Grave of the Shadows (Starting!)

Celeste

They were gone for about Two hours and I started to get worried. I looked around, my heart beating faster and faster. After my parents died, It has been really hard to keep up with our lives, and I could understand why Justia and Rodr haven't been themselves lately.

I called Rodr over. "Hey, You mind taking look after Justia? If no then Anna could do it. I need to go wait outside for them."

I stood and walked down the creeky stairway. When I got outside it was snowing so I slipped on my jacket and sat against the door. I brought my legs up to my face and waited.

Spoiler

I'm back Cailey!!

Anna Noel
I ran across the forest path as fast as I could. I didn’t like leaving Jackie and Liam with the nights but I knew better than to question this decision.
If the nights figure out who we are then we would only get a little time before they get to the house. I pushed my legs to go faster automatically at the thought.
After a few short minutes I could the mansion. I was completely out of breath but didn’t stop to recover. I decided to run straight to justia’s room because that were Celeste would be and probably the others as well.
i didn't have to go that far thought because Celi was already at he porch
“Anna!” Celi said a little startled as I halted at the door and narrowly avoiding bumping into her.
“We have to get everyone out of here within the next five minutes. I’ll explain later!” I said still and left to leave immediately to warn the others.
I ran up the stairs and and halfway past Justia's room but stopped abruptly when i saw Rodr.
“Slow down.” Rodr said not sounding very pleased.
“We have to leave. Help me gather everyone else.” I said without bothering to wait for a reply.
“Wait. Apart from Tessa and Jazz, there’s no one else in here. What’s wrong?” he sounded alarmed this time.
I stopped mid stride as his words sunk in and I felt the most unsettling feeling of impending doom.

Arithorn Deathailer

This was obviously a trap. No way that abandoned hut was lived in... then again, if they were Shadows, they wouldn't know that the Nights kept records of every living person and where they lived... Zylla had done her job well.
I stopped suddenly, the two stumbling forward in surprise.
"I believe you're Shadows," I hissed. Twisting, I threw back my cloak and gripped my scythe. Then I cast a black flare in the air, signaling the others to my aid and bringing the army to me. I dared the Shadows to get out of this.

Reyna Lennar
Something feels wrong... It just does. How long have I been here? Well, judging from the sun, wait... the sun? I slept here all night! I climbed down the tree, and raced back home. I bumped into Anna. We both ran in.
"We've got to get every one out in the next five minutes... I'll explain later... Now, Hurry!" She said urgently. I ran into the room with Justia, and grabbed a big strong blanket.
"Here. Let's put Justia on here, and carry her like it was a stretcher." I said, pushing Justia's limp body onto the blanket. I covered her in another blanket, and piled some stuff on top. Rodr and Celeste were staring at me, I guess because I'm never helpful. "Guys! We don't have time, from what Anna says!" I say, pulling Rodr beside me.
"Uh, Reyna, you take her feet, I'll take her head, uhm, and Celeste, you hold her back so that she doesn't bend."
"One, two, three, lift!" Said Celeste. We grabbed on, and lifted. It took a lot of my strength to lift her, but I liked it.
"Where should we go?" I panted, as we got down the stairs. Rodr nodded that he didn't know, but Celeste kept walking.
"Anywhere... Wait, Anna, what are we runnin-" says Celeste.
"The Nights! They're after us... They know we are the shadows..." she said, grabbing some belongings.
"Uh, should we go to the forest? There are tons of good trees that I know about... Or,there are some hidden alleys... I- Well, they are my special spots, but it won't hurt.... Where should we go?" I said, showing the urgency in this situation by walking again.
"Alley? Is it a good hiding place?" asked Rodr. I nodded, and led the way, half running, half tripping. We wound through alleys, and streets, and Celeste seemed confused where we were.
"We could have turned back there, and ended up in the same-" she said, but I shushed her. I explained that if we went directly, if any of the Nights were on guard, they would see us. I was leading them the long way around. Finally, we arrived. "Here? It's all open!" said Celeste in surprise.
"That's what it looks like, but really, there's a good spot." I led them to a dark corner that had a big rock by it. I pushed the rock a little bit, to reveal a dark hole in the wall, from a few feet away, you couldn't see it, but even close up it was hard to see.
"I still don't-" said Rodr. I ducked down, and disappeared into what seemed a solid wall. Actually, it was a rather big hole, that led into the ground. It was partly underground, and completely hidden. During these years, I had been clearing it out, and ridding it of trash. It was nice and clean, and I had a broom made of twigs in there, just in case. I laid an old blanket on the floor, and started putting Justia in. I had also carved a few air holes into the stone with my knife, and had made sure that they couldn't be seen. I settled Justia in, and there was still plenty of space in my hole. Enough space for the rest of the Shadow Kids, I guess.
"Okay. I'll stay here with Justia. You guys return... Now. Go back home, grab our suff.... All of our suspicious stuff. Bring it here. Especially all the blankets, it gets cold in here." I said, shooing them back through the hole. Rodr pushed the big stone back in place, and through an air hole, I saw them run off, ducking and weaving so that they couldn't be seen. Well, I guess this isn't my secret any more. I am happy to have had it though... If not, what would we have done?

Rodr

After Celeste left, I sat down next to Justia. She was asleep now, but I wasn't sure I liked that. It was too close to death. Was fate bent on taking my whole family from me?

Pull yourself together, I snapped silently to myself. I had to be strong - I had to do something, even something small. I decided to get Justia water. We kept a jug just down the hall - I could be back in seconds.

On the way, though, I nearly ran over Anna, who was running through and panting like she'd sprinted all the way across the city.

"Slow down!" I cried, but Anna was already talking.

"We have to leave. Help me gather everyone else." With that, she started to run off.

"Wait!" I called after her. "Apart from Tessa and Jazz, there's no one else in here." It struck me that there was no reason for her to panic like this if this was going according to plan. "What's wrong?"

She paused, but didn't say anything. I noticed Renya behind her - she ran into Justia's room. I followed and saw her grabbing a blanket.

"Here. Let's put Justia on here, and carry her like it was a stretcher." I blinked in surprise - I hadn't known Renya to usually act like this. "Guys! We don't have time, from what Anna says!" She grabbed me as I tried to step forward, leading to an ungraceful stumble. I growled in irritation, but Renya was giving instructions and no one noticed me. What had gotten into her?

We carried Justia out swiftly. The others babbled about where to go - they seemed to know a lot more hiding places than I did, so I just listened, thinking furiously. Renya suggested alleys, which surprised me.

"Alleys?" I said. "Are they good hiding spots?" They were likely to be the first places searched when the Nights came looking. Oh, geez, the Nights! What had Liam and Jackie done?

Renya led us through a maze of alleys, all of us stumbling every now and then with the makeshift stretcher. Justia moaned, but she didn't wake.

"Here?" Celeste demanded. "It's all open!" She was right - if this was Renya's idea of a good hiding place, she'd need to learn fast.

"That's what it looks like, but really, there's a good spot," Renya insisted. She pushed back a rock to reveal a shadowed dent in the wall. All fine and dandy, but there was no way we could hide in it.

"I still don't-" I began, but then Renya ... vanished. It was as if she'd walked through the wall.

We followed her and settled Justia in. It was a relatively nice place, for literally a hole in the ground. Renya must have been working on it for a while.

"Okay, I'll stay here with Justia. You guys return... now. Go back home, grab our stuff - all of our suspicious stuff. Bring it here - especially the blankets, t gets cold in here."

I almost protested being commanded around by her, but she was right. We left and wove our way back through the alleys and people. As we went, something struck me.

"Tessa and Jazz are still there," I reminded Celeste. "We need to get them out." She just nodded. It wasn't long before we reached the mansion, and we both ran in. I ran towards my room; the first thing I wanted was my sword. I'd saved up a long time to buy that thing, and I was good with it. I buckled it onto my back, not even bothering to hide it; people often carried weapons in the streets for self-defense, if they could afford them. There were enough criminals to justify it.

I grabbed a bag and started filling it with things the Nights would associate with us - portraits, certain clothes, weapons. And blankets - we wanted to keep Justia warm.

Once the bag was full - I'd have to come back for another trip, but it was full - I started searching for Tessa and Jazz, calling their names. This was a big mansion - they could have been anywhere.

Spoiler

O.O Okay, longest post ever. Sorry - it was hard to catch up!

Jazz

I had fallen asleep after helping one of the big kids out in one of the other rooms and woke to the sound of Rodr calling my name and Tessa's name. Yawning, I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I stood and begun walking off towards where the voice was coming from, confused. The house seemed so empty...

"Tessa! Jazz!"

I came to the top of the stairs and looked down.

"Rodr?" I called back, confused.

Celeste

Both me and Rodr ran into the Mansion.

"Tessa! Jazz!" Rodr yelled for them.

I see Jazz come down. "Rodr?" He asked, a confused look across his face. I rush over to him and pick him up, shifting him in my left arm.

"No times for talking." I said, gathering some stuff. I meet up with Rodr again.

"Any sign of Tessa?" I asked.

Tess

I must have fallen asleep because next thing I know, I hear my name being called. Thinking it was just a dream I roll back over and close my eyes. Once again my name echos through the house. At that point I know it's not a dream.

Slowly, I sit up and look around. I was in Kyle's room. Making my way off the bed, I start to walk toward the voice. Suddenly, I notice that my hand is holding something heavy. Glancing down, I realized it was Kyle's sketch book. Before I could even think why I had it, I hear my name again.

Finding my way to the top of the stairs, I see Rodr, Celeste and Jazz. Next to their feet is blanket's and other supplies that we might need. My tired mind is trying to process what is going on here.

"Celeste? Rodr?" I mumble while yawning and rubbing my eyes with my free hand.

Rodr

"Rodr?" Jazz called from up the stairs. I went towards the sound, but Celeste apparently beat me to it - she found me halfway there, holding Jazz under one arm. I wondered absently whether he'd like that, but it didn't matter.

"Any sign of Tessa?" Celeste asked. Before I could answer, Tessa herself appeared, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

"Celeste? Rodr?" she mumbled.

"We have to go," I said, gathering our things. "I'll explain on the way."

As we left, something made me look up. I saw a flare of black in the sky - several people were pointing and murmuring.

"That doesn't look good," Celeste murmured, having noticed it as well.

I gave my bags to Tessa and Jazz, who looked confused. "I'm going to find otu what that is," I announced.

"Are you crazy? No!"

"What if Liam and Jackie are in trouble? I've got my sword, Celeste. I can take care of myself."

Alexa Noel

Caleb and I led Kyle back towards the mansion, but suddenly I stopped. No one else had seen them, only me. I touched Caleb's shoulder. "Look, Liam and Jackie, and..." I gasped. A Night? Caleb pulled me to the wall. We stood idly, careful not to look at them while they passed.

"He looked worried," I murmured to Kyle. Even though I had been intently staring at the swirly dirt on the wall I was able to observe his expression.

"They aren't going home. Where do you think they're going?" Kyle moved to my side and we started walking forward slowly, just close enough to see the waving cloak.

"The abandoned house," I stated. Caleb nodded after a moment, but was too thoughtful to say anything. We followed in silence, trying hard to blend in with the few people that followed in the streets. They all cowered at the sight of the Night. I shivered and felt the snow melting through my worn out boots.

Before long we arrived at the house, and a few short words were said by the Night. Suddenly Caleb gripped my arm. "Shadows. He knows we're the Shadow Children! Get out of here, warn the others."

"Anna," I returned, and he nodded. She had gone with them, and we knew she would be warning the others. Despite all Liam's faults, he would not let anything happen to anyone, and we knew it.

Liam

"I believe you're Shadows." The Night threatened, and he moved back as preparation to attack. I felt Jackie tense and pull out her sword, and I did the same. The weapons were no match for the Night's. Yet perhaps our skill would be enough.

"Does that belief worry you?" I blocked the Night's attack and we fell to a full fledged fight. Jackie stood nearby, joining me with her own strength. Caleb appeared by my side, also ready for the battle. For a moment Jackie engaged the Night, and I took the moment to tap to Caleb. Are the others safe? I turned back, rising my sword just in time to defect a blow that would have fallen on Jackie. She flashed a smile, then faded to the back of my mind as I concentrated on lifting and thrusting with a desperate hope that the Night would not be the end of us.

Jackie

I smiled briefly at Liam as he blocked the Night's strike. That scythe was huge--if Liam hadn't deflected that swing, it would have lopped my head clean off. As the Night swung at Liam, I slipped around behind him, hoping to catch him off guard, but he spun around and slashed at me again. My dagger was no match for a scythe, but if Liam, Caleb and I could keep him surrounded, we might be able to keep him occupied long enough for the others to escape.

Then I remembered--this was the old house, the one where we stashed stuff we didn't think we'd need right away. If I was remembering correctly, this room had five tanks of lamp oil piled in a corner. The dull edge of my dagger was made of flint, and the whole house was just a pile of matchsticks; if I could start a spark, this whole thing would go up in flames.

As the Night struck at Caleb, I flipped my dagger around. I twisted to the side as the Night spun around again, and as he swung at me, I lashed out with my dagger, scraping the flint edge across the blade of the scythe. A shower of sparks flew across the room--

And something in the corner exploded, sending a jet of flames up the wall. In just a few seconds, the ceiling was on fire, and it was spreading quickly across the entire room. I ducked under another swipe from the scythe, and sprinted back over to Liam. "Okay," I said. "What now?"

Liam Knightly

"What now?" Jackie questioned. I ducked under a falling staircase and ran into the open, talking to Jackie over my shoulder as I did.

"We run, and take the most roundabout way home we can. We find the other Shadow Children and find a new temporary home. We don't get caught." Caleb joined us, with Alexa on his back. We split up and started running down different alleys and roads, hoping against all hope we would be safe.

Arithorn Deathailer

I screamed my rage as the house exploded into flames, blistering my shoulders and face. I punched upwards, and a wave of black magic withered the rotten wood to ash and turned the flames black. The Shadows would not elude me.
I jumped, impossibly high, from rooftop to rooftop, until I landed on a roof facing the thunderstruck Shadows. I tore my robe off, revealing my bare, muscled chest, and moved my arm so that my scythe was facing across my back.
"There's no escape," I hissed.

Reyna
I sat in there with Justia for a while. Just then, I feel a very strong urging that somebody is in danger. Just then, Celeste, Tessa, and Jazz arrived. Rodr pushed the stone away, and they all climbed in.
"I'll be back... I have a bad feeling..." I say, running out, and pushing the rock behind me. I ran and ran and ran, until I was almost out of breath. Just then, I sat down in a shadow, catching my breath. I had a sword that I had kept with me since the day that my mom had died. Her last words were 'take this sword of mine. Use it well, but only use it in times of need. It's magic, Reyna.' Now, I unstrapped it from my back. It was hidden under my heavy coat, and nobody knew that I had it. Suddenly, I noticed that a Night was jumping from roof to roof, and the rest of the Shadow children were there, cornered. No! They can't die.... not now. I'll cause a distraction. I ran through the alleys, behind the house that the Night was standing on. Climbing up the fence, I reached the top. I slid behind the chimney. Breathing hard, I thought, I can do this.... I have to. If I get hurt.... I get hurt. I would to anything to save the Shadows.... Just then, the Night pulled his scythe out, and waved it in the air, with a smile of triumph on his face.
"Mwuahahaha! There's not escape." he hissed. It's now or never. I breathed in slowly, then shut my eyes momentarily. Reyna, it sounded like my mom, Reyna, take the sword. Take my sword. Twist it to the left right as you stab. Hurry, you don't have time... I jumped up, and twisted the handle right as I stabbed the Night's unprotected back.
"Uh...." I gasp. Nothing happened with the sword and the impact almost knocked me down. I stabbed again, but twisting it a different way. It turned a shiny blue, and swiped easier, and deeper. The Night roared in pain, and turned around, aiming a blow at me, I slipped around, and his scythe just grazed my arm.
"Run! Run!" I scream. "Run!" I flipped around just in time to miss another aimed swipe. I screamed. He was stepping on my foot. I can't move! Just then, I remembered that my boot was three sizes too big for me... They were Liam's shoes... I slid my foot out of the boot, and dug my blue sword into his foot. Just then, he reached out, and caught me unprepared. Grabbing my hair, he yanked my head towards him, aiming a strike at my head. I pulled my sword out of his shoe, and swiped at my hair just as his blow came down. Instead of slicing my head, his scythe hit my sword with a big 'pang'. I felt the vibration and jumped back. When I looked towards the ground, nobody was there. The Night slashed at me again, and I screamed. Just as it was about to hit me, the Night screamed in pain. He jumped around, and I saw Liam standing there with his sword raised. Just what I need right now, a super hero... Then, the Night turned around, and hit my arm, leaving a big cut. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
"Help... Liam. I'm wounded...." I scream. I ducked behind the chimney again, and breathed hard. This is not a good day for me. I tore a long piece of cloth off of my shirt sleeve, and wrapped it around my arm. Immediately it bled through. I bit my lip. Then, I jumped up again, and gave a big blow to the Night's head. My anger drove me on. I slashed. Then, returned to the chimney. Well, at least I saved some people....