Chapter 17

“Are you just going to lie there or are you going to help me?!” Aiden shouted at Nate as he charged at the first ghost.

Nate watched as Aidan’s image flashed towards the first ghost, barreling into its stomach before coming away with a mouthful of meat, the meat in Aidan’s mouth dissipated but the wound remained on the ghost showing its intestines. Strangely the ghost didn’t seemed phased at all.

“We’ve come for the wretched Demon. Stand aside Anima.” The ghost said as more ghosts jumped through the window standing beside the first ghost.

Nate thought these people looked familiar but he couldn’t remember where he saw them. He was still out of it as his whole body throbbed in pain, interfering with his ability to think clearly.

“There’s no demon here, you’ve got the wrong apartment!” Aidan growled.

Nate detected a quiver in the young boy’s voice. Although Aiden was terrified he stood before Nate, protecting him from ghastly looked ghosts. These ghosts were clearly dead humans, Nate could see knife wounds that would kill a normal human, but there was a shadowy essence to them that made them seem like they weren’t really there.

“If you insist on protecting the demon then we’ll kill you first!” The first ghost charged at Aiden.

Nate saw Aiden flinch slightly before charging forward. He battled fiercely with the first ghost shredding it to pieces with its mouth. As the first ghost disappeared dozens of other ghosts surrounded Aiden attacking him from all sides. The ghosts tore into his fur using their bare hands, clawing away at him piece by piece.

I have to do something! Nate thought to himself angrily. But even as he tried to rally himself, his body just wouldn’t respond. His whole body felt as if it were on fire, his bones felt like glass. It felt like a cold only a hundred times the pain.

Suddenly an idea came to Nate. He was too weak to speak, but gathering his will he shouted the word in his mind: Impetus!

One second there was a chaotic battle before him, a bunch of ghosts attacking Aiden. The next second, with a burst of air, it was like the whole room was cleared. There wasn’t a single person in his apartment.

His body went from a burning fever to a mild chill. The aches and pains were gone as well. Nate felt strength returning to his body, with it came his ability to think. Using his mental energy, he began controlling his body like a puppet while also focusing on his awareness to take in the situation.

Aiden and the rest of the ghosts were down below in the parking lot although now there were only fifteen ghosts surrounding him. Nate dashed out of the apartment and jumped of the third-story while focusing his mental energy into a large ethereal hand. He brought that hand down on the ghosts surrounding Aiden.

The ghosts were squashed instantly, leaving behind nothing but wisps of smoke that dissipated. There were ten ghosts left. Nate rushed forward and swatted the large ethereal hand sideways so the ghosts charging Aiden were swept aside.

“Are you okay?” Nate said as he stood beside Aiden.

“I’ll be fine just take care of those assholes.” Aiden said as his body slowly began to regenerate.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the rest.”

Nate easily dispatched the remaining ghosts using ethereal hands that shot forward and squashed each ghost before they could get close enough to attack him.

“What the hell were those things?” Aiden said as he approached Nate from behind.

“I don’t know.” Nate stood there still reeling from everything that’s happened. Before they could continue further the space in front of them distorted. Space seemed to bend in on itself before a black hole appeared.

Nate looked at the hole dumbfounded. It was as if a hole was punched through reality. He couldn’t wrap his brain around it.

The hole expanded and suddenly several figures stepped through. “Nate?”

Nate looked at Amelia surprised. Around her stood Anza, Luke, Charlie, and several other vampires. They were all dressed in medieval attire as if they were heading to a renaissance fair. There were swords, staffs, and various other weapons on them to.

“This isn’t the NetherRealm.” Charlie said as he looked around in a daze. His eyes fell on Nate, glaring at him but not saying anything.

“What’re you guys doing here?” Nate said looking at Amelia specifically. He had no intention of talking with the other vampires, he’d had enough of their haughty attitudes.

“We’re… well…” Amelia paused, thinking about how to phrase her answer. “We’re looking for someone, have you seen anything strange?” She said.

“For Gods sake Amelia he’s seen vampires and werewolves, how far-fetched would ghosts be?” Anza said.

Amelia rolled her eyes but continued looking at Nate. Nate though he saw something in Amelia’s eyes, the expression on her face looked as if she was searching for something.

“How do you know about the ghosts?!” Aiden suddenly appeared in his small ten-year old body. There were several wounds on his body that were slowly recovering.

“You’ve seen them?” Amelia said, not breaking eye-contact with Nate.

“Hell yeah I seen them! They attacked our apartment! Dam ghosts said they were looking for demons but there were no demons inside the apartment yet they still attacked!”

Amelia grew alarmed as she went towards Nate. “They attacked you?” She said as she looked over his body, searching for injuries.

Nate felt extremely awkward as Amelia began fussing over him.

“Hell yeah they attacked! But those dumb ghosts couldn’t handle my bad ass-ness. Hmph!” Aiden had a cocky expression on his face.

Nate smiled as he looked down at his young friend, a few weeks ago Aiden was reserved and quiet, he had no clue what altered the boy’s personality but he was glad his young friend was healing from the trauma of his rough childhood.

Nate then turned towards Amelia and said: “I don’t know why those ghosts attacked but you lot appearing right after them is no coincidence.” He said with a questioning look.

“We- “

“Come Amelia, we have work to do.” Anza said cutting off whatever Amelia was about to say. Anza and the rest of the group began to turn back towards the dark portal, disappearing into it one by one.

Amelia looked at Nate helplessly before turning back. “I’m glad you’re okay.” She said giving Nate a sad smile before stepping into the dark portal. The dark portal slowly un-raveled then disappeared.

Nate felt complex emotions as he watched Amelia go. He wished he could just whisk her away but he knew she would never leave vampire society behind just for him. He turned to Aiden who was staring at him.

“I’m proud of you Aiden.” Nate said as he put his hand on Aiden’s shoulder, “Even though you were afraid you still stood in front of me, ready to protect me. Thank you.”

Aiden looked away from Nate’s eyes but not before Nate noticed a shy smile on Aiden’s face. He chuckled lightly before patting Aiden’s shoulder again. “Come on, I don’t know about you but I’m starving. Let’s go out to eat.”

“Hell yeah! Let’s go to King Burger!”

…

“Help! Somebody, please Help me!” Elli shouted at the top of her lungs.

She batted away a burly arm that was trying to feel her up. “Phillip keep your dam sausage hands off me.” Elli said in a low voice.

“We’re trying to sell an image here.” He said in a whiny voice.

Before Elli could respond a figure appeared at the end of the alley. “Help!” She continued to scream as the burly men around her began to behave in an aggressive manner.

Can’t believe people still fall for this trick. Elli chuckled to herself as the figure approached. Suddenly her stomach did a flip as a pang of fear shot through her. She quickly swiped at the Phillip and the others before walking towards the figure.

“Elder brother.” She said respectfully as she slightly bowed.

The figure stepped into the sunlight revealing a spiky blue haired youth who had the same resemblance as Elli. He glanced at Elli before looking at the burly men behind her. “Father calls for you, you’re to return home at once.” He said in a nonchalant manner.

“Why?!”

Smack! Her brother’s stinging slap jerked her face to the side.

“What the hell?!” Phillip and the other burly men shouted before they charged towards her and her older brother.

Elli turned around and her figure disappeared before re-appearing back in its place. Phillip and the rest of the burly men were all on the floor groaning in pain. They looked up at Elli in confusion, and fear. “I will return at once.”

“You think you can fool me?! I know you’re their friends. I know you sneak out of the house so you can play with these humans, robbing other prisoners with your little gadgets. The only reason why I haven’t said anything is because father said to let you be.” Her elder brother said before turning around his figure disappearing with a gust of wind.

Elli looked down at Phillip and the others with a sorry look on her face before turning around and following her brother. Ten minutes later they were both underground. The Black Watch Asylum was built on top of an old government lab that’s been abandoned for many years.

The lab was shut down after the media got wind of experiments being carried out on humans. The scientists who worked here were fired and anyone tied to this place was either killed or paid to keep silent about what went on here.

It was only the chief researcher who remained after making a breakthrough in human biology. Doctor Mendel, her father. After twenty years Black Watch Asylum was built on top of the government lab which was perfect for someone like her father.

As the gates to the underground lab opened she began to hear the wailing lament of the Numbers. There was a walkway leading to a double-door. Cells lined up the walls on each side of the room.

“Please, please kill me. I can’t take it anymore!” She heard one of the Numbers yell as he reached out his hand towards Elli. Elli recoiled slightly from the out-stretched hand. All around them the Numbers reached out trying to grab them. Wails of despair and pleading could be heard all around.

They’re just numbers. They’re not humans anymore, just numbers! She repeated that mantra in her head several times as she kept her head low and eyes closed.

As they reached the double-doors she couldn’t help but glance up. She noticed something at the corner of her eye, doubting what she saw she turned fully towards the cell. There was a small child, barely five years old, standing naked in the cell. He stood there staring lifelessly at Elli.

“Father said he would never touch the little ones!” Elli shouted at her brother. She couldn’t hold back the tears that streamed down her face.

“Father is a genius. If he deems it necessary to experiment on children, then that’s what he must do. You forget father’s purpose. “Greatness resides within the human body. Inside our masterfully constructed bodies lies the secret of understanding the universe and it is our duty to ferret those secrets.”

Elli never felt so disgust then she did at that moment. She felt her knees go weak. She looked up at elder brother and saw him looking back at her with eyes filled with disdain. “There’s so much to learn yet you would halt the advancement of science, and for what? These prisoners will die a useless death here in this prison, why shouldn’t we take advantage for the advancement of the human race? Your weak Elli.”

Elder brother turned away. He opened the double-doors and walked through them, leaving Elli behind with her thoughts and emotions roiling.

She flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning to her right she saw the small boy placing his small little hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him baffled. Is he trying to comfort me?

“It’ll be alright Michael, just close your eyes. Mommy loves you.” The little boy said in a soft soothing tone.

The tears flowed unceasingly down Elli’s eyes. “Forgive me.” She cried looking down in shame. “Forgive me.”