Sarah and Jack were at Marco’s side immediately their luggage forgotten. Marco grunted as they pulled him up but as then stared at the figure in front of them. They felt their stones vibrating against their skin. The car alarm was going off and loosely they could hear people screaming and shouting but they had focused in on the new comer entirely. Their hands were spread and they looked into the shielded face and could feel the grin behind the mask. And finally, their words registered in all of their minds.
“Is this the guy that attacked Kat?” Jack asked.
“No. Seth didn’t mention anything about wings,” Marco said grunting again. “So that means there’s at least two of them.”
“Well look at that. Jack might’ve been right.”
“Don’t sound so surprised babe,” Jack winked. “Get these people away from here. I’ll keep this guy busy.”
“Okay,” she nodded quickly backing off pulling Marco behind her.
Marco and Jack exchanged looks before he said, “Be careful.”
“Come on. It’s me we’re talking-“
The dark knight darted past them and snatched Jack off the ground. He crashed through the sliding doors and to the floor flashing green. Bouncing to his feet he skid, to a halt the golden scarf billowing behind him. The stranger floated above the floor blocking some of light out with their wings.
“Ha! I knew I’d find one of you,” they said. “That little flare up like a tickle on my nose. You know I thought it was crazy. Thought it was just a bad trip. All this power and I get to keep it. All I have to do is kill some of those guys that saved the city. Fair trade in my eyes.”
Jack stood and rotated his arm in its socket slowly groaning as he teased the muscles. The armor flexed with each movement and it felt good. Cracking his neck back and forth he whipped his arm out and a pole manifested along with the curved blade. Turning it around and setting it on his shoulder he smirked. “You know I got told there might be a crazy threat coming. Didn’t expect some wing nut with wings though.”
They broke into a cackle of a laugh and raised their hand, the tips sharpening suddenly. “I like you,” they laughed again. “Going to be fun killing you.”
The dark knight began to move and paused turning to stare at the floor and at the black and blue garbed men and women that had gathered. A few of them were wearing camo and the guns they were holding were a hell of a lot bigger than standard security. “Get on the ground now!” one of them shouted.
A gun clicked and Jack turned looking at another pair of soldiers with their guns trained on him as well. “I’m not gonna lie. You all should get the hell out of here. You’re way out of your depth.”
“Lower the weapon and get on the ground. You may have helped the city a year ago but that doesn’t make you not dangerous now,” they said.
Jack nodded slowly. “Fair but that guy.”
He looked toward the dark knight who was rotating slowly, flapping their wings. “You have until the count of three or we will open fire!”
“Count of three huh?” they raised their hands slowly and began to lower it. “I only need to the count of one. One!”
Their wings flexed and slashed through the air like blades. Flashes of silver shot out and Jack moved spinning the scythe hearing the dinging of metal as the projectiles were scattered away from the soldiers. But the others weren’t so lucky. Jack flinched watching the blood splash floor and the very still bodies. Some wounded and some much worse.
“Get the hell out of here. Now!” Jack shouted and ran forward.
The silver clad dark knight turned and flexed a wing blocking the first swing of Jack’s scythe. Pivoting in the air they thrust their wing forward and knocked Jack into the air. Flapping their wings, they shot after him slashing their claws at Jack’s chest. He deflected one set of claws but their fist smashed into his chest driving him into the roof.
Crashing through the ceiling he burst into the concourse above and rolled across the floor. There were less people here but the amount of abandoned luggage, food and a few computers showed they didn’t miss them by much. Getting to his feet he spun his scythe around and used it like a shield as they slammed into him.
Sliding backwards he found his footing and watched as they raised a hand again. The dark knight brought it down and Jack spun his scythe stepping around it. Flicking his scythe forward he deflected their arm away and then thrust the scythe forward hooking it against their shoulder and pulling, cutting the armor.
They let out a hiss and Jack smirked flipping the scythe around he raised the blade above his head ready to swing. They crossed their arms above their head, the blade of the scythe catching between their gauntlets. Both wings surged forward like blades and digging into sides. Hissing through the pain he tried to move but they were fast enough that they kicked him in the chest sending him sprawling backwards. Using his scythe for balance he got back to his feet and readied the weapon.
Their wings spread out wide, flapping hard and going right back into the sky hovering above him. “You know, you’re really annoying. So let’s cut to the chase and finish things here.”
“Yeah go ahead and try,” Jack taunted and charged again.
He got close and swung the scythe low aiming at the dark knights knees but they jumped clean over it. Continuing his step, he let go of the scythe with one hand throwing a punch straight at their face. The wing was already moving to intercept, the edges starting to glow. A red flash engulfed the two of them and then Jack was a dozen feet away.
“Thanks for the assist,” Jack said glancing at Marco. “Think I might have almost lost a hand there.”
“At least you didn’t die this time there’s that,” he said and Jack just laughed.
Before Jack could inquire, lightning cracked and came down from the sky striking at the ground with a flash of black light. When the light subsided the silver clad dark knight was on their knees but there was another standing behind them. Their armor was black like midnight with a fur cowl around their neck.
Sarah hopped backwards cocking her head to the side, “Great there’s another one. Guess Jack was right.”
The Harlequin Library 