Fire and Stardust

Chapter IV

brief note before you read: you'll see a time skip banner in this chapter, which was made by maskedst ! if you love it as much as I do, go check out her graphics!

The first thing I'm aware of is a high-pitched ringing in my ears. The next thing that I register is my heartbeat, pounding harshly against my ribs, and then I gain sensation in my fingers, twitching them as best I can. Finally, my eyes flutter open and I see chaos.

Sobered spectators are running in all directions, desperate to escape, while security members have pulled their guns-- swapping bullets with their enemy in a cacophony of loud bangs and bursts of light. The more courageous ones of each party throw punches at the mob of black-clothed assailants streaming down the stairs. The bomb they must've tossed blew up half of the cage and left me incredibly disoriented against the back wall.

I'm barely able to roll aside as one of the intruders crashes heavily to the floor where I was seconds before. Past the blood pooling from the bullet wound in his neck, I can make out the outline of a white wolf with bared teeth. Its yellow eyes seem to stare straight through me, mock me, even as murky red waves obscure them.

A pang of dread strikes my chest. The White Wolves are here.

I stumble to my feet, struggling to stay upright as my vision pitches from side to side. Through blurry eyes, I can see the bloody knife I discarded earlier lying not far from me. I stagger to it and brandish it as I desperately scour the Den for Ellis.

I only manage to limp forwards a few feet when I hear a gunshot and feel myself hit the ground. For a few seconds, I'm entirely numb, but then I realize that the reason I'd fallen was currently still latched to my ankle. I follow the hand to see... Lars?

He's laying on his side, gasping for each breath, part of the busted cage impaling him through his stomach and the other part through the right side of his face. He looks like a monster, his skin bloody and drooping, but he still breathes out a message.

"You... did... this..." he heaves, diaphragm pausing mid-rise in between each word. There's a look of pure hatred in his good eye. "Your... fault..."

With that, his eyes drift closed and he goes still. His grip loosens enough for me to break out and stand.

I can't. I can't think about what just happened. I have to stay focused; I have to move on.

Continuing to race through the throngs of fighting and blood, I finally spot a figure in blue flannel backed against the wall by one female and one male Wolf. My vision still swims, but determination and adrenaline propel me forwards with reinvigorated strength.

I reach the male, tossing the full weight of my body into him. He crashes to the floor and I use his surprise to sink the knife into his back. He twitches and moans before growing limp.

Ellis lets out a quiet gasp; My head snaps up and we lock eyes. "Run, Ellis!"

As he shakily takes off-- hopefully towards our room-- I turn to face the female, ripping my knife from the dead Wolf's back.

Short black curls frame her face, dark brown eyes accentuating her ebony skin. She flashes me her signature grin, the one that says she's the predator and you're the prey. My handler; the Scourge of the Northeast, as she's better known. She's the enforcer, the hunter of traitors, named after her ruthlessness and stomping grounds.

I lunge at her, but Ritha easily avoids my sluggish movements. She laughs at me, a sound that ricochets in my ears along with the ringing, making it seem like it's coming from all directions. I can't see straight and I'm now convinced that blood is dripping from my temple. A blessing and a curse, most of my body is numb and I can't tell what's injured.