The Dark Before The Light

"Are you completely insane?!" Bella roared, glaring daggers at him. "Why don't you use someone else for your ridiculous, useless shenanigans?!"

"Oh, hush your dramatic protests," Edwin retorted, rolling his eyes as he bent down to retrieve her crutch. "I wouldn't date you in a million years either. I just need a convenient cover story until I figure out my next move. Besides," he added with a smirk, handing her the crutch, "you should consider yourself lucky to have the opportunity to be associated with someone so far above your social standing in your lifetime."

"Why not just pretend to be with Acacia instead?" Bella suggested.

"Don't even think about it," Acacia interjected, her voice low and carrying a distinct warning.

"She's… intimidating," Edwin admitted, carefully avoiding Acacia's gaze as he handed Bella back her crutch. "Definitely not my type."

"So, why the intense dislike for this 'not-your-betrothed' anyway?" Bella asked, rolling her eyes at Edwin's vehemence.

"Because she is power-mad and insufferable, even worse than you, and that's saying something!" Edwin spat, his fists clenching. "All she craves is authority and the prestige of a crown. She's using my disappearance as a pathetic excuse to elevate her own status. She and her lunatic grandmother can rot in the deepest circles of hell for all I care!"

"Then would you rather stand by and let her and your power-hungry cousin seize control?" Acacia asked, her tone sharp.

Edwin's shoulders slumped. "...I don't want to go back. I know it's selfish, dammit, but is it so wrong to not want the weight of the world on my shoulders?" He furrowed his brow, a look of genuine anguish on his face. "And it's going to take months of hiding and running just to get there."

"You both need to decide at some point," Acacia said, her gaze firm, then gesturing towards the closed door with a pointed look. Bella immediately averted her eyes.

Just then, the door swung open with a flourish, revealing a beaming Kel and a nonchalant Jahir.

"Greetings, beautiful family!" Kel announced with a dramatic snap of his fingers. "The community has decided to throw a little impromptu barbecue! A chance to temporarily forget our troubles, relax, and just enjoy each other's company. Just a small get-together to boost morale!"

"It was mostly his idea," Jahir mumbled, stepping into the room.

"You do realize we have a potentially dangerous group of body-snatching monsters in our midst, right?" Edwin questioned, his voice laced with disbelief.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we should wallow in gloom!" Kel countered, gesturing emphatically. "All this mystery and anxiety is seriously cramping my good vibes."

"When is this little party happening?" Bella asked, a hint of interest in her voice.

"Tomorrow night!" Kel declared, striking a pose. "Let's dance like the world hasn't completely lost its marbles!" He punctuated his statement with a brief, enthusiastic jig.

"Well, our charming new guests are actually… monsters," Acacia interjected casually.

"What?!" Kel froze mid-dance, his expression shifting from jovial to utterly bewildered as he stared at everyone.

"On what concrete evidence did you arrive at that rather… alarming conclusion?" Jahir asked, his usual demeanour replaced by a serious intensity.

"It's a long and rather unsettling story," Acacia replied, "but they can mimic human forms. I'm not entirely sure how, but they are not human."

"And we've formulated a… plan to potentially use this to our advantage," Edwin elaborated.

"That certainly explains their… peculiar behaviour," Kel said with a shudder. "Still, it's pretty creepy."

"And their blood," Acacia added, stifling a yawn and stretching her arms above her head, "it's not human. It has a distinct… monster tang to it. But for the time being, they don't seem overtly hostile yet."

"I think we're all running on fumes," Edwin commented, glancing pointedly at Kel. "Speaking of which, where's dinner?"

"Consider me your culinary serf, bound by the chains of your insatiable appetites," Kel quipped, waving a hand dismissively, a fleeting spark of flame dancing across his fingertips before vanishing. "Alas, my culinary inspiration has deserted me. We have the bounty of preserved sustenance...canned goods... and frankly, the energy required to engage in elaborate frying or the pursuit of small animals is currently beyond my energy level."

"Canned food it is, then," Bella declared pragmatically. Kel disappeared into a nearby room and returned moments later, distributing cans to everyone. Jahir meticulously examined the label on his, his brow furrowing.

"Mine appears to have… expired," he announced dryly.

"Oops! My bad," Kel said cheerfully, swiftly swapping the expired can for a fresh one. They all settled onto the dusty floor, the metallic screech of can openers filling the air as they began to eat directly from the containers. While they ate, Edwin detailed their plan to a listening Kel and Jahir.

"Sounds like a workable strategy," Kel said, his voice slightly muffled by a mouthful of canned beans. "When should we put it into motion?"

"Perhaps a week after your little celebration," Edwin suggested with a groan. "Also, must we endure another night of sleeping on the floor?"

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"The rooms in this delightful abode are less than ideal," Bella retorted, gesturing around the dilapidated space. "Think: charming dust bunnies, artistic mould formations, avant-garde ceiling cracks, and walls boasting the latest in hole-chic. Unless you have a particular fondness for nocturnal insect companions, the floor remains your most aesthetically pleasing and pest-free option."

"Why don't we dedicate some time tomorrow to cleaning out one of the rooms and doing a little bit of renovation?" Acacia suggested, glancing around at the less-than-ideal surroundings. "Everyone else seems to be working on fixing up their own spaces."

"Sure, anything beats another night on this cursed floor," Edwin agreed, scraping the last remnants from his can before setting it aside. Maximus silently rose and disappeared down the corridor, returning moments later with a large, surprisingly clean blanket. Everyone shifted slightly as he carefully spread it out on the floor.

"All finished with the culinary delights?" Kel asked, gathering the empty cans into a black plastic bag. With the 'dishes' taken care of, the group settled onto the makeshift bedding.

"You all reek," Edwin commented, wrinkling his nose.

"Pot calling the kettle black," Kel retorted. "You look like you wrestled a dust devil and lost."

"And smell like you won against a slug," Acacia added dryly.

"Coupled with sleep habits that would make a nocturnal gremlin envious," Bella interjected, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Stop ganging up on me!" Edwin snapped, but his outburst was met with a chorus of chuckles. He grumbled under his breath, turning his back to the others in mock offence.

The shared space became a sanctuary of quiet breaths as they drifted off to sleep, the comfort of their proximity to a silent lullaby. The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of twilight before surrendering to the deep velvet of night, punctuated by the chirping chorus of crickets. Hours slipped by, marked only by occasional shifts in position and soft snores that mingled in the stillness. Moonlight streamed through the broken windows, bathing the sleeping figures in an ethereal glow. As the first hints of dawn painted the eastern sky, the nocturnal symphony of crickets gradually yielded to the cheerful melodies of waking birds.

One by one, they stirred, a gentle chain reaction as each person nudged or whispered to the one sleeping beside them until the house was once again filled with the low murmur of voices and the sounds of movement. A collective effort to restore order began: Kel shouldered the bag of trash, heading out to dispose of it; Maximus and Acacia quietly made their way towards the dilapidated rooms to assess the damage and potential for repair; and Jahir, joined by a still-grumbling Edwin, began the arduous task of dusting and cleaning the accumulated grime from the surfaces.

Bella watched the flurry of activity, a silent observer as dust motes danced in the sunbeams. The sounds of their cleaning, the rustling of discarded items, the rhythmic swipes of cloths, and the occasional cough filled the air. Acacia emerged from one of the rooms, a bundle of mould-ridden clothes held at arm's length before she tossed them outside just as Bella's sigh drifted across the room.

"I feel so utterly useless," Bella murmured, her gaze fixed on the floor.

"Nonsense!" Kel declared cheerfully, pausing his dusting. "Your very presence is a powerful motivator for us all!"

"You could take charge of the decorations once we've finished the grunt work," Acacia suggested, dusting her hands off. "Just give the word, and we'll follow your artistic vision."

"I suppose," Bella sighed again, tapping her good foot restlessly against the cracked floor.

"To liven up this cleaning frenzy," Kel announced, wiping sweat from his brow, "I'd usually suggest a song, but my curiosity is piqued by our former monarch. Edwin, tell us, what was it really like ruling a kingdom?"

"Like work," Edwin replied flatly, scrubbing at a stubborn stain on a table with unnecessary force.

"Oh, come on! Surely something was interesting about it?" Kel whined, leaning against the wall.

"The luxuries, the endless supply of food, the grand feasts and festivals… those were supposed to be the perks. Unfortunately, I was mostly occupied with fending off monster attacks and quelling the endless grumbling of dissatisfied nobles," Edwin grumbled, his cleaning taking on a more aggressive edge. "What about you, Kel? What was it like being a child prodigy?"

"Fun, mostly," Kel shrugged, a nostalgic smile flickering across his face. "Lots of invitations to fancy parties, cool acquaintances, and opportunities just seemed to fall into my lap. Plenty of praise too. Funny enough," he chuckled softly, "I can't really remember any of my 'friends' anymore, or even if they were genuine. I just sort of… hung out with whoever was around."

"I wish I had that kind of popularity in high school," Bella mused, watching them dust. "But it wasn't terrible for me either, just… unremarkable. Acacia, you must have experienced a bit of fame, right?"

Acacia paused her task of gathering the last of the mouldy clothes, a distant look in her eyes as she thought back to her school years. "My 'fame' was entirely secondhand, thanks to my brother," she said, her tone matter-of-fact. "Everyone wanted to get close to him, and they figured befriending me was the golden ticket. They didn't realize we barely spoke and I had zero interest in their shallow attempts at friendship. So, I ended up turning them all down."

"So, a solitary existence? How utterly pathetic," Edwin remarked with a theatrical shake of his head.

"I wasn't a loner," Acacia corrected a slight edge to her voice. "I had friends. Just two, but they were more than enough. They didn't pry about my brother or my family. They treated me like anyone else and didn't pity me for not having any abilities back then. In fact, one of them also lacked abilities… maybe that's why I connected with them so quickly because there was someone who understood." Her voice trailed off slightly before she tossed the last of the mouldy clothes outside.

"It's definitely good to have friends you can truly relate to!" Kel chimed in, then turned towards Jahir, who was diligently working in a separate room. "What about you, Jahir? Although, I can't really picture you with a gaggle of pals." Jahir didn't respond to his words. "Silence speaks volumes! Sounds like a yes!"

"Are there any brooms to be found in this… establishment?" Edwin asked, his voice carrying a hint of distaste.

"Check the kitchen. I think I saw something resembling one in there," Bella directed, and Edwin promptly headed towards the indicated room. He returned moments later, wielding a rather dilapidated broom.

"Well, after we've purged this place of all its charming debris, someone needs to actually sweep the filth away," Acacia stated, surveying the dusty floor.

"I nominate Edwin!" Kel declared enthusiastically.

"Seconded!" Bella agreed with a wide grin.

"All I did was find the broom," Edwin grumbled, glaring at Kel and Bella.

"Looks like you've drawn the short straw, my friend," Acacia stated and Edwin's grip on the broom tightened. "It would be nice to have some soap to wash at least some of the clothes and blankets, but that seems like a distant luxury around here."

"Looks like we'll be embracing our natural musk for a bit longer," Bella quipped. "Is everyone finished with the heavy lifting?" Just then, Maximus emerged from the building, effortlessly carrying a broken wooden table which he tossed outside with a resounding thud, giving Bella a silent thumbs up.

"Alright, Edwin, the stage is yours. Maybe use a cloth to avoid inhaling too much… history," Acacia suggested, a slight smile playing on her lips. She headed outside, followed by Kel, Bella, and Maximus, with Jahir trailing behind a moment later, leaving Edwin to his sweeping duties.

Acacia tilted her head back, gazing up at the bright expanse of the blue sky before her attention was drawn to Jahir, who was already sifting through the pile of discarded clothes she had thrown out earlier.

"Actually, some of these might be salvageable," Jahir said, holding up a less tattered shirt. "Not everything is a lost cause."