The Six

Chapter Forty- Falling

Eboni took the stairs two at a time, being as silent as she could while she scrambled up the stairs. Summoning a ball of energy to sit in her palm she knew that she had to move fast.

She met them head on at the top of the stairs, her ball of energy hitting only half of her targets. Plucking her last small dagger from her belt she moved with speed as she encased it in energy and threw it towards the last standing Dark One in front of her. With their sword raised and ready to strike they fell to the floor in a flash of light, joining the others with a satisfying thud.

She had done it.

Leaning against the wall of the tower she caught her breath, the adrenaline in her body weaning as she tired from the physical exertion of battle.

Bren. He was now the only thought on her mind. Climbing the last flight of stairs to where he was sealed in she sighed relived.

The wall that Kas had built around him was intact and Bren was safe. They would not be blinded.

A rustle of movement on the top floor of the tower startled her.

She had killed all the Dark Ones that had entered the tower, she was sure of it. And if there was one up there, why had they passed Bren and not done anything to stop him?

Tentatively she summoned her power again, her trusted white ribbon fluttering with trepidation as she slowly ascended the last flight of stairs, step by step.

Peaking up into the floor to see what she would be facing, she sighed in relief as she saw only one Dark One. One she could take care of very easily.

She began to form an ice needle in her palm once more. Taking aim with her mind she faltered. An uncomfortable wave of fear, pain and Darkness falling over her.

The man in front of her seemed oblivious to her presence. He stood staring out onto the battle field, watching in silence.

Struggling under the weight of whatever had overcome her she struggled up the last remaining steps and stumbled out onto the top of the tower.

Raising her hand once more to summon her power and end the evil in front of her.

A dark, blackened mist began to swirl across the floor, centring itself underneath the man.

Eboni opened her mouth in protest, hoping to stop whatever magic was afoot by distracting the conjurer- if he was indeed the person doing it. But no words left her mouth.

The mist continued to swirl, the dark power holding Eboni in silent protest as it rose slowly and consumed the Dark One in front of her.

Before her eyes the man disappeared. In his place a tall, black haired man stood with his back to her. The armour of the man before him gone, replaced by simple black trousers and a tunic.

Eboni protested again under the hold of the dark magic, her own power surging within her forcing the invisible shackles from her body and setting her free.

Standing still, and quietly panting from the exertion of using a large amount of her element at once she waited for the man to make his move.

The man before her turned, slowly. His eyes meeting hers.

And she knew all at once.

He was The Darkness.

The Darkness embodied turned to face her slowly, his posture relaxed as though he knew something she did not. Which given the circumstances was entirely likely.

Eboni sucked in a sharp breath, forcing herself to stand taller, look stronger, be more confident.

As they faced each other, the world outside the tower faded away. The screams and cries of her allies and enemies merging before fading into a dulled silence.