The Crest of Darkness [ON HIATUS]

Chapter Three | Mink

 “Do you think it's possible? Could she have stepped through one of these portals?”

Mink's deep purple hair bounced as he nodded with enthusiasm. “It sure adds up. One minute she's there, the next she's not. She was in the middle of a sentence when she disappeared. I think we finally found our lead.”

He smiled, showing more surety than he felt. So maybe Lith's sister went through this phenomena. What did it matter? They weren't any closer to getting her back.

Stop, Mink told himself. If it makes Lith feel better, it's worth it. He stared across the room at his raven-haired friend. No, by now he had to admit to himself. He loved her. It wasn't the same as it was with his sister. Mink looked after Tori, he protected her, her safety was priority. It was the same with Lith, but there was something more. Eventually Tori would move on, grow up. Mink was learning he couldn't live without Lith.

Lith was smiling now. Her blue eyes were unfocused, probably thinking of the possibilities. Mink glanced at his sister. Her hand was on Lith's. They were like sisters themselves. He wondered if Lith said anything about him to Tori...

“So...” Lith said, bringing Mink back to reality with a snap. “If she's on Earth... what does it mean? Everyone's heard of the myths of the place, but that she might actually be there... How could she survive?”

“Don't worry.” Mink was making stuff up now. “I'm sure she found a family over there. There's no way she was left on her own. I'm sure of it.”

“Can we talk about Dad?” Tori said suddenly.

The other bit of news they had gotten in town that day was about Mink and Tori's father. The man was always a big question mark in Mink's life. He had seen him only once, right before Tori was born. Because their mother had died in childbirth, he couldn't help think he lived up to his demonic name.

It seemed like he was pillaging nearby towns. It was the first thing they had learned about him, so Mink felt his thoughts were justified.

“What if he comes home?” Tori asked. She was hiding her fear, Mink knew that.

“If he does, he'll have to deal with me,” Mink assured her.

“And me,” Lith said.

“No, you have to keep Tori safe,” he said. “Just in case...”

“Nothing will happen.” It was her turn to be brave. “He probably won't even come here. But if he does, I'm just a good a fighter as you are.”

“No, I have demon magic in me, remember? Besides, that's all the more reason for you to protect Tori.”

“Why do I need protecting in the first place?”

The door opened with a crash. There, in the flesh, was the demon father they were talking about. His red eyes flashed dangerously as he surveyed the room. He obviously recognized his children, since they both had his hair and eyes. Then his gaze rested on Lith.

“What are you doing here?” Mink asked. He sprung to his feet. Tori was behind him in an instant, Lith beside him.

“Where's my mate?” The demon's voice boomed. The sound didn't fit his frame, and Mink suddenly felt very small.

“She's dead,” he answered. “She might not be if you were here to be a proper husband.”

The demon turned to his son, his presence filling the room with a choking darkness.

“You dare defy me? I should kill you where you stand. No matter.” He looked back at Lith. Was he... smiling? “Come to bed with me.”

Lith looked appalled. “Are you kidding? Get away from here, freak!”

Mink's heart skipped a beat. His father's face darkened with anger.

“I'll kill you, too. After.” He moved for her, but Mink pushed her and his sister away.

“Get safe!” he said to them.

“Whelp.”

The demon raised his hand in attack. The girls fled out the back. Mink threw his own power in defense. His father laughed.

“You think you're better than me? You're hardly half of what I am!” A wave of pure demonic energy blasted Mink off his feet. He crashed into a chair, the armrest jabbing into his back. Stars swam through his vision as he tried to regain his senses. Too soon, his father's hand wrapped around his throat and raised him off his feet. His father sneered at him. The hand pressed his wind pipe closed. Blackness crept around his vision.

Then he was flying. His back hit glass, and shards of the front window scattered around him in the dirt. Mink tried to hold on to reality. He gulped down air. His whole body ached. He couldn't see or hear anything.

A face, heavily distorted. Echoes of words, his name. A hand on his cheek.

Mink coughed and sat up. The world spun around him, but at least he could see and hear. The townsfolk had rushed to their aid. Mink felt bitter; most of them just wanted to put an end to the demon.

“Mink, are you okay?” It was a girl. He recognized her, but couldn't place her name. Maybe the mayor's daughter?

“Where's Lith and Tori?” he rasped. He wondered if glass got in his throat. He hoped not.

“I... I don't know,” she said. She screeched. Mink looked back at his house to see it on fire. On fire. “I'm s-so sorry!” the girl sobbed, like it was her fault.

“Doesn't matter,” he said. He wobbled to his feet. The girl tried to help him, but he shoved her away. His throat hurt, but he didn't taste blood. At least, not as much as would result from his throat being cut up. He winced as he felt his ribs crack, but ignored it. He had to make sure they were safe.

“Please, let me help—”

“I'm fine.”

Mink didn't look back. He limped around the fire that was his house. It wasn't long before he found his sister, but Lith was nowhere in sight. Tori was crying.

“Where's Lith?” he asked.

“She's gone! One minute she was there, and the next, she just disappeared!”

Did you know? In the same notebook in which I started CoD, I have notes for a Neopets fanfic.