Emily sat on the cold wet floor. Her arms behind her as her hands grasped into the dirt for support. She could feel the coarseness of the grit and stones underneath her palms as she sat there and looked ahead at the empty space where the portal had vanished. Her throat was tightening up as a pain ripped through her chest and attacked her heart. She sat and waited.
Silence.
No, not silence. She could hear the muffled sound of music behind her and the blurred sound of laughter and shouts. They were having a party on the farm, a night off whilst they had been in town. It was supposed to be a quick meeting with John to find out some details and then they were going to be heading home to join in with the celebrations. Alex had said he had plans for them when they got back.
No, it wasn't silence.
Emptiness.
That's what it was. She felt emptiness. Her stomach felt like it was gaping open and the cold night air was passing through it. Her head was at a loss for thoughts. It felt like she was in a dream or watching a TV show, only she couldn't change the channel or wake up.
There was a vacant feeling in her heart. Something was missing and it kept skipping a beat every time she tried to think about what it could be.
She knew what it was.
It was the reality that she had witnessed only seconds ago, but her mind would not let her visualise it; a door had been slammed shut and locked. As much as she tried to pull on the handle and slam her fists against the wood, it remained closed, making her body ache for the knowledge and truth of what had just happened.
Yes. Emptiness was what she was feeling and she wasn't sure if it would ever pass.
Somehow, something inside of her ordered her to get up. She rose slowly to her feet and her body ached, most likely from being thrown through the portal by Tom.
Tom. He was still in the town along with the others. She needed to get back there, to help them. To go back for Alex.
Dear God. Alex.
Her heart skipped once more with a dull ache and she clenched at her chest. She felt sick.
Suddenly, in battle brain mode, she turned and started walking to the lights and happiness that was in front of the house. Her steps turned to running as she got closer.
When she was in the thick of the party, several of the fighters welcomed her with pats on the back, unaware of what had, and was, taking place. She searched the crowd for someone. Who? Who should she turn to? Sam, Tom and Hunter were all in the town.
Henderson. She saw him going up the steps and into the house. Lexie must be here. Perfect. Emily bee-lined it to the steps of the house.
"Hey Emily" she swiftly turned to see Nate coming through the make shift dance floor. Some of the boys had formed a circle and were taking it in turns to dance in the middle. God, she needed to get them focused but she needed someone to help her do just that.
"Nate" she called back as he came closer.
Jen was hot on his tail and he turned and put his arm around her shoulders. Jen pulled herself in close to him as he smiled down at her and she looked over to Emily who was still in shock. "You okay Emi?" Jen frowned with concern and she went to go towards Emily but Nate held her back close to him.
Emily glanced to the door and then back to the couple."No." Taking a step forward she announced to the two of them. "Sirus turned up."
"What?" gasped a panicked Jen. Nate held her tighter around the shoulders and looked on at Emily.
Emily's mind started to work once more. Saying it out loud helped her gather her thoughts, but she could not tell them about Alex. Saying it made it real.
"Look, I will explain everything but I need to get Henderson. The others need help back in the town and I need Henderson to lead a team" She looked at the happy crowd of people in front of her. Looks like they will get to finally test all that they had learnt.
"Emily wait" interjected Nate. "We don't know its safe to send these lot into battle. The others can look after themselves."
"Nate, we have to help them. It's not a choice."
She turned and headed to the steps of the house.
"Lets just bring the battle here."
Her foot froze on the first step as Nate's drawn out voice caught in her chest. Turning her head slowly over her shoulder she analysed her brother. It wasn't him.
"Jen" Emily stated.
"What is it Emi?" she asked as she her hand held Nate's waist tightly. Nate was smirking at Emily.
Emily pulled her phone out of pocket and flicked on the camera.
"Oh, a photo, yeah" and he posed for a shot with Jen. Clicking a picture of her best friend and brother she stared at the still in front of her. She lowered her phone down and her view changed to real life. She stared at her brother and for the third time tonight her vision blurred. Surely there were no tears left.
Nate's grin widened as he saw his sister come to the acknowledgement of who he really was.
It had been there all along.
His immediate return after the accident.
His refusal to go and see their mother.
His leaving the house once it had been protected, never coming inside since the spell.
The nights away in the city.
It all pointed to one thing.
It wasn't her brother. His body, but his soul, it wasn't present. It eaten and locked away by the thing that possessed him.
"Emi. Bit of a weird time to be taking a photo" Jen answered the silence.
Then Nate spoke. "If only you had given him your blood. All this could have been avoided"
"Who?" asked Jen as she looked at to her best friend "Who wants your blood?"
"Jen. Get away from him" Emily's voice was low and authoritative.
"From who? From Nate? Why?" she looked up to Nate once more and then her face changed to despair as she saw what Emily saw. "Oh, no. Nate?"
In an instant Nate's hands grabbed Jen and pulled her in front of him. Emily stepped forward and Nate's hands were around Jen's head ready to snap her neck. Jen panicked and held on to his arms in a desperate attempt to free herself. Her eyes looked straight at Emily for help.
"Nate. Don't"
"You forget sis, I'm not really your brother. Granted the little shit has managed to hold on in there but he's too weak to fight me off. Not like your Alex, who by the way I have been told fought well. Until, you know"
Emily's anger flared up and she took another step forward. The music charged up another level as she saw the fighters behind him jumping up and down to the beat.
"Let her go and you can walk out of here"
"Too late for that Emi. It's been tough you know. Having to be a part of this rabble. Listening to all the 'lets get them' attitude." Jen struggled as a tear run down her cheek, "Having to be loved up to this one." He shook Jen who was still trying her best to get out of his grasp. "Pretending to be deeply in love. You were good in bed though, that helped"
"You bastard. Get off me" she struggled again but he held her tighter.
Ignoring her curses he kept his attention on Emily. "I'm here now sis to offer you one last chance. Come with me and we can go together to the boss. He is willing to spare the lives of all these if you do"
"No chance"
He grinned at her as if pleased by her reply.
"In that case you have sealed the fate of these people that are here tonight."
"There is no way I am letting you go. And we will be ready for the rest of them"
His grin transformed to a smile. "Problem is, we are already here"
Bringing his lips in close to Jen's ear he whispered to her. "Sorry girlfriend. Looks like your fight ends tonight"
Jen stared into the eyes of her best friend and before Emily could even take another step forward she heard the click of Jen's neck snapping and watched her body slump to the floor in front of her pleased brother.
Emily gasped for air as she focused on her best friends body, her eyes still open. She grasped at her chest as she folded over her best friends body.
"This is all your fault Emily." He said calmly as he looked upon his work.
Emily's rage toppled over. The emptiness inside the pit of her stomach filled with anger and she released. Darting her hands forward she shot a stream of light at Nate who was propelled backwards and when he finally made contact with the floor he was propelled across the stones. Nate appeared to remain slumped, she must have knocked him out.
The music stopped and everyone turned to see the drama unfolding.
Emily screeched at the crowd, her hands still held out in front of her. "Everyone! Prepare yourselves. They are-"
Multiple portholes appeared and an army of souleaters charged at the crowd.
Soul eater upon soul eater appeared with swords at the ready, plunging into the mass of warriors that had begun to summon their swords. They had instantly turned from happy dancers to warriors in battle.
Henderson shot through the front door as Emily got up from Jen's body.
"What the hell is going on?" he was a like a father telling off his unruly children. Emily answered as best she could "Soul eaters are here" Well that was obvious "Sirus caught us off guard in the town. Sam, Tom and Hunter are there now. Alex." She stopped. She couldn't say it. She looked at Henderson with pleading eyes, hoping he wouldn't ask her to finish her sentence.
As Henderson understood, he called to some of his men. Another porthole appeared just feet away from them. Emily turned to prepare herself to fight. She hoped that whatever power she had summoned earlier would still be within her. To her relief Sam and Hunter ran through, followed by Tom.
Their clothes were bloodied, some must have been theirs from the cuts on their arms and faces but Emily assumed that most of it was from the guards that had attacked them in the street.
The store. Alex.
God, every time she thought about it she weakened.
"Emily!" Tom shouted at her, waking her up from her dazed sadness.
He grabbed her and shoved her backwards until she was on the front porch, where she was protected from the soul eaters. One of them tried to run at her, his sword high in the air. Whether he thought if he ran fast enough the protection spell wouldn't sense him she didn't know but his assumption was wrong as the moment his body made contact with the top step of the porch he froze. His body shook with such force that Emily swore she saw two of him. His scream was excruciatingly painful and that made Emily happy, which was a strange feeling to have but after the pain she had suffered tonight she was glad to see the bad guys have a dose of it. The black smoke appeared from the body, but this time it was a thick sludge like substance that once free of the body simple dropped to the floor and evaporated with a hiss. The body disintegrated before her eyes, still shaking vigorously. A white light quickly dispersed into the night air.
Tom was still holding on to her. "Are you okay?" he panted. Emily could see the fight in his eyes, he was just stopping to make sure she was safe. No doubt something Alex had asked him to do.
"Alex?" she murmured to him.
He shook his head pitifully as his shoulders dropped. An overwhelming wave of sadness filled her and she thought she was going to be sick.
Alex. Jen. Her brother.
"Are you okay?" he asked her again.
"Yes" she whispered, nodding her head in persuasion. She looked over to the slumped body of her best friend that lay on the floor. People were running past her as if she were a stone in the way. Emily went to get up, go over to Jen, move her somewhere but Tom held on to her. "Oh, no. You're staying here. Get inside."
"No, I can't. I have to get Jen. I have to help the others"
Tom knelt in front of Emily and held her arms, making her focus on his face. He whispered to her, his face and voice softening. "Emily. I need you to go in the house. Please. You need to stay safe." He didn't take his dark brown eyes off her. "Please."
Finally, she accepted her orders and after being helped into the house she watched from the window. Her brother had disappeared. Lexie had now joined her, putting her arms around her. Emily knew that part of the reason was to stop her going outside.
She watched helplessly as Tom, Hunter and Sam courageously battled against the soul eaters along with the rest of their people. They fought well. Some using their powers as Sam had taught them, others fighting with their swords and fists when required, just like Hunter and Tom had trained them.
Emily could see soul eaters falling to the ground and smoke rising from them as warriors sent them back to the underworld. There were casualties of their own, a few being helped by other injured, trying to get to the barn for protection. The souleaters were too many as they started to drown those who she had come to know and love.
"I can't stand this. I have to get out there"
"Emily. You are important to the bigger battle. You must stay here." Lexie argued.
"You can't expect me to just stand here, watching through a window like its some movie being played out. I should be out there with them, not hiding away like some...." She couldn't think of a word. Rat. Coward.
"I know it's hard"
"Hard!?" Emily had had enough. She stormed towards the archway of the lounge.
"Henderson!" Lexie called out as she looked through window. Emily turned to Lexie for an explanation but Lexie's face said it all. No, thought Emily, not another of her dear friends.
She peered through the window that was closest to her and saw Henderson fighting a tall muscular soul eater. Henderson had already picked up an injury to his side as he was holding himself up whilst defending against the onslaught of sword attacks from the muscular thug.
Emily knew she had to help him. She was not losing another tonight.
But as she turned to flee for the door Lexie ran passed her and before Emily knew it Lexie was down the steps and heading to the aid of Henderson.
Emily placed her hands on the pane of glass, the coldness cooling them instantly and forming an outline of steam. She looked on as she saw Lexie join Henderson. He was annoyed at her but Lexie ignored it. Emily saw in his eyes, he was afraid for her life but Lexie had gone to his aid. She had no doubt what she was doing was the right thing. Lexie fought well, bolting out sources of light and energy, throwing the enemy across the war zone.
It inspired Henderson as he found some inner strength and fought back against his enemy and whilst Henderson busied himself with his attacker, another joined the fight. They headed straight for Lexie. The new attacker managed to sneak in from the side and he took his opportunity without a second thought, burying his sword into Lexie's side. The white flowing dress she wore was suddenly smeared red that spread across her waist.
Henderson snapped and went at the guy with all his force. Before Emily could even gasp the guy was one arm down and slumped on the floor.
Emily shot out the from door and headed straight for Lexie. As she made her way she felt the energy in her body spark and held out her hands. Groups of souleaters were catapulted across the farm, giving Henderson the chance to focus on Lexie.
She watched as Henderson picked her up and carried her towards the house. Emily turned her attention the chaos around her. The fighting started to fade as the souleaters retreated from the chaos they had created, leaving their injured and dead behind. Tom grabbed Emily by the arm and all but dragged her onto the porch where Sam and Hunter had gathered. She knew he would have words with her for disobeying him but she knew she had done the right thing.
Henderson was holding Lexie in his arms. Sam and Hunter stood back to give Lexie space and Emily knelt beside her with Tom not far from Emily's side. All five of them looked at Lexie whose eyes were fixed on Henderson.
"What the hell were you thinking?" he asked her softly as she winced from movement.
Lexie smiled at him. "Couldn't let my bodyguard die."
Henderson shook his head, annoyed at her stubbornness, but Emily saw he was also proud of the courage Lexie had showed. She realised then that the relationship between them was more than just protector and bodyguard. Henderson looked up and caught sight of one of his men.
"Jack!" he shouted. "Get a healer from the ruins. Tell them Lexie needs help."
Jack nodded once and then vanished through a portal.
Emily looked up to the farm and the devastation that had been caused in such a short amount of time. The fighters, fresh from battle and a night that certainly had gone different to the one they had expected, looked on in concern as they walked towards the porch.
Their eyes lay upon Emily, waiting for a command or an explanation as to what the hell had just happened. She would need to explain to them the night's events. From the coffee shop, to the alleyway...to Alex. But for now they just needed reassurance.
She stood up and surveyed her surroundings. Bodies lay on the ground and Emily came to look upon the lifeless body of her best friend. Tears stung her eyes and she felt the soft hand of Tom trying to console her. Stepping forward, she prepared herself to speak to the small crowd in front of her.
"Tonight was a shock for us all. It was supposed to be a night of celebration, a chance to forget about the horrible battles that are to come. But we did not have that luxury and we never will." She looked down to Lexie who had her eyes shut, focusing on her breathing. "We have suffered a lot of pain tonight. Some, more than others." She looked again to her best friend. She tried to keep her voice from faltering, "But we stayed strong. And we defeated those who thought we were weak. We showed them they cannot come here and expect us to fall. We showed them we are prepared. We showed them we are ready."
A portal appeared to the side. A healer ran straight to Lexie. Emily looked out upon the people who had fought for their lives, and those who had lost that battle.
"Thank you" she managed with a warbled voice. "Thank you, so much" She stopped as she thought she was about to cry.
Tom stood beside her and in a commanding voice, that was certainly needed right now, bellowed at the fighters, "Right, come on guys, let's sort this place out and make sure we are all okay"
Tom turned to Emily and held her arm "Are you okay?"
Bit of a daft question really. She had lost so much in just one night and she felt her life would never get any better. She felt like packing it all in and hiding out in her bedroom for the rest of her life. But she gave the smallest of smiles and nodded, "I'll be fine" She managed to croak out.
"Well, that's a lie" Tom replied bluntly. He looked out and gave a deep sigh. She realised he had lost his best friend too but she there was nothing in her right now that was able to console him. All she could do was squeeze his hand. They looked at each other and without words they knew how each other felt.
Tom gave a very short and sad smile "Okay" he breathed out "Okay" He tapped her hand, "I'm here, whenever you need me. I'm here"
She could see the sadness in his eyes from the loss of his friend and before he let his emotions get the best of him he cleared his throat and stepped off the porch, rubbing his face as he did so.
Emily slumped onto the step of the porch and simply stayed there as the chaos calmed and found some sense of order around her.