The Other Side of Power: Chapter 10

Calista's P.O.V

[Calista 2- 9:51 a.m]

Well, last time I recorded, we were about to be attacked by a giant blue snake. Tony, the "brave" guy that he is, ran and hid in the garden. [Shove off, Tony. That's the manliest description I can give you, not to mention your shrill screaming. Oops, did I say that out-loud?]

Anyways, after my sidekick scampered off, I had no choice but to hide, too. [No comment from you Tony, or I'm going to rip out those girly vocal chords of your from your throat.] I jumped behind a tall black statue with creepy faces on it, like a tombstone. I saw Tony in his natural habitat, crouching in a long row of pansies.

The snake slithered into the kitchen that was filled with wrecked furniture and cobwebs. I tried to get Tony's attention, but nothing worked. I picked up a rock and threw it at his head. He fell backwards, mouthing Ow! and some foul words. I stand by my past statement: Pansy.

He rolled over beside me when the snake tried to swallow the fridge. He glared at me, with his dorky brown eyes. "What was that for?!" he whispered. I shrugged. As soon as I brushed him off, he began studying the statue like it was covered in pictures of naked Playboy Bunnies. [Puh-lease, Tony. You should've seen those goo-goo eyes!]

"Quit fondling the staute, creep!" I chided. The snake had moved out of the kitchen and was digging it's big, blue snout in the garage. It seemed to be occupied by the manure. Knowing Tony, it must've been confused.

"But..." He stammered. "Look." He pointed to the picture of a young guy with almond-shaped eyes, shaggy black hair and an eyepatch. "Ethan. Ethan Nakamura. I heard he was one of us, the Black Phoenixes. What is this statue?"

"Do I look like I care at this moment?!" I eyed him like he was a psychopath, (which he was). But he had a point, for once. The picture was of Ethan, posing with a smug grin. The one beside of him, a dark-skinend guy with a skull tattoo on his neck. I recognized him from training. His name was Marcus Barker. He'd gone missing on a scouting mission a few weeks before Luke had died.

Tony crawled out from behind the statue and I caught his ankle. He looked back and pointed to the snake. It was slithering away with it's mouth full of manure. I groaned and stood up beside him. The black statue was of a phoenix with it's fiery wings spread out. All over it were faces. Suddenly, the snake burst back into the room. It must've finished it's Tony-substitue snack.

"Jump!" Tony yelled. I was about to ask him where, but then the statue opened up and sucked us inside. I dove at the last minute, as the snake tried to "fang" it's way into the pit. I fell for a good two minutes and landed on something soft, squishy and stinky. It still hurt, but I got up, reluctantly. I looked back and realized that I'd landed on a rotting corpse. I screamed and Tony shot up. We were surrounded by skeletons. I looked up just as the phoenix was closing. The snake's hissing sounded like crude laughter.

"Santo de Dios..." Tony got up, wide-eyed. I breathed hard against the rock wall. Tony turned over the body and I could've done without that view. It's eyes were gone, although there was a suspicious gooey substance coming from it's sockets. It's dirty, mud-coloured head was battered and cracked. I looked closer at it's face and to my horror, realized it was Marcus. Or what was left of him.

"Marcus, it's... Marcus." I got up. Tony stepped away and inspected the walls. I swear, that boy should buy a "pet rock". He can fondle it all he wants. Anyways, he began to push against a stalagmite made of black rock. He rammed against it one last time and a doorway opened.

"Wow." I couldn't believe it, but he was smart. [They tasted like vinegar, thanks. Shut yourself up, or I'll do it myself.] He smiled like a maniac and waltzed through. I had no choice but to follow him.

Inside, I almost choked on my breath. I was standing in a huge room. But, it was more like a nightclub. The walls were black, along with the obsidian tile floors. Couches and chairs and coffee tables occupied most of the place. The fireplace in the back of the room was glowing black, but warmed us up. In the far corner, a jazz band played. Except, it was quiet and sad. I looked closer and saw that the musicians were ghostly souls in black robes.

"Look!" Tony's annoying voice rang out from the other side of the room. He was laying on the ground. Weirdo. But I looked up and saw that the black ceiling was covered in diamonds. They shimmered like the night sky. I looked at it again and watched a diamond shoot across the ceiling. Enchanted, I thought.

"Well," a woman's soft voice rang out clear, "I see you've found your way to my throne room." I whirled around and saw a pale woman with thin, angular features and luscious dark hair tied in a bun. Her bangs were curled and looked gorgeous. She wore a shimmering black dress that flowed beautifully over her hips and thighs. She strutted over to the closest lounge chair and sat down. I noticed even more things about her: she had black diamond earrings, a silver diamond necklace that shone so much that I could barely think without getting distracted, [Shut it, Tony!] and a small tiara that had wires so thin, the little white diamonds seemed to float in her hair.

Tony looked over and gawked with his big goo-goo eyes. [Aha! He admitted it!] He sat across from her on the coffee table. The woman sat forward.

"Who are you? And.. this doesn't look like a throne room." I wasn't too sure of the woman. But she simply smiled.

"I, my dear Calista-" that was creepy how she knew my name, "-am the Godess of Night. The Queen of Dark Skies."

"Bastante..." Tony mumbled. Remember when I said he was smart? It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

"Wait... Nyx?" I said.

She smiled. "Hello children. Welcome to the Jazz House of Nyx."