Chapter 17: The First Blood
The gas station was silent.
Not the silence of emptiness, but the silence of waiting. The kind of silence that comes before a fight, before a revelation, before something vast and ancient shifts its weight and changes everything.
Lucian stood at the edge of the parking lot, the sword in his hand, his gold-lit eyes fixed on the shattered windows of the building. He could feel the three of them inside—those who answered the After—their cold, dark resonance pressing against his mind, against the Before, against the hunger that lived in the hollow spaces of his mind.
They were answering the After. Echoes of its hunger, scattered across the universe, waiting to be gathered, waiting to be woken. And they were hungry.
Elara stood beside him, her dark brown eyes narrowed, her violet tracery pulsing faintly in the pre-dawn gloom. Mara stood on her other side, her storm-gray eyes scanning the building, the parking lot, the shadows. Rose stood behind them, her violet glow flickering, her hands clenched into fists. Kai stood beside her, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his dark eyes wide with fear.
"Three of them," Elara said quietly. "I can feel them. They're... agitated. Restless."
Mara nodded. "They know we're here," she said. "I can feel their awareness. Like a spotlight."
Lucian tightened his grip on the sword. The blade was cool in his hand, the gold light beneath his skin pulsing in time with the resonance of the others who answered it. He could feel the Before stir in the hollow spaces of his mind—the whispers louder now, clearer. Not words, but impressions. Images. Sensations.
He saw the three of them inside the gas station—their faces, their bodies, their hunger. He saw their cold, dark resonance, like a shadow that had no beginning and no end. He saw their desire to consume, to destroy, to end everything.
And he saw himself, standing in the center of it all, his gold light blazing, his sword raised, his heart pounding.
This is it, he thought. The first time I have to kill someone.
The thought made his stomach turn. He had never killed anyone. He had never even hurt anyone, not really. He was a mechanic, a guy who fixed cars, who lived in a small town, who had a life that was simple and quiet. And now he was standing in the ruins of a dead city, holding a sword, about to fight three people who wanted to kill him and everyone he cared about.
What have I become?
"Ready?" Elara asked.
Lucian nodded. He didn't trust his voice. "Ready," he said, and his voice was steady, even though his hands were shaking.
They moved in silence.
Elara led the way, her movements quiet, deliberate, her dark brown eyes scanning the shadows, the corners, the broken glass on the ground. Mara followed, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her fingers tracing the violet tracery on her jaw. Rose followed her, her violet glow dimmed, her steps light, silent. Kai followed Rose, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his eyes wide, taking in everything. Lucian brought up the rear, the sword in his hand, his senses sharp, alert.
He could feel the Before pressing against his mind, urging him forward, whispering to him in a language he didn't understand but somehow knew. It was not a voice, not really. It was a pull, a gravitational force that drew him toward the gas station, toward the three who answered the After inside, toward the fight that was coming.
They are not like you, the Before whispered—two voices, so tightly wound they rang as one. They are hollow. They are empty. They are weapons, not people.
Lucian didn't know if he believed that. He didn't know if he wanted to believe that. But he knew one thing: if he didn't fight, if he didn't kill, everyone he cared about would die.
And he couldn't let that happen.
They reached the door.
It was ajar, hanging off its hinges, the glass shattered, the frame rusted. Elara pushed it open slowly, the hinges creaking, the sound echoing in the silence of the dead city.
Inside, the gas station was a wreck.
Shelves were overturned, their contents scattered across the floor—candy bars, chips, soda cans, all expired, all useless. The counter was broken, the cash register smashed, the floor sticky with something dark and dried. And in the back, behind a row of empty shelves, Lucian could feel them.
Three of them.
Answering the After.
He could feel their resonance—cold, dark, hungry. A hunger that was not for connection, but for consumption. A hunger that wanted to tear everything apart, to reduce everything to nothing, to end everything.
Elara raised a hand, signaling them to stop. She listened, her dark brown eyes narrowed, her head tilted.
And then she heard it.
Voices.
Low, urgent, afraid.
"...felt something," one voice said. A man's voice, rough, trembling. "Like a... a pulse. From outside."
"Probably nothing," another voice said. A woman's voice, cold, efficient. "Just the ones who carry the Before. They're getting closer."
"We should move," the first voice said. "We should—"
And then the third voice spoke.
A young voice. Trembling. Scared.
"I don't want to do this anymore," the voice said. "I don't want to hunt them. I don't want to kill them."
There was a silence. Then the woman's voice, colder now.
"You don't have a choice, Leo," she said. "None of us do. The After chose us. It needs us."
"But—"
"Silence," the woman snapped. "They're here."
Elara moved.
She stepped through the door, her dark brown eyes fixed on the back of the store, her violet tracery pulsing faintly. Mara followed, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her fingers tracing the violet tracery on her jaw. Rose followed her, her violet glow brightening, her hands raised, ready. Kai followed Rose, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his eyes wide. Lucian brought up the rear, the sword in his hand, his gold-lit eyes scanning the shadows.
And then they saw them.
Three figures, standing behind the overturned shelves.
The first was a man—tall, broad-shouldered, his face lined with age and sorrow. His eyes were dark, almost black, and they glowed with a cold, dark light. His hands were clenched into fists, and Lucian could see dark light pulsing beneath his skin, cold and dark, like the shadow of a star.
The second was a woman—shorter, leaner, her face sharp, her eyes cold, calculating. Her eyes were the same cold dark, and her hands were raised, her fingers spread, dark light crackling between them like electricity.
The third was a boy.
Young—sixteen, maybe seventeen. His face was pale, his eyes wide with fear, his dark eyes filled with tears. He stood behind the other two, his hands clenched at his sides, his body trembling.
The man looked at them, his dark eyes narrowing.
"Elara," he said. His voice was rough, tired. "I should have known."
Elara's expression was calm. Measured. But Lucian could see the tension in her jaw, the fear in her dark brown eyes.
"Silas," she said. "I should have known you'd be here."
The man—Silas—smiled. It was not a warm smile. It was not a kind smile. It was the smile of someone who had seen too much, known too much, felt too much.
"The After told me you were coming," he said. "It told me you'd bring the others. The Before's carried."
He looked at Lucian, his dark eyes piercing, assessing.
"And you must be Lucian," he said. "The one who broke the chamber. The one the Before has its teeth in deepest."
Lucian tightened his grip on the sword. "And you must be the one who hunts us," he said. "The one who kills us."
Silas's smile deepened, but it did not reach his eyes. "I don't kill them," he said. "I free them."
He gestured to the boy behind him—Leo.
"Leo here carried the Before once," Silas said. "Weak. Fragile. The Before was using him, draining him, consuming him. We found him. We freed him. We gave him a purpose."
Leo flinched. His dark eyes filled with tears.
"That's a lie," he whispered.
Silas's smile vanished. He turned to Leo, his dark eyes cold, hard.
"Silence," he snapped.
Leo flinched again, his body trembling.
The woman stepped forward, her dark eyes fixed on Elara.
"We don't have time for this," she said. Her voice was cold, efficient. "The After wants them. It wants them alive. We take them. Now."
Elara shook her head. "You're not taking anyone," she said.
The woman's eyes narrowed. Dark light crackled between her fingers, brighter now, more intense.
"We'll see about that," she said.
The fight was fast. Brutal. Merciless.
The woman moved first, her hands raised, dark light crackling between her fingers like electricity. She thrust her hands forward, and a bolt of dark energy shot across the room, aimed at Elara.
Elara ducked, the bolt passing over her head, striking the wall behind her, the concrete exploding into dust and debris. Mara moved beside her, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her violet tracery pulsing brightly. She raised her hands, and a wave of violet energy shot forward, colliding with the woman's dark bolt, the two energies colliding in a burst of light and sound that shook the building.
Silas moved next, his hands clenched into fists, dark light pulsing beneath his skin. He charged at Lucian, his movements fast, powerful, hungry. Lucian raised the sword, parrying Silas's fist, the gold light of the sword colliding with the dark light of Silas's skin, the impact sending a shockwave through the room.
He's strong, Lucian thought, his arms shaking from the impact. Stronger than me.
Silas swung again, his fist aimed at Lucian's head. Lucian ducked, the fist grazing his hair, the wind from the blow ruffling his strands. He swung the sword, the blade slicing through the air, aiming for Silas's side. Silas blocked with his forearm, the dark light of his skin deflecting the blade, but Lucian could see the pain in his eyes, the surprise.
He's not invincible, Lucian thought. He can be hurt.
Rose moved to protect Kai, her violet glow brightening, her hands raised, violet energy crackling between her fingers. She thrust her hands forward, and a wave of violet energy shot across the room, aimed at Silas, forcing him to back away from Lucian.
And Leo...
Leo stood frozen.
His dark eyes were wide with fear, his body trembling, his hands clenched at his sides. He looked at the fight, at the violence, at the hunger that lived in the hollow spaces of his mind, and he screamed.
"STOP!"
The scream was not just a sound. It was a pulse. A wave of dark energy, dark and cold, that shot out from Leo's body, colliding with the other energies in the room, sending everyone flying backward.
Lucian hit the wall, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He slid to the floor, the sword clattering from his hand, his gold light pulsing wildly, erratically. He looked up, his gold-lit eyes wide, and saw the others—Elara on the floor, her dark brown eyes wide with shock; Mara beside her, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her violet tracery pulsing faintly; Rose on her knees, her violet glow flickering; Kai beside her, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his dark eyes wide with fear.
And Silas.
Silas was on his feet, his dark eyes fixed on Leo, his face twisted with rage.
"Fool," he snarled.
He charged at Leo, his hands raised, dark light pulsing beneath his skin.
Leo screamed again, but this time, it was not a pulse. It was a plea.
"I don't want to do this!" he cried. "I don't want to hurt anyone!"
Silas's fist connected with Leo's jaw, sending the boy flying backward, crashing into a shelf, cans and chips raining down on him. Leo slid to the floor, his dark eyes wide with pain, his body trembling.
Silas stood over him, his dark eyes cold, hard.
"You don't have a choice," he said. "None of us do."
He raised his fist, dark light pulsing beneath his skin, ready to strike again.
And then Lucian moved.
He was on his feet, the sword in his hand, his gold light blazing. He charged at Silas, the sword raised, his heart pounding, his mind filled with one thought: Protect the boy.
Silas turned, his dark eyes widening in surprise. He raised his fist to block, but Lucian was faster. The sword struck Silas's arm, the gold light of the blade colliding with the dark light of Silas's skin, the impact sending a shockwave through the room.
Silas screamed.
It was not a scream of pain. It was a scream of rage. Of hunger. Of desire to consume, to destroy, to end everything.
He swung his fist at Lucian, the dark light pulsing beneath his skin, the impact striking Lucian's chest, sending him flying backward. Lucian hit the wall again, the impact knocking the wind out of him, the sword clattering from his hand.
He slid to the floor, his gold light pulsing wildly, erratically. He looked up, his gold-lit eyes wide, and saw Silas standing over him, his dark eyes cold, hard, his fist raised, ready to strike.
This is it, Lucian thought. I'm going to die.
And then Elara moved.
She was on her feet, her violet tracery pulsing brightly, her dark brown eyes fierce. She raised her hands, and a wave of violet energy shot across the room, colliding with Silas, sending him flying backward, crashing into the wall, the concrete exploding into dust and debris.
Silas slid to the floor, his dark eyes wide with shock, his body trembling. He tried to stand, but his legs gave out, and he collapsed, his dark eyes fixed on Elara, his face twisted with rage.
"You..." he whispered. "You can't... stop the After..."
Elara stood over him, her violet tracery pulsing faintly, her dark brown eyes grave.
"We don't have to stop it," she said. "We just have to stop you."
She raised her hand, and a wave of violet energy shot forward, striking Silas in the chest. He screamed again, his body convulsing, his dark eyes widening, and then...
He went still.
His dark eyes stared at the ceiling, unseeing. His body lay still, silent. Dead.
Lucian stared at Silas's body.
He couldn't breathe. His chest was tight, his heart pounding so hard he could feel it in his throat. He had never seen death before. Not like this. Not caused by him. Not caused by any of them.
I did this, he thought. I helped kill him.
The thought made him sick. He wanted to look away, to close his eyes, to pretend it hadn't happened. But he couldn't. He was frozen, staring at Silas's body, at the blood on the floor, at the empty eyes that would never see anything again.
Rose was on her knees, her violet glow flickering, her hands pressed against her mouth, her gold eyes wide with horror. Kai stood beside her, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his dark eyes wide with fear. Mara stood beside Elara, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her violet tracery pulsing faintly.
And Leo...
Leo lay on the floor, his body trembling, his dark eyes filled with tears. He looked at Silas's body, at the woman's body—she had fallen during the fight, her dark eyes unseeing, her body still—and he sobbed.
"I didn't want this," he whispered. "I didn't want anyone to die."
Elara knelt beside him, her dark brown eyes gentle.
"I know," she said. "I know."
She reached out, her hand resting on Leo's shoulder.
"You're free now," she said. "You don't have to hunt anymore. You don't have to kill anymore."
Leo looked up at her, his dark eyes filled with tears.
"What... what happens now?" he asked.
Elara looked at Lucian, her dark brown eyes grave.
Lucian met her gaze. He wanted to say something—anything—but his throat was tight, his mind reeling. He looked at Silas's body again, and he felt something cold settle in his stomach.
This is what it means to carry it, he thought. This is what the Before wants. This is what the war is.
He didn't know if he could do it again. He didn't know if he wanted to do it again. But he knew one thing: if he didn't, everyone he cared about would die.
And he couldn't let that happen.
"Now," Elara said, her voice steady, "we take him with us."
They buried Silas and the woman outside the gas station.
It was a shallow grave, dug in the dirt behind the building, their bodies wrapped in tarps from the gas station's storage room. Lucian helped dig, his hands blistered, his gold light pulsing slowly, steadily. He did not speak. He did not look at the bodies. He just dug.
Each shovelful of dirt felt heavy, like he was burying a part of himself. He thought about Silas's face, the rage in his eyes, the hunger that had driven him. He thought about the woman, cold and efficient, doing what she believed was right. He thought about Leo, trembling and scared, forced to fight for a cause he didn't believe in.
Were they monsters? Lucian thought. Or were they just people, like me, caught in something bigger than themselves?
He didn't have an answer. He didn't know if he wanted an answer.
Rose helped too, her violet glow dimmed, her hands blistered, her gold eyes fixed on the ground. Kai helped too, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his dark eyes wide with fear. Mara helped too, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her violet tracery pulsing faintly. Elara helped too, her dark brown eyes grave, her violet tracery pulsing slowly.
And Leo watched.
He sat on the ground, his body trembling, his dark eyes fixed on the graves, his face pale, his hands clenched at his sides. He did not speak. He did not help. He just watched.
When the graves were filled, Elara stood, brushing the dirt from her hands.
"We should go," she said. "The builders' heirs will come looking for them."
Lucian nodded. He stood, his body aching, his gold light pulsing slowly, steadily. He looked at Leo, who was still sitting on the ground, his dark eyes fixed on the graves.
"Leo," Lucian said.
Leo looked up, his dark eyes wide with fear.
"Come with us," Lucian said.
Leo shook his head. "I... I can't," he whispered. "I'm one of them. I answer the After."
Elara knelt beside him, her dark brown eyes gentle.
"You're not one of them anymore," she said. "You're free. And you're not alone."
She reached out, her hand resting on Leo's shoulder.
"The Before can heal you," she said. "It can help you. It can show you a different path."
Leo looked at her, his dark eyes filled with tears.
"And if it can't?" he asked.
Elara was silent for a long moment. Then she said, "Then we'll help you anyway."
Leo looked at Lucian, at Rose, at Kai, at Mara. He looked at their faces, their eyes, their light. And then he nodded.
"Okay," he whispered. "Okay."
They left the gas station at dusk.
Elara led the way, her pace steady, her dark brown eyes scanning the streets, the buildings, the shadows. Mara walked beside her, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her fingers tracing the violet tracery on her jaw. Rose walked behind them, her violet glow dimmed, her hands clenched into fists. Kai walked beside her, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his eyes wide, taking in everything. Lucian walked at the back, the sword in his hand, his senses sharp, alert.
And Leo walked beside Lucian.
He was quiet. Trembling. His dark eyes fixed on the ground, his body tense, his hands clenched at his sides. He did not speak. He did not look at Lucian. He just walked.
Lucian looked at him, his gold-lit eyes narrowed.
"You okay?" he asked.
Leo flinched. He looked at Lucian, his dark eyes wide with fear.
"I... I don't know," he whispered. "I've never... I've never been with those who carry the Before before. I don't know what to do."
Lucian nodded slowly. He understood. He had felt the same way when he had first woken up, when he had first felt the Before stir in the hollow spaces of his mind, when he had first met Mara, Rose, Kai.
"You don't have to do anything," he said. "Just... stay with us. We'll help you."
Leo nodded, his dark eyes filled with tears.
"Thank you,"
Not the silence of emptiness, but the silence of waiting. The kind of silence that comes before a fight, before a revelation, before something vast and ancient shifts its weight and changes everything.
Lucian stood at the edge of the parking lot, the sword in his hand, his gold-lit eyes fixed on the shattered windows of the building. He could feel the three of them inside—those who answered the After—their cold, dark resonance pressing against his mind, against the Before, against the hunger that lived in the hollow spaces of his mind.
They were answering the After. Echoes of its hunger, scattered across the universe, waiting to be gathered, waiting to be woken. And they were hungry.
Elara stood beside him, her dark brown eyes narrowed, her violet tracery pulsing faintly in the pre-dawn gloom. Mara stood on her other side, her storm-gray eyes scanning the building, the parking lot, the shadows. Rose stood behind them, her violet glow flickering, her hands clenched into fists. Kai stood beside her, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his dark eyes wide with fear.
"Three of them," Elara said quietly. "I can feel them. They're... agitated. Restless."
Mara nodded. "They know we're here," she said. "I can feel their awareness. Like a spotlight."
Lucian tightened his grip on the sword. The blade was cool in his hand, the gold light beneath his skin pulsing in time with the resonance of the others who answered it. He could feel the Before stir in the hollow spaces of his mind—the whispers louder now, clearer. Not words, but impressions. Images. Sensations.
He saw the three of them inside the gas station—their faces, their bodies, their hunger. He saw their cold, dark resonance, like a shadow that had no beginning and no end. He saw their desire to consume, to destroy, to end everything.
And he saw himself, standing in the center of it all, his gold light blazing, his sword raised, his heart pounding.
This is it, he thought. The first time I have to kill someone.
The thought made his stomach turn. He had never killed anyone. He had never even hurt anyone, not really. He was a mechanic, a guy who fixed cars, who lived in a small town, who had a life that was simple and quiet. And now he was standing in the ruins of a dead city, holding a sword, about to fight three people who wanted to kill him and everyone he cared about.
What have I become?
"Ready?" Elara asked.
Lucian nodded. He didn't trust his voice. "Ready," he said, and his voice was steady, even though his hands were shaking.
They moved in silence.
Elara led the way, her movements quiet, deliberate, her dark brown eyes scanning the shadows, the corners, the broken glass on the ground. Mara followed, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her fingers tracing the violet tracery on her jaw. Rose followed her, her violet glow dimmed, her steps light, silent. Kai followed Rose, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his eyes wide, taking in everything. Lucian brought up the rear, the sword in his hand, his senses sharp, alert.
He could feel the Before pressing against his mind, urging him forward, whispering to him in a language he didn't understand but somehow knew. It was not a voice, not really. It was a pull, a gravitational force that drew him toward the gas station, toward the three who answered the After inside, toward the fight that was coming.
They are not like you, the Before whispered—two voices, so tightly wound they rang as one. They are hollow. They are empty. They are weapons, not people.
Lucian didn't know if he believed that. He didn't know if he wanted to believe that. But he knew one thing: if he didn't fight, if he didn't kill, everyone he cared about would die.
And he couldn't let that happen.
They reached the door.
It was ajar, hanging off its hinges, the glass shattered, the frame rusted. Elara pushed it open slowly, the hinges creaking, the sound echoing in the silence of the dead city.
Inside, the gas station was a wreck.
Shelves were overturned, their contents scattered across the floor—candy bars, chips, soda cans, all expired, all useless. The counter was broken, the cash register smashed, the floor sticky with something dark and dried. And in the back, behind a row of empty shelves, Lucian could feel them.
Three of them.
Answering the After.
He could feel their resonance—cold, dark, hungry. A hunger that was not for connection, but for consumption. A hunger that wanted to tear everything apart, to reduce everything to nothing, to end everything.
Elara raised a hand, signaling them to stop. She listened, her dark brown eyes narrowed, her head tilted.
And then she heard it.
Voices.
Low, urgent, afraid.
"...felt something," one voice said. A man's voice, rough, trembling. "Like a... a pulse. From outside."
"Probably nothing," another voice said. A woman's voice, cold, efficient. "Just the ones who carry the Before. They're getting closer."
"We should move," the first voice said. "We should—"
And then the third voice spoke.
A young voice. Trembling. Scared.
"I don't want to do this anymore," the voice said. "I don't want to hunt them. I don't want to kill them."
There was a silence. Then the woman's voice, colder now.
"You don't have a choice, Leo," she said. "None of us do. The After chose us. It needs us."
"But—"
"Silence," the woman snapped. "They're here."
Elara moved.
She stepped through the door, her dark brown eyes fixed on the back of the store, her violet tracery pulsing faintly. Mara followed, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her fingers tracing the violet tracery on her jaw. Rose followed her, her violet glow brightening, her hands raised, ready. Kai followed Rose, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his eyes wide. Lucian brought up the rear, the sword in his hand, his gold-lit eyes scanning the shadows.
And then they saw them.
Three figures, standing behind the overturned shelves.
The first was a man—tall, broad-shouldered, his face lined with age and sorrow. His eyes were dark, almost black, and they glowed with a cold, dark light. His hands were clenched into fists, and Lucian could see dark light pulsing beneath his skin, cold and dark, like the shadow of a star.
The second was a woman—shorter, leaner, her face sharp, her eyes cold, calculating. Her eyes were the same cold dark, and her hands were raised, her fingers spread, dark light crackling between them like electricity.
The third was a boy.
Young—sixteen, maybe seventeen. His face was pale, his eyes wide with fear, his dark eyes filled with tears. He stood behind the other two, his hands clenched at his sides, his body trembling.
The man looked at them, his dark eyes narrowing.
"Elara," he said. His voice was rough, tired. "I should have known."
Elara's expression was calm. Measured. But Lucian could see the tension in her jaw, the fear in her dark brown eyes.
"Silas," she said. "I should have known you'd be here."
The man—Silas—smiled. It was not a warm smile. It was not a kind smile. It was the smile of someone who had seen too much, known too much, felt too much.
"The After told me you were coming," he said. "It told me you'd bring the others. The Before's carried."
He looked at Lucian, his dark eyes piercing, assessing.
"And you must be Lucian," he said. "The one who broke the chamber. The one the Before has its teeth in deepest."
Lucian tightened his grip on the sword. "And you must be the one who hunts us," he said. "The one who kills us."
Silas's smile deepened, but it did not reach his eyes. "I don't kill them," he said. "I free them."
He gestured to the boy behind him—Leo.
"Leo here carried the Before once," Silas said. "Weak. Fragile. The Before was using him, draining him, consuming him. We found him. We freed him. We gave him a purpose."
Leo flinched. His dark eyes filled with tears.
"That's a lie," he whispered.
Silas's smile vanished. He turned to Leo, his dark eyes cold, hard.
"Silence," he snapped.
Leo flinched again, his body trembling.
The woman stepped forward, her dark eyes fixed on Elara.
"We don't have time for this," she said. Her voice was cold, efficient. "The After wants them. It wants them alive. We take them. Now."
Elara shook her head. "You're not taking anyone," she said.
The woman's eyes narrowed. Dark light crackled between her fingers, brighter now, more intense.
"We'll see about that," she said.
The fight was fast. Brutal. Merciless.
The woman moved first, her hands raised, dark light crackling between her fingers like electricity. She thrust her hands forward, and a bolt of dark energy shot across the room, aimed at Elara.
Elara ducked, the bolt passing over her head, striking the wall behind her, the concrete exploding into dust and debris. Mara moved beside her, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her violet tracery pulsing brightly. She raised her hands, and a wave of violet energy shot forward, colliding with the woman's dark bolt, the two energies colliding in a burst of light and sound that shook the building.
Silas moved next, his hands clenched into fists, dark light pulsing beneath his skin. He charged at Lucian, his movements fast, powerful, hungry. Lucian raised the sword, parrying Silas's fist, the gold light of the sword colliding with the dark light of Silas's skin, the impact sending a shockwave through the room.
He's strong, Lucian thought, his arms shaking from the impact. Stronger than me.
Silas swung again, his fist aimed at Lucian's head. Lucian ducked, the fist grazing his hair, the wind from the blow ruffling his strands. He swung the sword, the blade slicing through the air, aiming for Silas's side. Silas blocked with his forearm, the dark light of his skin deflecting the blade, but Lucian could see the pain in his eyes, the surprise.
He's not invincible, Lucian thought. He can be hurt.
Rose moved to protect Kai, her violet glow brightening, her hands raised, violet energy crackling between her fingers. She thrust her hands forward, and a wave of violet energy shot across the room, aimed at Silas, forcing him to back away from Lucian.
And Leo...
Leo stood frozen.
His dark eyes were wide with fear, his body trembling, his hands clenched at his sides. He looked at the fight, at the violence, at the hunger that lived in the hollow spaces of his mind, and he screamed.
"STOP!"
The scream was not just a sound. It was a pulse. A wave of dark energy, dark and cold, that shot out from Leo's body, colliding with the other energies in the room, sending everyone flying backward.
Lucian hit the wall, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He slid to the floor, the sword clattering from his hand, his gold light pulsing wildly, erratically. He looked up, his gold-lit eyes wide, and saw the others—Elara on the floor, her dark brown eyes wide with shock; Mara beside her, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her violet tracery pulsing faintly; Rose on her knees, her violet glow flickering; Kai beside her, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his dark eyes wide with fear.
And Silas.
Silas was on his feet, his dark eyes fixed on Leo, his face twisted with rage.
"Fool," he snarled.
He charged at Leo, his hands raised, dark light pulsing beneath his skin.
Leo screamed again, but this time, it was not a pulse. It was a plea.
"I don't want to do this!" he cried. "I don't want to hurt anyone!"
Silas's fist connected with Leo's jaw, sending the boy flying backward, crashing into a shelf, cans and chips raining down on him. Leo slid to the floor, his dark eyes wide with pain, his body trembling.
Silas stood over him, his dark eyes cold, hard.
"You don't have a choice," he said. "None of us do."
He raised his fist, dark light pulsing beneath his skin, ready to strike again.
And then Lucian moved.
He was on his feet, the sword in his hand, his gold light blazing. He charged at Silas, the sword raised, his heart pounding, his mind filled with one thought: Protect the boy.
Silas turned, his dark eyes widening in surprise. He raised his fist to block, but Lucian was faster. The sword struck Silas's arm, the gold light of the blade colliding with the dark light of Silas's skin, the impact sending a shockwave through the room.
Silas screamed.
It was not a scream of pain. It was a scream of rage. Of hunger. Of desire to consume, to destroy, to end everything.
He swung his fist at Lucian, the dark light pulsing beneath his skin, the impact striking Lucian's chest, sending him flying backward. Lucian hit the wall again, the impact knocking the wind out of him, the sword clattering from his hand.
He slid to the floor, his gold light pulsing wildly, erratically. He looked up, his gold-lit eyes wide, and saw Silas standing over him, his dark eyes cold, hard, his fist raised, ready to strike.
This is it, Lucian thought. I'm going to die.
And then Elara moved.
She was on her feet, her violet tracery pulsing brightly, her dark brown eyes fierce. She raised her hands, and a wave of violet energy shot across the room, colliding with Silas, sending him flying backward, crashing into the wall, the concrete exploding into dust and debris.
Silas slid to the floor, his dark eyes wide with shock, his body trembling. He tried to stand, but his legs gave out, and he collapsed, his dark eyes fixed on Elara, his face twisted with rage.
"You..." he whispered. "You can't... stop the After..."
Elara stood over him, her violet tracery pulsing faintly, her dark brown eyes grave.
"We don't have to stop it," she said. "We just have to stop you."
She raised her hand, and a wave of violet energy shot forward, striking Silas in the chest. He screamed again, his body convulsing, his dark eyes widening, and then...
He went still.
His dark eyes stared at the ceiling, unseeing. His body lay still, silent. Dead.
Lucian stared at Silas's body.
He couldn't breathe. His chest was tight, his heart pounding so hard he could feel it in his throat. He had never seen death before. Not like this. Not caused by him. Not caused by any of them.
I did this, he thought. I helped kill him.
The thought made him sick. He wanted to look away, to close his eyes, to pretend it hadn't happened. But he couldn't. He was frozen, staring at Silas's body, at the blood on the floor, at the empty eyes that would never see anything again.
Rose was on her knees, her violet glow flickering, her hands pressed against her mouth, her gold eyes wide with horror. Kai stood beside her, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his dark eyes wide with fear. Mara stood beside Elara, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her violet tracery pulsing faintly.
And Leo...
Leo lay on the floor, his body trembling, his dark eyes filled with tears. He looked at Silas's body, at the woman's body—she had fallen during the fight, her dark eyes unseeing, her body still—and he sobbed.
"I didn't want this," he whispered. "I didn't want anyone to die."
Elara knelt beside him, her dark brown eyes gentle.
"I know," she said. "I know."
She reached out, her hand resting on Leo's shoulder.
"You're free now," she said. "You don't have to hunt anymore. You don't have to kill anymore."
Leo looked up at her, his dark eyes filled with tears.
"What... what happens now?" he asked.
Elara looked at Lucian, her dark brown eyes grave.
Lucian met her gaze. He wanted to say something—anything—but his throat was tight, his mind reeling. He looked at Silas's body again, and he felt something cold settle in his stomach.
This is what it means to carry it, he thought. This is what the Before wants. This is what the war is.
He didn't know if he could do it again. He didn't know if he wanted to do it again. But he knew one thing: if he didn't, everyone he cared about would die.
And he couldn't let that happen.
"Now," Elara said, her voice steady, "we take him with us."
They buried Silas and the woman outside the gas station.
It was a shallow grave, dug in the dirt behind the building, their bodies wrapped in tarps from the gas station's storage room. Lucian helped dig, his hands blistered, his gold light pulsing slowly, steadily. He did not speak. He did not look at the bodies. He just dug.
Each shovelful of dirt felt heavy, like he was burying a part of himself. He thought about Silas's face, the rage in his eyes, the hunger that had driven him. He thought about the woman, cold and efficient, doing what she believed was right. He thought about Leo, trembling and scared, forced to fight for a cause he didn't believe in.
Were they monsters? Lucian thought. Or were they just people, like me, caught in something bigger than themselves?
He didn't have an answer. He didn't know if he wanted an answer.
Rose helped too, her violet glow dimmed, her hands blistered, her gold eyes fixed on the ground. Kai helped too, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his dark eyes wide with fear. Mara helped too, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her violet tracery pulsing faintly. Elara helped too, her dark brown eyes grave, her violet tracery pulsing slowly.
And Leo watched.
He sat on the ground, his body trembling, his dark eyes fixed on the graves, his face pale, his hands clenched at his sides. He did not speak. He did not help. He just watched.
When the graves were filled, Elara stood, brushing the dirt from her hands.
"We should go," she said. "The builders' heirs will come looking for them."
Lucian nodded. He stood, his body aching, his gold light pulsing slowly, steadily. He looked at Leo, who was still sitting on the ground, his dark eyes fixed on the graves.
"Leo," Lucian said.
Leo looked up, his dark eyes wide with fear.
"Come with us," Lucian said.
Leo shook his head. "I... I can't," he whispered. "I'm one of them. I answer the After."
Elara knelt beside him, her dark brown eyes gentle.
"You're not one of them anymore," she said. "You're free. And you're not alone."
She reached out, her hand resting on Leo's shoulder.
"The Before can heal you," she said. "It can help you. It can show you a different path."
Leo looked at her, his dark eyes filled with tears.
"And if it can't?" he asked.
Elara was silent for a long moment. Then she said, "Then we'll help you anyway."
Leo looked at Lucian, at Rose, at Kai, at Mara. He looked at their faces, their eyes, their light. And then he nodded.
"Okay," he whispered. "Okay."
They left the gas station at dusk.
Elara led the way, her pace steady, her dark brown eyes scanning the streets, the buildings, the shadows. Mara walked beside her, her storm-gray eyes narrowed, her fingers tracing the violet tracery on her jaw. Rose walked behind them, her violet glow dimmed, her hands clenched into fists. Kai walked beside her, his gold pendant clutched in his hand, his eyes wide, taking in everything. Lucian walked at the back, the sword in his hand, his senses sharp, alert.
And Leo walked beside Lucian.
He was quiet. Trembling. His dark eyes fixed on the ground, his body tense, his hands clenched at his sides. He did not speak. He did not look at Lucian. He just walked.
Lucian looked at him, his gold-lit eyes narrowed.
"You okay?" he asked.
Leo flinched. He looked at Lucian, his dark eyes wide with fear.
"I... I don't know," he whispered. "I've never... I've never been with those who carry the Before before. I don't know what to do."
Lucian nodded slowly. He understood. He had felt the same way when he had first woken up, when he had first felt the Before stir in the hollow spaces of his mind, when he had first met Mara, Rose, Kai.
"You don't have to do anything," he said. "Just... stay with us. We'll help you."
Leo nodded, his dark eyes filled with tears.
"Thank you,"