Seraphic Wings

141. Dark Mass

As a dark mass started to materialise in front of everyone, people started to hold their ground. The other Ichthys started to growl and Nocte stood in front of the others, trying to shield everyone from the newcomer. He even went as far as to quietly tell them all to stay behind him. As the dark mass of shadow started to take on more of a humanoid shape, several people gasped as now, standing in front of them, was another version of Nocte. Lucette instantly knew that something was very wrong. The Nocte that had just appeared was extremely well tailored and, in truth, he looked way more better dressed than the Nocte standing in front of her, as this one was wearing a black and red suit. But the way that he was standing, and the dark circles around his eyes, made it look like he was un-bothered by what was going on. Something red glittered at her and, as she looked in that direction, she saw that, hanging around his neck, was the same black pendant that she had grown used to seeing but, this time, it shone with a red aura. This version of Nocte still had the same striking green eyes, and the same dark brown hair, but it was actually neatly laying in a loose side pony. This was one hundred percent a Nocte... But he was not their Nocte, and she realised that it's the version from their future. She then looked towards the labrador, who was still in a defensive stance, and noticed that this was his Nocte, from the future that doesn't really exist anymore. But Lucette was wary and scared, her fight or flight instincts were kicking in and honestly? She wanted to take flight, and she wanted to fly far away from this....

Thing.

"Oh, you don't need to cower from me...." The darker Nocte spoke. Lucette then looked up and she could tell that even the tone of his voice was wrong. There was no life in it. In a way, it was sad but still extremely haunting.

"I'm not...." Nocte, who was standing guard over them, spoke in return, and the other creepily smiled.

"Of course you're not. However, the ones behind you are a different matter..." 'Noctes' eyes moved towards 'Ichthys'. "Especially him."

"Leave him alone!" Lucette shouts out, somewhat surprised that she even did that and she then cowered back a little afterwards.

'Nocte' let out a rather low chuckle. "You do realise NONE of you have any say in the matter of that thing?"

Lucette blinked, and thought to herself: 'did she just hear that correctly?' That most definitely confirms that this 'Nocte' is NOT Nocte. Even if he has his face, this one is wrong.

"It's fine." 'Ichthys' pipes up, as he backs off ever so slightly.

As he backed off, Lucette, Eros and her Ichthys noticed this. It was like he's somewhat used to the abuse?

"No it's not." She tries to soothe him.

"Girlie? If he says that 'it's fine', let it be." 'Nocte' mocked.

Lucette let out a groan, and the Nocte guarding them piped up again.

"So what do we owe this pleasure for?"

"Just curious...." He shrugged in return.

"You attacked the Sanctuary out of curiosity?!" Lucette was getting a bit annoyed with this monster now and, after shouting that out, she was pushed back so that she was behind both Corvus and Ichthys now, with Eros dragging her further back.

"Madam sure has a bite...."

"Your quarrel is not with her." Nocte had stepped a little closer to his other self.

'Nocte' smirked, but there was something extremely sinister about it that made Lucette's hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"Or is it now?"