Masquerade of Madness: A night of Terror

Spike sat watching TV. Sue stretched out across the couch talking to Crystal, who held Ashley gently on her lap. Little did they know Ashley was Casalyian and was giving her mother a faint signal to find Creed?

(A tracking energy is an energy that the sender can choose over a considerable distance who receives the signal. The signal then leads the receiver to the sender. The issue with this ability is anyone in the immediate vicinity can feel it being sent).

Creed had just gotten out of the shower when Vincent transcended.

"Creed, I am all right."

"But how do I know?" Creed responded to Vincent's voice.

"I have escaped and plan to visit you soon."

Creed wanted to collapse in relief. "Thank God, Vincent, you are all right."

Vincent then disappeared from Creed's mind. Now I know what Mininna meant when she said she could not stand his short messages, he laughed . . . What is this, Creed questioned himself as he began to feel the faint energy. He dropped the towel from drying his hair and ran into the living room. "We are in danger!" he yelled to everyone.

"What!" Sue popped off the couch. "Is it the Nards?"

Crimson came out of the glove. "It is Casalyian?" Her mist aimed at

Ashley, who immediately freaked out about the ghost."Mommy!"

Crystal looked down at her. "I'll protect you."

"Haha," Ashley laughed, thinking you'll protect me? Human fool.

Crystal continued to look at Ashley, concerned.

"What do you mean we're in danger?" Sue put on her boots. Her oversized nightgown went to her knees.

"Something is giving off a tracking energy signal."

Sue put her hair in a ponytail. Gin came in, wondering what Sue was doing. "What's going on?" he asked curiously, unaware of the impending danger.

"Dad," Sue choked.

"Is that some sort of new style?" He laughed, pointing to her nightgown and boots.

"No, Dad, Creed says we're in trouble." Sue nearly choked again on her own words.

"Danger!" Creed corrected her.

Ashley watched and again became unsure if she wanted to betray these people. She hugged herself tighter to Crystal. But her mother expected it of her, not the dimwit human one, but her Casalyian mother.

Creed looked at Ashley and then felt the energy coming from her. "Ashley!" Creed said sternly.

"It's Yin," she screamed out and jumped off Crystal's lap. "You stupid fools! Thanks for saving me!" she laughed.

Suddenly, an explosion blew a hole in the side of Gin's house. "My house!" Gin yelled, horrified.

"Monett!" Creed screamed her name.

"Brother," Monett said, landing on the ground outside the house. Ashley ran to Monett, hugging her waist.

Crystal clearly did not understand the situation at all. "Give her back!" she demanded.

"What?" Monett smiled. "Give back my child?"

"Mommy, stop this!" she looked at Crystal and smiled. "You do love me, don't you? Stop being a fool and die."

Crystal fell to her knees, unable to comprehend. " You were so defenseless! I took you! "

Yin spread her wings. They were small and smelled like pinewood.

Creed had covered Sue with his body as a quick reaction when the side of the house exploded. He rose slowly, glaring at Monett.

Two Casalyians held monsters outside in a net – they were red eyes. They brought the monsters forward and dumped them into the house. One of them launched for Crystal's face, but Creed kicked it, slamming it into the wall.

Gin looked at Sue. "Dad," she spoke softly, "take Crystal and run." Gin nodded, running over to Crystal, and grabbed her by the arm.

Crystal yanked away from Gin. "No, if she wants me to die, then I will."

Ashley began to cry. "Do not put this on me," she said stubbornly.

"But if that's what you want, I will. That's the difference between that woman and me. I would have never stuck you in this situation." Crystal's eyes filled with tears.

Monett grabbed her daughter and began flapping her decaying wings. Ashley stretched out her hand. Crystal ran to her grabbing her hand, stepping over the red eyes.

Monett laughed cruelly lifting off the ground.

"I don't want to let go of you," Crystal sobbed.

"Mom . . ." Yin spoke softly, as Monett pulled Yin away with Crystal holding onto her, floating a few inches above the ground.

Yin gritted her teeth. "It hurts."

Crystal let go. Yin kept her hand stretched out as her birth mother took her away.

"No," Yin said.

"What, do not worry little one, they will not survive."

"What!" Yin screamed and began flailing her arms wildly, causing Monett to drop her. Monett swooped down to catch her.

"Sorry, you should not move around so much in your mother's arms. My wings are nearly destroyed."

"You are not my mom!" Yin pronounced.

Monett pulled Yin up, holding her tightly in her arms and kissing the back of her head.

Yin felt apologetic for what she had done. She could only hope that they would survive and someday forgive her.

Crystal sobbed as Gin took her arm to lead her quickly away from the house, her eyes trying to follow Ashley as she disappeared into the distant sky.

The red eyes climbed onto the remaining walls, then attached themselves to the ceiling. Sue let her glove transform as she ran her white blade along the floor, splitting a few red eyes in half. Creed took care of the ones on the ceiling.