Darksider Strife Novels & Stories

Come on buddy, you have to be on my side. And then there are his hands. Veined, scarred and strong. The kind of hands that could pin you down or pull you up. Depending on which side of him you’re on. Perfect for… yeah. That. My hand tightens on the bannister because my brain has decided now’s a great time to play the reel of something I never asked for. Different hands. Pale fingers digging in until the world went spotty at the edges. A voice that was supposed to be holy, saying things that still make my skin crawl.

The freaky end of days was coming. I faced the camera, my voice steady for all the people in the city to hear. "The freaky apocalypse is here, folks. I'm going to help you out as best I can. First up, find cover where the wind can't get you, subways, basements, factories, banks, any safe spot." Lights flickered on in every underground parking lot. The ground rumbled with a deep roar, setting the stage for Jim as he led his crew of infant spirits into a clash with the Haunts that sliced through the wind.

There was no choice, no way back. And even now, across lifetimes, across dimensions and fractures, the memory glitched forward, bleeding into this world, this moment. Aria didn’t know it yet. Didn’t remember. But she would. Strife had appeared there as venom wrapped in silk, slithering through dark alleys like a serpent waiting to strike, watching lives unravel. But then she saw Aria — bright, defiant, wild with a fire no darkness could consume. In that moment, something snapped inside the serpent. Aria did not flinch; instead, she reached out, gentle and steady, not a weapon but a balm. She healed the wounds strife had lived by, the betrayals she had fed on.

Ean's face contorted in disbelief and rage. "Nonsense! How could she be dead?" He stormed in, eyes wild with panic. Behind a few rows of shelves, a faint figure was curled up on the floor. Ean started shaking uncontrollably. I followed close behind him, my stomach turning at the sight of my own dead body. My eyes were wide open, staring straight ahead, directly at him. My face was icy, and all ten fingers were smeared with dried blood. The floor and walls were covered with the marks of my struggle.

"We will wait for the King. But right now, I cannot leave you alone knowing that the faeries are a threat." "Not entirely. Agape might be a threat, but their existence is a big help in fighting against the dark lord too. I'm sure they will know if the dark lord has risen completely or is still under the ground and locked." I explained to him. I leaned back in the chair and tilted my head. "The war hasn't even started before I'm tired." "It's okay to be tired, just don't give up," Stefano responded and remained standing. He's standing like a monument and he just moves whenever it's needed.

The city lights stretch out below me like a sea of fake gold, but my eyes are locked on the dark silhouette of the Moonshade Atelier rising in the distance. Tristan Blackmoor thinks he can burn my work, frame my ghost name, and force me back into his pack chains. Seraphina Duskryn thinks she can use my old codes to start a war between the syndicates. They don't know who they're playing with. I pull the throttle back, the engine screaming under me as I slice through the dark. My hand tightens around the grip of the silver dagger tucked into my belt. Suddenly, my burner phone vibrates violently inside my inner pocket.

I cut my palm. Blood fell onto the stone. The entire temple shook. Kaelen smiled. But then— Draven appeared. His sword was drawn. "Step away from her." Kaelen laughed. "You're too late." The stone exploded. Darkness rushed through the temple. I screamed. Kaelen grabbed me. His eyes changed. Black. Completely black. "Now," he whispered. "You belong to me." I fought him. I screamed for Draven. Draven attacked. The temple became chaos.

Marrock said. "Yeah, you can now answer the first question I asked you," I said. "Kessler and Elena are currently in turmoil. They are even scared of what to do next. They are hell-bent on looking for you even if it's only your corpse that can be found," Marrock said. "Then, I better stay here forever," I said. "No, you can't. All this will die down, and you will get to see the light of the day, but there's one situation that can't be handled once it escalates," Marrock said, his happy face turning into a worried one.

"Cassia… thank you. If it weren't for you…" She held my gaze. Her eyes were deep, her voice low. "I'm sorry, Damon. I came too late." The room fell quiet again. After a moment, she spoke, her tone calm and steady. "What you said before… does it still stand?" She didn't look away. "If I take down Vance Group for you, then you–" "Yes." I lifted my head and met her eyes. "Yes. Take it down. As long as you destroy Stella and her company completely, every share I own is yours."

"Your destiny was never yours to control. The deity has already seen your end." I gritted my teeth, pushing back with all my strength. "Then I’ll make sure my end takes you with me." With a powerful strike, I knocked the general back, but the victory was short-lived. From the corner of my eye, I saw Astrid fall, her body struck by a wave of dark energy. A scream tore from my throat as I fought my way to her, but the enemy forces were relentless, pressing in from every side. "Seraphina!" Draven’s voice cut through the din of battle as he fought his way toward me, his fur matted with blood. "We need to regroup. We’re losing ground."