Walking Dollar Bills

Chapter 26: This Little Light of Mine

The dark aura around Toure forms a mini tornado around his body. Objects within range of him begin to pull towards him. Tree branches, stones, and small rodents all fly into the self-contained tornado.

Gumbo watches the descending Toure and prepares a volley of fifty light arrows.

"Stay away from Amara" says Gumbo before shooting the arrows at Toure.

The fifty light arrows fly through the sky in a brilliant radiance. On the opposite end, Toure's tornado torpedo rips through the sky towards the arrows. The two collide and cause a devastating explosion of bright light and dark purplish aura.

Gumbo lowers his bow and stares hard at the sky. The smoke clears leaving nothing but the night sky above. Lowering his gaze, Gumbo quickly jots towards Earl.

"I didn't hurt you much, did I?" asks Gumbo.

Earl rolls onto his back and lifts his midsection up. The hole in his body seals completely. Then, he squints his eyes,

"It's gotten so dark"

Gumbo scans the area and forms a ball of light energy in his right hand. The light pierces through the dark and casts large shadows beneath the two. Rain splashes Gumbo and Earl, wetting their clothes.

"Yea. This type of darkness is almost... unnatural" says Gumbo.

"It probably is. Toure told me that Vipers are their most deadly when blind. He has to be creating this artificial darkness to strengthen him" says Earl.

"Then we should hurry up and find him" says Gumbo.

Earl stumbles to his feet and closes his eyes. He listens for a sound—anything, but there is only silence. It is as if he has gone deaf.

"Nothing. It's like every force of nature has gone mute. I can't hear the raindrops, leaves rustling, or rocks tumbling" says Earl as he opens his eyes.

Hiding behind a pile of fallen trees, hidden by the cover of darkness, Toure spies on his targets. The ball of light in Gumbo's hand acts as a flare that signals his location. Toure's tail flicks left and right.

"Interesting. I can't tell if he's a fool giving me the perfect opening to strike or if he's trying to lure me... like a moth drawn to a flame."

Toure places a hand on the fallen tree.

"I'll have to take that chance. The Viper is weak, so as long as I take out the Human, I should be fine."

Gumbo flaps his angel wings and rises into the sky.

"Careful, Gumbo" warns Earl.

"I'm going to eliminate all of this darkness" says Gumbo as the light half of his body intensifies in brightness.

Before Gumbo can rise any higher a tail whips out of the darkness and wraps itself around his neck.

"Gumbo!" says Earl, who bites his lip.

The tail constricts around Gumbo's neck and suffocates him. Toure's face emerges from the darkness and brushes against Gumbo's ear on the left side of his face, the dark energy side. Toure grits his teeth and wraps Gumbo's body in his arms.

Despite Toure's hold, Gumbo remains in the air.

"This guy won't quit" mutters Earl.

Veins bulge out of Toure's body and press their outlines visibly against the skin of his neck, arms, and forehead. His teeth clamp down and fresh blood flows over the dried blood he's already spilled. Yet, Gumbo's expression remains the same.