Nentarli [COMPLETE]

~ Thirteen ~

Emy and I watched the guys move swiftly over to the door, swords drawn and raised while they stood on either side of the door. Kaleb and Kayle on one side, Blaike on the other, it opened slowly and two hooded figures walked in. One had a bag and the other was carrying something that looked like a leather pizza bag from a pizza delivery. Somehow in this whole situation, that's what I found strange. I shook my head and stepped back with Emy when the guys raised their swords to the necks of the strangers. Blaike was the first to speak and his voice had taken on a fierce undertone that I hadn't heard before.

"I know what you are looking for but I suggest you turn around and act like you never found it; otherwise we are going to make it impossible for you to turn anywhere."

I was shocked at just how menacing he sounded, the strangers however didn't move straight away. The one with the leather bag shook slightly, the bag in their hands made an odd clinking noise. The other stranger slowly turned its head to the sound of Blaike's voice.

"Well done, you would have saved the girls' lives with force but you forgot your magic. That mistake would give you a clear disadvantage against other users."

All three of the guys looked at each other but I couldn't discern their expressions, Merkell's voice came from under the hood and yet the three swords never wavered. Emy and I breathed out in unison the breaths I hadn't realised I'd been holding. I started to walk to Merkell but Blaike made a gesture for me to stop, his expression was cold and I didn't argue as I stopped where I was.

Blaike looked back at the hooded figures who hadn't moved, he raised his hand quickly in the same gesture Merkell had with Sabella but the hooded figure that we thought was Merkell didn't react in the same way. Instead he began to writhe like a snake and a noise that was a cross between a cackle and choke came from it. Kaleb threw his hand up quickly at the other stranger and Kayle sprinted over to stand in front of Emy and I.

We peered around him, listening to the noise echoing around the barn and watched the first stranger's hood fall back to reveal the head of a creature I had never seen before and never wanted to see again. Whatever it was looked like it had been human once, a long time ago but it wasn't remotely close any more.

Its head was disfigured in several places, it looked like bread dough, crumbly and squishy at the same time. The skin was as black as tar, its eyes were black pits in their sockets, there were no whites or irises. I realised as soon as I saw those eyes that it was one of the things Merkell had been worried aboug; worse than the Scavengers, this was a Dark Horror and it was well named.

It was still making those horrible noises and I saw that there were no lips around its mouth, it was wide open like a hole and its black, pointed teeth were bared in some kind of disgusting snarl. It was the creepiest and ugliest thing I had ever seen and I looked away quickly to watch Blaike. He looked repulsed and furious, his hand was aimed at the creatures face while it stared at him with those blank eyes.

"Any last words before I end your disgraceful existence?" His voice was level and I was mostly surprised at what he was saying. Was he really going to kill the thing? Could he? The noise coming from the creature slowly quietened and it managed to move its mouth as I was drawn back to looking at it.

"You are not that powerful, child! You may be able to hold me here but I will get free! And I shall have them!" Its voice was high pitched and screechy, like nails on a chalkboard.

Emy and I shuddered in unison. Even though it couldn't move its head and I couldn't tell where exactly it was looking, somehow I knew that the 'them' it was referring to was Emy and I.

Blaike must have known as well because the moment it finished speaking, he clenched his fist and the creature stiffened. Kaleb kept his hand still on the second stranger who hadn't moved an inch except to shake. We all watched Blaike however, his face contorted in disgust and anger as he glared at the Dark Horror.