The Darkness: 3

Part 14

Italics- Lydia's voices

Oliver

Oliver gasped as he felt the warmth balance out his freezing body. He slowly opened his eyes to see he was in a dimmed cabin that was lit by a fire.

"You're awake," a familiar voice spoke. His eyes focused on the person and saw it was his old friend, Tatsu. "Tatsu," he said firmly, "How'd I get here?" "Well the snow preserved your body and what's left of Maseo, brought you in," she explained, handing him tea.

"How long have I been out?" He asked. "Almost five days," she told him and he exhaled heavily. "I need to get back home," he said, denying the tea. He tried to lift himself up, but the pain his chest pulled him down. "If you go home like that, you'll die," she said bluntly, "Drink."

"What happened to Maseo?" He asked, taking a sip from the small cup. Tatsu exhaled, sitting down in the chair and crossed her legs. "After Akio died, Maseo felt helpless. I tried to help him, but he ignored me. He kept doing it until he finally left to the Leauge where he rebirth into Sarab," she explained.

Tatsu sighed, getting up and handed him a plate of bandages. "You should probably change that," she said. Oliver groaned, taking off his shirt and removed the bloody bandage. He took a look at the stitched gap under his peck before cleaning it and reapplying a fresh bandage.

He put back on his shirt when the door swung open and the thin wind, blew inside the cabin. Tatsu waved her hand and the wind grew still. "Sarab," she greeted and he walked in. "I brought you food," he said, setting it down on the table, "Oliver," and Oliver nodded back.

"Thank you," Tatsu said and Sarab made a long glance between her and Oliver before leaving and she closed the door behind him. "That's it?" He scoffed. "That's not Maseo anymore. I told you, he's different," she said, lowering her head and sitting down.

Lydia

Lydia woke up to her fifth day without Oliver. Every day was dragging itself out as she was left alone. It was now that he was gone, she realized how much she missed him. He was what she wanted and most needed.

For the past few days, Laurel was staying over to keep each other company, so it wasn't a surprise to see her in the kitchen. Lydia put her hair in a ponytail as Laurel handed her a mug filled with coffee.

"Today is just going to be like the rest," Lydia said, holding the mug high. "Only if you change it," Laurel said raising her eyebrows. "Tonight is going to be my first night in the city with Roy and John, so I'm excited," she smiled. "Great energy," Lydia pursed her lips, "You doing this better than me." "Well you and Oliver had a..." she trailed off, "something. So it's different." Lydia's phone buzzed and she opened the text, "John wants us to meet up."

———————

Lydia and Laurel went to the back of the Verdant and down the stairs into the hideout, where the rest of the team was waiting for them.

"Danny Brickwell, Brick, has taken over the Glades now that the Arrow hasn't been spotted," Diggle spoke as Felicity pulled his profile up on the main screen. "I've seen him before," Roy began, "he has money and a lot of men who fear him to do the job." "Then we put him down," Lydia said, narrowing her eyes. "It won't be easy," he said and she sighed.

"Psycho number two is here," Lydia said, glaring at Malcolm who had walked in, followed by Thea. "What do want?" Felicity's voice cracked. "I went to the mountain sight the fight was at and I don't think Oliver made it," he said. "Well it's all your fault," she said firmly. "I already know Oliver's dead," Lydia spoke up and he glanced at her. "Well, wouldn't you need visual confirmation?" He spat and Lydia glanced at Laurel wondering how he knew. "Yes, I do." Malcolm lowered his head, spreading his lips as he left the hideout.

"I don't want to believe him," Thea said softly. "No one does," Felicity told her, getting up and leaving. Diggle's eyes trailed after her but then turned back to the team, "Let's just put down Brick." "I'll search the Glades," Roy said, leaving and Laurel left as well.

"Do you really think Oliver's dead?" Diggle asked and the room filled with silence. Lydia sat down on the swivel chair and stared at him. "The morning he should've reached the mountain, this place slowly crept with Oliver's death. Then as soon as the feeling disappeared, I knew he was gone," she explained. He clenched his jaw, crossing his arms and leaned back, "I just can't believe it."

Lydia felt this chill run down her spine and she shivered. When she looked around, none of the doors were open and the ac was at its regular temperature. "Did you feel that wind?" She asked, tightening her jacket around her body. "No," he shook his head. She dropped the thought and assumed it was just her.

Oliver

"What are you doing?" Oliver asked Tatsu. "I was signaling your friend," she explained, shutting the door, "Her banshee side is supposed to react to the wind." "What are you again?" He asked curiously. "Wind Kitsune." "How come I didn't know this before?" He questioned. "You ask too many questions," she told him and he took another sip of his tea.

"After Akio died and Maseo left," Tatsu began, grabbing his attention, "I was different. My fighting skills had become more fierce and wielding a katana was dangerous, even for myself. Every morning, I would wake up with blood on my hands and I was terrified." "So you were becoming the stories you told Akio," he figured and she nodded.

"One night I decided to record myself sleeping. When I checked it the next day, I was shocked to what was on the video," she said. "What was on it?" he asked interested. There was a small pause and she exhaled, "There was a light blue aura of a fox around me. The spirit was the one controlling my body. And when my sleeping body looked into the camera, I said, 'Watashi wa shi no shishadesu.'" "I am the Messenger of Death," Oliver translated, leaning his head back.

"Now you're okay?" He asked. "I spent time with Skin Walkers to help me control the wind kitsune, not the other way around," she explained. "Drink."

——————

Tatsu being a Kitsune just makes sense. I did choose randomly so she's wind.