The Smoke That Kills

---Katherine---

We looked at each other. My mind flickered back to my history lessons at the Academy. Was Edward talking about the Plague of March, which occurred several centuries ago where people were mysteriously infected with this horrible, fatal disease that caused one to go insane?

"What? Impossible," scoffed a young man with bright blue eyes. He shook his curly golden hair out of his eyes. "I don't believe that."

"I don't either," said a guy sitting in the back. He downed his drink in a gulp. "Edward, you messing with us again?"

"No I'm not! I swear! I literally saw someone just drop to the floor, dead, with my own two eyes!" Edward pleaded. "Everyone's either evacuating or just staying indoors. Help me secure the doors and windows—hey what are you doing?!"

The young man with the blue eyes had stood up and was half way out the door. "I'm going to go outside and see what's going on," he said impatiently. "I'm going to prove that no plague is circling around. A little sickness ain't gonna stop me!" A few rowdy cheers erupted in the room. Edward had a look of pure despair on his face.

"Andy, please, listen to me! Don't go out there!" he begged. Andy ignored Edward and stepped outside into the now deserted street. He paced around on the cobblestone street with his hands on his hips and an arrogant look on his face. Everyone held their breath, craning their necks to look out the window or the door at brave Andy.

"Well? Where is the plague? Where is this thing that causes people to 'drop down dead'?" Andy called. "Hellooo? Plague? Where are you? Come get me!" Deep inside, I feared for this guy, even though I, too, was a bit skeptical about the whole drop-down-dead thing.

"See? There's no plague." Andy stuck his hands out and spun slowly in a circle. He turned to face us, and people relaxed and let out the breath they were holding. Andy began to strut back to the inn, a careless grin on his face. "Edward, you're just messing with us again—"

A thin trail of black smoke-like matter streaked out of an alley, moving so fast I barely saw it. It struck Andy squarely in the chest and went through him, then hovering in the air as if to watch its newest victim's fate. Andy's smile froze on his face. He fell backwards and landed on the street with a thud, the light already gone from his lively blue eyes. His golden curls shriveled and lost its shine, falling limply around his face. His eyes were empty as they stared up, unseeing, at the black smoke that responded to his challenge. I felt sick, but I was unable to tear myself away from the murder scene.

The inn was deathly silent. Everyone was horrified and terrified. A china cup fell out of someone's hand and shattered on the floor, making everyone jump. A few screams rang out, as if time was frozen and had just resumed. The black smoke-like thing seemed to be alerted of our presence and turned to face us. I felt as if an icy hand had grabbed my heart and tried to strangle it. My brain hurt. Whatever that smoke-thing was, it had an effect on me. I felt cold, as if my entire body had been dipped in icy water and frozen.

The smoke condensed and shot straight for the door. Yelling, a couple people standing nearby hurriedly slammed the door close and bolted it. A loud thud made everyone jump as the evil smoke made contact with the door. The bolts rattled, threatening to break any minute now.

"Can it get through?!" someone yelled as people scrambled to the other side of the room to try and put as much space as they can between them and inevitable death.

"I don't know!" Edward said, frightened, all color on his face gone. He hid behind the counter. "Brace yourselves!"

I blinked and forced myself to focus. The iciness in my body was spreading. I felt as if I had a migraine. I reached for my sword, but then realized I had left it up in our room this morning. Oh no. Without my sword, I had no way to defend myself and my friends from this new attack.

Another thud. The evil smoke was not relenting. It seemed very eager to kill us all. Or maybe just me, because everyone else did not seem to be feeling what I did. A tiny crack appeared on the wooden door. The cold grip on my tightened. Sounds around me dimmed. The room became distorted. I felt as if the evil smoke was wriggling into my mind, and I tried my hardest to break free of its grasp. My hands shook. The evil smoke pushed harder.

"Hello Katherine," a cold, cold voice purred in my mind. "I finally found you."

A wave of pain washed over me, and I screamed, trying not to succumb to the evil force trying to take over my mind. But it was gaining power. I could feel my body going numb with cold and pain and fear. How can I fight against something I can't see? How can I fight against something that was invading my mind and turning my body into ice? I was beginning to lose my vision. Things were turning dark.

"Leave us alone!" a voice cut through the murkiness. Something buried itself in the tiny crack on the door, and a golden ripple of power spread out from the source. With that ripple I felt the grip of the evil smoke slip away and disappear. My head cleared and the pain decreased, though the cold lingered. My vision cleared enough for me to see Ashley standing in the middle of the room and facing the door. A fierce, determined look was on her face and her right hand was outstretched towards the door. She stood in a battle stance, and her cloak fluttered behind her dramatically. A small wooden dart was embedded in the crack, with only its hilt peeking out. Was it made of rosewood?

Ashley slowly lowered her hand. "Everyone okay?" she asked quietly. The people in the room were dead silent, staring openmouthed. Jason and Rachel looked a bit ashen but mumbled that they were fine. Lucian and Indigo had their swords out, but they too looked shocked and pale. Ashley turned to me. "Katherine, what happened? Why did you—Katherine!"

My brows furrowed in pain and I wobbled, suddenly unable to support myself. The pain, which retreated a bit, came back and spread, along with the coldness. I felt chilled to the core. I fell back, but someone enveloped me into their warmth.

"Kath! Kath, are you okay?!" Aaron's voice came to me as the darkness threatened to pull me under again. I struggled to hold on to his voice.

"I—" I shuddered. It was really, really cold. "I feel so cold," I whispered. "It—it tried to take over my mind…Aaron, I'm so cold…" I was struggling to stay awake now. The cold had turned to ice, and I was trapped.

"Lucian! Fire!" Aaron shouted as he hugged me tighter, trying to give me some of his warmth. Lucian obeyed and came over with large fires cupped in his hands. Aaron slowly sank to the ground, supporting me in his arms, as Lucian crouched and brought the fire as close as he could without burning me.

I shivered, not feeling any of the warmth the fire should have given off. "Not…working…" I wheezed. "It's dark magic…tell Rachel and Ashley…" I felt encased in ice. It was so, so cold, and the pain came in waves, from the dark corners of my mind, where the evil smoke still lingered. I let out an inhuman shriek, struggling against Aaron's grip. I felt like I was going to die.

"Rachel, Ashley, Katherine said it was the evil smoke thing. It tried to take over her mind. Can you guys do anything?" Aaron said urgently, fighting to keep me restrained.

"The smoke?" Rachel and Ashley exchanged a worried glance.

"We have to try this together," Rachel said, rolling up her sleeves.

"I think I know a spell that might work," said Ashley, making her way towards us. "It might also get rid of the evil smoke outside too."

Rachel placed a hand on my forehead and nearly pulled away. "You're burning," she murmured as she placed her hand gingerly against my skin. "Heal."

The darkness consumed me, and I couldn't do anything except let go.