A/N: 8K views!!! Thank you very much!!!!!!! This chapter is dedicated to you guys still reading...

Like shadows, the drunken band darted across the fields between the shacks. All of them wore black, something I hadn't noticed before. But now I had, they seemed much more organised than I'd first thought-- and given them credit for.

Fabian pulled my wrist, and we set off running behind them. Darkness was rising fast, and there was barely a soul around. I could feel eyes watching us from windows, fascinated by these madmen and women.

There were six of us in total, Fabian and I included. There was one other woman-- the bar's proprietor-- and the men I'd met earlier. They were all too absorbed to notice newcomers, or maybe they didn't care.

Frederick was the quickest runner, and his small silver wings were the only glint in the blackness ahead. But I knew I was quicker. My days of thieving and running meant that I quickly pulled up beside the frontrunner, leaving a startled Fabian in my wake.

'Hey, princess!' Frederick appraised me lazily, his arms pumping as he ran.

'Don't call me that...'

Frederick shrugged, weaving left as we exited the compounds of the shanty town. Ahead, expanses of green fields led to the rocky cliffs, and a prison, lit only by the dim light of a waning moon. I came to a halt, awe taking over my ability to keep running.

My plans to break into a prison seemed unthinkable in the face of such a monstrosity.

'What are you doing, princess? Keep up! There's normally a patrol guard around here!'

'Normally?' I repeated, hearing the drumming of feet as the group passed by. Fabian, finally caught up, tugged my arm as he went past.

'They do this every night?' I said, feeling oddly nervous. After all, we were deliberately looking for the same creature-thing, a daemon, that had tried to kill me on several occasions.

It took "facing your demons" to another level.

Fabian didn't look quite so impressed. 'He's bragging; not every night. More like when they can get away with it...'

'Every night!' I heard Frederick insist. 'Or at least, two out of three!'

'When they turn up, he isn't lying about the patrol guard, though,' Fabian admitted, and Frederick preened. 'And they do get into fights, only they often come out worse for wear.'

'Don't listen to him, Princess! He's just trying to get into your knickers!'

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. 'Even he can't manage that mid-confrontation with a daemon.'

My reply was a seductive wink from my silver-haired friend. Our flirtations were over quickly, however, when a howl came from above us.

The thing was perched on a rocky outcrop overlying the uneven foothills up the mountain. Its forelimbs clutched the edge, long talon claws curling into the stone. Seeing such a creature for the umpteenth time, I noticed something about it that I distinctly hadn't thought before. With its ugly red stretched lips, rough cut jaw and straggled hair, there was something very humanoid about this monster.

They say they're his army. That he turned them into monsters.

Rumors of the King's power came to mind as the daemon howled again, showing rows and rows of sharp, dagger teeth, swirling with saliva. Its slit-like eyes flickered around each one of its targets, curling its wings with lazy uncertainty.

The men and women around me whooped and began to run at the daemon as if they'd seen a sweetshop.

Frederick charged.

The daemon snapped, but the young man danced up the footholds of the cliff, nimbly circling the creature. His friends were right behind him. The barwoman vaulted up the ledge, aiming straight for the monster's thick jugular. Slow to react, the monster dodged the attack by a millisecond, the angel's dagger drawing blood along its jaw. The daemon snapped into a counterattack, and the barwoman flinched, bracing for the hit. Before the daemon's teeth could harm her, the wind rose from behind me, bursting at full force and buffeting the creature.
'Stop showing off, brother!' Frederick, who was still behind the daemon, now rolled to the side to help the barwoman out of the range of the daemon. But he managed to flash me a cheeky grin as he dodged a claw.
'It's not me who's showing off,' I heard Fabian reply. At that point, Frederick had swung behind the daemon and was moving too quickly for it to keep up. Showing off, indeed.
'Need any help, Fred?' the other man, lazily eyeing the battle, drew knives from his belt and boots.
Giving the man a cocky smile in reply, Frederick sidestepped another of the daemon's lunges. He made it look effortless. Perhaps it was too effortless; Frederick cried out in pain as the hooked claws grazed his shoulder, catching him unawares as they sprung from behind. Frederick had left himself open, and the poised claw of the daemon agreed.

But the man beside me moved into swift action, his movement so fast that even I didn't think I was quicker. The spear that had seemed innocent slouched in his hand came to life as he hurled it through the air, piercing through the claw intended for Frederick. The man closer to Frederick pulled knives from his pockets, and flung them. They streamed towards the daemon, striking the thing in three separate areas; its neck, cheek and eye.

The ground shook as the daemon howled in fury. Black giblets of blood oozed over the stretched skin, spattering onto Frederick below. Staggering back, the young angel went to draw his sword, but it was too late-- the daemon took flight, its leathery wings blasting the ground. Blood and gore rained on us all as the daemon retreated away.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Frederick spoke up, swearing in a low voice. 'Sorry guys. If I hadn't hesitated...'

The barwoman huffed. 'S'alright, there's been worse nights.'

'Remember the one when we got trapped between the prison and two of those ugly fu--'

I raised my eyebrows at the man that had thrown the spear, and who was having real difficulty with standing straight from alcohol intoxication but could manage to aim a weapon.

'Welcome, fresh blood,' he changed the subject quickly. 'I'm Knor, and that woman over there that loves to scowl at me? That's my wife, Aleida.'

I was grateful that I now had names; calling him Spearman had started to sound uncomfortable, even in my own head. I nodded towards Aleida, who was giving me a look of, "That's what I have to put up with".

'Who's the guy next to Frederick?' I asked. Knifeman.

'Conner,' Knor said, but he was interrupted by Fabian.

'We should get out of here,' he said, and there was a surprising tone of urgency in his voice. 'They'll send a horde out to hunt us down once that daemon gets back.'

Frederick looked thoughtful at the idea, as if he welcomed the challenge.

'No, Fred, you're bleeding and disgusting,' Aleida said, gesturing towards Frederick's ripped shirt and the talon marks bloodied there.

'But I gave them a handicap,' Frederick replied sulkily.

I looked questioningly towards Fabian, and he murmured, 'Fred didn't use his power. He likes the game of wrestling with them.'

'Because you're a vain idiot!' Aleida was telling Frederick off. Knor was trying to step between her, to calm her down, whilst Conner smirked.

'Come,' Fabian whispered, and he took my hand again. He began to lead me away from the argumentative group.

'Where are we going? Are we just going to abandon them?'

Fabian turned his head to show me the smile across his face. 'Abandon? Lu, they can handle themselves. Besides, they're all drunk. Who wants to argue safety with badass drunks? Not me.'

'Fair point,' I muttered, tightening my grip on Fabian's hand. I felt far too exposed, particularly after what Fabian had said about the daemons coming back to get us. There was very little coverage on the land here; only large rocks that led to the mountainous prison. We could still see the four of them even after we'd been walking for several minutes.

'To answer where we're going...' Fabian said, 'I thought you wanted to scout the prison? Well, why not now?'

'You're...drunk? Is that a good enough reason to not trust your judgement?'

'What if I'm not drunk?' Fabian smirked.

'But...' I frowned, wondering why the only part of Fabian's drunken state had been flirtatious. There were no other signs. His coordination was fine. He'd ran here. He was as eloquent as ever.

'You were lying?'

'I never claimed to be drunk. You assumed.'

'You were being a ridiculous flirt!'

Fabian's smile lilted. 'I always am around you.'

Stunned, I clamped my mouth closed and concentrated on walking instead of blushing. After my brain tried to process the meaning behind what he'd said, I forced myself to think about the prison and our important plan, rather than little sentences.

I didn't even notice I'd dropped his hand until I caught sight of his face as we climbed up over the rocks.

He looked hurt.

'We could stake out here,' I suggested, trying to smile and brighten up the situation. The alcove of rocks was ideal; it was cover enough to not be seen, but a great place to shelter and watch the prison. We were covered from the cool air that was claiming the autumn heat.

The Equinox is not far away. We will need to move fast if I hope to make it to the capital.

Fabian gave a non-committal nod, curling up against the opposite wall. From his glum expression to his drooping shoulders, it wasn't hard to figure out that he was angry.

I took a seat next to him, staring out into the darkness, where the prison was illuminated against the sky. All was quiet.

'I know you tease me sometimes, Fabian,' I sighed, looking at my battered shoes. They seemed much easier to look at than the man next to me. 'I just don't know why.'

My boots really were scuffed. They had been so perfect when the old Lumina had worn them. I doubted she'd ever worn them outside, or maybe she'd gotten someone to carry her.

Maybe that someone had been Fabian...

I couldn't be jealous of myself, could I?

'Why do you think?'

I peered up at him from under the safety of my hair and my eyelashes, only to jump half onto his lap with excitement. Shaking him, I nudged him to look towards the prison again, where a lonely guard was making his rounds on the outside.

'They're making it too easy,' Fabian breathed. The guard, recognizable from the red uniform, halted in the same spot for ten minutes or more, before moving on.

'Don't speak too soon,' I warned him as another figure emerged. A familiar lumbering creature was also patrolling around the prison. Its staggering gait gave it away.

'Daemons and guards,' Fabian said. 'We have to get the guard, without the daemon seeing.'

'Or smelling,' I said pointedly.

Fabian cursed. 'They're too close. How are we supposed to separate them?'

As we watched, a new pair had emerged only five minutes after the daemon had gone. The guard came first, and then another daemon.

'There's more then one patrol,' I muttered.

'Damn it. We need to get to one.'

One...

'Will Frederick's group cause a diversion?' I asked, suddenly empowered by a brainwave. 'All they need to do is what they always do: start a fight.'

Fabian grinned. 'I'm sure they won't deny themselves the chance...so, then what?'

I frowned, thinking. Once we had access to a guard, Clae could control them however she wanted. The guard could let us all in, or kill the head of the prison for us...

Which would be too obvious. Nobody would survive that fight.

Perhaps it's not a question of them coming outside to us.

Perhaps...one of us has to go to them.

A/N..

ZZZZZZZzzzzzz....

Exams are nearly here and I'm shattered. As I write, I'm nodding off. If this makes no sense that's probably why! Sorry for the slow and shorter update...I will make it up asap! Promise! Let me know your thoughts and if you liked, click the star! 

As a side note, if anyone wants to LOOK AT THE UPDATED PROLOGUE, it adds a new hint to Lumina's story, and I would be grateful for any feedback! If you prefer the old one, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

Larissa x