by K T Quinn
“Quickly! They’re on the run! Stop them - they can’t get away!” The coven behind me hollered as they bolted after the quickly escaping rebels. We chased them through two large wooden doors into an empty room. Confused we looked at each other.
“Where did they go?” asked a green eyed boy, panting from the chase. He looked like he was around my age and wore the uniform of the coven. I recognised him from class. What was his name? Baxter..Bax? Beck! It was Beck. I shrugged my shoulders at him in reply. I didn’t like the feeling of dread that began to rise in the pit of my stomach. I had a strong sense of foreboding. The wooden doors we had run through clicked. Someone had locked them from the outside. The scent of gunpowder was faint, but it was present.
“Bombs! They’ve rigged this place with bombs!” Beck shouted pointing at the ceiling. Bombs had been placed a meter apart and secured to the ceiling. They had knowingly led us into a trap. The men ran towards the doors, their black leathers stained with blood. They rammed the doors with their shoulders over and over but to no avail. I didn’t know how we were meant to escape this one. We are so screwed. There was no escaping this time. An arm snaked around my waist as Syn pulled me into an embrace. His chin rested on top of my hair as he held me. He took a deep breath in and let out a big sigh. For a moment time stopped working. All I could focus on was him. His cool touch as it lingered on my cheek as he cupped it with his hand. The touch of his hard lips on mine as he leaned down and kissed me. The way the corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled faintly at me as if he were saying his final goodbye. Sadness gripped me. I can’t believe this is the end.
‘What about the lady of the house? Remember… the ring…”
I looked down at my hand, I had completely forgotten about it until Lessi’s timely reminder. The ring that Nazar had given me was glowing ever so faintly. I bent down on one knee, and placed the hand wearing the ring to the ground.
“I know that this is probably stupid and won’t work, but M’Lady, Lady of the house… if you can hear me.. please help me. Please help me disarm the bombs so the school doesn’t blow up. Please help me get these men out of here.” I closed my eyes feeling rather foolish speaking to the ground. The floor began to vibrate as the room began to change shape.She had heard me! It worked! The room began to shrink in size. The men shouted in surprise jostling closer to us as the room became smaller and smaller.
“It’s the Lady of the house! She hasn’t surfaced in centuries” someone gasped in disbelief. A small smile covered my lips. Clearly they hadn’t spent time with the Oracle lately. No sooner had I thought of Nazar, a small door appeared in the wall to the right. The door opened and Nazar stepped into the room. He held a small lantern in one hand, swinging it back in the direction he came. “Hurry up now” he said to the darkness behind him. Gabriel steppes ojt of the darkness and into the room behind Nazar’s swinging lantern. He dusted his clothes off and surveyed the room. His eyes landed on me and a look of relief crossed his face.
“We thought you might need some help my friend” said Nazar, nodding his head slightly in my direction. I smiled in return.
“Any chance y’all know how to defuse all of these?” I asked pointing to the ceiling.
“Actually, I do” smiled Gabriel completely unconcerned that he had just walked into the room of death. Death by bombs.. awesomesauce. Gabriel began to move his hands together in a circular motion creating a ball of glowing eclectic blue light between his hands. He continued moving his hands together until the ball of energy was the same size as a basketball.
“Cover your eyes” murmured Nazar as he knelt down in the stone floor. We all did as he asked and followed suit. Gabriel flung the energy ball into the air towards the ceiling. It hit its mark with a dull thud followed by a hissing sound. The ball of energy expanded creeping across the roof covering the bombs.
“It’s a shield. The bombs will explode but we won’t hear them and they certainly won’t damage the academy” Gabriel said grimly. I covered my ears and ducked down quickly to the floor. No sooner had Gabriel spoke, the bombs exploded inside the energy shield without a sound. I ducked and covered my head with my hands waiting for the debris to fall but nothing happened. I looked towards the ceiling. It was still in place, undamaged from the explosion. The shield cracked and splintered apart and fell from the ceiling in small shards. By the time it reached our shoulders it resembled soft electric blue snow. I touched a small sliver that had come to rest upon my shoulder. It was soft to the touch and jelly like in substance. I seemed to be the only one curious about the blob like substance that was floating down from the ceiling. The Seven had moved in closer formation around us, Gabriel the full focus of their attention.
“There. That takes care of that problem” Gabriel said grimly. “The rebels have escaped. They made their way out through a portal hidden near the armoury. We believe they have had access to the academy for some time but have been waiting to attack.”
The men murmured to each other quietly in response to this revelation. I was dumbfounded. How could the rebels have had access to the academy for so long without anyone noticing?!
“We believe we have closed the portal and they cannot access the academy any more. However, they have taken the weapon of Crigler’s creation. We must retrieve it or the consequences will be catastrophic. Half of the guard have turned traitor and we do not have enough people to guard both the academy and retrieve the weapon. Will you assist?” Gabriel asked Syn and The Seven..
“Where the Queen goes we follow” a voice bellowed from the crowd of men.
“Aye” another voice from men shouted. “We follow our Queen to death and glory!”
“To death and glory” Syn and his Seven cried out pumping their fists in the air and stomping one foot on the ground.
“Then the question is will you lead them?” Gabriel turned to me, his eyes full of hope.
“I will” I replied. I felt myself filled with a sense of purpose and determination. We will find the weapon before it’s too late. We had no other choice.
“Thank you.” A small smile flirted across Gabriel’s face. “You will need to meet Titan and his recruits at Harpy’s Diner downtown. He managed to track one of the intruders there and is waiting for backup.”
“Well you heard him fellas. Time to go!” I motioned towards the small door and began to walk briskly towards it. I wanted to hurry and make sure that Titan was alright.
“Mikah” Nazar called after me softly. I paused for a moment waiting for him to catch up. He shoved a small note in my hand closing my fist around it. “Read this upon your return to the academy when you’re finished at the diner. We will be okay. Trust me” Nazar said mysteriously before melting into the back of the crowd as the men continued to move out quickly. Confused and too hurried to question him further I shoved the note into the back pocket of my black leather pants and hurried towards Syn who was waiting for me.
Chapter 11
We were the first car to pull into the gas station that adjoined to Harpy’s Diner. It was unusually quiet. Harpy’s Diner should have been pumping with people who had all come for a slice of the pie.
This didn't feel right. I kept the car running and reached over to grab my phone off the passenger seat. Syn touched my hand and nodded in the direction of the diner putting his finger to his lips signalling me to be quiet. He agreed. This place was like a ghost town and eerily quiet.
A small knock sounded on the driver's side window making me jump. A small boy who looked to be about six stared at me with a haunted expression on his face. "He told me to make you come in." His big brown eyes looked back at the diner nervously before shifting back to me. I looked in the rear vision mirror trying to see who was in the diner that this boy was so scared of. "He shot me" he whispered and began to fade away.
“Did you see that” I whispered.
“See what?” Syn looked at me with raised eyebrows. “What did you see?”
“Nevermind, I’m just jumpy I guess” I r
eplied not wanting to admit to what I saw in case Syn thought I was nuts.
“Are you sure?” Syn put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. I nodded my head and reached for the door handle. “Let’s go. Tell the others to proceed with caution when they arrive. Wait here until they arrive?” I asked Syn. “I need to talk to Titan alone for a moment.”
Syn modded bis head in agreement and returned to scanning the entrances for the rest of his coven.
I could feel Lessi pacing, urging me to hurry. She sensed danger, so did I. I edged out of the car and slunk towards the diner trying to be as stealthy as humanly possible. I pushed open the double doors and looked at the scene before me.
Both human and supernatural alike were slumped over in the booths with their heads resting on the table. Their skin was pallid and covered in strange bruises that were tinged purple and red. The smell of freshly cooked pancakes and fear was thick and stagnant in the air. I looked at the table to my right. The small boy that had appeared at my window was hunched over his breakfast, his body still and lifeless.
I felt an agonising pain in my chest. My heart aches for the child. Only a monster could do this to such a small bit. This type of thing was never meant to happen on the Bright side of town.
My attention moved from the boy to the sound of whimpering on the other side of the counter. I moved further into the diner towards the sound, looking for Titan. My chest constricted tightly as panic rose in spades. Where was he? He was meant to be here waiting for us. I felt sick with worry.
“I am glad you decided to join us." Dante stood in front of Titan. He was bound and on his knees. Six others kneeled by his side, also bound. I recognised Twyla, Victoria and Sabine along with a handful of others from my classes at the academy. This must have been Titan’s new recruits. If my stomach wasn’t already in knots from seeing my friends bound and helpless, I might have felt a little bitter that my boyfriend had recruited my friends into his elite team and left me out of it. They had been gagged by magic. They all looked at me with white eyes shaking their heads trying to scream. The sounds were muffled by the magical gags. Tears ran down Twyla's cheeks. Twyla never cried. Titan struggled against his magical bindings trying to get free.
"What have you done Dante." Dante looked at me with pure hate. His tongue licked his lips before he smiled, his mouth full of sharp pointy teeth. Only the white of his eyes were visible.Thin blue pulsating veins crept his neck edging on to his face. He looked utterly insane. He held in his hand a metallic-like stick. Crigler’s weapon.
"Dante” I paused. "What. Have. You. Done” I began to walk slowly towards him my anger building with each step. I was trying to calm both Lessi and my Fury. We all felt the need for justice burning inside. I held back knowing Titan and my old friends would be hurt if I let either of us free. This space was too small, I needed to get Dante away from Titan and my friends. Hopefully Syn and The Seven weren’t far behind to help free them all. I needed to undo the damage that had been done in this place. I needed to set these wrongs right.
I tried to push away the fear, the anger, the hunger for justice.
As soon as we are free from this place, you can have him. I promise.
Lessi pushed herself towards the surface. She couldn’t wait. The horror of what had happened here was just too much. Scales began to cover my skin as it ripples and moved.
‘Protection’ Lessi projected into my mind regaining some of her control.
‘Thank you Lessi’ I replied.
"I want you to watch as your friends die" Dante laughed maniacally drawing my attention back to his crazy ass. "You should have taken the King's offer." He pointed his gnarled clawed finger at me. "You could have had it all, Fury Queen, even now after choosing other lovers he still cares for you" he spat.
"The King never cared for me, the only thing he cares for is more power. And now this! This has gone too far. The King has crossed a line! You have crossed an even bigger one! You have broken the treaty and crossed onto bright borders without permission. An act that is punishable by death!" I screamed at Dante reaching for my twin blades that were tucked into my belt.
How dare he come into our city, how dare he hurt these innocent people? My thoughts went back to the small boy. I clutched my hand over my heart. He was so small, he didn't stand a chance.
“The King, you think the King planned this?!" Dante shook his head. "No no Fury Queen. You’ve got it all wrong, this was all me.” He smiled evilly displaying his cracked yellowing teeth. “Your precious King has given you protection. We have all been ordered not to touch you. You have poisoned the King's mind." Dante stroked the metallic weapon in his hands.
I stepped slowly to the side of my friends trying to subtly draw Dante’s attention away from them so I could figure out how to get us all out of this. I knew what that weapon was capable of, and in someone like Dante’s hands? Well, just look at what he had already done! I wished that I had trained harder, focused more on learning how to use my powers instead of relying on pure instinct and Lessi to figure it out for me. If I could harness my power properly and control it we wouldn’t be in this mess.
I had never felt like more of a failure in this moment. My friends were all going to die while I watched on helplessly. “If that’s true, you won’t get away with this. The king will have your head in a box.” I tried to keep Dante talking to buy some more time.
Dante laughed hollowly. “I care not. I’m not the only one who questions the King and where his loyalties lie. I am Darkness and we are many.” He raised the weapon and pointed it at Twyla. “After this I will be unstoppable. I’ll have all of your power, the King will be no more. The Brightrealm will cease to exist. Darkness will rule all!”
I gripped my twin blades right readying to fight. The crunch of broken glass came from behind me. I tried not to jump from the noise.
“Hello sister” Bri said rounding into view. She walked leisurely slowly towards Dante running her finger along the counter as she went. Stopping at the untouched coffee she added some creamer. “Nawww you look a bit glum, cheer up buttercup.” Smiling she sipped her coffee and took a seat at the counter. She crossed one leg over the other and leaned back as if she wasn’t about to take everything from me.
I looked at her with sadness and anger. I should have been able to save her from the Darkness that covered her soul. How could the person I grew up with, and shared every secret with, made memories with, have changed so much. If I had only known how much our Ascension would have changed us and how it would have set us on such completely different paths.
Maybe, just maybe I would have chosen the Dark to try and save her from herself. But now, it was too late.
Now my best friend was the herald of death. She was here for blood. She was the Blood-Bringer of the Dark and she served one purpose - to spill rivers of blood. Our blood.
“Let's just get this over with Bri" I said with sadness and regret. I would never have thought it would come to this; killing my best friend to save those I loved..
"Now now, where is your hospitality" Bri chastised me with a smile. "Are you going to ask your friends if they'd like some tea" she giggled. She sounded like she was on the brink of insanity. “Sleep now little ones” she giggled and clicked her fingers. Titan and my friends fell to the floor in a deep sleep.
The darkness must be poisoning her mind. No wonder the dark is always trying to fight the light, they were all blinking nuts. Bri smiled. Her demeanor suddenly changing from light-hearted to serious. "I will kill you if you do this" Bri said looking at me through narrowed eyes.
"I know." I knew she was here to kill me from the moment I saw her, which is why I had to be the one to strike first. The Djinn were notoriously difficult to fight with. Not many lived to tell the tale. It was pretty hard to beat someone who could make you see things that weren’t there.
"Let's take it outside, make it a fair fight" I said backing towards one of the exits, my eyes remaining on Bri and Dante hoping that they
would follow. Dante moved quickly They moved quickly taking a split second to take in my surroundings looking for an advantage.
My shoulder seared with pain as Bri speared her long sword into my shoulder. Blood dripped down my arm and onto the ground. I spun around on my heel, pulling the blade from my shoulder. I delivered a sweeping blow with my right blade slicing her left Achilles heel tendon. Bri stumbled and fell to the floor. She laughed maniacally as she got up from the ground.