CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Once their consciousness returned, the first thing they did was look for Alice. Alec's blood runs cold at the sight. Nightmare had his little sister by the neck. He was holding her a foot of the ground. Her head dangled limply to the side. And there was a pool of blood below her, the crimson liquid flowing down from her fingertips.
"Alice!" he screamed in panic; his voice echoing in the silent night.
Nightmare turned to his direction and it smiled menacingly at him. Blood was dripping at the corner of his mouth and another surge of dread and fear gripped Alec. It couldn't be. He ripped his earphones off and swallowed two Alpha pills.
And in a blink of an eye, he was on top of Nightmare and Alice. With a war cry, Alec gave a spinning kick. Nightmare threw Alice away as he jumped back to avoid the attack. The unconscious girl rolled on the ground before she came to a complete stop. The cries of her crows suddenly filled the air.
Without a moment to lose, as soon as his feet touched the ground, Alec raised a hand towards the sky and called forth his lightning. It was bigger than any he had created before that Jet felt fear shiver down his spine. The older man was totally different from what he was used too.
Alec released his breath and lightning rained down on Nightmare. Smokes filled the air as the flowers and trees around him burst aflame. But even after all that, Nightmare was standing unscathed in the middle of the fire.
"Don't be reckless!" Clinton shouted to Alec who refused to listen.
Jet quickly removed his earphone as well and took the pills to help. He rushed towards the strange creature. With a shake of his head, Clinton turned to the people he called. "Sam, Duke, Rea, and Tom help them out," Clinton ordered as he ran towards Alice. "And you Z, come with me,"
Clinton knelt down beside Alice's bleeding figure. There was a wound on the side of her neck as if someone had taken a bite out of her. He inhaled sharply at the side. It was a good thing Alec didn't properly saw her or he would be more livid that he already was.
"Can you help her?" he asked the man who was kneeling on the other side of him.
Z, checked the girl\s pulse first. And then he nodded. "She's still alive. Though barely. I'll do my best but what she needs right now is a hospital. There's no way my healing could do much with a wound like this,"
"Focus on healing her," Clinton said. "I'll keep the two of you out of harm's way,"
Z nodded and quickly went to work. He put both of his hands on top of Alice and closed his eyes in concentration. From the palm of his hands came out a soft, blue light. It was warm, beating; as if alive. Clinton turned around to watch the fight.
Jet was currently occupying Nightmare's attention as he attacked nonstop. The air around the two of them was so tense even Clinton could see Jet manipulating it. Wind knives followed his every slash. While Alec stayed back, recharging his lightning. The tip of his fingertips glowing brightly with all the energy he was gathering but the man showed no attempt to attack.
Nightmare pushed Jet back with sheer strength. The monstrous creature did not even bat an eye with the large, gashing wound Jet had managed to deliver on his left hand. Sam and Duke appeared from behind, both of whom were holding into large, balls of fire. The two of them jumped towards Nightmare and thrust the fireball in his direction but the creature managed to evade.
Though, it was like Rea was waiting for the exact moment. As soon as Nightmare rushed in her direction, the woman smiled and went in for a punch. Nightmare caught her hand in his. But from between her fingers came out four, sharp blades and pierce through even the bones of Nightmare's hand.
The creature roared and threw Rea away. The woman rolled towards the tree and hit her back on one of them. Her back arched in pain as she whimpered silently, trying to subdue her scream.
Tom rushed towards her and pulled her out of the way just in time from Nightmare's shadow whip. The tree that was hit slowly fell down in one, swift whoop.
"Shit," Rea cursed, staring at the clean cut of the trunk. "That's some nasty ability,"
"What the hell is wrong with this man?" Tom asked in a loud voice. "He's clearly not a monster!"
Duke jumped out of the way of the whip and rolled through the grasses. "And the effects of the Freakquency obviously doesn't affect this guy,"
"Stop dawdling and start attacking!" Jet growled as he jumped towards Nightmare once more.
All of them could feel the air moving around them and towards Jet. He pulled his right arm back and they all could feel the wind enveloping his hand. And as if holding a big sword, Jet slashed down with a battle cry.
Nightmare stumbled back as Jet's wind sword lacerated him in the chest. Tom followed suit. While Nightmare was still preoccupied with his newly acquired wound, he clapped his hands once. An unseen force pushed Nightmare back as something hit his guts.
As the five of them battled it out, a black hole behind Alec opened up and Ronnie came out of it. He closed the portal and stood beside the younger man with a serious look in his eyes.
"It's all done," he stated. "I did it exactly how she said. Right, Ao?" Ronnie ran a finger lovingly at the crow's beak and Ao cawed in reply.
Alec nodded. "I'm almost at full capacity as well,"
Ronnie looked at the ball of lightning Alec was holding on the tip of his finger like it was nothing. The man's concentration was something to envy. Though, he doubted that only his concentration was fueling it at the moment.
"Get out!" Alec screamed and all five of them jumped out of the way without a moment's hesitation.
Nightmare turned towards Alec's direction and was greeted with a huge ball of lightning. The ball of pure energy cackled and they all could feel the heat coming from it. But Nightmare was not one to run. He dug his feet in the ground for a better hold and released his shadows.
His darkness battled Alec's bright weapon. And as if a firework show, the light exploded everywhere. They all jumped out of the way, diving into the trees to hide from its force. Nightmare laughed frighteningly. But what he wasn't expecting was the black hole that was hiding behind Alec's lightning ball.
Wide-eyed, he turned and run but the portal consumed him. His scream echoed in the dark night. It was like a howl of a real monster—raw and pure of menace. He stretched his arm up trying to grasp at anything. He managed to grip at a tree and started pulling himself out of the portal.
"You will not imprison me again!" he growled; his voice sinister and his grin so dark.
Ronnie clenched his teeth in utter concentration. His portal wouldn't hold for long. Alice told him they only had that one chance. Let it go, and Nightmare would be free forever.
--"If I die before he's returned to his prison, it would vanish with me forever. There will be no second chance,"--
Alice's warning rang in his ears, Ronnie grunted in concentration. Suddenly, all the crows' eyes glowed blue and with simultaneously caw, they all charge towards Nightmare and pushed him in the portal. The creature roared as he vanished and Ronnie quickly closed the black hole.