Darkness Ascendant, Part I

Disclaimer: See Prologue

Warnings: See Prologue

A/N: Thank you to NightWyvern!! My first review for this story!!! I'm glad you like it, and I hope you stick with it! It only gets better as the story progresses (or at least I think so). Keep reviewing! I live for reviews!! So People....PLEASE FEED THE STARVING ARTIST!!! *puts on puppy dog face*

Chapter 5

The first rosy fingers of dawn bathed the sky in brilliant hues of pale red and golden yellow. As the chirping of birds announced the waking of the world, civilization slowly began to come to life. Desperately trying to get some more sleep, Ash buried her head under a pillow with a groan. Lately her nights had been more than a little restless as she’d been plagued by dark dreams she couldn’t clearly remember only being left with an uneasy sense of foreboding. Ever since that night three days ago when she’d awakened to what she could have sworn was the sound of someone screaming.

After tossing and turning aimlessly for some time without any success of getting back to sleep, she tossed the pillow to the side and with a melodramatic sigh kicked the covers up. Just bloody wonderful, she thought sourly to herself, my one-day off and I can’t manage to sleep in. I’m going to be so dead tonight at the club. Heaving another sigh, she sat up and swung out of bed, running a hand through her sleep mussed hair. Might as well get up and make something of it.

Stretching she winced at the kinks she felt in her neck and shoulders. Moving efficiently through the mess that was her room, she threw on some jean shorts and a loose t-shirt. Slipping out and down the stairs without making too much noise so as not to awaken her parents. Grabbing her keys and hiking boots, she was out the front door in less then two minutes. Lacing the boots tight, she stood on the front porch and breathed deeply in of the fresh, crispy early morning air.

Slightly more alert now, she jumped into her car and headed five minutes west out of the city where there was a wild area-with small rolling hills, slight dips too miniscule to be considered true valleys and the occasional clumps of trees and streams. Finding a wide patch of dry dirt next to the road she parked, attached the water bottle to her shorts and studied the area for a minute, picking the preferred route for her morning hike.

Wandering along the path, Ash lost herself in thought and the pure sensation of simply being alive as her feet carried her automatically. Even now when she was technically not suppose to be working, even then her mind was rapidly combing over all the facts of the case, analyzing every minute detail-reassessing and second-guessing previous conclusions and assumptions. Despite being only an intern at a summer job as was Kasha, they’d been allowed more privileges as far as this case went by the Lady Mikhaila. A case, which she’d begun to take largely to heart, almost to the point of obsession. A case, which was becoming more gruesome every day, the scenes more grizzly.

She froze, shaking all thoughts out of her head, and continued on her way. This was not why she’d come out here. Not to brood although that might have seemed the case as that was what many people did when they chose to be alone. Rather she had gone hiking, following one of the more deserted paths up along the ridge for a reason quite the opposite. She wished to not think. To completely empty her head of her worries and fears, and just be.

The wind began to pick up the higher she climbed. Curling through strands of her hair that had escaped like fingers plucking at her scalp here and there. Eventually, she reached a wide-open area at the zenith. Up here on the top the wind pickup-its touch almost biting as it whipped past the exposed skin of her face. Closing her eyes she enjoyed the pure, simplistic joy of it-the fresh air untouched by the city was laced with eucalyptus and pine. The unique blend of bitter and sweet intoxicating. Tilting her head back to catch the air, opened her mouth slightly gulping it in as if she could live off of it-tongue flicking out as if to taste the scent.

A screech from above snapped her eyes open. Shielding her eyes with her hand she scanned the pale blue sky. Shortly she spotted the source. An eagle soared above. Diving gracefully, wheeling, gliding and barely a feather ruffled so smooth and perfectly executed was each move. Beautiful. So stunningly simple and yet weaving an entrancing complicated dance with the clouds.

Ash sighed losing herself in the moment, a slight content smile lingering on her lips as the rest of the world faded away leaving her alone with the eagle and the wind and hills. Enjoying the peace and solitude while she could before the inevitability of the world around her would reassert itself.

Trev sighed and rubbed his head in exasperation as the early morning light filtered through the curtains landing squarely on his face. Another day, another morning. Normally this wouldn’t bother him; in fact it generally bothered everyone around him, as he was a notorious morning person, however, not today.

His thoughts consumed him as he rose slipping into dark blue trousers, a loose white shirt with its billowing sleeves and a simple vest to match the trousers-the shirt and vest both designed to accommodate his large white wings. Wings, which flared in annoyance, the feathers fluffing with frustration as he ran a hand through his ginger colored hair trying to tame it.

Three days. It had been three bloody days since he’d made the mistake of trying to keep information, vital information from Luxien. Information about the blood magic used for the message at the murder sites, about the pranic signature lacing it. Three days since Luxien had launched himself into the air to engage in a Hunt. And three days since his best friend had spoken to him.

Luxien had come back from his Hunt calm-dangerously so-and completely closed off. Trev could barely get an emotional reading on his friend, whom he was so closely connected to that usually it was a simple matter even when Luxien displayed nothing. But now it was as if he ran into some sort of slippery hard wall-the only thing he could catch a glimpse of was a harsh, simmering anger shimmering under the surface. Controlled. Quiet. Ready to explode.
Bracing himself against another day of being ignored as if he didn’t exist, Trev exited his room to enter the living room that he shared with his roommate. Luxien it seemed had already been up for some time from the looks of the kitchen. Golden yellow eyes briefly flickered in his direction as his presence was noticed before returning to the task he had been engaged in before Trevalyane had entered the room.

Trev swore silently to himself. That damned silent treatment again. He’d been hoping that by now Luxien had cooled down and was ready to forgive him, but apparently not. It hurt every time. And Trev had had enough of it. His usually dormant temper flared. Normally he was the calmest of people, always so perfectly in control of his emotions as he had to be being an empath, thinking everything through logically. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have a temper. He did. A nasty vicious burning one that flare quickly like a conflagration and usually simmered back down just as quickly. But there were a few cases in which he held grudged, and when he did he never backed down until he was satisfied.

Striding over to where Luxien was leaning over the kitchen table studying something on a sheet of paper, Trev slammed his hand down on in front of the other man, ripping the piece of paper from his hands, nailing it to the table.

“Graves take it Luxien! That’s it. I have had enough of you giving me the bloody cold shoulder day after day. Yes I was wrong in trying to keep the information from you. Yes I made a mistake. But fuck it all, I apologized. I’m sorry. So what is your damned problem?” Phosphorescent violet eyes crackled as the glared at the other man, capturing burning gold eyes that were as closed of and unreadable as the distant stars. Although their faces were only inches apart the same vastness seem to lay between them.

“Is that so?” Luxien returned, voice neutral and tight, “But you didn’t just plan on withholding information from me. You planned on withholding information concerning him!” His tightly reigned in control slipped as he snarled the last word, rage suddenly flaring in those eyes. “Sky’s Fall Trev! You of all people know how important that is to me! You know how important such information is! And you meant to keep it from me!” Finally Trev caught another strand of emotion buried beneath the anger-betrayal.

“Shit Luxien…” Trev spit out between his teeth, frustration welling up. “I didn’t do it to hurt you and you know it. I was trying to protect you, you unbelievable son of a dark lord’s whore!” Furious glowing gold suddenly filled his vision as the other Bright Lord leaned forward, getting completely in Trev’s face. “I. Don’t. Need. Your. Fucking. Protection.” Luxien spat in a strangled hiss.

Time stretched infinitely as they stood staring each other down until Trevaylane broke the connection by shifting backwards, sitting down heavily before he did something he knew he would regret later.

“I know.” He sighed studying the other wearily, noting the line of tension that seemed to run through Luxien’s whole body, every muscle coiled tight ready for a fight. And he realized that’s exactly what Luxien had been trying to provoke-as if seeking some way to work something out, of finding some kind of relief from something. It made him wonder what else had happened that night his friend had gone to Hunt. “It’s just….” He gestured helplessly, reaching out projecting his feelings on the matter, as words seemed to fail him in conveying his stand on the matter.

The other Bright Lord closed his eyes briefly. Deflating, muscles relaxing as the irrational anger drained away. “Yes.” Eyelids fluttered open to reveal a much calmer set of luminous eyes much paler then the angry one’s that had faced Trev earlier-more like pleasant candlelight rather than the raging wildfire of earlier. His scent had changed as well, no longer sharp and bitter, stinging the senses but..well certainly not softer, no….just sweeter somehow. Like fresh orange rather than vinegar. He shook his head and focused on what the other was saying, “It’s just….when he’s involved…..” The chestnut haired man shrugged almost helplessly, “I just….you know….he gets under my skin….and I don’t always react with a clear mind.” That was as close to an apology as he was going to get, and he knew it, thus wouldn’t push the issue.

“Yeah.” Trev nodded in agreement. Oh yeah, he knew all too well. Which was exactly why he’d wanted to protect his friend.

Suddenly Luxien cracked a smile so familiar to Trevalyane, that same old impish half-smirk he’d get before the war when he’d been planning some brilliant form of mischief, “I guess we’ve both been acting like a bunch of immature assholes. Wonder what the rest of the world would think of two of the highest ranked Ljosfolkith acting like a couple of five year olds in a sandbox.” Trev couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Wouldn’t they be surprised? The oh so adored Bright Lord’s found to be not so perfect after all-the end of the world must be coming.” That drew a quiet snort of amusement from Luxien, who quickly sobered up again.

“Speaking of which, Lord Oberon contacted me just before you got up.” Ginger brows drew together in consternation,

“What does the Commander want on the Lumminox?” Suspicion tinged his tone as a sense of foreboding settled in his gut.

“We are expected in 30 minutes at his office.” Trev nodded and stood up.

“Well then what are we waiting for? Mustn’t keep the boss waiting.” Luxien smiled slightly although the pinched draw to the corner of his lips told of just how forced it was.

“Indeed.” As if of one mind they headed for the balcony rather than the front door, and spreading pristine, alabaster wings gleaming in the early morning sunlight launched themselves into the crisp sky.

Ash was completely lost in her own thoughts as she pulled into the garage as she returned from her dawn inspired hike. Pleasantly exhausted her mind was buzzing silently with muted thoughts for the oncoming day. If she was going to go out with Kasha later that night, she would most definitely need some more sleep. As tired as she was right now, she wouldn’t be off any use to anyone-so tired she could barely think straight. Ha, that was an understatement, if she didn’t get at least a couple of more hours she’d fall asleep standing up in the middle of a club or something.

So wrapped up was she that she remained unaware of the impending storm looming over her head until she was locking the door behind her.

“Where have you been?” A brittle sounding question snapped out at her whip fast and just as effective. Ah just wonderful, she thought caustically to herself, it seems my illustrious parents are awake. And not in a good mood.

“Hiking.” She answered shortly, too tired to deal with them right now. It was a well-established fact that she and her parents got along just fine as long as they avoided each other. Which Ash found a bit tragic, as they had been so close when she’d been younger. But somehow as she’d grown older and become more and more independent the relationship between them had become more and more strained. Her parents seemingly unable to face reality and accept the fact that they could no longer control her life yet still trying to assert their authority by keeping constant watch on her, monitoring her every move and ordering her about. And her chafing under their autocratic attitudes and behavior yet for some unfathomable reason-perhaps out of some sense of the past connection between them, perhaps out of some misguided sense of duty towards them as child to parent-stayed. The fact of the matter was she thought sourly to herself, no matter what happened or the harsh words and resentments flung by both sides, she still loved them. She couldn’t help it-they were after all her parents.

“Hiking.” The answer was flatly repeated. “Don’t you have work?”

“It’s Lumminox today, dad.” Ash dropped her keys on the kitchen counter and grabbed some water out of the refrigerator. Turning to face her father with his receding widow’s peak surrounded by dark brown hair almost auburn hair, soft brown eyes and almost skeletal lankiness. Face harsh and gaunt. Her mother rising from the kitchen table her thick orange-red hair pulled back in a tight bun. Glasses perched on a delicate nose nearly hiding the freckles that spattered across the weathered tanned face. Pale gray eyes studied her with concern.

“Real honey, we’re only thinking off you. After all it’s a real privilege to get a chance to work with one of Them. A chance you don’t get every day. We just don’t want you to be throwing this opportunity away because of carelessness or laziness.” Her mother’s gentle voice drifted across the small kitchen aiming to sooth and endear. It only served to do the opposite.

Ash sighed quietly and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling as her earlier lassitude started to wear of leaving her feeling bone weary rather than pleasantly exhausted, and starting to get pissed off. With everything else going on-from the dreams haunting her every night to the ever more brutal details of the case she was becoming more intimately involved in then any intern even one so highly placed as herself should-she was beginning to feel torn, spread thin to the point of tearing in half. She just did not have the patience or energy for the general kind of bullshit that her parents tended to throw at her. Cloaked in parental concern it was nothing more than the attempts of a couple of burnt out old-timers trying to recapture their youth by living through hers.

“Yeah whatever.” She muttered. Brushing past her father to head upstairs. Perhaps that had been the wrong thing to say, or perhaps it was the way she said it. But something caused her father’s temper to snap.

CRACK! She froze momentarily stunned as her brain tried to catch up to the sensation radiating from her quickly reddening cheek. The slap had come quick and fast, catching her completely off guard. Still a bit dazed her left hand crept up to faintly touch her tender flesh before dropping again. A quiet simmering fury began to crawl through her veins but she controlled it. Ash knew that if she let go, she’d say something she’d regret later but it was still there curling in her mind, in her soul.

“You will not take that tone of voice with me young lady. I am still your father and while you live under my roof you will damned well show me the proper respect. Is that understood?” He thundered at her, brown eyes looking beady and weaselish.

“I said is that understood?” He yelled nearly screamed at her when she didn’t answer immediately instead choosing to glare at him in sullen silence.

“Yes sir.” She muttered through clenched teeth. And not trusting herself to keep her temper in check any longer, turned on her heel and headed for the stairs to the upper story where the two bedrooms were-connected by a single bathroom. The one room with a private bathroom having been converted into a shared study.

“Where do you think your going?” Her mother’s shrill voice harped at her, grating on her last nerve. “Your father and I are not done talking to you.”

Ash paused half way up the stairs. Tiredly she replied without turning around, “But I’m done listening to you. I’m tired. I’m taking a nap and then going out with Kasha tonight. Don’t bother staying up for me since I don’t know when I’ll be home. And no I don’t know where we’re going. Good day.” With that she continued up the stairs and into her room, making sure to lock the door so that they couldn’t come in and bother her.

Changing back into a lose oversized t-shirt, tossing the clothes in a haphazard pile on the floor, she grabbed the cordless phone before crawling back into bed-black plastic blinds offering some protection from the ever brightening daylight.

Fingers moving automatically over the keypad, she leaned back against her pillows.

“Hey.” The answer was cheerful and bright.

“Is for horses.” Ash replied as usual, her voice sounding tired even to herself. A choking snort came from the other end.

“Ash. Good to hear from you girl. What can I do you for?” Ash giggled and smiled despite her sour mood.

“Just checking on what time to meet tonight and where.”

“My place. 9 and don’t be late.” A brief pause before Kasha added, “You sure your up for it? You sound…I dunno….kinda out of it.”

“Yeah. I’m fine just a bit tired. Haven’t really been sleeping well lately.”

“The dreams again.” Kasha asked sharply, concern filling her.

“Ya. So I’m taking a nap.” Unseen on the other end Kasha nodded with a frown. Ash had told her before of her dreams when they were too weird and too much-constantly keeping her up.

“Okay. If your sure…”

“I’m sure.” Ash interrupted.

“K. Well see you tonight then.” Ash didn’t need to be a mind reader to sense the dubious belief in Kasha’s words.

“Tonight.” She agreed before the dial tone greeted her. She sighed and switched it off before letting the bone weariness over take her, curling up under the covers. In no time at all she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The two Bright Lord’s strode down the empty corridors unopposed-matching each other stride for stride in comfortable silence. Tips of folded wings brushing against the ground as the navigated their way towards their Commander’s office-the blue and white of Trev’s outfit contrasting sharply with the black and red of Luxien’s. Absentmindedly Trevalyane sadly noted the continually somber almost morbid color of clothing his friend chose to wear since they had been called to war so many centuries ago.

Luxien pushed against the double mahogany doors as they arrived at Lord Oberon’s private office. The said Bright Lord did not look up immediately upon their arrival. Instead his moss colored hair kept bent over a pile of paperwork as he finished scribbling something down, giving the two younger Lord’s a chance to study the city line as it appeared through the floor to ceiling tinted windows that lined the entire back wall of the office.

“Ah. Captain Elathanian. Captain Bresii. Good of you to show up.” The greeting was pleasant as humor lined the young-old face that looked up to study them. “I do apologize for calling you in on Lumminox, especial seeing as you are both deeply involved in this Darkling case.”

“Sir.” They replied simultaneously, both falling back into their military training. “The reason I called is to discuss this new development. This use of blood magic.” The shorter white winged Lord rose from his chair to pace around the desk. “As if the matter wasn’t serious enough we now suddenly have the use of blood magic after so long….” He shook his head, “Even worse that there is no detectable pranic trace to help us track whoever created that writing.” Eyes flickering briefly to the side as Luxien and Trevalyane shared a look.

Hands clasped behind his back Oberon came to a stop in front of them. Looking up the older, yet less powerful Bright Lord studied them briefly. His hawkish eyes piercing, as they seemed to stare into them and through them. Nodding to himself as if satisfied with whatever he’d found there he continued,

“Furthermore, something new has developed. It seems that approximately three days ago a Dark Lady went missing. Before the Fall she was one of the more powerful and prominent of their kind-still is for all the influence she wields in the Myrkrafolkith community. Thus, why her disappearance was so noticeable.” Oberon paused in his speech as he turned his back to them and began to pace, thus he did not see Luxien stiffen slightly at the next sentence that was thrown out there, “Come so close to the timing of the last darkling murder, we must look into the vanishing of the Lady Inanna Zemos.”

“I am calling a Wing Hunt on the Dark Lady.” Oberon sighed and messaged his temples as if weighed down by something too great to bear. Straightening once more he faced them face drawn and serious,

“Captain Elathanian, despite what I mentioned to you at our last meeting your orders are to take over the investigating of the Darkling Case. As for you Captain Bresii I am handing over the Wing Hunt for Lady Inanna to you. Please stay a moment so that I may give you the particulars you’ll need. Your excused Captain Elathanian.”

Luxien started at the dismissal but managed not to betray his surprise as he saluted his commanding officer before spinning on his heel to stride out, the heavy doors clicking shut with an ominous silence behind him.

“I did not wish to use such deception.” Lord Oberon murmured remorseful to the air in general, and not specifically at Trev.

“Sir?” The ginger-haired younger Lord queried, not entirely understanding.

“There are no real specifics I can give you surrounding her disappearance beyond her last known place of residence and such general knowledge. What I did wish to speak with you about was what I am going to ask of you in conjunction to this mission. In the process of ferreting out what has happened I want you to work with a Dark Lord, specifically one Rhadu Xiwydyr.”

Trev froze. Fucking shit. No bloody way. The man couldn’t be serious. There just was no way. He couldn’t possibly know what he was asking.

“I know that there lies some animosity between him and Captain Elathanian which is why I chose to switch your assignments. And why I am ordering you this without my first Captain’s presence. I hope I don’t have to tell you to keep this quiet? Do you understand?”

“Sir. Yes sir.” Trevalyane answered with a crisp salute, swallowing hard as he forced the words past the sudden constriction in his throat.

“Excellent. Here.” Oberon moved to his desk where he picked up a thin folder and handed it to him. “ All the information you will need. Your dismissed Captain.” With nothing more needing to be said, and his thoughts a swirling confusing mess, Trev left to join his friend in the hall.

“Well?”

“Well what?” Pale violet eyes gazed innocently back at the gold one’s studying him intently. Desperately trying to rearrange his thoughts, to keep himself from broadcasting his confusion Trev used the teasing of his friend to buy himself time.

“You know what. What did he have to say?” Trev shrugged elegantly.

“Nothing of import-he simply wished to give me the necessary information and impart some final instructions.”

“You sure?”

“Oh most definitely my friend.” Luxien nodded, although Trev could clearly sense his doubt. It screamed to his empathy, scrapping against it like nails on chalk. And you are so right to doubt my friend, so very right. In that moment he felt intense, overwhelming hatred-at Oberon, at Rhadu, at himself-for the position this was putting him, for what it would do to Luxien if he ever found out. The hatred tore through him like a terrible wild beast before vanishing once more into the darkest reaches of his psyche.

As they exited the building, Trev stretched his wings, flapping them in different directions before taking to the sky.

“Hey Luxien, listen I have to get started on organizing this Hunt. Watch your back.” With that he tore off, swiftly catching a wind current to ride so as to put less strain on his wings.

“You too old friend. You too.”


A/N#2: Can't say that's one of my better chapters, but it's a necessary evil to move the plot along. *sighs* Oh well, I am comforted by the knowledge that things do get much much better and start to move faster from here on out.

Once again...PLEASE REVIEW!!!