The lights went out and Aisling looked around in surprise. She blinked and felt very blind at the moment.
"Sindri!" Aisling said and the Page of Swords Sindri appeared.
"You called?" Sindri said. He was the same size as Puck with hair that resembled flames and he had a sword that reminded her of the tiny plastic swords she saw in restaurants to decorate drinks and small desert dishes.
"We need light," Aisling said glancing around. It was hard to tell if people were around. She could hear them panicking and questing why the back up generator wasn't working. "We're being followed by something." She rubbed her arms when she felt Goosebumps creep up her arms. Now she sensed what Aiba was talking about. She opened up her mind. Whatever it was moving their way...fast.
Sindri sensed it as well and drew his tiny sword out. The sword glowed and cast enough light to illuminate Aisling's and Aiba's faces. "There!" Sindri said pointing his sword down the hall and they saw something dark moved around the corner. When Sindri pointed his sword at it and the light shined in it's direction. The dark entity hissed and slunk away.
They watch it retreat until it was gone but Aisling could still sense it. It was growing stronger now and Aisling was sure that when the lights turned off it grew stronger in the total darkness.
"What do we do?" Aisling said looking at Aiba and Sindri.
Aiba rubbed the back of his head as it looked like he was trying to perform a plan. "It's still light out. We should go outside. It wouldn't be a good idea to fight it in the hospital."
Aisling nodded and they walked around to find the nearest exit. Sindri would held up his sword like a lantern and scan around the darkest shadows suspiciously.
They didn't know they were being watched. Not by the shadow but by a man.
Merrick peered around the corner and smirked when he spotted his target. The information he was told was correct. Aisling was an angel now but in a human body she was born with? That must meant she's an Earth Guardian. No wonder she had such valuable cards as her protectors and teachers. He sighed he wanted the cards very badly but that would had to wait.
He looked at the dark haired boy he didn't know but he knew that he was the summoner. His eyes moved to the rings on the boy's right hand. Ah those must be the Bond Links or Medium to his Spirit Partners as the card case was Aisling's Bond Link to the Card Spirits. The magician wondered how powerful the boy's Earth Spirits were? He shook his head. No no mustn't fall into temptation just yet. I must play the good guy until the right moment.
He glanced to his side and saw his Shadow stealthily closing in on the from behind. He smirked. Time to play the hero.
The Shadow slink to the floor and reach his long finger hands and then grabs the two shadows that belong to the Aisling and Aiba.
"What the?" Aiba said freezing in place. "I can't move...."
"What's happening?" Aisling said shaking as she tired to move but couldn't.
"Ack! It snuck up on us from behind!" Sindri said whirling around and tried to search for the creature.
Merrick then stepped out of hiding and pulled his sleeve up and revealed a jeweled wrist band. I summon the Shadow Eater! The Black Onyx on the wrist band glowed and a entity appeared that resembled a Venus Fly Trap with hundreds of tentacles waving in the air. The tentacles shot out and grab the Shadow that had captured the children. Swiftly it gobbled the Shadow up and the dark entity didn't had time to scream or struggle.
"Delicious," The Shadow Eater burped and disappeared.
Merrick smirked and pulled his sleeve down to cover his wrist band. He turned and saw Aisling and Aiba staring at him.
"Who are you?" Aiba said blinking.
The magician bowed in exaggerated grace. "Good afternoon children. My name is Merrick Alvey." He pulled a palm sized card from his jacket pocket. "Here's my business card." He grinned handing it to Aiba. Aiba blinked and took the card.
"Merrick the Extraordinary Mystic Man." Aiba read out load.
"Wait..." Aisling said slowly staring at Merrick. "Aren't you...my uncle?"
"You're uncle?" Aiba repeated looking at Merrick and then at Aisling.
"That's right! It's so good too see you again Ashley!" He always made mistaken with Aisling for Ashly because of the pronunciation of the name. He strolled over to them. "Come here and give your favorite uncle a hug!" Without giving her a time to react he pulled Aisling into a bear hug.
Aisling froze in his embrace. What the... She suddenly pushed him away and quickly hid behind Aiba.
"Huh? What's wrong?" He said looking hurt but hid back a smirk when he understood.
"Aisling?" Aiba said confused looking over his shoulder at her as she grip his arm.
She tried not to panic but her hands and knees shook. She never experience anything like it. It was so unnerving. She couldn't sense anything! Nothing! Not even when he touched her. No emotions at all not even any physical pain he might be enduring. It wasn't normal and it scared her. The only way that could explain it was that he was either a robot (which was absurd) or that he had no soul.
"Merrick!"
Merrick turned his head sharply as they heard running feat approaching them.
Then Aine came swooping in and hit Merrick in the face. "Where were you?!" Aine shouted her eyes blazing furiously. "You disappeared when the lights went out!"
"Ouch..." Merrick said rubbing the part where she hit him. "Sorry I sensed something that caught my attention and couldn't resist investigating." He laughed sheepishly and pointed his thump at Aisling's and Aiba's direction. "And look who I found."
***
Kay that's it. Don't know what to write anymore.
Merrick does have a soul but it's cloaked so he could fool Empaths easily.
