Please note this is a guest entry.

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Dun-Dun-Dun. April prayed to whatever god would listen that the infernal being did not hear the hammering heart inside of her chest, yet she held no belief it could miss it, as she heard every last heartbeat from Oliver’s.

She glanced over at the pikes on the rack behind her, their very last line of defense.

The armory was cast in shadows, and what little light came through the door barely illuminated the wooden boxes and barrels sporadically scattered throughout the hard stone room.

her eyes wandered for a second, landing on Oliver next to her, whose gaze was fixed on the door. Their hands had unconsciously locked together in an iron-tight grip. The side of her lips curled upwards in a smile, at least she was not alone this time.

RATTLE-RATTLE.

The light faded as the overly tall yet sickeningly thin figure wandered through the doorway.

Rattle. It stared directly at the boxes Oliver and April hid behind, then inhaled sharply through the nose twice.

A voice best described as a child screaming into a walkie-talkie, barely in range, rung out from the nephilim.

“DDddiiii-… Diiieeeee. K-kiiiiiiill.”

Rattle- The chain swung behind the back of the nephilim. Tunnel vision.

Instinctively, they both grasped onto a pike each.

“We’re not gonna make it!” Oliver yelled, as he forced the tip of his pike towards the beast.

A voice echoed from the doorway, “Checkmate.”

CLACK.

A steel crossbow bolt struck the nephilim in the back of the head.

“Boom, headshot!”

It turned slowly towards the perpetrator.

“Oh f–”

“RRAAAHHH” Splosh-splosh. The nephilim had been penetrated through the heart and the base of the neck with pikes.

It sunk to its knees, before crashing to the ground.

“Oh-yeah. Owned, noob.”

April’s eyes adjusted, the tunnel vision started fading. “Kite?”

“At your service,” He said with a smile.

“I’ve never been so glad to see a stranger before,” Oliver said.

“I know, I’m totally the em-vee-pe.” His smile soon faded. “but for real, thanks for saving my hide, miss, i thought It was totally Gee-Gee for me.”

“Gee-gee?” April said.

“A crossbow?” Oliver asked.

“What? I can’t risk shooting like you lot.”

“No, i mean… How?”

“You dropped it, buddy.” Kite said.

“There was a crossbow? We should have used that sooner.”

“No kidding, I’ve never seen worse bow skills in my life, and I’ve been to a lot of conventions with nerds showing their props off for the cosplaying… Well, nevermind that.” Kite said.

April shot her arms downward, as though she was trying to hammer her fists into an imaginary table. “Well excuse me for never having shot one before.” April said.

“I believe proper introductions are in order.” Kite said, taking a few steps closer towards April.

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He bowed down deeply, crossing his arm over his stomach. “I’m Alexander Knight, but you may call me Kite, Mi’lady.”

April put a hand to her mouth, yet despite all her effort she let out a giggle.

“Ah, too much?” Kite said, still bowing down, yet looking up at her.

“No, it’s...” She sharply inhaled, but paused. “very,” She waved a hand in small circles. “Y’know. Anyway, I’m April. April Rose.” 

He stood back up. “Charmed, I’m sure.”

Oliver stepped in between the two and reached out a hand in greeting. “Oliver Walker.”

Kite lifted an eyebrow at the hand, then reached his left hand out and folded Oliver’s fingers into a fist. His own fist met Oliver’s with a bump. “Nice meeting you, man.”

Oliver looked at Kite then back to his fist before lifting it up to stare at it.

Kite gazed down the hallway. “Well, let’s get this PUG party started.”

“Pugs?” April asked.

“Plug?” Oliver said in confusion.

“We’re leaving before anything else comes our way.” Kite said with a big smile.

“Wait.” April said, taking a look at the dead nephilim, whose body was covered in scars, yet looked as sickeningly thin as if it had never eaten in its life.

“Wait, what’re you going to do?” Oliver said.

April moved closer, staring directly at the sack over its head.

“No-no. April, you do not want to see the twisted creature under that sack, there’s a reason if they put a paper bag over someone’s head.”

“Have you ever seen it?” April asked.

“Well—no?”

“Aren’t you curious?” April asked.

“Not really.” Oliver said. “I can live without the nightmares.”

April grasped the coarse and blood splattered sack that covered the face of the creature, and loosened the strap that secured it. At the same time, Kite lifted the loaded crossbow and pointed at the nephilim.

“April. The Nightmare~es.” Oliver said, slowly backing off.

She wrangled the sack off of the head, and let out a gasp.

“Told you Ap—oh.”

The face that revealed itself had long black hair, and well defined traits, yet looked youthful.

“He’s…” Oliver said.

“Not what I expected a cold blooded killer to be like.” Kite said.

April opened his mouth. “There’s something here.” She picked up what appeared to be an oversized blue pearl.

She squinted, holding it towards the light from the doorway. “What’s this?”

With a shrug, she dropped the pearl into the sack the nephilim had worn over its head.

“What’re you gonna do with that?” Oliver asked.

She tied it around her belt. “Carry stuff.”

“Eww, geez it’s full of blood.” Oliver said.

Kite sighed in relief. “Let’s go, I’m getting the creeps from this. Patrols will arrive anytime now.”

“To the fork?” April asked.

“To the fork.” Kite confirmed with a nod.

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2 chapters to go. the 2nd will be there... Oh? that was now. Ahem. I'm just informed by my agent it's already out.

There's a small "I'm late" apology in the next chapter. Enjoy.