“I’m home!” Darielle called, stepping into her house. “Where is every- KEVIN!”
Her little brother was struggling in the grasp of some guy with fangs that looked like he trying to bite his neck. Her arrival seemed to have gone unnoticed by the strange man.
“Get away from him!” Darielle shouted, tackling the man away from the boy.
The creature growled, quickly getting to his feet and facing the girl “How dare you interrupt my feed.” he growled
“Get out!” Darielle screamed at him, completely terrified.
The thing didn’t respond, grabbing her and thrusting her head to the side. Darielle screamed, trying to get away...
}{
Darielle sat straight up in bed, covered in a cold sweat. Tears already rolling down her face. Trembling hands moved up to hold her head as she scooted back to sit against the headboard. Her mind picking up where the nightmare left off.
{}
The Yoru Oni forced her head to the side, ready to bite her. He suddenly hissed and threw her away from him before disappearing.
“Kevin,” She said, crawling over to the sobbing boy once some of her stupider left her. “Are you ok? Where’s mom and dad?”
Kevin only raised a shaking hand to point at the door to their parents' bed room.
Darielle slowly got to her feet and walked to the door. With a quivering hand she pushed it open and gasped. Both her parents lay on the floor. Their own blood was pooling around them from two puncture wounds on their necks. Their eyes staring blankly at nothing, faces twisted in fear.
She didn’t remember falling backwards, or her hand clasping over her mouth if only to keep from throwing up. Nothing registered in her mind until after the bedroom door was pulled closed. Brown eyes slowly moved up to the hand grasping the door knob. Then up the arm to eventually stare at the stranger’s face.
She crawled backwards till she pumped into Kevin “Get out!” She screamed “Leave us alone!”
The man, who bore three earrings in his left ear, frowned sadly “It’s alright, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to help.”
“Help?!” She shouted “Help?! Then where were you while my parents were being killed and my brother was being attacked!”
“I’m sorry,” He said sorrowfully “I only became alert to the situation when your numbers were activated.”
“My numbers? What the hell are you talking about?!”
“The numbers on your neck,” The man tried to explain.
“T-there’s nothing on her neck!” Kevin declared, wiping at his eyes.
“You can’t see them, but the Yoru Oni could. It’s what scared him off.”
“The what?!”
The man sighed “The creature that attacked you. That’s what they’re called, Yoru Oni.”
“Get out of here you crack head!” Darielle screamed at him “We don’t need any of your help!”
“Darielle, please. Now that they know what you are-”
“What do you mean what I am? And how do you know my name?!”
“I was the one who named you. Please, if you come with me, I’ll answer as many of your questions as I can.”
“No way!”
“It’s not safe here, for you or your brother.”
“I can take care of him!”
“Was he bitten?”
She faltered slightly “Even if he was, I can take care of him!”
“Not if he starts turning into one of them.”
Darielle looked over her shoulder at her brother. “Your just some crazy crack head! He’s not going to change into anything!”
“Darielle, did you ever believe vampires existed until a few minutes ago?” The man froze, looking up. “Their coming, we have to leave, now.”
Darielle felt a strange tickling sensation wave through her body. “Who are you?” she asked, voice shaking.
“My name is Darius.” He said. “Please, Darielle, for both your sakes, come with me. Their coming, there’s no way we can take them. Please, I just want to help you.”
Darielle chewed her lip. She couldn’t ignore this strange feeling of dread that was creeping up on her. “Come on Kevin,” She said, shakily climbing to her feet.
“We’re going with him?!” The boy exclaimed.
“What do we have to lose? If he is right, we’re dead anyway.” she said, helping him to his feet.
“But if he’s lying-”
“I don’t think he is,” Darielle said, casting a glance at the man.
“But-” Kevin protested.
“Just trust me, please Kev?” She pleaded, placing a kiss on his forehead. “I’ll take care of you, don’t worry.”
Kevin managed a small nod.
“Thank you,” Darius said. “Please, we must hurry.”
Darielle nodded, taking a last glance around her home before taking Kevin’s hand. Darius lead them out the back door. At the very end of their property stood a large boulder that Darielle and Kevin used to play on when they were younger. The man placed his hand on it and a circle opened up. “Through there, hurry now.”
They both looked over their shoulders at their house before Darielle pulled them through the portal.
{}
“Darie? Darie? You ok?”
Brown eyes blinked aware to see Malu in front of her, gently shaking her shoulder. “H-huh?” She said intelligently.
“Are you alright?” The other repeated, shifting to sit on the edge of the bed.
“Yeah, just had a nightmare.” Darielle answered “What are you doing here?”
“I sensed you were upset.” She shrugged. “Do you want me to stay?”
“No, that’s alright.” She said, sliding her legs over the edge of the bed. “I’m going to go check on Kevin.”
“Oh,” Malu said, sounding a little disappointed.
“Thanks for checking on me Malu,” Darielle added with a gentle smile.
Malu beamed “Of course! Good night,” She said standing.
“Night,” Darielle replied, watching her leave. After a moment, she stood and went to check on her sleeping brother.
{}
“Man it’s hot!” Darielle complained, tying her jacket around her waist and rolling her pant legs up. “Where in the world are we Darius?”
“Heh, heh,” The man chuckled dryly “In the Sahara desert.”
“The Sahara desert?!” Both Darielle and Malu shouted.
“How on earth are supposed to find a pod here?! It’s probably buried a mile deep in sand!” Darielle exclaimed.
“Calm down, that sounds more like Zion’s area. Kiyoshi will probably be in the city.”
“What do you mean Zion’s area.” Darielle asked, irritated.
“Zion is earth. You see, the pods, for lack of a better word, like to be around the person’s element. That’s why the area where we fond Malu was so windy.” Darius explained.
“K, so Kiyoshi is matter. But matter is everything Darius!”
“He’ll most likely be in some kind of metal,” The man responded, rubbing his chin thought.
“That is SO helpful.” Darielle said, words as dry as the sand around her.
“I say we fly to Cairo and let Master Darius walk!” Malu declared, crossing her arms.
“Fly?” Darie asked
“Sure! I’m air, right? And since I’m activated, you can use my powers!”
“I can?”
“Yep! You can use the powers of anyone who’s activated.” She said cheerfully. “And I get to be your first charm! Yay!”
“Charm?” Darielle asked, puzzled. But Malu already had her wand in hand.
“Here, give me your hand,” She instructed excitedly.
“K,” She obeyed. Malu touched her wrist with the tip of her wand. A circle glowed around it before a charm bracelet appeared with a single round charm. “It’s your pod!” Darielle observed.
“Yep! and now you have the power of wind!” Malu giggled.
“You two aren’t actually going to fly off and leave me, are you?” Darius said, sounding slightly concerned.
“Yep!” Malu said, lifting into the air.
“How do you...” Darielle started.
“Just imagine the air lifting your up and taking you where you want to go.” Malu answered with a happy giggle.
Darielle bit her lip and closed her eyes. She had always wondered what is would be like to fly, or to be the wind. Before she realized it, her feet were no longer touching sand. In fact, they weren’t touching anything at all.
“You’re doing it, Darie! You’re doing it!” Malu cheered, doing a back flip in the air.
Her eyes opened and she gasped, seeing that she was about 6 feet off the ground.
“Try moving around.” Malu said, walking in a vertical circle in the air.
Darielle nodded and went higher. Then left and right, forward and back. “Cool!”
Malu giggled happily and took her hand. “Come on, I’ll show you the way!” She smiled and began guiding her.
“Malu,”
The girl stopped and smiled back at the man, “Yes Master Darius?” she asked innocently.
“First off, You are NOT leaving me here. Second, Cairo is in the opposite direction.” Darius said, arms crossed.
Malu pouted, stamping her foot on thin air. “I don’t WANT to find Kiyoshi!”
“Too bad. Either help us find him or go home by yourself.”
Malu’s pout doubled but she turned around and began heading in the right direction. “Fine. Bye, bye Master Darius!” She called before they began to rise. They rose until they could no longer see Darius calling after them and were surrounded by clouds.
“Hey, shouldn’t I have a nosebleed or be having trouble breathing so high up? I mean, my ears aren’t even popping!” Darielle asked over the quiet sound of wind rushing past her ears.
“Silly! All that stuff is caused by air pressure and how thin the air is. I control air, so I can make it be however I want it!” Malu answered.
“Oh. Should we really have left him there?”
“Master Darius can take care of himself. Sides, He won’t listen to me, so I shouldn’t have to listen to him.” Malu nodded to herself.
“If you say so.” Darielle sighed.
The other just giggled. “Here we are! Welcome to Cairo!”
Darielle sighed. “Now all we have to do is find this Kiyoshi guy.”
