The Darkness: 4

Part 5

Italics- nogitsune's whispers

Month Five

Thea

Thea entered the lair where the team was waiting for her. Laurel and Diggle already had their suits on and she went over to grab hers.

"Where have you been?" Laurel asked. Thea ignored her question and put on her suit, grabbing her bow. "Let's go," she told them.

The three vigilantes made it to the bank where people had been robbing it. Thea shot an explosion arrow and the doors busted open. Laurel opened her mouth for a Canary Cry that knocked out the burglars as Diggle helped the hostages. This time, she was letting them win.

"Quick night," Diggle told them as police cars started coming down the street. They got in the van and went back to the lair.

Thea set her bow on the table and looked at her phone. 'Already created a Berserker' Kate texted. 'Without me?' 'You were taking too long.' Thea sighed in frustration, lifting her head back. "What's wrong?" Felicity asked. "Some people are just annoying," she told her and she agreed, "Good night."

——————

Thea entered the apartment complex and onto her floor. When she reached the end of the hallway, she saw the door was already open. Without fear, she opened it and exhaled at the guest inside.

"Thea," Malcolm greeted. She glanced down at his hand and saw the Demon's ring before he pulled his arms back. "What are you doing here? I thought we cut ties," she crossed her arms. "I know, I just wanted to check up on you," he spread his lips.

She closed the door behind her and moved to the side of the room. "I moved in with Laurel because it's safer so I'm fine," she told him and he nodded. "There are affects of the Lazarus Pit and I wanted to see if they were happening," he said. Despite being partially possessed by a nogitsune, she was 'fine'.

"I'm okay," she told him, opening the door. Malcolm glanced back at her before he left.

Lydia

Lydia was sitting at a round table next to the kitchen, under a light, waiting for Oliver to come back in and she stared blankly at the dirty plate from the great dinner they had.

"Here's strawberry cheesecake," he said, placing a slice on the table. "I'm full," she exhaled leaning back. She was feeling happy, a normal emotion that could happen now she'd upped her dosage of lichen.

Oliver picked up his fork and began to eat his dessert. "At least it's strawberry," she exhaled, grabbing her fork. She cut a small piece and ate it, her mouth trembling. "This is really good." "I can bake too," he smiled.

The house phone started to ring and Lydia's head turned. "Let me get it," she said, getting up. She slipped into the living room and grabbed the phone, holding it to her ear. There was fast speaking and Lydia struggled to understand. "Sorry, I don't understand Japanese," she lied, shrugging at Oliver. The rambling continued and she understood something about the concentration camp, Oak Creek. It was the exact same voice mail Allison had received that was calling the phone.

Lydia hung up and as she was walking back to the table, the light bulb flickered. Oliver frowned at her and twisted the bulb to stay on, but it didn't. The light went out, followed by the rest of the electricity. "Black out?" He asked and she shrugged.

In the corner, a black shadow appeared and green eyes glowed. Oliver picked up a knife and threw it. The thing disappeared and reappeared in the same spot and Oliver's eyes enlarged. More of them spawned around the table and their eyes glowed. Oliver tried to punch them and they caught his fist, pushing him on his knees.

"Oliver," she called out, "don't fight it. Let them do it." He glanced at her and pressed his lips, absolutely terrified. The glow got brighter as it shined Oliver's face. The small sizzle sounded and he dropped on the floor.

"Oni," Lydia muttered as they pivoted towards her. They walked in synchronization going to her and she pressed against the wall. "You've already marked me!" She let out. Lydia tucked her hair and showed them. Their eyes glowed to see the mark before they disappeared.

Lydia exhaled, running into the room and looked for the grab 'n go duffle bags and tossed them in the car. She went back inside and dragged Oliver's freezing body into the front seat, placing a blanket on him. She got in the drivers seat and drove down the street and onto the highway.

There was slight muttering of craziness as she turned on the heater. Lydia used her nails and dug them through Oliver's thighs and he woke up with a large gasp.

"Lydia pull over!" He shouted. She pressed on the gas and continued speeding. "We have to go back," she said. "Pull over!" Lydia pursed her lips and slowed the car down on the side of the freeway.

"What is going on? Why were there ninjas in our house?" He asked confusedly. Lydia turned her head and turned on the lights. "You see this?" She pointed at the backwards five behind her ear. "Is the mark of the Oni and you just got one too." Oliver rubbed the back of his ear, still confused. "We need to go back," she whispered, turning on the engine.

———————

Lydia and Oliver went down the elevator into the lair to see it was destroyed. Laurel, Diggle, and Felicity were on the floor, groaning.

"They came here too," she muttered. Lydia placed blankets on them to heat up as their shivering breaths sounded the room. She looked behind their ear to see that they'd been mark too.

There was a big gasp and she saw that Diggle was fine, followed by Laurel. "Felicity," she whispered. Lydia leaned over, grabbing a scalpel and cut her finger. Felicity pulled her body up and she groaned in pain, touching her ear.

"Lydia what is going on?" Oliver asked, crossing his arms. She turned her head and got up, "I'm not a banshee anymore, but this... this is bad sign." "That doesn't make any sense Lydia," Laurel opened her arms. "The Japanese ninjas are called Oni."