In A Blink

"You have to dress up too, Bluebell," Jinx mentioned as the girl walked towards C.C., who seemed to absolutely glow the moment Bluebell latched onto his arm. The other four glanced at each other from the corners of their eyes - there was no way that C.C. and Bluebell would willingly separate, even if Man Without Face commanded it. He hadn't yet, but Andy knew it was only a matter of time before Man Without Face gave them direction.

If he commands them to fall apart, will they stay in our Clan?

"Bluebell, seriously, go take care of yourself," Jake said, his lips twitching with a genuine smile as the girl looked at him drolly. With a sarcastically dramatic raise of her hand, Bluebell flicked her wrist and watercolor fog swirled from her feet on the ground, twisted all around her in a matter of seconds before melting into the air. Left behind was a stunning black gown and her black hair twisted upward in an elegantly messy knot with sparkling pins. "Happy?" She asked snarkily, and Jake snorted.

Of course, things just couldn't go smoothly for the Holding Clan.

Almost the moment the charity gala was in full swing, Jinx felt a sudden wave of energy so dark and intense that it was all he could do to not fall onto the ground. The Mystic began to boil black fog from his palms, something that the rest of the clan noticed right away. They casually shifted their weight to hide the veil of an ashen-faced Jinx before slowly herding together, completely blocking his form as they opened up their mental links.

Jinx, sent Andy's distinct thought pattern, what's going on? Why is The Mystic raising?
It's F.E.A.R. They're coming. Bluebell reacted immediately. With a wave of her hand, poisoned-apple green fog burst from every side of the room - more people screamed as the fog washed over them, and voices cried out as the people were forced into a giant metal box that grew in the corner of the room. Once everyone was shoved inside, Bluebell made the cube close and sent it into the far side of the room. On the ground underneath the box, the Black Veil Brides symbol burned into the fine marble to protect against any demons that would land.

The men were already summoning their Holdings. "Bluebell," Destroyer called out as the black fog drifted from his palms, "We need The Creator! Summon her!" His voice made Bluebell glance over her shoulder, and then she nodded. The burst of power from her Holding rocked the Clan on their feet as she changed into The Creator. Her gown was replaced with the demonic mask and the black skin markings once more - her staff blazed with fire as she went back-to-back with her Holding Clan, her entire body tense as a familiar ache crossed over her back. Deviant snarled quietly, his hefty battle ax in hand as he risked one tiny step out of formation.

The walls exploded inwards. Demons poured from every side - walking, limping, slithering, flying, they all swarmed towards the holding clan with shrieks of outrage. Of course, they were only mindless puppets - they didn't know how to fight, and they began dropping one after another as the Holding Clan tackled the challenge. Jake's strange claws tore into them like a hot knife through butter, flinging droplets of venom that sizzled and ate at the marble flooring.

The noise was deafening. Creator felt the sounds of screams and death begin to stick to her skin - quite literally. As the demons were slaughtered, the ash they turned into seemed to adhere to her skin as she swung her staff, slaughtering an entire line with a single wave of dark red fog. The ash mingled with her sweat as her back burned painfully hot, then her wings made of embers and flame burst into life. She screamed as her back was scalded from the heat, and so did a hundred demons all around her as they shriveled from the sudden flames.

As the marble tiles began to sizzle, Creator leaped into the air to protect her Clan from the flying demons. Either burning them with her impossibly hot wings or destroying them with her staff, the demons' ash turned into an eerie black plasma-like substance and dripped from her hands and staff. A few drops landed next to Andy, and he roared in fury as the black sludge began to expand at his feet.

The Creator had brought a portal to the Dark Unknown to life.

"Creator!" Prophets voice rang out with regal authority, and the Holding Hand immediately zeroed her attention onto him. Hovering in midair, no demons dared get close - those wings were far too hot. "Come back to us! Extinguish your wings and fight by your Clan!" His voice pulled her downwards, and Prophet watched with half an eye as her wings coiled into smoke. The black over her arms vanished alongside, and so did the portal at Prophet's feet - just in time, as a clawed hand was severed from it's closing.

The battle raged onwards. Blood - both demon and human - dripped onto the pristine white floor, coated with demonic ash. At last, only a single demon remained - but he did not attack. "What do you want with our earth?" Creator asked in her triad voice, dropping into a threatening battle stance and aiming her staff at the demon. It simply opened it's horrible, rotting mouth and began to croak in an equally awful voice, with a terrible cheerfulness. The Holding Clan flinched - it spoke to their minds as easily as they spoke together.

I come with a simple message. F.E.A.R. is rising in power, and with it will come thousands of millions of demons. Do you think this, the thing waved its horrible clawed hands around the room, is a serious challenge? When we have our demon army in full force - our brethren in an army of darkness - F.E.A.R. will not fail. It comes for you. It paused, giving a terrifying smile directly to The Creator as she bristled with rage. Especially for you, Holding Hand Of Fire and Creation. You will prove to be the most useful to our cause. Those wings burn, do they not? Can't you feel the power behind your back as you fly? The power to kill or create? The portal you so kindly began to open for us - there will be more. You wear a demons' battle mask, sweet girl - it's time to ask your deity why.

Destroyer heard enough. With a cry of wrath, he bolted forwards and went to slaughter the creature only to stab at nothing but smoke as it vanished, leaving behind a single black rose petal on top of a pile of demonic ashes.

Notes

Whooaa, what the hell just happened?!

(Hint hint - go back and look at the first chapter. See anything about fire?)

Drop a comment, leave some affection, or whatever you want! Loveyoubye!

xoxo
LK Maire