and through the alleyways. And Karine didn't stop screaming, screaming until the cops came to investigate reports of gunshots and arrested her.

   She didn't use her powers. Because she didn't want to.

   She was arrested for the kidnapping of Richard and the murder of her cousin, who was told to come to London if they wanted Richard to be free. Triste obliged, and was taken for ransom. Before the ransom was sent out, they fought back and Karine was forced to pull the trigger.

   Halley was arrested for being her accomplice, although Richard testified that Halley did not know the extent of Karine's plan.

   After Triste's funeral, Richard forgave her mother, before she was locked up for her crimes.

   Luna and Richard became almost sisters, with Triste's parents often leaving Luna with Jonathan after they began taking business trips at every possible opportunity.

   Kit moved to her castle in London, abandoning the world of immortals for as long as she could until the world was in peril once more.

   Fleur and Lithium continued tending to the Drachma families balcony garden, remaining close friends to the family. Every week, Fleur would take the best flowers from the garden and place them on Triste's grave.

   Nyxium kept walking. He would walk for miles, stop and sleep, then go whichever way the wind blew. He would talk to strangers, play with children, help people work, and donate whatever change he came across to the first charity he saw. But, no matter what, at the end of the day he was somewhere else.