This is a monster of a chapter! (For this tiny book anyway.) Most of these chapters are 9-10 pages so far, but this one has 21!
This is a long ass chapter.Show
The moon flies higher in the night sky as midnight approaches Obscure City, casting a regal glow on one of the city's oldest and most prestigious structures: the Caligari Cathedral.
Killjoy, Mad, and Hime, mid-conversation, approach the gothic monument.
"So you're saying that those things that attacked me in the alley can just walk around the city in monster form and go unnoticed?" Mad enquires.
"Yeah, this town was originally a sanctuary for Night Dwellers,' Killjoy explains. "So when humans started moving in, a Warlock cast a spell on the whole city that makes Night Dwellers unnoticeable to humans.'
"But I'm human, and I still noticed them."
"Yeah, but you now know about us, and awareness of the supernatural breaks the spell." Killjoy suddenly remembers something. "By the way I've been meaning to ask... when you saw me next to the Police Station for the first time, what did I look like?"
"Like Karen Gillian in a pants suit."
"Nicel"
"Okay, then.'" Mad thinks as she changes the subject. "You`re a witch. The two uglies in the alley were Slashers but what is Hime?"
At that very moment, they look down to see Hime licking himself.
"That is a mystery for another day," Killjoy says, as they all stop in front of the cathedral. "Okay, we`re here."
The two find themselves in front of an old statue of a gargoyle
"Your informant is going to meet us here?" Mad wondered.
"No. This is my informant," Killjoy clarified, pointing at the statue.
"What? This ugly old statue?"
Suddenly the statue comes to life, right before Mad's eyes,
"Hey, who you calling ugly, you little brat?" the Statue barked.
The sudden surprise causes Mad to shriek like a five- year-old and fall right on her butt, as she looks up at a heavy-set, grey statue with a prominent chin, horns, and four-foot wings sticking out of his back.
"Don't know what she's talking about, Stoney," Killjoy interjects. "You're still as handsome as ever."
"Kassandra Killjoy, you little minx." Stoney says, nearly blushing. "Flattery will get you everywhere!"
With this, the gargoyle embraces Killjoy with a friendly hug.
Mad shakes her head and stands up, dusting herself off.
"Madeline Chan," Killjoy begins, "I would like you to meet Granite Stonegast III, King of The Gargoyles.
"Yeah... It's a pleasure," she greets sarcastically "Killjoy says you can help me find my dad."
"In a hurry, are we?" Stoney says, disapprovingly. "Can't even spare a second to greet royalty properly?"
Mad raises her eyebrows and looks toward Killjoy for support.
Killjoy mouths the words, "Bow, stupid."
Mad quickly follows her instructions and bows to the Gargoyle.
"My apologies. . . your Highness," Mad mutters awkwardly.
Killjoy waves her hand, encouraging her to say more.
"I never meant to insult you with my... insubordinate behaviour. You are the best-looking, talking statue ever seen. "
"All right, all right, don't overdo it. No one likes a suck-up." Stoney motions her to stop as he tries to progress the conversation. "What would you ladies like to know?"
"Stoney, you and your brethren keep a vigilant eye on this city and are aware of the comings and goings of all of its Night Dwellers," Killjoy says.
"Yes, and what of it?"
"We need to know the location of one."
"Kassandra, my dear, you know 1 am sworn to secrecy unless human lives are in danger."
"I thought you`d say that, and thus we have brought an offering."
Killjoy gestures at Mad to show him the offering they brought. Mad stands there, clueless for a moment, until she finally remembers.
She quickly reaches into her backpack but stops and looks at Killjoy with scepticism. "Killjoy, are you sure about this?"
"Mad, you're making me look bad. Please hurry up."
Mad pulls out a bag of mini marshmallows and offers them to Stoney.
"For you, my... King. "
"Oh, those magnificent morsels!" He takes the marshmallows from Madeline and begins pouring them into his mouth. "What do you want to know, my dear?" he asks, munching on the fluffy treats.
"We need to know where Loopin Shadows will be tonight," Killjoy enquires.
Stoney immediately loses his composure and spits marshmallows all over Mad's feet. "Why would either of you want to know the whereabouts of that monster?" Stoney questions with discernible fear in his voice.
"That's our business," Killjoy answers. "Now, we fulfilled our end of the bargain; time for you to fulfil yours."
"Very well, then. The East-Side Clan last saw Shadows and his ilk enroute to The Court of Darkness."
"Merciful Malus!" Killjoy exclaims as she takes out her pocket watch to check the time.
"What.. What is that?" Mad asks.
"I'Il explain when we get there. We need to hurry."
'Ms Chan," Stoney calls, gesturing to get her attention.
"Yes, your Majesty?"
"I do hope you find your father."
Mad is touched for a moment, but Killjoy pulls her away before she gets a chance to thank The Gargoyle King for the sentiment.
As Killjoy, Mad, and Hime head down the street, Stoney transforms back into a statue.
They run at full speed down the wet, unkempt road that leads away from the cathedral. Their footfalls echo off the surrounding buildings as they make their progress.
"`Where are we going?" Mad asks, gasping for air.
"The Court of Darkness: it's in the heart of the city, and they're due to meet in less than fifteen minutes," Killjoy replies as she looks at her pocket watch once again.
" You want me to call an Uber?"
"Not fast enough. We're going to have to fly."
"Wait, what?" Mad reacts, nearly tripping on the pavement.
Killjoy pulls her broom out of her coat. It expands to fullsize in her hand, as she grabs Mad by the back of her shirt, and the thin wooden stick begins to take them into the sky.
"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" Mad screams with uncontrollable fear.
Killjoy mounts her broom and swings Mad around her back with one swift motion. She holds on tight, almost reminiscent of a baby chimpanzee clinging to its mother. While Hime jumps inside Mad's backpack with expert precision.
"Hey, Lady, you forgots me," Hime protests.
"Shut up, you stupid cat!" Mad yells, her body trembling as she tightens her grip around Killjoy.
"What's wrong? Never flown on a broom before?" Killjoy playfully teases.
"I hate you!"
They get higher and higher until they are above the skyscrapers.
Killjoy leans forward, and her motion instantly commands her broom to take off in a straight line across the city, on their way to the Court of Darkness, at incredible speed. The buildings turn into blurs as they fly by, and before Mad has a chance to relax, Killjoy slows down and begins her descent.
They land on a rooftop of an old, historical Romanesque courthouse in the city's centre. While the building looks maintained and cared for, its long history is apparent.
Killjoy lands gracefully, like a ballerina, while Mad clumsily stumbles to the ground in desperate grasping for terra firma.
"So the flying broomstick thing is real, huh?" Mad asks, with a notable shake in her voice, trying her best to look calm and collected.
"Y up," Killjoy responds.
"Not a silly Halloween Harry Potter gimmick."
"Nope," Killjoy says, all the while moving towards a skylight. *'Now get a hold of yourself, Mad- we have work to do."
They get to the skylight and look inside the building. The glass is yellow and dirty, but the two lie on top of it, pressing their faces against its surface to get a good view. The room is a vast meeting hall with a large stone conference table in the middle. A group of well-dressed individuals begin to enter the room through different doors.
"Oh, good, it's just starting,"' Killjoy announces.
"What's starting? You haven't explained anything!" Mad protests.
"Okay, you remember how I told you that Merlin gathered seven Sorcerers to create the Heavenly Blade?"
"Yeah."
"Well, shortly after the war, Danapholi, the Demon Queen, selected seven Night Dwellers to represent them in the world of men; the seven most feared and powerful beings in the paranormal world gather as a counsel every month to make the most important decisions."
Killjoy gestures at a giant, red demon in a black suit, about to sit at the stone table. He looks like a stereotypical portrayal of Satan from Christian art and literature
"That's Demavelos Shard, Duke of Demons."
Next, a tall, mature-looking yet beautiful. raven- haired woman sits next to Demavelos. ""She's the Grand Witch, Minerva Madrigal."
An older man with greying hair and a face covered in gruesome surgical scars enters the room. "'That's Professor Jaq Pretorious, Reverend of The Re-Animated."
A glistening green, humanoid sea monster joins them. "'Gillion DeLongcre, Monarch of the Mariners."
Killjoy sees a familiar figure enter the room, clad in a trench coat with bushy sideburns taking up most of his face. "My good buddy, Kanus Veil, Lord of The Lycans."
Veil is followed into the room by a female mummy still clad in traditional wrappings of ancient Egyptian burial rites, yet adorned in shining gold jewellery and other traditional Egyptian vestments. "That's Loxana Tet, Empress of the Ancients."
Finally, the last member of the court enters. He is a tall, pale, imposing man in a dark Victorian suit. ""And last, but not least, the current head of the court: The Vampire King himself, Damian Callus."
Mad watches as the imposing vampire takes his seat at the head of the table.
"Mad Chan, these are the heads heads of The Seven Families," Killjoy states dramatically
Each member of the court takes their rightful place around the table. Surrounding the room, bodyguards stand of with dedicated vigilance.
"So this town is run by seven monster- gangsters?" Mad questions.
"Pretty much,' Killjoy confirms.
"That figures."
Killjoy pulls a giant parabolic microphone out of her coat and hands it to Mad.
"Here, take this and point it at them,'` she instructs.
Mad looks at the device, confused and slightly perplexed.
"Really? No magic?" Mad says in slight surprise. "'Sometimes the human ways are the best ways,' Killjoy clarifies. "Plus, at least three individuals down there could detect my magic. Better to be safe than sorry."
Killjoy hands Mad an earbud that's attached to the microphone. They both insert the listening devices into their ears and begin listening in on the mysterious meeting.
Inside the court, Guillion the merman commands the current topic of discussion.
"Twice this week,' he begins, "the Kappa Clan has tried to smuggle contraband through my docks, and the Swordsman has yet to do anything about it."
Loxana, the mummy chimes in. "I, too, have noticed that he favours some territories over others."
"Once again, your tiny minds limit your perception. the Professor interjects condescendingly.
Offended, Gullion stands up threateningly.
Damian Callus waves his hand and motions him to sit down. Gullion does so begrudgingly.
"Professor, save your belligerence for your subjects, Callus instructs, "not for your equals. Feel free to enlighten us, though."
"His absence is not due to favouritism," the Professor hypothesises. "Any fool can see that our dear constable has been missing for the past week."
"Typical human,"' the Demon Demavolus grunts, "y say the time is long overdue for us to be policed by our own kind."
"For once, We agree, Shard, R Veil says with enthusiasm. "The humans have their laws and penalties. It's about time we started governing ourselves!"
"We.. ?" a familiar voice echoes through the hall.
Everyone turns their heads to see Loopin Shadows standing at the far side of the room.
He is clad in a brown suit and matching fedora. His features are evident under the lamps of the meeting hall: a malformed, green demon who has part of his face covered by a metal mask. His leathery lips are curled into a sinister smile, containing two rows of shark-like teeth that glisten in the light.
"Isn't that always your cry?" Shadows asks with a hint of mockery. "We, we, we? What about us?" A large gang of Slashers step out of the shadows and surround him as he says this.
Killjoy, Mad, and Hime are still watching from above. Eyebrows furrow as a look of concern overtakes the Paranormal Private-Eye's face.
"Oh no," she mumbles to herself. "That's him, isn't it?" Mad points at the fedora- wearing demon. "That's Loopin Shadows. That`s the guy my dad was investigating!"
"Yeah, but you don't understand. This is bad, I thought Shadows had been asked to appear at the Court of Darkness, but it looks like he's here without an invitation."
"And that's bad because. . ?
"He's a Slasher. Slashers are greatly discriminated against in the underworld. They are seen as impure, a fusion of a human and a Night Dweller."
"You mean- humans and monsters breeding?" Mad asks with disgust in her tone.
"No, that would be a half-breed like me. Slashers are generally created via an accident or a curse, and the fusion only works on a human with a tainted soul."
"Tainted soul?"
"Serial killers, rapists, psychopaths..." Killjoy explains. ""People who were already terrible long before they came into contact with a demon."
Inside, Demavalos Shard angrily stands up and slams his fist on the table.
"You are not worthy of standing in this room, you impure abomination!'" he shouts. "
And that's the problem, Mr Shard," Shadows responds with an eerie calm. According to your standards, I am not worthy of standing anywhere. We are neither human nor Night Dweller, so neither world will ever accept us."
Growing impatient with the turn of events, Callus tries to take control of the situation. "Loopin Shadows! While your extreme rhetoric might be compelling, your presence is not welcomed here, I will ask you only once to leave."
"Damian,'" Minerva interrupts. If you don't mind,1 would like to hear what Mr Shadows has to say."
Overhead, Killjoy's eyes narrow with curiosity. What are you up to, Minerva? she thinks.
"I would also love to hear what the Slasher has to say," Veil says.
"Why? What could he possibly have to say to us?" Guillion questions.
"Are you kidding me? I've been coming to these meetings for a hundred years, and this is the first interesting thing that has ever happened! The man had the balls to walk into a room with the seven most dangerous Night Dwellers in the underworld. I say that at least buys him five minutes of our time."
Everyone but Shard seems to agree to the declaration reluctantly
"All right then, Mr Shadows," Callus relents. "State your case with great haste, for my patience is wearing thin."
"With gratitude, your Highness," Shadows utters with a wicked smile. "'Tt seems as though this court always has the same two problems: a Swordsman who doesn't represent your best interest and a planet overrun by inferior, weak humans. I can solve both of these problems for you as long as you grant me one small, simple request."
"And what would that be?" Callus asks.
"A seat at your table."
Most of the court laughs, including the bodyguards, who try to keep their chuckles hidden.
"Veil was right,' Demavalos admits. " This is the most amusing thing to happen in this court in a long time. You will never sit at this table, you disgusting whelp. Even if we accepted your kind, our laws dictate that only seven representatives may have a chair, and as you can clearly see, all seats are taken."
Shadows nods in agreement, but suddenly, without warning, he holds out his gauntlet and fires a long sharp fingernail directly at Shard.
The nail hits Shard square in the chest, and before he has time to react, he is consumed by a fireball of white and black flame. When the flame dies down, all that remains of Demavalos Shard is a pile of ash and bone.
Shadows laughs, completely satisfied with his work. "Well, it seems like you now have a vacancy. Problem solved."
Everyone is stunned and shaken by Shadows' action and they sit in complete shock while Shadows walks over to the table. He brushes off what's left of Demavalos Shard and takes a seat.
His entourage of Slashers protectively stand around him.
The Professor's curiosity gets the better of him as he breaks the silence. "What was in that projectile, boy?"
"The two most volatile elements in our world: pure light and pure darkness, Shadows explains. "'I have high explosives at my fingertips. Literally. Hopefully, 1 won't forget, go to pick my nose, and blow my own head off."
Veil laughs loudly and with gusto, The rest of the group looks at him with disapproval.
"What? It was funny," he says, struggling to regain his composure.
Having seen enough, Killjoy is satisfied with their surveillance, "'Okay. We have a Slasher with a weapon of mass destruction strapped to his arm, claiming he can overthrow humanity. We need to find The Swordsman now!"
Suddenly, Killjoy and Mad hear a faint cracking sound followed by what seems to be splintering wood.
"`What was that?" Mad asks, highly concerned.
Looking down, Killjoy notices a crack in the skylight they are occupying. She tries to yell at Mad to get off the glass, but before Killjoy can say anything, the skylight that they are lying on cracks and shatters, bringing both of them careening down into the Court.
The seven Night Dwellers and their bodyguards have no time to react as Killjoy and Mad fall out of the sky and crash through the stone table the seven are occupying.
Hime follows and lands gracefully on his paws, licking himself as if nothing happened. "I gotta fix my hairs."
Surprised, the occupants of the Court stand up and back away with weapons and bodyguards at the ready. However, when the dust and debris from the collapse dissipate, they see the awkwardly dressed Witch Detective and a very petite, teenaged human, looking worse for wear.
"Now I know what Mick Foley feels like," Killjoy mutters to herself, trying to pick herself up to get to her feet.
"Killjoy!" Callus exclaims.
"Oh, great!" Veil grumbles.
Minerva, however, seems to be the angriest in the group. ""What are you doing here, Kassandra?" she yells.
"Nice to see you too, Minerva!" Killjoy responds sarcastically. "Would any of you know where the In 'n' Out Burger is on this block? There's something wrong with our GPS."
Professor Pretorius draws out a cattle prod, slowly inching his way closer to them.
Killjoy quickly summons her broom. It flies into her hand, and she points the end of it at the Professor, holding it like an assault rifle.
All the Night Dwellers take a step back.
"Not so fast, old man," Killjoy says confidently. "Just because you have us surrounded, outnumbered, and outmatched doesn't mean we won't go down fighting."
Hime jumps in front of Killjoy and Mad and growls at the Night Dwellers, inadvertently looking pretty adorable in his attempt to intimidate.
Mad, meanwhile, grabs a piece of wood from the broken skylight, holding it in her outstretched hand, awkwardly, as a makeshift weapon.
Minerva grows even more frustrated now. ""Kassandra, don't do anything foolish."
"Hey, thanks for the suggestion. Minerva," Killjoy replies, with much sarcasm.
Suddenly Mad notices Shadows' giant henchman Mason Leather. ""Hey, Killjoy. Look at that guy. Seven feet tall, dumb-looking. That's the guy who broke into my apartment!" The gargantuan man smiles sheepishly.
Killjoy rolls her eyes. "Mad, as impressed as I am with your powers of deduction, this is not the time!"
Damian Callus tries to regain control of the room. "'Ms Killjoy, I--"
Suddenly Hime interrupts. "Hey deh Stinky Feets, these are my persons. They belong to me," he growls.
"Bloody hell, that cat can talk!" Veil exclaims,
"I've got to get better sidekicks,'" Killjoy grumbles
"Sidekicks?" Mad protests
"Enough!" Callus shouts while, once again, trying to re-establish his authority. "My patience has expired, Witch. So much so that if one of my associates desires to kill you and your companions, I feel inclined to let them do it."
"Plenty of volunteers in this room," Vail gleefully exclaims.
The Night Dwellers brandish their weapons as they move in on the three intruders.
"Not so fast!" Killjoy shouts as she points her broomstick right at Shadows' gauntlet. "One plasma bolt at Mr. Smiley's explody glove, and we all go up together."
Shadows smirks, seemingly very amused by this threat. "'Oh, I am starting to like you."
Realizing that Killjoy is right, the Night Dwellers lower their weapons.
"That's right; you better back up,"' Killjoy says.
Suddenly, Mad taps Killjoy on the shoulder. "Not now. Mad; We got them on the ropes," she whispers, not wanting to let her guard down.
"Not that, Killjoy -- look!" Mad is pointing at something behind her. Killjoy sees The Swordsman perched on the windowsill behind her when she turns around.
He is a tall, dashing figure wearing a long coat that seems to bellow heroically in the wind. An old bowler hat adorns the top of his head, but it is tipped forward, so the brim hides half the features of his face.
The Swordsman reaches just over his right shoulder where the Heavenly Blade can be seen sheathed at his back. The moment his hand wraps around the blade's handle, The Night Dwellers ignore Killjoy, Mad, and Hime, turning all their attention and weapons to The Swordsman.
Taking the hint, Killjoy whispers to Mad and Hime. "That's our cue!" The three of them leave the room as quickly as they can, while The Night Dwellers' gaze remains on The Swordsman.
Once the three are safe, the mysterious hero lets go of the blade, diving out of the window behind him, vanishing into the night.
The Night Dwellers are stunned; left humiliated in their meeting hall with nothing to show for it besides a broken table, broken ceiling. and the ashy remains of their former comrade. his gaze not leaving the spot where The Swordsman once
"Mr Shadows....we accept your offer," Callus says, stood. "If you can do away with The Swordsman and give us the leverage we need against the humans, We will aside our prejudice and give you a seat at our table. Does put anyone oppose?" Some of the court members are visibly taken aback by his words, yet no one dares speak a word,
"Thank you, Your Highness. If you don't mind, I have a Swordsman to hunt," Shadows says. He gives an exaggerated bow and then motions for his fellow Slashers to follow him. Together, they leave the Court of Darkness.
"Damian, you cannot be serious! repulsive Allowing that anomaly to have a seat of honour at our Court?" Loxana yells, her shrill voice betraying her calm composure.
"Loxana, my dear, what do we have to lose?" Callus reassures her. "If he fails, The Swordsman will kill him. Yet if he succeeds..." Callus picks up one of Shard's bones, examining it in his hands, "The Demon clan will destroy him as revenge for killing their master and taking his seat. Either way, we win.
"Shadows is no fool," Minerva offers. "He wouldn`t have made such a bargain if he didn't have a plan."
"Let him try, It's all of us against a handful them. At the end of the night, they are still just a minority."
Outside the Court of Shadows, Killjoy, Mad, and Hime run out of the old building, stopping to catch their breath in the middle of the empty street, once they feel they are at a safe distance.
"We fell like- fifty feet!" Mad exclaims, still trying to catch her breath. "'How are we not crippled or dead?"
"I cushioned our fall at the last second,"' Killjoy says, "`but we still technically fell at full speed for about five feet and destroyed a table with our bodies. We might want to stop on the way home and pick up some Icy Hot.
Suddenly, Mad spots a dark figure sliding down the fire escape on the side of a nearby building, and landing in the alleyway next to it. It's The Swordsman!
"Hey, you!" Mad shouts.
Surprised, Killjoy and Hime turn to look at The Swordsman.
"You know where my father is!" Mad shouts as she pulls her skateboard out of her backpack and begins to chase after the mystery man.
At the sound of Mad's voice, The Swordsman turns and runs down the road.
Mad, desperate to catch The Swordsman, displays her impressive skateboarding skills as she gets closer and closer to the legendary warrior, almost touching his billowing coat with her fingertips.
Just as she is about to rap her fingers around a portion of the coat and catch him, one of the wheels on her skateboard suddenly falls off, causing Mad to wipe out on the sidewalk, scraping her hands and knee in the process
She looks up just in time to see The Swordsman Jump into a convertible and drive away.
Killjoy flies down on her broom and lands next to Mad while Hime teleports right by her injured leg.
He sweetly rubs his little body against her leg. ""Mad, why did you take off like that?" Killjoy questions. "I could have flown you. We could have caught him."
"Sorry, okay? I just... I feel so damned useless," Mad laments, tears travelling down her freckled cheeks. "I wanted to do something - something on my own to find my dad."
"It's okay, Mad. We'll find him, I promise. Now, let me see your knee." Killjoy reaches into her coat pocket, procuring a fully stocked first-aid kit. While Killjoy tends to the injury, Mad wipes away her tears, attempting to compose herself.
"So.... you re a half-breed? Mad asks.
"Yup."
"Which means one of your parents is human and the other-"
"-is not."
"Are your parents cool?"
"It depends on your definition of cool. My dad is your stereotypical, brave, human idiot, and my mom... well, that's a long story."
"Did they love each other?"
"Yeah. When they first met, they did. But then something came along that reminded them just how different they were. "
"What was that?"
"Me."
Killjoy finishes bandaging Mad's knee and helps her to her feet. "There you go. Good as new. Now let's get you home. It`'s been a long night, and you have school tomorrow.`"
"What? You expect me to go to school while we're in the middle of all this?" Mad protests.
"Yup. There's nothing we can do until tomorrow night when all the creatures come out."
" Argh! I have to go through a whole school day with maybe one hour of sleep? This is going to suck," Mad grumbles.
"Oh, don't worry! I can compress your sleep so you can get eight hours of rest in just a few minutes," Killjoy smiles, while they both start the journey back to Mad's apartment.
"Okay, out of all your magic tricks, that's my favourite so far."
Killjoy, Mad, and Hime, mid-conversation, approach the gothic monument.
"So you're saying that those things that attacked me in the alley can just walk around the city in monster form and go unnoticed?" Mad enquires.
"Yeah, this town was originally a sanctuary for Night Dwellers,' Killjoy explains. "So when humans started moving in, a Warlock cast a spell on the whole city that makes Night Dwellers unnoticeable to humans.'
"But I'm human, and I still noticed them."
"Yeah, but you now know about us, and awareness of the supernatural breaks the spell." Killjoy suddenly remembers something. "By the way I've been meaning to ask... when you saw me next to the Police Station for the first time, what did I look like?"
"Like Karen Gillian in a pants suit."
"Nicel"
"Okay, then.'" Mad thinks as she changes the subject. "You`re a witch. The two uglies in the alley were Slashers but what is Hime?"
At that very moment, they look down to see Hime licking himself.
"That is a mystery for another day," Killjoy says, as they all stop in front of the cathedral. "Okay, we`re here."
The two find themselves in front of an old statue of a gargoyle
"Your informant is going to meet us here?" Mad wondered.
"No. This is my informant," Killjoy clarified, pointing at the statue.
"What? This ugly old statue?"
Suddenly the statue comes to life, right before Mad's eyes,
"Hey, who you calling ugly, you little brat?" the Statue barked.
The sudden surprise causes Mad to shriek like a five- year-old and fall right on her butt, as she looks up at a heavy-set, grey statue with a prominent chin, horns, and four-foot wings sticking out of his back.
"Don't know what she's talking about, Stoney," Killjoy interjects. "You're still as handsome as ever."
"Kassandra Killjoy, you little minx." Stoney says, nearly blushing. "Flattery will get you everywhere!"
With this, the gargoyle embraces Killjoy with a friendly hug.
Mad shakes her head and stands up, dusting herself off.
"Madeline Chan," Killjoy begins, "I would like you to meet Granite Stonegast III, King of The Gargoyles.
"Yeah... It's a pleasure," she greets sarcastically "Killjoy says you can help me find my dad."
"In a hurry, are we?" Stoney says, disapprovingly. "Can't even spare a second to greet royalty properly?"
Mad raises her eyebrows and looks toward Killjoy for support.
Killjoy mouths the words, "Bow, stupid."
Mad quickly follows her instructions and bows to the Gargoyle.
"My apologies. . . your Highness," Mad mutters awkwardly.
Killjoy waves her hand, encouraging her to say more.
"I never meant to insult you with my... insubordinate behaviour. You are the best-looking, talking statue ever seen. "
"All right, all right, don't overdo it. No one likes a suck-up." Stoney motions her to stop as he tries to progress the conversation. "What would you ladies like to know?"
"Stoney, you and your brethren keep a vigilant eye on this city and are aware of the comings and goings of all of its Night Dwellers," Killjoy says.
"Yes, and what of it?"
"We need to know the location of one."
"Kassandra, my dear, you know 1 am sworn to secrecy unless human lives are in danger."
"I thought you`d say that, and thus we have brought an offering."
Killjoy gestures at Mad to show him the offering they brought. Mad stands there, clueless for a moment, until she finally remembers.
She quickly reaches into her backpack but stops and looks at Killjoy with scepticism. "Killjoy, are you sure about this?"
"Mad, you're making me look bad. Please hurry up."
Mad pulls out a bag of mini marshmallows and offers them to Stoney.
"For you, my... King. "
"Oh, those magnificent morsels!" He takes the marshmallows from Madeline and begins pouring them into his mouth. "What do you want to know, my dear?" he asks, munching on the fluffy treats.
"We need to know where Loopin Shadows will be tonight," Killjoy enquires.
Stoney immediately loses his composure and spits marshmallows all over Mad's feet. "Why would either of you want to know the whereabouts of that monster?" Stoney questions with discernible fear in his voice.
"That's our business," Killjoy answers. "Now, we fulfilled our end of the bargain; time for you to fulfil yours."
"Very well, then. The East-Side Clan last saw Shadows and his ilk enroute to The Court of Darkness."
"Merciful Malus!" Killjoy exclaims as she takes out her pocket watch to check the time.
"What.. What is that?" Mad asks.
"I'Il explain when we get there. We need to hurry."
'Ms Chan," Stoney calls, gesturing to get her attention.
"Yes, your Majesty?"
"I do hope you find your father."
Mad is touched for a moment, but Killjoy pulls her away before she gets a chance to thank The Gargoyle King for the sentiment.
As Killjoy, Mad, and Hime head down the street, Stoney transforms back into a statue.
They run at full speed down the wet, unkempt road that leads away from the cathedral. Their footfalls echo off the surrounding buildings as they make their progress.
"`Where are we going?" Mad asks, gasping for air.
"The Court of Darkness: it's in the heart of the city, and they're due to meet in less than fifteen minutes," Killjoy replies as she looks at her pocket watch once again.
" You want me to call an Uber?"
"Not fast enough. We're going to have to fly."
"Wait, what?" Mad reacts, nearly tripping on the pavement.
Killjoy pulls her broom out of her coat. It expands to fullsize in her hand, as she grabs Mad by the back of her shirt, and the thin wooden stick begins to take them into the sky.
"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" Mad screams with uncontrollable fear.
Killjoy mounts her broom and swings Mad around her back with one swift motion. She holds on tight, almost reminiscent of a baby chimpanzee clinging to its mother. While Hime jumps inside Mad's backpack with expert precision.
"Hey, Lady, you forgots me," Hime protests.
"Shut up, you stupid cat!" Mad yells, her body trembling as she tightens her grip around Killjoy.
"What's wrong? Never flown on a broom before?" Killjoy playfully teases.
"I hate you!"
They get higher and higher until they are above the skyscrapers.
Killjoy leans forward, and her motion instantly commands her broom to take off in a straight line across the city, on their way to the Court of Darkness, at incredible speed. The buildings turn into blurs as they fly by, and before Mad has a chance to relax, Killjoy slows down and begins her descent.
They land on a rooftop of an old, historical Romanesque courthouse in the city's centre. While the building looks maintained and cared for, its long history is apparent.
Killjoy lands gracefully, like a ballerina, while Mad clumsily stumbles to the ground in desperate grasping for terra firma.
"So the flying broomstick thing is real, huh?" Mad asks, with a notable shake in her voice, trying her best to look calm and collected.
"Y up," Killjoy responds.
"Not a silly Halloween Harry Potter gimmick."
"Nope," Killjoy says, all the while moving towards a skylight. *'Now get a hold of yourself, Mad- we have work to do."
They get to the skylight and look inside the building. The glass is yellow and dirty, but the two lie on top of it, pressing their faces against its surface to get a good view. The room is a vast meeting hall with a large stone conference table in the middle. A group of well-dressed individuals begin to enter the room through different doors.
"Oh, good, it's just starting,"' Killjoy announces.
"What's starting? You haven't explained anything!" Mad protests.
"Okay, you remember how I told you that Merlin gathered seven Sorcerers to create the Heavenly Blade?"
"Yeah."
"Well, shortly after the war, Danapholi, the Demon Queen, selected seven Night Dwellers to represent them in the world of men; the seven most feared and powerful beings in the paranormal world gather as a counsel every month to make the most important decisions."
Killjoy gestures at a giant, red demon in a black suit, about to sit at the stone table. He looks like a stereotypical portrayal of Satan from Christian art and literature
"That's Demavelos Shard, Duke of Demons."
Next, a tall, mature-looking yet beautiful. raven- haired woman sits next to Demavelos. ""She's the Grand Witch, Minerva Madrigal."
An older man with greying hair and a face covered in gruesome surgical scars enters the room. "'That's Professor Jaq Pretorious, Reverend of The Re-Animated."
A glistening green, humanoid sea monster joins them. "'Gillion DeLongcre, Monarch of the Mariners."
Killjoy sees a familiar figure enter the room, clad in a trench coat with bushy sideburns taking up most of his face. "My good buddy, Kanus Veil, Lord of The Lycans."
Veil is followed into the room by a female mummy still clad in traditional wrappings of ancient Egyptian burial rites, yet adorned in shining gold jewellery and other traditional Egyptian vestments. "That's Loxana Tet, Empress of the Ancients."
Finally, the last member of the court enters. He is a tall, pale, imposing man in a dark Victorian suit. ""And last, but not least, the current head of the court: The Vampire King himself, Damian Callus."
Mad watches as the imposing vampire takes his seat at the head of the table.
"Mad Chan, these are the heads heads of The Seven Families," Killjoy states dramatically
Each member of the court takes their rightful place around the table. Surrounding the room, bodyguards stand of with dedicated vigilance.
"So this town is run by seven monster- gangsters?" Mad questions.
"Pretty much,' Killjoy confirms.
"That figures."
Killjoy pulls a giant parabolic microphone out of her coat and hands it to Mad.
"Here, take this and point it at them,'` she instructs.
Mad looks at the device, confused and slightly perplexed.
"Really? No magic?" Mad says in slight surprise. "'Sometimes the human ways are the best ways,' Killjoy clarifies. "Plus, at least three individuals down there could detect my magic. Better to be safe than sorry."
Killjoy hands Mad an earbud that's attached to the microphone. They both insert the listening devices into their ears and begin listening in on the mysterious meeting.
Inside the court, Guillion the merman commands the current topic of discussion.
"Twice this week,' he begins, "the Kappa Clan has tried to smuggle contraband through my docks, and the Swordsman has yet to do anything about it."
Loxana, the mummy chimes in. "I, too, have noticed that he favours some territories over others."
"Once again, your tiny minds limit your perception. the Professor interjects condescendingly.
Offended, Gullion stands up threateningly.
Damian Callus waves his hand and motions him to sit down. Gullion does so begrudgingly.
"Professor, save your belligerence for your subjects, Callus instructs, "not for your equals. Feel free to enlighten us, though."
"His absence is not due to favouritism," the Professor hypothesises. "Any fool can see that our dear constable has been missing for the past week."
"Typical human,"' the Demon Demavolus grunts, "y say the time is long overdue for us to be policed by our own kind."
"For once, We agree, Shard, R Veil says with enthusiasm. "The humans have their laws and penalties. It's about time we started governing ourselves!"
"We.. ?" a familiar voice echoes through the hall.
Everyone turns their heads to see Loopin Shadows standing at the far side of the room.
He is clad in a brown suit and matching fedora. His features are evident under the lamps of the meeting hall: a malformed, green demon who has part of his face covered by a metal mask. His leathery lips are curled into a sinister smile, containing two rows of shark-like teeth that glisten in the light.
"Isn't that always your cry?" Shadows asks with a hint of mockery. "We, we, we? What about us?" A large gang of Slashers step out of the shadows and surround him as he says this.
Killjoy, Mad, and Hime are still watching from above. Eyebrows furrow as a look of concern overtakes the Paranormal Private-Eye's face.
"Oh no," she mumbles to herself. "That's him, isn't it?" Mad points at the fedora- wearing demon. "That's Loopin Shadows. That`s the guy my dad was investigating!"
"Yeah, but you don't understand. This is bad, I thought Shadows had been asked to appear at the Court of Darkness, but it looks like he's here without an invitation."
"And that's bad because. . ?
"He's a Slasher. Slashers are greatly discriminated against in the underworld. They are seen as impure, a fusion of a human and a Night Dweller."
"You mean- humans and monsters breeding?" Mad asks with disgust in her tone.
"No, that would be a half-breed like me. Slashers are generally created via an accident or a curse, and the fusion only works on a human with a tainted soul."
"Tainted soul?"
"Serial killers, rapists, psychopaths..." Killjoy explains. ""People who were already terrible long before they came into contact with a demon."
Inside, Demavalos Shard angrily stands up and slams his fist on the table.
"You are not worthy of standing in this room, you impure abomination!'" he shouts. "
And that's the problem, Mr Shard," Shadows responds with an eerie calm. According to your standards, I am not worthy of standing anywhere. We are neither human nor Night Dweller, so neither world will ever accept us."
Growing impatient with the turn of events, Callus tries to take control of the situation. "Loopin Shadows! While your extreme rhetoric might be compelling, your presence is not welcomed here, I will ask you only once to leave."
"Damian,'" Minerva interrupts. If you don't mind,1 would like to hear what Mr Shadows has to say."
Overhead, Killjoy's eyes narrow with curiosity. What are you up to, Minerva? she thinks.
"I would also love to hear what the Slasher has to say," Veil says.
"Why? What could he possibly have to say to us?" Guillion questions.
"Are you kidding me? I've been coming to these meetings for a hundred years, and this is the first interesting thing that has ever happened! The man had the balls to walk into a room with the seven most dangerous Night Dwellers in the underworld. I say that at least buys him five minutes of our time."
Everyone but Shard seems to agree to the declaration reluctantly
"All right then, Mr Shadows," Callus relents. "State your case with great haste, for my patience is wearing thin."
"With gratitude, your Highness," Shadows utters with a wicked smile. "'Tt seems as though this court always has the same two problems: a Swordsman who doesn't represent your best interest and a planet overrun by inferior, weak humans. I can solve both of these problems for you as long as you grant me one small, simple request."
"And what would that be?" Callus asks.
"A seat at your table."
Most of the court laughs, including the bodyguards, who try to keep their chuckles hidden.
"Veil was right,' Demavalos admits. " This is the most amusing thing to happen in this court in a long time. You will never sit at this table, you disgusting whelp. Even if we accepted your kind, our laws dictate that only seven representatives may have a chair, and as you can clearly see, all seats are taken."
Shadows nods in agreement, but suddenly, without warning, he holds out his gauntlet and fires a long sharp fingernail directly at Shard.
The nail hits Shard square in the chest, and before he has time to react, he is consumed by a fireball of white and black flame. When the flame dies down, all that remains of Demavalos Shard is a pile of ash and bone.
Shadows laughs, completely satisfied with his work. "Well, it seems like you now have a vacancy. Problem solved."
Everyone is stunned and shaken by Shadows' action and they sit in complete shock while Shadows walks over to the table. He brushes off what's left of Demavalos Shard and takes a seat.
His entourage of Slashers protectively stand around him.
The Professor's curiosity gets the better of him as he breaks the silence. "What was in that projectile, boy?"
"The two most volatile elements in our world: pure light and pure darkness, Shadows explains. "'I have high explosives at my fingertips. Literally. Hopefully, 1 won't forget, go to pick my nose, and blow my own head off."
Veil laughs loudly and with gusto, The rest of the group looks at him with disapproval.
"What? It was funny," he says, struggling to regain his composure.
Having seen enough, Killjoy is satisfied with their surveillance, "'Okay. We have a Slasher with a weapon of mass destruction strapped to his arm, claiming he can overthrow humanity. We need to find The Swordsman now!"
Suddenly, Killjoy and Mad hear a faint cracking sound followed by what seems to be splintering wood.
"`What was that?" Mad asks, highly concerned.
Looking down, Killjoy notices a crack in the skylight they are occupying. She tries to yell at Mad to get off the glass, but before Killjoy can say anything, the skylight that they are lying on cracks and shatters, bringing both of them careening down into the Court.
The seven Night Dwellers and their bodyguards have no time to react as Killjoy and Mad fall out of the sky and crash through the stone table the seven are occupying.
Hime follows and lands gracefully on his paws, licking himself as if nothing happened. "I gotta fix my hairs."
Surprised, the occupants of the Court stand up and back away with weapons and bodyguards at the ready. However, when the dust and debris from the collapse dissipate, they see the awkwardly dressed Witch Detective and a very petite, teenaged human, looking worse for wear.
"Now I know what Mick Foley feels like," Killjoy mutters to herself, trying to pick herself up to get to her feet.
"Killjoy!" Callus exclaims.
"Oh, great!" Veil grumbles.
Minerva, however, seems to be the angriest in the group. ""What are you doing here, Kassandra?" she yells.
"Nice to see you too, Minerva!" Killjoy responds sarcastically. "Would any of you know where the In 'n' Out Burger is on this block? There's something wrong with our GPS."
Professor Pretorius draws out a cattle prod, slowly inching his way closer to them.
Killjoy quickly summons her broom. It flies into her hand, and she points the end of it at the Professor, holding it like an assault rifle.
All the Night Dwellers take a step back.
"Not so fast, old man," Killjoy says confidently. "Just because you have us surrounded, outnumbered, and outmatched doesn't mean we won't go down fighting."
Hime jumps in front of Killjoy and Mad and growls at the Night Dwellers, inadvertently looking pretty adorable in his attempt to intimidate.
Mad, meanwhile, grabs a piece of wood from the broken skylight, holding it in her outstretched hand, awkwardly, as a makeshift weapon.
Minerva grows even more frustrated now. ""Kassandra, don't do anything foolish."
"Hey, thanks for the suggestion. Minerva," Killjoy replies, with much sarcasm.
Suddenly Mad notices Shadows' giant henchman Mason Leather. ""Hey, Killjoy. Look at that guy. Seven feet tall, dumb-looking. That's the guy who broke into my apartment!" The gargantuan man smiles sheepishly.
Killjoy rolls her eyes. "Mad, as impressed as I am with your powers of deduction, this is not the time!"
Damian Callus tries to regain control of the room. "'Ms Killjoy, I--"
Suddenly Hime interrupts. "Hey deh Stinky Feets, these are my persons. They belong to me," he growls.
"Bloody hell, that cat can talk!" Veil exclaims,
"I've got to get better sidekicks,'" Killjoy grumbles
"Sidekicks?" Mad protests
"Enough!" Callus shouts while, once again, trying to re-establish his authority. "My patience has expired, Witch. So much so that if one of my associates desires to kill you and your companions, I feel inclined to let them do it."
"Plenty of volunteers in this room," Vail gleefully exclaims.
The Night Dwellers brandish their weapons as they move in on the three intruders.
"Not so fast!" Killjoy shouts as she points her broomstick right at Shadows' gauntlet. "One plasma bolt at Mr. Smiley's explody glove, and we all go up together."
Shadows smirks, seemingly very amused by this threat. "'Oh, I am starting to like you."
Realizing that Killjoy is right, the Night Dwellers lower their weapons.
"That's right; you better back up,"' Killjoy says.
Suddenly, Mad taps Killjoy on the shoulder. "Not now. Mad; We got them on the ropes," she whispers, not wanting to let her guard down.
"Not that, Killjoy -- look!" Mad is pointing at something behind her. Killjoy sees The Swordsman perched on the windowsill behind her when she turns around.
He is a tall, dashing figure wearing a long coat that seems to bellow heroically in the wind. An old bowler hat adorns the top of his head, but it is tipped forward, so the brim hides half the features of his face.
The Swordsman reaches just over his right shoulder where the Heavenly Blade can be seen sheathed at his back. The moment his hand wraps around the blade's handle, The Night Dwellers ignore Killjoy, Mad, and Hime, turning all their attention and weapons to The Swordsman.
Taking the hint, Killjoy whispers to Mad and Hime. "That's our cue!" The three of them leave the room as quickly as they can, while The Night Dwellers' gaze remains on The Swordsman.
Once the three are safe, the mysterious hero lets go of the blade, diving out of the window behind him, vanishing into the night.
The Night Dwellers are stunned; left humiliated in their meeting hall with nothing to show for it besides a broken table, broken ceiling. and the ashy remains of their former comrade. his gaze not leaving the spot where The Swordsman once
"Mr Shadows....we accept your offer," Callus says, stood. "If you can do away with The Swordsman and give us the leverage we need against the humans, We will aside our prejudice and give you a seat at our table. Does put anyone oppose?" Some of the court members are visibly taken aback by his words, yet no one dares speak a word,
"Thank you, Your Highness. If you don't mind, I have a Swordsman to hunt," Shadows says. He gives an exaggerated bow and then motions for his fellow Slashers to follow him. Together, they leave the Court of Darkness.
"Damian, you cannot be serious! repulsive Allowing that anomaly to have a seat of honour at our Court?" Loxana yells, her shrill voice betraying her calm composure.
"Loxana, my dear, what do we have to lose?" Callus reassures her. "If he fails, The Swordsman will kill him. Yet if he succeeds..." Callus picks up one of Shard's bones, examining it in his hands, "The Demon clan will destroy him as revenge for killing their master and taking his seat. Either way, we win.
"Shadows is no fool," Minerva offers. "He wouldn`t have made such a bargain if he didn't have a plan."
"Let him try, It's all of us against a handful them. At the end of the night, they are still just a minority."
Outside the Court of Shadows, Killjoy, Mad, and Hime run out of the old building, stopping to catch their breath in the middle of the empty street, once they feel they are at a safe distance.
"We fell like- fifty feet!" Mad exclaims, still trying to catch her breath. "'How are we not crippled or dead?"
"I cushioned our fall at the last second,"' Killjoy says, "`but we still technically fell at full speed for about five feet and destroyed a table with our bodies. We might want to stop on the way home and pick up some Icy Hot.
Suddenly, Mad spots a dark figure sliding down the fire escape on the side of a nearby building, and landing in the alleyway next to it. It's The Swordsman!
"Hey, you!" Mad shouts.
Surprised, Killjoy and Hime turn to look at The Swordsman.
"You know where my father is!" Mad shouts as she pulls her skateboard out of her backpack and begins to chase after the mystery man.
At the sound of Mad's voice, The Swordsman turns and runs down the road.
Mad, desperate to catch The Swordsman, displays her impressive skateboarding skills as she gets closer and closer to the legendary warrior, almost touching his billowing coat with her fingertips.
Just as she is about to rap her fingers around a portion of the coat and catch him, one of the wheels on her skateboard suddenly falls off, causing Mad to wipe out on the sidewalk, scraping her hands and knee in the process
She looks up just in time to see The Swordsman Jump into a convertible and drive away.
Killjoy flies down on her broom and lands next to Mad while Hime teleports right by her injured leg.
He sweetly rubs his little body against her leg. ""Mad, why did you take off like that?" Killjoy questions. "I could have flown you. We could have caught him."
"Sorry, okay? I just... I feel so damned useless," Mad laments, tears travelling down her freckled cheeks. "I wanted to do something - something on my own to find my dad."
"It's okay, Mad. We'll find him, I promise. Now, let me see your knee." Killjoy reaches into her coat pocket, procuring a fully stocked first-aid kit. While Killjoy tends to the injury, Mad wipes away her tears, attempting to compose herself.
"So.... you re a half-breed? Mad asks.
"Yup."
"Which means one of your parents is human and the other-"
"-is not."
"Are your parents cool?"
"It depends on your definition of cool. My dad is your stereotypical, brave, human idiot, and my mom... well, that's a long story."
"Did they love each other?"
"Yeah. When they first met, they did. But then something came along that reminded them just how different they were. "
"What was that?"
"Me."
Killjoy finishes bandaging Mad's knee and helps her to her feet. "There you go. Good as new. Now let's get you home. It`'s been a long night, and you have school tomorrow.`"
"What? You expect me to go to school while we're in the middle of all this?" Mad protests.
"Yup. There's nothing we can do until tomorrow night when all the creatures come out."
" Argh! I have to go through a whole school day with maybe one hour of sleep? This is going to suck," Mad grumbles.
"Oh, don't worry! I can compress your sleep so you can get eight hours of rest in just a few minutes," Killjoy smiles, while they both start the journey back to Mad's apartment.
"Okay, out of all your magic tricks, that's my favourite so far."
