Clarise

Clarise Midnight is the youngest child of Claire Rionee Midnight and Jonah Midnight. She is fraternal twin of Toph Midnight. The Children of Midnight number 15.

Claire was born with great aptitude for the arcane. If there was a Huckster still practicing, she would have been the bright new star of the gambling circuit. But with their abolishment, she came to follow the path of the Grifter. And, the path of the Grifter is one of vice. Her world became one of indulgence. From throwing wild parties in Baton Rouge, to opium parlors in the private homes of the rich, to calling upon dark forces from the Hunting Grounds, Claire was falling in with dangerous, dark folk, that even her brother was having a hard time protecting her from.

There was a huge storm the night that Claire first read from the old book. She felt a thrill shoot through her unlike anything before. She was going to summon something primal from the Hunting Grounds. And she was going to use one of Papa Midnight's oldest books to do it. She had managed to evade Toph tonight. A huge feat, considering that he makes it a point to haul her out of her escapades before they get this far. A small group of friends joins her in a circle. They begin to chant ancient words, and the storm that was dying off roars back to life at full force. The house groans with every gust of wind. It moans and creaks with every strike of lightning, with every roar of thunder. The floor is no longer visible, just blackness, but no one is faling. Two eyes. Two glowing purple eyes stare out of the darkness. They move in shadow, surrounding each of her friends before stareing at her. Toph roars as he charges the beast. The fight is short and bloody. The beasty has his hand inside Toph's chest, and is moving in his body as Clarise finishes chanting.

The floor is back, covered in blood.

The storm is a memory of thunder in the distance.

Her shouts must have been heard all across Baton Rouge. Most of the family showed up to see what had happened in the next hour. How Toph held on until Mama Claire showed up, she will never know. The wound in his chest wouldn't heal right. There was something still in there that even the most powerful Voodoo practitioners in Louisiana couldn't get out. Worse still. That thing she had summoned was a skinwalker. Natives still speak in hushed tones about them. Pure evil, old as time. Powerful magi, and masters of thousands of evil spells, charms and incantations.

This one had left something inside of her brother.

It was her fault.

It was a month before Toph could be moved. She stayed by his side to entire time. When Toph was finally able to get out of bed, Papa Jonah had told them both the truth. That Toph would not likely have a long life. Though many of the more adventurous Midnight's have run into the same problem. The question, is what would he do with it? What would she do with hers?

That very night, she heard Toph slowly get up and head outside. She was half asleep, when she heard him screaming in the distance. She bolted out of the house, running down the road, arriving at the crossroads just in time to see him let go of a man's hand. And for the man to disappear. For her, Toph had made a crossroads deal. He has a short clock on his life, and now his soul belongs to a demon. For her.

She was different after that night. The wildness in her had been forged into something new. She believed that she could find a way to save her brother. She believed that with enough power, she might be able to challenge the crossroads demon for Toph's soul. And she felt an overwhelming urge to save and protect her brother at any cost.

When Papa Jonah saw the changes in the twins, he and Mama Claire talked. The next day, its was announced to the twins that they would be heading to New Orleans and staying at the Midnight property in the city for an extended period of time. When they arrive at the converted old house, they are greeted by Jonah and Azaziel. They stop the twins at the steps, exchange hugs and gretings, and head inside. A serious looking Jonah explains to the twins that they have effectively been banished from baton Rouge and the Midnight family until they prove their worth. Within the family, is a piece of unfinished business that must be seen through to the end. With a heavy heart, he charges both of them to find out what had happened to Christina Whateley, and to follow these events to their final moment. He smiles slightly at the two. Clarise has the aptitude to be Joseph's true heir, and possibly head the family in the future. But not as they are now. They must willingly complete this trial to ever have a chance of returning home.

"Use this house for a spell, if you need it."