Iridescence

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

VANESSA

I was plunged into complete darkness. The only comfort as I fell was the fact that Billy's arms were wrapped protectively around me. I clung to him, screaming as we plummeted toward the ground.

We landed hard, but I felt no pain as Billy shifted and took the impact with his back. He was still holding onto me tightly as he groaned in pain.

As much as I didn't want to leave his arms, I rolled off of him and ended up beside him on the ground. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"I think so," Billy replied. "Are you?"

"Thanks to you." I stood up and reached for him, illuminating the darkness with stars above our heads as I helped him get back on his feet.

"Where are we?" Billy asked as he looked around.

"I'm not sure," I admitted.

"Is anyone else with us? Apollo, Eliza, and Baby Doll were right near us."

"I don't think they came with us, but I heard Eliza screaming..." I shook my head and tried to stay positive. "I'm sure she's okay."

Billy took my hand and squeezed it to comfort me. I smiled at him. "Come on," he said. "Let's find our way back to everyone."

We began walking through the darkness. Even my stars could only light our way so much. Wherever we were, it was not a place meant for the light.

"Vanessa, wait," Billy said suddenly. He moved in front of me as if he was protecting me from some unseen threat.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"There's something in the shadows."

I tensed, but I didn't see anything. "What is it?" I asked nervously.

"Trouble," Billy replied cryptically.

A figure strode toward us through the darkness then. She had a large, curvy body and was dressed in very provocative clothing. She wore more jewelry than I'd ever seen on one woman. Every finger had two or three rings on it, her arms were covered in gold bracelets, her ears had multiple earrings in them, and she wore several gaudy necklaces she had layered perfectly. Her face was covered in excessive makeup, but there was an unusual beauty to her features beneath all of that.

"Kakia," Billy said softly.

Why is that name so familiar? I wondered. And how does Billy know her?

"Hello, children," Kakia greeted us. Her smile and tone were deceptively friendly, but I sensed the threat beneath her facade. "It's so lovely to see you in the shadow realm."

"Leave us alone," Billy said with more confidence than he'd ever displayed before.

"You haven't even heard my offer, Nyght."

I'd told Billy who his original soul was, but it wasn't unlocked. His powers had defended him against his father, but he had no memories of Nyght and didn't know how to control his gifts.

"I don't want to," he replied. "You're trying to trick us."

"You remember me," Kakia said with delight. "But I would never trick you, Nyght. You're family."

"Family?" I asked him.

"She was Nyght's mom," he said.

I stared at him in surprise. "How do you know that?" I asked.

"It came to me when she got close to us."

"Nyght never talked about his mother. His father was bad enough," I remembered. "I didn't even know who she was."

"She wasn't around much. She left me with my father so she could go on tempting mortals to sin." Billy hesitated before he added, "You can't trust her."

"How hurtful," Kakia said with fake pain in her voice. "It's alright, Nyght. I'll forgive you if you're a good boy... Or, rather, a bad boy." She laughed.

"I would rather deal with Nyght's dad than Kakia," Billy informed me. Considering Nyght's father had been even more abusive and evil than Billy's, that told me all I needed to know about Kakia.

I summoned my athame. "Leave us alone or you'll regret it," I said sharply.

Kakia laughed. "Oh, Theadora, you amuse me!" She said.

"I remember you from learning mythology in school," I said as the story came back to me. "You tried to tempt Hercules to turn evil in exchange for a perfect life with no hardships."

"Ah, yes, Heracles... What an annoying man he was," Kakia replied. "Who passes up an easy, carefree life to endure endless hardships and obstacles?"

"Vanessa, we need to go," Billy said nervously.

"I can offer you a wonderful life, children," Kakia continued. "You can be together, living happily ever after. Theadora, I can even transform your body into one that feels anatomically correct to you. Your mother would be safe forever. Your life would be full of joy and luxury. I can give you all you ever dreamed of and more!"

"In exchange for what?" I asked. "My soul? There's always a price."

"No, darling, nothing as big as that," she said, waving off my words. "All you have to do is walk away. Keep your heads down. Do not stand against Altheos. Go home to your mother. Be safe, and live to dream another day. If you do that, I will grant you everything you desire."

Her tone was enchanting. I could understand why so many people were tempted to evil by this Goddess. It was hard to ignore her words and the promise of a happy, safe future. Still, I knew I couldn't accept her offer. My friends were counting on me, and I didn't have it in me to be selfish.

"With all due respect, Kakia, I refuse your offer," I replied politely but firmly.

Her face turned angry then. "Altheos will win, children," she informed us. "And when he rises to power, we will all dance upon your corpses!"

That was the creepiest thing I'd ever heard, but I couldn't dwell on it as the shadows sprang to life and began attacking us. I slashed at them with my athame as terror filled my entire soul.

I was quickly overwhelmed by them despite my best efforts. I continued fighting even as the shadows drew blood. I cried out in pain as darkness flowed into me. I doubled over, feeling severely ill as the darkness attacked my very soul.

Billy suddenly flew into action. I watched in shock as he stretched his arms out and took some of the shadows into himself. He physically turned into the embodiment of pure Darkness. With a determination I hadn't known he possessed, he took command of the rest of the shadows.

The shadows turned to face Kakia in unison. "You. Hurt. Vanessa," Billy said with anger.

Kakia seemed a little nervous as she took a step backward. "Nyght, calm down," she said.

"No."

There was so much power in that one word it made the shadows slam together into one giant creature. The shadow creature lunged at Kakia. She let out a terrified scream and vanished before it could tear her to pieces.

"Vanessa..." Billy said. He released the excess darkness and looked like himself again. "I'm going to get us out of here," he promised.

"I'm not feeling very well," I admitted.

"You're pure light," he replied. "Darkness isn't supposed to pierce your energy field. It's like poison to you."

"You have Nyght's memories," I realized.

"You got hurt, and it all hit me at once."

I smiled at him weakly. "I'll be okay," I said. "We're together. All I need is you."

He picked me up and carried me through the darkness. With determination, he said, "We're going to travel through the shadows to go back. Just hold on for another minute, okay? I'll find you help."

"I trust you," I replied.

He stepped through the darkest shadow with me in his arms. After a minute, we emerged in the light, inside of the church. As my eyes adjusted, he walked faster, looking for the others.

"Vanessa!" Emily cried as she spotted me. Everyone who had gone to the church with us was there except for Eliza.

"She was pierced by Darkness," Billy explained with fear in his voice.

"Apollo, Poseidon, hurry," Morpheus said. The three of them came to me at once. Morpheus held my hand to give me strength. "Poseidon, wash away the toxic energy," he said. "Apollo, fill her with the sun's light."

Neither of them stopped to protest or ask questions. I could feel the darkness being cleansed from my soul. I was weak, but as Apollo sent light into me, I started to feel stronger.

"You're going to be alright, Vanessa," he promised me.

"Where's Eliza?" I asked.

Apollo couldn't bring himself to answer me. "She's missing," Poseidon explained. "We're working on it."

I nodded. "Nyght unlocked," I said. "Billy remembers now."

"That is good news indeed," Morpheus replied.

Emily and Lucky hugged me at once, squishing me between them. I felt our energy as siblings flowing around us.

"Don't scare me like that," Emily scolded me.

"Sorry, Em," I replied.

"I'm glad you and Billy are okay, Vanessa," Jenna said. "Now, let's go find the rest of our friends."