Night of the new moon

Alba emmerged from the old house, taking long determined strides. She spotted Vrael up a tree and smiled at him, her green eyes meeting his and wishing she was closer to him. She then noticed Shadow and Bart, and her expression became grave.
These was Shadow's last hours of life. What did you do in these situations? What did you say to make things seem better than they were? She didn't know but wished she did. She hated seeing people unhappy. It made her feel depressed which she hated. Feeling as if there was no tomorrow.
But then again... was there?
She walked up to Shadow and Bart, and asked:
"How are you feeling?"
She gestured to her friend's injured leg, a questioning look in her leaf green eyes.

Bart looked down. He didn't want to answer, but he felt recomforted by answering it in his mind. How's she feeling? Fine. It's better that way, anyways. Actually, if she was feeling bad, who would care? I mean, she's going to die, anyways.
Bart couldn't control his thoughts. He couldn't bear to think that Shadow's hours were ending this day. He blinked back the tears, and turned aorund, hoping that the two hadn't noticed.

Alba had noticed Bart's watering eyes, but understood every tear. Why shouldn't he be overwhelmed with sadness? Shadow was going to die! Alba found it hard to fight the tears herself...

Shadow looked up at Alba.
"My leg is healing, yes, but in other ways, I feel like absolute cr*p." She replied, trying to smile. When it turned more into a grimace, she wiped the look off her face, looking down at the ground again.

Bart wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his dull-coloured shirt. He sat down on the foot of one tall tree, his head lowered, his tail coiling up his arm. His hair fell by strands in front of his face. He looked at his left hand for a while, then put it back down onto the ground, the palm crushing the grass and leaves under.

Archangel came storming out of the house, sprinting over to the small group. She bent double in front of them trying to get her breath back.
"We... found summat... in the prophecy." She managed to gasp out.

Bart's eyes widened. He shoves his hand onto the ground, pushing him off into a standing position. His tail quickly uncoiled itself from his arm, and his hair went out of his sight. His eyes glistened, and his clothes flapped as his propulsory motion died away. He walked hastily towards Archangel.
'What did you find?' he asked, quickly.

Shadow was also on her feet instantly, watching Archangel as she held one leg off the ground. Archangel looked at Shadow.
"Remember that line that was always scratched out on the prophecy? Well, we found out what it meant."
"The last line before Vrael's part, yes..." Shadow said.
"It reads: If the One is present, one may live," Archangel recited.

'The One,' Bart repeated. His eyes opening wide. His tail began whipping at the air. His fists tensed, almost piercing his skin. If it's what I really think about, then... Shadow won't die?
Bart began feeling hope overwhelm his body, even if he didn't want it to.

Shadow glanced at the sky, scowling.
"We don' t have time to decrypt it fully." She said quietly. "We should assume that everything will go as we thought it would."

Bart sighed, lowering his head, and lwoering his hope. He walked to the tree again, and sat down heavily, his clothes swaying in the wind as he did so. His tail flicked at the air. He put up his head, feeling something strange. His clothes stopped moving. The forest seemed to stop.

There was no wind.

Shadow shifted restlessly. She could sense something coming.
"Archangel, Bart, Alba, Vrael, you have to leave, NOW!" She ordered quietly.

Bart stood up quickly, glancing left and right. He didn't see anything, but could sense something wrong. he nodded quickly, and jumped, grabbing the branch of a very tall tree. He jumped off the branch, seeming to get further away. He stopped at one tree, keeping an eye on his previous location. His eyes glistened softly.

Vrael and Archangel left quickly, Vrael taking Alba with him, leaving Shadow alone in the clearing. The demoness turned to the south, seemingly waiting for something. Then it arrived. A tall man, wearing only a pair of cut-off trousers, emerged in the clearing. His black hair covered one pair of his four red eyes. Shadow tried to control her breathing, trying not to show fear.

Bart squinched at the sight of the newcomer. His tail flicked at the air impatiently. A low growl was heard inside him. He's the one that kills Shadow.
But I can't do anything about it.
Bart's fists tensed.

"The time is right, we shall fight, and I shall live." Karthragan growled, taking up a fight stance. Shadow said nothing, but mirrored his actions, preparing hersemf for the fight to come. She spied a sword hanging on his hip, and glanced down to make sure she had her own sword. Karthragan took this moment to strike, aiming two clawed fingers for the demoness' jugular.

Bart opened hiw eyes wide, catching a glimpse of the sword. He approached quietly and calmly the fighting scene, trying to see more details of Karthragan. He squinched, trying to perceive more things that could be useful. Bart stood on his two feet, and began fiddling with the silver bracelets.

Shadow darted out of the way, the clawed fingers creating a gash in the side of her neck. The demoness narrowed her eyes. Karthragan aimed rapid kicks at Shadow, aiming to bring her down before going in for the final blow. She tried to dodge as many as she could, but her injured leg gave her a distinct disadvantage.

Bart jumped from branch to branch, as silently as possible. His kraferric physical capacities enabled him to do so, and his training to land without a sound was a success. He jumped from heigher ground to lower ground, not making any sound. He scooted to the back of a tree, glancing at Karthragan's movements, trying to find a flaw. He looked at his bracelet, and his eyes squinted.

Shadow had yet to go on the offensive, contenting herself with trying to avoid Karthragan's attacks. Her strength was starting to fail as she grew tired. Karhtragan, as a full demon, was more endurant as well as stronger than she was, with her half-blood. Her slightly clumsy dancing paces were starting to flag, taking more hits that before.

He glanced back at Karthragan and Shadow. I know I shouldn't be doing this, but...
Bart looked at his silver bracelets. The battle is not supposed to be interrupted. I must stay here, until further notice. It won't be loyal if I come in like that.
Bart looked at Shadow.
But Shadow's hurt...
But then again, she accepted this fight.
Or did she?
Bart's thoughts were getting mixed up.

Shadow misjudged one of Karthagan's kicks, taking it to the injury to her calf. She fell with a cry and Karthragan stood over her, laughing. Shadow squeezed her eyes shut, vanishing just as the demon was about to draw his sword.
She appeared, crouched, on a tree branch not far from Bart. She looked around, trying to think of something to use against the demon, but couldn't think of anything. She spotted Bart, and her eyes narrowed again. She wasn't happy to see the Kraferr there, not in a battle that was likely to be very dangerous.

Bart looked upwards. He noticed Shadow. He nodded, then darted away as silently as he could. He stopped, twenty meaters further, and stood behind a tree, still thinking, glancing once a while at the two. He gripped onto his silver bracelet.
I need to see more before I do that.

Shadow dropped down to the ground, being careful about her leg. She pulled down the barriers around her magic, summoning it into a fire-like aura around her. Karthragan did the same, his magic a deep crimson red. The two demons faced off against each other, starting to trade magical blows.

Bart looked at the two, his eyes squinting. He gripped tightly onto his bracelet. A low growl was heard. He felt something else on his arm. he looked at it. The necklace.
Maybe I could ask it...
Wait, no, it's a wrong question.
Bart cursed at his restrictions, and looked back at Shadow and Karthragan, still trying to find Karthragan's weak point.