The Night Walkers

by Elaine McGregor-Dawson

  "Alright, you've had enough time to think about it," Syria said after a moment, watching as every eye was glued to her, obviously they'd heard of her Authority. "If you want to join us on this mission, then step onto the left side of the room, if you don't want to join then move to the right side of the moon."

  A moment later, over half the people moved onto the left side whilst about twenty to thirty stood on the right. Syria noticed that most of the people who didn't want to join were only thirteen-year old's doing their very first junior year in the Academy.

  A coy expression played over her face as she grinned, "thank you everyone who chose to cooperate, we'll see you back here tonight as we prepare for war!" She clapped her hands together, watching as other did the same.

  This war would be very difficult to defy, after all, there would be two Academy's forces joined together, counting Aloysius's forces.

  She smiled over at Headmistress who gladly smiled back.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  (Syria's P.O.V)

  There was so much chatter later that night, and Syria stood up on the podium with her arms crossed over her chest, giving everyone one speculative look with her piecing purple eyes. Many times, she'd attempted to quiet them all but none of them had even paid her a second glance.

  "Syria, you really should control them," Headmistress spoke from behind her and as Syria turned around, she saw the woman standing there, her arms crossed, tapping her long sharp nails melodically against her arms.

  Syria sighed, "yeah, I know, give them a second to sort themselves out... it's a very big step to take after al. They're basically stepping into death!" She flung her hands in the arm and leaned against the back wall, sighing at the ruckus of students who were still talking rapidly.

  "Yes, allow me to take over?" Headmistress asked hopefully, her eyes widening with hope. Syria continued to tap her fingers against the wall behind her whilst she weighed down her options on what to do.

  Another sigh, "alright, please try calm them down." Syria stepped out of the way, so she could let Headmistress take over. Just recently they had explained to the students everything that had happened. They'd spoken about the beast and the girls who'd been taken, skipping the part about Kit being a captive by the most powerful Hybrid in the world. However, they had told everyone that there was a beast and that was their aim to kill it, to take down the army of witches and charge.

  "Alright everyone, I have told you about what we are here for," Headmistress looked nervous and Syria shook her head, trying her best not to worry about all this.

  There were more murmurs from the crowd and Syria took in their fully armoured gear and perfect elaborate weapons, gorgeous but utterly deadly.

  "Okay, we have our armour; we have our potions, first aid equipment and weapons. Now we need a plan." The woman's eyes travelled out the massive stain glass walls that stood beyond the pillar, watching as the moon hung high in the sky. "I was thinking though, that instead of having the war during the day... why not have it at night instead? It's our way of protocol after all." She shrugged and pulled her gaze back down to the mass of students. "What do you all think?"

  Someone's hand shot up, and Syria recognized it to be Sally, the smart blond girl who appeared to be friends with Kit and Levi... she had also seen the beast before. Headmistress pointed to her with a nod and a sharp smile.

  "I think it's a good idea, but I have seen what they are capable of and some of the things are very good, but some things are very bad. I have been inside there, along with you guys, I have witnessed what that man can do. Their guarding is really bad, they have a lot of good tactics though, I think nigh time is a better way to go," Sally avoided everyone else's eyesight, and Syria knew it was because no one else had known that she'd been in the cave before.

  Headmistress nodded curtly before gliding along the podium. "Yes, that's a good point, they didn't have the best guard, however, their tactics were good, and they didn't know whether we would attack during the day or the night. That solves is, we shall train all day tomorrow and attack during the night tomorrow night."

  Syria nodded at her, knowing that there was a great danger. She stepped forwards to take over Headmistress' spot, but was interrupted by another voice, and as her eyes followed the line, she realized it was Aloysius speaking.

  "Hello Syria, we have brought back up," he was smiling from the long doorway, and she noticed that it was only peaking open the slightest bit so that she couldn't see what was beyond. Her mind was singing with 'yes, backup'. But at the same time, her mind was deciphering whether to trust him.

  It was her only option though, she straightened her position and smiles, "well, don't keep us waiting, mind bringing them in?"

  "Certainly," he nodded, another smile flashing across his vision. "Here they are!" He pushed the doors open with a long standard creak... and beyond it was a great protruding out and out; there were a lot of students there, their eyes flashing with the same colour as Syria's students did.

  She nodded, unable to stop the instant grin spreading across her face. "Aloysius, welcome aboard, my friend."

  * * * * * *

  (Kit's P.O.V)

  "Come here, Kit, I have something to show you, oh, and to tell you! It's very important," Claudius smiled and she heard an insane laugh explode from his lips, making her step back a few steps.

  She shook her head vigorously, "no, I will not come anywhere near you!" She was breathing slower, worried, scared and intimidated by him. It was rare for Kit Stone to be any of those things, normally she would lash out at him with a weapon or her bare fists, except now, because he overpowered her with his Hybrid abilities.

  Her cocked his head to the side, that wolfish grin of his still there. "Oh, come now, don't you play games!" He clapped his hand, "now come, your father wishes you to be at his side right this instant."

  She still shook her head, " get away from me! I don't want to be here!" She whimpered, her face pale and her teeth chattering from the cold inside the cave. "Now... can I please go back to my room?" She asked, her entire feeling becoming hopeful.

  He shook his head with a tsk. "Witches, would you bring her here at once?"

  Kit's head whipped around to face the evil looks of the witches, they cackled as their pale and palled hands gripped her shoulders roughly, pulling her forwards towards where Claudius sat in his massive chair. "Get over there!" They pushed her forwards towards the small steps and her feet stumbled fast until she tripped over the first step and landed with 'wham!'

  Her smiled down at her as she got to her feet, her head held down, unable to meet his eyes as her heart thudded in her chest, she was suddenly worried whether he could hear it and bit her lip until she tasted blood.

  "Kit, I need to do a test on you, mind following me to the other room," he stood up off his seat and grabbed her lower arm. Had it been any other time, she would have fought against the enemy until her death, as she pledged to do when she joined the Luna Academy, now though, she felt like she couldn't belong there.

  "Come on Kit," he threw her into another room until she hit a wall, her head feeling very sore. "Ouch!" She yelped and turned around to face his grinning face.

  "If I were you, I'd be beginning to die right now," he winked over at her before gesturing for the witches to lock them inside the dark room. When she heard the door shut, he spun back around to face her. "Kit, I could teach you so many good things, with being a Hybrid, you can do anything, you can become one of the greatest mysteries to this world!" He laughed that insane laugh again.

  "B-but I don't want to do that stuff! I want to be normal and if I can't do that then I'm better off dead!" She yelled that last part and turned her gaze away as he walked forwards and slapped her.

  "You shall listen to me!" He was serious then, before a laugh escaped his lips.

  Tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to look weak in front of him. "I promise you, it won't end up well," she promised, keeping her voice level even though it wav
ered slightly because her cheeks burned from where his powerful slap had come across her delicately flawless skin.

  "Now, get over here, I need to test something," he said, pulling her by the hand until she stood before a circle of candles. Kit stared into the flames, her eyes glued to the mix-match of colours.

  "What are you doing to m-?"

  He flung her into the centre, "stay right there, and unless I hear you repeat the words I'm about to tell you to say, I will make sure that precious boy of yours gets his throat slit!" He laughed again, watching her as Kit's eyes flung open.

  "You, you wouldn't do that, right? I promise I'll do anything for you, just please don't harm them!” Her voice quavered as she settled her eyes down. "Fine, tell me what you want me to say, I'll say them..." she trailed off, unsure of what to think.

  "Say this and exactly this." he stepped forwards until he was on the opposite side of the candles. "Say 'I, Kit Stone, Daughter of Claudius the hybrid, demand to see what the Luna Academy is up to.'"

  She bit her lip, and then opened it to speak the words, now she felt those tears pour down her cheeks. When she finished saying the words, her eyes flung open, only to see Claudius throw something on every candle, it burst into light as it caught on fire and the most extraordinary light filtered through with greens, pinks and blues, enlightening the air around her like a story being told.

  "Good Kit, now, I want you to close your eyes and think about nothing but the Academy." His words were so constructive, so, compelling that she found she had to cooperate with them.

  She nodded, and then glued her eyes closed, her mind wondering towards the image of the Academy. She pictured the stone walls, the rumbling of the people's feet as they glided down the stone floors. Then she pictured the way the lights off the candelabra's reflected everyone's shadows, filtering everyone into a dark silhouette.

  "Now, think towards what everyone's doing and tell me exactly what they are saying," he was so compelling, Kit felt this sudden compulsion spring around her, she smelt the way the herbs burnt a strange smell, like a barrier making her do everything he said.

  She nodded, now pushing all her mind through. She pictured herself in the Academy, even though she wasn't there. Kit could almost feel her feet thundering across the stairs, running towards the chatter of voices that sent a large cacophony of noise to filter through her ears.

  That's when she saw them; everyone was in the hall, gathered in front of the familiar podium, listening to Syria talk about a plan... what plan though? She studied the way Syria's lips moved, forming words.

  "This war, it will be hard and dangerous," Syria was saying and Kit didn't even wonder what or how she was here, listening to the conversation, she knew she was in that cave with Claudius... wait, Claudius. She fought against the compulsion, but it was too much, too hard.

  "Kit! Tell me, what are they saying?" He asked, his voice sounding around her, it was like she was invisible being in the Academy, it was like her own self wasn't there, it was just a spirit, a ghost. "TELL ME!" He roared now, ferocious and horrible.

  "T-they're planning a war, sir," she was compelled again, not being able to do anything. "They are saying that they are going to attack tomorrow night. Syria is leading them and there are so many people helping, they can't even fit in the one room!" Kit said, feeling her 'ghost self' watching and listening to the conversation.

  "Very good Kit!" There was applause of thunderous claps from behind, but when her ghost self-turned, no one was there. That was right, she was under a spell! "Is that all?"

  "No, Syria and headmistress have found our whereabouts; they are even poisoning the weapons and training all night and day! That's all I can tell me," she whispered.

  "Very good, that's all I needed to know," he said. "You may be released from the spell now." He told her again. Suddenly, everything around her vanished, the Academy disappeared, replaced by the all too familiar sight of Claudius, who stood on the opposite side of the candles.

  A rush of nausea spread over her as she stumbled a bit, about to step out of the centre of the candles, when she was blocked by an almost barrier.

  "What's this?" She said as harshly as she could manage. She batted her hands against the ward where the candles were, but it wouldn't break, she threw her entire eight against it, but nothing happened.

  He smirked, "thank you for your cooperation, Miss Stone; you have done everything I have needed. Now all you need to do is sit back and watch as your friends die around you. Oh, and we are about to have a guest over, I think you know who she is... um, Stacy! Yes, that's right!" He clicked his fingers together and she watched, battering her fists against the barrier as she watched him disappear out the door, closing him in the dying light, she had nothing to do but hear his mad laughter filter around her, capturing her in shadows.

  Stacy... but she's a Hybrid now...

  * * * * * *

  (Levi's P.O.V)

  He threw the dagger towards the target, his eyes never leaving its aim. Sally stood next to him, her face a press of amusement and she watched the dagger meet the bulls-eye, pinning straight on the point.

  "Nice job, my turn," she smiled at him and took the dagger from the mark. "Watch and learn, I've been practicing this every day of my life since I was old enough to walk!" Levi watched as she sheathed two other daggers at her side, a grin glinting in the corner of her vision.

  Sally stared at the target, the dagger poised in the tips of her fingers. She took one quick swing before the dagger went barrelling straight into the bulls-eye, she didn't stop there. A moment later, a second one was out and then another... then three daggers sat right in the middle of the mark. She rubbed her fingers together in satisfaction. "That, my friend is how you throw a dagger, like a girl!" she poked her tongue out at him and walked straight past Levi.

  "But how did you do that?" He shrugged his shoulders, a quizzical look on his face. "Evil, you'll teach me one day!" He pointed a finger at her.

  For the past few hours they had all been told to do nothing but train, and they had done just that. Syria had told them to concentrate and penetrate everything they had learn into this one training session. They had all agreed under a lot of stress and continued with their training.

  Sally and Levi had gone off and they were completely in the mode that they would get Kit back, who had been stolen from them. Levi studied the rest of the crowd, his eyes travelling to a group of boy’s swords fighting and two other girls who stood by an alchemy desk, bandaging other people's arms because they had been assigned to do first aid.

  "Levi, you coming? We should start helping everyone prepare," she pulled his arm and practically dragged him over to the edge of the space where people were now gathering in front of Syria. It was now approaching night-time, and everything seemed a lot more hectic.

  He gulped and nodded, "yeah, alright, I just hope it turns out well." He shrugged his shoulder, spinning around to face Syria's normally still expression.

  "Alright!" She was saying, her posture very straight and never frumpy. "You have all had twelve hours of sleep and twelve hours of training, I now except you all too been in complete focus as we begin our pace towards our destination." She eyes us all and Levi felt like he had gotten a whole lot better from the sleep and training.

  Everyone nods at this.

  "Great, if you all could please help get armoured and carry the medical gear to our base-camp then that would be great."

  Levi and Sally nodded, knowing that they had to have a base camp on the outskirts where a group stayed behind, there always had to be thirty people to stay at this boot camp, so they could be the medical helpers and train whilst they wait to swap with another thirty, kind of like a tag team. Levi grinned at that.

  The loud sound of Syria's clap startled him as she smirked, "get to it! We attack and midnight."

  * * * * * *

  The sound of murmurs filled his darkest thoughts as he stared down the road, Syria had suggested that he go first because he knew wh
ere it was. The rest of the Academy's students were following behind in the shadows, completely hidden out of sight. Headmistress had warned him that he would be okay, if he stayed careful.

  In the end, Sally wouldn't let him go without her and now here they were, walking down the lonely road, a haunting look crossing both their features as they replayed the other nights encounter.

  "This has to be the hundredth time we've come through here," she was saying, and it took Levi a minute to realize she was talking.

  "That's true. You know what's sad?" Sally questioned, her eyes shining bright by the glint of the silver moon.

  He frowned, "everything?" He guessed, raising his eyebrows sceptically.

  "That we know the way off by heart and everything," she shrugged her shoulders and looked at him with a strange look. It was like she couldn't keep her eyes off him. Levi stopped walking and frowned.

  "What? Do I have something in my teeth or-"

  "No!" She shook her head, her cheeks blood red from embarrassment. "Sorry, I was just, um, just... doesn't matter," she shook her head and looked away.

  He flashed another smile at her, "don't worry Sally, we're here now." He said, aiming his gaze up to stare at the massive old barn-yard building. It was old and abandoned now but it was close to the cave, so this was going to be the base camp, where the sickly went.

  She breathed a soft sigh, "here we are."

  He put his arm around her shoulders to look at her, "you ready for battle?"

  She grinned, "I don't think I'm ready for death Levi."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  (Levi's P.O.V)

  "So, I guess this is how we're going to die?" Levi turned around slowly as he spoke, he managed to keep his eyes locked on Syria, who was drastically recalling just how hard this mission was. Hell! It was going to be extremely hard to win this... everyone knew it!