Soul

Wraith

1

The rain was coming down in great, icy sheets, obscuring the dark sky,  the cold grey sea beneath it foaming and churning like a witch's cauldron. In the early hours of the morning, nothing moved in the docklands of Dublin city, except for a small lonely figure high on a lookout point above it all.

 Ro shivered and stretched as much as she dared, the freezing rain drops sliding from her damp hair and down the neck of her jacket, the occasional spray from the sea drenching her still further. She shifted uncomfortably. Her body was growing numb from hours of crouching on top of the freezing metal storage container, one of hundreds that had been placed in neatly organised rows, watching the motionless area below. They had to come soon, they just had to. All the evidence pointed to this spot. If Gabe was wrong...

Suddenly, she tensed. There was movement on the ground below. A dim, blue glow permeated the darkness, briefly lighting up the tall metal containers around her.

A Hell Portal. Gabe had been dead right.

Two figures appeared to step out of it. They were as insubstantial and shapeless as smoke, the only sign of their presence was a slight shimmer as they twisted and slithered in the moonlight, the driving rain sliding easily through their wispy forms.Their eyes were the only part of them with substance:  two blood red burning coals, dancing and writhing where the creatures' eye sockets ought to be.

Shadow Wraiths.

Ro reached down and gripped the hilt of her sword with numb fingers, feeling the faint pulse of the Energy she had stored in it under her palm. She knew these two were just the lookouts. She had to attack before they dissapated, as well as close the portal before more of them came. Otherwise, the whole city could be infected. Slowly, she edged along the container roof, angling herself so that she was behind the two monsters. Silently, her sword was eased out of its sheath.

Then, she jumped.

Ro swung the sword fast and strong, releasing the Energy as she did so. The sword was suddenly lit with green flames that licked up the blade and burned like the sun in the darkness. The first Wraith let out an inhuman screech as the weapon swung clean through it, making it vanish in a whirl of black. 

Ro hit the ground hard and rolled to a crouch, trying to ignore the now burning pain in her left shoulder and swore under her breath.  She had misjudged the timing and had missed taking the two creatures out at once like she'd intended.

The second Shadow Wraith was not willing to go down as easily as its companion had. It rushed at Ro, its dancing eyes filled with rage and hatred. She just managed to duck out of the way, trying to stay behind the creature all the time. She couldn't let it touch her skin. If it did, it would possess her.

The rain was driving down hard, obscuring Ro's vision and giving the Wraith the advantage. It flitted in and out between the storage containers, twisting and turning through the raindrops with ease. Ro was forced to charge endlessly after it, strands of her long, auburn hair coming loose from her ponytail and clinging wetly to her face. Finally, after five minutes of constant movement, the Wraith finally stopped. It seemed to turn in the air and there it hung, hovering, the rain making it flicker and blur like a hologram.

Waiting.

Ro ran forward, swinging the sword again, the emerald flames leaping and flickering in the air. The Wraith slid out of the way, then shot  towards her side. Ro dodged the attack, keeping her eyes fixed on the monster in front of her. But she forgot to look where she was going.

A wet patch took the feet out from under her, sending her careering to the ground. Her sword flew out of her hand and slid about a foot away. As soon as it hit the concrete, the Energy dissapated and the flames went out. That was all the Wraith needed.