Blood in the Darkness November 19, 2012

The First Episode of this Series was posted 9/17/12

Despite his need to discover what had happened to his mother, track down the Templar that had escaped, and a few other dozen things, Jack allowed himself the day off to recover not only his physical strength, but his mystical as well.

Alex came and went during the day, often on quests to find him food. Another friend of Alex’s showed up. This guy, Eric, appeared even younger than the other teens. Blake and Rich arrived not too long before nightfall and Jack wanted to laugh when they nervously hit him up for a beer run.

Shaking his head, he said, “I’m still feeling a little stiff guys, you know I was shot three times yesterday, but I remember how tough it is to get beer when you’re underage. Still, I’m not going to buy any of those crappy beers I see hanging on the wall out there.” They started to protest that they didn’t have much money, but he held up his hands, “Don’t worry guys, this one on me, as long as I can get a ride.”

* * *

After Jack had bought enough pale ales and pizzas to have the teen’s eyes bulging out of their heads, he asked Blake, “So how far is it to the north side?”

Alex spoke up before his friend could answer. “I thought you said you were going to rest for another night because you were shot?”

“Thanks for looking out for me, but since we have the wheels, maybe a scout mission would help me know what I’m facing. Besides, I heal fast.”

Blake looked over at Alex for approval and the tallest teen nodded. Minutes later, the crammed car headed north. Some of the teens opened their beers and the first box of pizza got handed around.

“So what address are we looking for?” Blake said, while he got a GPS ready. Jack fed it to the mop headed man as he took in the surrounding streets. The lights had a muted feel, like their illuminations were challenged. Between the streetlights, wells of pour darkness threatened to swallow them. Such blackness made Jack think of the Darcarre, which he had fought so often recently, but somehow this darkness felt different and the Templars had mentioned something about a new race of Xemmoni and the Darcarre were anything but new.

I can’t really put my finger on what’s out there. It does feel different, but what does it feel like? What could be going on out there in the blackness?

Looking up, Jack saw several sets of towers reaching for the sky in the distance. They almost seemed to move at first, but then the Stalwart saw that they weren’t moving as much as there was something clinging to the outside of them that moved. His eyes tried to pierce the gloom. It looked like wispy flags of jagged blackness undulated in the breeze.

“We’re getting close,” Blake announced, just seconds before he began to scream like his guts where being torn out. Jack was the only other passenger up front and made a grab for the wheel. An angry ruby colored Bestow crashed into him, but for once, his own mystical fortitude was strong enough to deflect it, but he was still able to tell what is was.

“Damn Templars, how did they find us?” Jack yelled over the screaming voice of the teen. Just as Jack had gained control of the vehicle one of its tires exploded and that was enough to send its front end straight into a parked vehicle. A second later, a second tire was blown.

“Shit stick sandwich,” Jack Cursed. “I hope you boys are ready to gear up, because I think we’re about to have a serious fight on our hands!”

To be continued next Monday…

Find out how Jack’s Adventures Started… Here!