Just Another Darke Night

The black robed assassin stood poised and ready to strike. It seemed inhuman in its billowing ash-black robes, a monster from another world. Even crouched as it was, Captain Talon knew the assassin was bigger than any of his men that were advancing slowly towards it. It was huge, and every time it moved slightly it seemed to ripple with raw, taut power, a dangerous snake coiled and ready to strike. The shadowy figure turned its head slightly, and the Captain took a step back in fear as he caught a glimpse of luminous red inside the dark cowl. The thing was studying him, sizing him up as if he could brush past the advancing guards and engage the Captain at once. Fear froze Talon’s heart as he began to realize what he was up against.

The full moon overhead shed a sickly white light that betrayed the looks of obvious fear and doubt in his guard’s faces. They were scared, Talon knew, and they had a right to be. They weren’t up against an ordinary assassin. They were up against Darke, a demon that has haunted the forestlands for years.

Rumor had it that Darke offered his services to other dark souls who promised him power in return. Incredibly intelligent and powerful, Darke stopped at nothing until his job was completed and his bounty harvested.

The Captain went into a daze, the sides of his vision becoming clouded and gray. Someone wants him dead, he realized. He had made an enemy of someone who is strong enough to make deals with demons and survive.

His guards were nearly within striking distance when the demon attacked. Fluid and deliberate, Darke launched himself into the air like a bird of prey, its dark robes writhing in the chill wind. Shouts of alarm immediately sounded from the guards, fingers pointing at the dark figure silhouetted by the pale moon.

Darke landed heavily on the closest guard, flattening the frail human body like an ant. The demon a blur of motion, it rocketed off of the dead man’s head and tore into the midst of the terrified soldiers. Bodies were ripped and thrown into the nearby forest like sacks of grain, the forest a bedlam of screams and movement.

Almost as soon as it began it was over. Bloodied corpses lay on the ground and in trees, frozen in impossible positions with their eyes and mouth screaming in silent horror. Talon had never seen such incredible speed before, having barely enough time to regain what was left of his courage and draw his own sword before the battle was over. Darke was as still as the night about it, hellish eyes burning and wearing at the Captain’s courage once more. Then all at once it was gone.

Talon blinked in surprise. Straining his eyes, all he saw were the torn bodies of his former guard. Their mouths open and screaming, it appeared now as if they were trying to warn him. Turning about guardedly, Talon searched for what he knew was to be a surprise attack.

Then Darke came into view, flying backwards out of the forest and into a tree not twenty feet away. The demon’s momentum sent it right through the tree and into the forest on the other side, the force of its collision bringing the entire shattered oak spinning out after it. A dark shadow blasted out of the forest where Darke had come, going so fast that it created a whirlwind of torn leaves. Talon only saw a glimpse of it, but that was enough to send him falling to the ground in fright. The thing was huge, as tall and muscular as Darke had been, with two long horns that protruded from an enormous-looking black helmet. The ground quaked as it launched itself into the forest, a silent juggernaut from which even the moon’s light fled.

Captain Talon scrambled to his feet and picked up his fallen sword. He was dead, he knew, unless he managed to escape the battle that was evidently taking place around him. Strangely enough, the appearance of the second beast had frightened him more than the first. The horns, the absence of color, the dark green eyes that shimmered like poison out of a massive steel helmet… it was obviously a demon of immense power, but its name escaped Talon’s thinking. The memory was just out of reach, evading his mind’s best efforts.

Spinning around and running with all of his might, Talon fled down the dark trail from which he had come. If he could just make it to the city of Lumar he might have a chance, he thought. At the very least there would be others around him to distract the demons.

A terrible screech sounded behind him, prompting Talon to run even faster. Glancing behind him, he saw the demon Darke standing where he had been moments earlier, its dark robes ragged and bloodstained. It bounded with incredible speed towards him, using its massive clawed arms to launch itself into the air. Talon screamed and flung down his burdensome sword, abandoning the prospect of being able to hurt the demon.

Another screech chilled the air around him, and Talon knew he was going to die.

Tripping over a protruding root, Captain Talon rolled on the ground, vulnerable and defenseless. The fall saved his life.

Darke soared over Talon, so eager to catch up to its prey that it didn’t realize the Captain had fallen until it was past him. The demon spun midair and landed in a skid, raking the damp earth with its claws, howling in frustration as it realized its deadly mistake. The second demon leaped over the fallen captain and slammed into the skidding Darke, sending it sprawling into the air. Darke spun and landed on its feet, red eyes flaring with hate. The horned demon immediately launched a second attack, but Darke, now prepared for the attack, sidestepped and got a hold of its legs, swinging the demon effortlessly into the air. Intent on ending any more interference, Darke shot itself into the air and pounded the horned demon to the ground, screaming with frustration.

Captain Talon remained frozen on the ground, realizing with horror that his life rested in the clawed hands of the second demon. Then suddenly the wall in his mind broke down, and he realized who the horned demon was. The demon was Nightmare, the once invincible demon who was the terror of the forestland before Darke had gained power. The two were bitter rivals, their struggles legendary as each sought the other’s demise. Talon realized that he had a chance. Nightmare was determined to keep Darke from killing him and reap whatever reward it had been promised.

Nightmare picked itself up in rage, slamming into Darke once more. The two clawed and tore at each other, each trying to gain an advantage in the battle. Talon set his face with renewed determination and got up, making a run for the town just ahead.

Darke screeched again as Talon ran past it, throwing its entire body weight against Nightmare in desperation. Nightmare lost its balance and fell, giving Darke the chance it wanted. Lunging after Talon, it caught up with him quickly and took the Captain down in a tackle.

Talon felt his bones breaking beneath the weight of the monster, his body grinding and twisting in unnatural positions that left him gasping for air. It was nearly over, he thought in despair. Darke was just too quick.

Then a deep-throated roar filled the night, a bestial cry filled with so much thunderous, irate fury that the trees near the road shook and the pebbles on the ground jumped. Darke froze as its natural instincts kicked in, its calculating intelligence melting away, looking up and away from its quarry to determine what was about to happen.

Talon cringed as Nightmare slammed into Darke with all of its might, sending the dark assassin spinning off of the road and into the woods. In less than a second, just as the sound of the trees snapping and breaking before the weight of the thrown demon became audible, Nightmare grabbed Talon’s body with one large clawed hand and bounded east towards Lumar.

Their flight was a hard one. Nightmare nearly abandoned any sense of protectiveness for speed, so much so that the demon nearly dropped Talon several times. It used its feet and arms in unison to push itself forward like a train, whipping around the twists and turns without slowing, leaping across dips in terrain to gain every little bit of ground that it could.

Talon gritted his teeth as pain seared and ripped through is body with every bound, his broken bones poking and stabbing into his nerves. Whether he died or not, this encounter with Darke would already have scarred him for life. If he were ever to walk again, he would limp; if he were ever to wield a sword again, he would be less than par. Nothing would ever be the same.

With enormous effort, Talon managed to shift his thoughts to more productive uses. Both demons were strong and fast, both masters of killing and destruction. However, it appeared as if the demons were less alike than he had initially thought. Now that he had a better view of the beast, Nightmare seemed the stronger of the two, bigger and more muscular, while Darke seemed built more for speed, strong and slim. As the logic took hold in Talon’s mind, he knew that Darke would be back. Nightmare, while extremely fast, was no match for Darke’s speed. The muscled demon carrying him would have to find some way to negate the speed factor and put its brute force against Darke’s lesser strength.

No sooner had he finished his thought, Talon spotted Darke jumping above the trees beside of them, robes spinning and flapping with the rush of wind. The sickly moon shed enough light to reveal the demon’s incarnadine eyes studying them, analyzing the situation. Without a doubt Darke would come up with a way to utilize its speed to not only catch up with them, but end the struggle once and for all. All around, the sounds of nature seemed to hold its breath, waiting in hushed silence for the outcome.

A deep growl escaped Nightmare’s lips as it became aware of the chasing demon. Without warning, Nightmare sped up and bounded towards the edge of the road, closer to the whereabouts of the approaching Darke. Talon’s blood pressure soared, his heart pumping blood so forcibly that it sounded like war drums were being played in unison with every stride of Nightmare’s large extended limbs. After what seemed like an eternity, there was a change of movement near the top of the trees. It was attacking.

As if it had been waiting for this moment, Nightmare tossed Talon into a patch of grass near the side of the road and catapulted into the air, intercepting the black-robed demon that was on its downward descent towards the pair. Darke hissed in surprise and tried to dodge Nightmare’s attack in mid-flight, but could not find the maneuverability. In one fluid movement, Nightmare’s wicked claws shot out of its dark body like a viper, grabbing hold of Darke’s cowl and squeezing with all of its might. Darke screeched and clawed at Nightmare’s hold on its face, but to no avail.

They landed only feet from Talon, Nightmare’s merciless grip unshaken. Darke landed on its knees, body slumped forward with the force of the impact, struggling and kicking in desperation. Frustrated, Nightmare began pounding the trapped demon with its free hand, targeting weak zones in an attempt to paralyze it. Finally, Darke’s movements began to slow, its struggle dieing with its lack of strength. A few moments later, the movements stopped altogether.

Nightmare loosened its grip hesitantly, peering at the demon’s still form. Raising both fists in the air, Nightmare jabbed its claws into Darke’s limp form and threw it gyrating to the side. Triumphant, Nightmare roared loudly, challenging anything to question its authority. At the sound of further silence, the triumphant demon at last turned its gaze towards Talon.

The captain was sprawled on the ground with a hand to his heart, mouth open wide in pain. His still form radiated the smell of death, the grim reaper having taken him only moments before the apex of the demon’s struggle. In quiet contemplation, Nightmare surveyed the scene, tall form heaving with exertion and shaking with rage. Then, allowing apathy to take hold of its mind once again, Nightmare trotted off into the woods.

The dark moon glared downward at the dead captain for hours afterwards, its eye unblinking and detached from the world of men. Then wispy clouds shadowed the failing moon, closing its gaze forever on the terrestrial scene.