Shadows Meant To Fade
Just something random that I wrote and decided to post.
"Damn...I didn' bring enough ammo for this," growled Alec, shoving his guns in their holsters. "Shit," murmured Hiroshi shaking his head. "Guys," said Susan looking up and the black and grey werewolves standing to either side of her. "What are we going to do. I don't think I can cast anymore spells." An edge of panic was in the young witch's voice.
The trio had been clearing out an infestation of lesser demons from the building. It had been a slow arduous task and upon reaching what they though was the end they were all exhausted and bloody. Over the last few decades, thanks a lot of hard work, and an even greater number of sacrifices their pocket of survival had grown. While their expanding numbers had brought some measure of hope, it also created the problem of space to house their numbers. Clearing out an old hotel had seemed like a great idea. However, the demonic presence within it had been greatly underestimated. The infernal legion now filling the lobby, ground floor, and courtyard was not something that they had prepared for.
Hiro and Alec looked down at their witch for a long moment and then looked at each other and nodded. "Guys?" Alec pulled out a large knife from a sheath on his thigh, and Hiroshi shook some of the gore off his katana. "Well darlin, we are gonna go fight the nice demons.... And you are just gonna stand in the nice safe corner over there, and shut your eyes and cover your ears till we give ya the all clear," drawled Alec flashing a toothy grin. "But...." "No buts, Sue. We can handle this...as long as you are out of the way," said Hiroshi as he brushed his knuckles against her cheek. "We'll keep you safe , we just don't won't you to see...." "Wait...you two...not after what happened last time." Alec placed a hand on the red headed woman's shoulder, "That's why we don't want you watchin'." "Please," urged Hiroshi, the muscles in his arms showing through his fur as he tighten his grip around his sword's handle. Normally it was the witch that commanded their guardians, but the three were unique. Susan could compel Alec and Hiroshi to obey, and they would without fail. But, she never had. To the rest of her coven their lycanthrope guardians were little for more than faithful hounds. Attack dogs really. To Susan they were friends, partners, and more besides. Not for the first time, she decided to obey where others would have subjugated. She stepped away, and huddled in a corner, eyes closed, and ears covered. "Ready?" asked Hiroshi in a flat tone, tinged around the edges with nervous excitement. "No, but I'm gonna anyway," said Alec gritting his teeth. Then almost as an afterthought, he carelessly stepped past Hiroshi's guard and pulled the other male into a brief passionate kiss. "For luck." "Yours or mine?" Alec looked over his shoulder at Sue. "Ours." In the same moment they both began something, though not forbidden to them, they would be heavily judged for.
Fifty years prior to the current day the Long Night began. The sun set, the full moon rose on a day it should never have risen, and the gates of the underworld were flung wide. There were many repercussions. Old magics that had long laid forgotten ran rampant, great storms scoured the land, and the lot in life of the lycanthropes changed. They were forcibly pulled a half-step away from their humanity, and trapped there. Even elders and pure-bloods, found themselves locked in a form that was clad in fur, bore visage of their bestial natures, but possessed only a fragment of the strength the change had previously granted them. With great focus they could briefly reclaim their human features, and with great risk they could call upon their former might and more. A risk which Sue's guardians were now going to take. Their bones twisted, cracked, and popped as their spines lengthened and curved, their feet became digtigrade paws. Formerly lean athletic frames became packed with thick corded muscle, and primordial howls leapt from their throats. With claw, fang, and blades in hand they leapt into the demon horde. For every demon they struck down, it seemed as if three more took their place. Still the two fought. Blades broke and were abandoned, flesh was rent, blood spilled, and viscera was exposed and left to hang forgotten. Still they fought with ferocity enough to beggar the demons they battled with.
One hour passed, then a second, as Susan waited. As she waited Sue allowed her mind to wander, to turn inwards and hide from the muffled din of carnage and battle. In happier memories of another time she sequestered herself. One moment, a memory of walking through the forest with her mother and father, with the familiar warmth of her hands in theirs. In another her heared chanting and relived the ritual that bound her to protectors. The next was a fond remembrance of being curled up between Hiro and Alec during a long winter storm. The smells of warm, clean fur, and fragrant wood smoke accompanied it. On she wandered through time and memory as the moments ticked away She was called from her reverie by a sound the could only portend good or great ill. A deep, waiting science. Her hands came down, her eyes opened, she stood, turned, and then her heart broke. At her feet were the still warm bodies of Hiro and Alec. A distant rational part of her mind, that had somehow held on in the face of the roaring maelstrom of emotion threatening to tear her apart, understood what had happened. The two had fought and won, but their injuries and the physical strain had been too much for them. The rage of battle had sustained Hiro and Alec till the end, and when it faded so to did they. They had tried to reach her before they died. Alec fell first, and Hiroshi had drug himself and his fallen mate the last few feet to her before the fire had faded from him as well. Susan found herself facing something that she could neither accept or understand. Both men were lost to her. The loss of one or the other she could have withstood, but this was beyond the limits of her endurance. She screamed. It was a high jagged sound, filled with rage, loss, pain, and risen power. In that moment every flame, ember, and spark in a hundred miles ripped free of their moorings, and rushed into the air to descend upon the young witch and her fallen in a pillar of fire and a thunderous eruption of sound.
...
Sometime later, as one Hiro and Alec snapped into consciousness, and sat bolt upright. All around them was flame, smoke, and ash. Laying between them, naked as a babe, with a hand buried deep in the fur of over both of their hearts was their witch. "Uh, Hiro. Ya know I could'a sworn I was just..." "You were. I saw you fall." "Then do you think..." "I think she did," said Hiroshi as he gingerly freed himself from the unconscious witch's grip. Alec did the same and pulled her into his arms. Both men pointedly ignored the red patterns in their furs that had been hidden by her hands. "So, now what?" "We go home," said Hiroshi taking a moment to bury his nose in Alec's neck and then in Sue's. Taking a deep breath of each of them. "So, Sue brings us back from the dead, and we just go home, huh?" Asked Alec shaking his head, "As good a plan as any, I guess."
-END