Vanquished

by Andy Lewter

  Athena and I rushed to his aid. When the Valens caught eye of our approach, it seemed as if his playtime had ended. His twisted features turned dangerous, and his mouth pinched together with rage.

  Snapping both his arms in unison, he thrusted thick arches of electricity from his palms and enveloped Miles and Athena in a looping circuit. Their frames froze, and the whites of their eyes quickly turned red from the heated current coursing through their bodies.

  “You can’t stop me now,” he jeered with a scratchy, arrogant voice. “What are you going to do?”

  Releasing a scream I didn’t recognize as my own, I charged. Just as I was about to reach him, I hiked up a knee and slid into him like home base, causing him to stumble back on his feet. Hindering his gift for a blip of a second, I crouched on my hands and swiped my leg to knock him off his feet.

  He wobbled and pulled his current from Athena — she fell limp on the ground, not twitching a muscle.

  Jumping to my feet, I threw punches to his liver and stomach to no avail, trying desperately to break the electricity off of Miles. He’s just too strong.

  But then he pulled up his free hand and pushed another arch toward Miles, magnifying his current. A snide grin touched his features as his heinous eyes met mine. “Tell me, how does it feel? To watch the man you love cook before your eyes.”

  Miles’ life was slipping away. Each passing second became direr than the last. His clothing split and fell off in pieces, exposing his defined torso that had gone too long without oxygen. Panic overcame me as I watched my best friend in agony. I cannot lose him again…

  Not knowing what else to do, I stepped in front of Miles’ current. The Valens’ energy buzzed around me like a bee, adhering to me and relieving Miles of his electric prison.

  Turning angrier, he released me from his gift and started sparring with me in an attempt to get near Miles. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t stop him. Reaching around my small frame, he impaled Miles’ unmoving body with quick sparks and zaps.

  Just as I was about to erupt in tears of defeat, the Valens’ body levitated in the air. Behind him stood Bridger in concentration, holding his hands up and manipulating the man that had nearly robbed me of my other half.

  “Bridger!” I screamed. “Get him out of here before he electrocutes you!”

  He shook his head with confidence. “He’s not twitching a finger unless I say so.” Bridger maneuvered the Valens so high in the air he was barely unseen, and he threw him across the horizon.

  Crumpling to the ground next to Miles, I was scared touching him would cause him more pain. I watched as his chest rose in a shallow breath before I glanced up. “Ray.” I pleaded with a raspy voice. “We need him.”

  Athena stood weakly next to me, her clothes tattered and burnt. “Yes, we do.”

  Hailey checked her watch. “He’s close. I’ll get him,” she said, glancing between Athena and Miles before taking off. Bridger followed.

  My emotions rose while I stared at Miles’ gorgeous features. I shook my head as I thought of my role as leader. Who am I… trying to change the world? When all I’m doing is failing the ones I love.

  “You need to go,” Athena said, interrupting my thoughts.

  I met her haggard gaze but said nothing.

  “No one else can do this but you.” Her eyes focused on Miles for a moment then back on me. “He’ll be fine. That’s a promise from me. But you? Go. Now.”

  As I looked at Athena, my pent-up turmoil from the vision came back in a rush. Focusing my attention on the ever-darkening clouds above, I knew just what to do.

  Meeting her lavender eyes, I stood and clenched my fists with renewed confidence. “With your life you protect him.”

  Her calm expression held firm, and she nodded.

  My eyes lingered on Miles a moment longer before I turned away, running in Nicholas’ direction. Glancing around, I couldn’t fathom what would be left of Salvus from the destruction that rested at my feet.

  A cool gust of wind rushed against my back. I can feel his presence. All around me. He’s here. Kicking up my feet faster, I let my instincts guide me — the connection that buzzed in my chest told me he was near.

  I slowed my pace in front of a run-down building next to a train station. Littered with rubble and trash, several subway lanes surrounding the area merged into a long tunnel. Familiar images from my vision flashed before my eyes. This is the place I need to be.

  Quickly checking my watch, I turned my body in the direction of Nicholas and pushed my senses to him. Taking a cautious step closer, the warm crackle up my spine confirmed his presence. If he hadn’t been aware of my arrival, he knew now.

  “You shouldn’t be here, Abby,” a cold voice warned through the night.

  My eyes focused on the direction it came, then Nicholas stepped into view from the buildings shadowed entryway. His features were hard, nearly unrecognizable, and the black shirt he wore clung to every muscle he possessed.

  “Guess you should have thought of that before you ran back home,” I condemned, shaking my head. My expression darkened as I looked into his deceitful face. Such a fool I was, trusting a man this treacherous. “I trusted you.”

  He lowered his chin and glared at me. A wave of anger pulsated in the elements around me, and the sky began churning in turn. “Leave.”

  I gritted my teeth and stepped closer. Anger surged to fury as I felt the tingling effects of our connection spark to life. “All along, you sang me a song of broken promises. But all I heard was the melody.”

  Nicholas’ muscles tensed, and his brows furrowed deeper. A dangerous shadow cast across his features, and I could sense how unstable he’d suddenly become. He bared his teeth, his breaths huffing out with ramped animosity. “You’re about to ruin everything.”

  “Am I?” I glowered, my eyes flicking to the only room lit on the top floor. “Get out of my way, or so help me.”

  A hot mist of rain trickled from the clouds above. Nicholas stood tall and folded his arms, challenging me. “No.”

  I shook my head and raised my brows. “Alright.” Biting my lip with determined fortitude, I picked up a loose brick and heaved it at his head.

  Nicholas dipped his head and dodged with ease. The brick slammed against the concrete building behind him, shattering to pieces.

  “You will get out of my way!” I seethed, stalking toward him like prey.

  He moved his body in front of the building’s entrance. Lightning cracked and thunder clapped, his eyes on my every move. “You’re out of your league, Abby. Do you honestly think you can get past me?”

  Summoning all things within myself — body, mind, and soul, I stepped up to his frame and shoved him backwards. “I’m the only one who can.”

  He wavered on his feet and set his firm stance once more. Furious gusts of wind picked up and belted through my hair, and an unnatural glint shimmered in his copper eyes as his temper started to slip. “This is your last warning.”

  “Good!” I countered, placing my face inches from his. “Move.”

  Pressing his lips into an angered line, his movements blurred as he harshly shoved me away.

  Only allowing myself two steps back, I spun and used my momentum to lunge toward him. Lowering my body for contact, my legs burst with strength and I shoved my shoulder into his ribs. As his shoulder slammed into the building, I took a quick step back and kicked his spine, watching his movements as his body tumbled forward.

  Reacting quickly, his hips whipped around like a boomerang, and he attempted to kick my legs out from under me. Before he could touch me, I jumped on the wall as leverage and hooked my foot under his jaw, reveling in the loud crack that sounded from contact.

  Landing on my feet in the wrong direction, I felt his approach and spun away from him, but I wasn’t fast enough. Hooking his arms under my torso, he picked me up and hurled my body against the building’s wall. A breath rushed past my lips when I hit the ground, and I got up on all fours, contemplating my next
move.

  “Leave!” he roared as thunderheads boomed overhead, nearly drowning out his words.

  Meeting his intense eyes as I stood back up, I shook my head. “If there is any good left in you, you’d stop protecting her! Can’t you see what’s about to happen?”

  Suddenly, he stood right before me, his hot breath rushing over my face. His expression became unreadable, his eyes piercing mine with complete madness. “Of course I know what’s about to happen!”

  “Get away from her!” A familiar voice shouted nearby.

  Nicholas’ features softened when he recognized who it was. Turning around as if I’d been forgotten, his tone changed light and questioning. “Ray?”

  Ray ran up and placed himself between Nicholas and me. Shoving Nicholas back, the expression he held was deeply creased with anger. “Leave her alone. Don’t make me go there, man. We don’t have to do this.”

  Nicholas’ features shifted dark again, and the winds howled angrily around us. “You both need to go. Now.”

  A loud metal creaking and bending noise sounded a moment later, and we all craned out necks to find the source. My eyes grew wide with horror as I realized a matter of seconds remained before my unforeseen demise. A metal train cart flew airborne directly at us, promising to smash us all into oblivion.

  But the next thing I knew, a hard blow wracked my body and asphalt assaulted my flesh as I tumbled and skidded across the ground, meters from where I’d just stood. The train cart crashed into the building an instant later, caving and crumbling in turn.

  Looking around in confusion, my eyes landed on Nicholas a few feet away from me. The Valens responsible for the train cart stepped forward with reddened wounds covering his body. The goliath Valens I tied up with Salvus vine.

  Nicholas and I jumped to our feet, glancing all around for Ray. When my eyes landed on a limp arm under the train cart, I pieced together what had just happened.

  Ray sacrificed his life for us both.

  A panic-enraged Nicholas ran to him as fast as a bullet. Leveraging himself against the cart, he pushed with all his might to relieve Ray to no avail.

  Emotions caught in my chest and my eyes burned with tears as I realized this would be my only chance — and I refused to let Ray and Silas die in vain. So many lives already lost.

  Ripping my gaze away, I swallowed my remorse and dashed toward the building’s entrance. Scaling the stairs three at a time, I pushed my body to move as fast as it would go.

  Suddenly, Kayla’s cutting voice permeated like a knife through every speaker in the building. Desperation coursed through me, a cry of worry escaped my lips — this is what my vision warned me about.

  And I’m too late.

  29

  “Valens, humans, and children. How wonderful is it to be able to speak with you all at once. This is your beloved leader of the Valens, Queen Kayla Ludovic. You don’t know about Valens? No matter. You’re about to embark on a journey of superiority! A new adventure is at your fingertips.”

  I made it to the door, but it was made of metal and was securely locked from the inside. Valens guards stood near the entrance, but they were entranced by Kayla’s speech and unaware of my presence. Frantically, I looked around for something to knock the door down.

  “Do you feel that humming in your mind? Yes, that’s me. I have the most interesting gift! I can make you see images like a movie in your mind. And make you feel what I desire, too! With the aid of a fellow Valens, I have impaired your electronic devices and opened a vessel to you. All your thoughts, your fears – yes, I know them all. That’s because I’m in your brain right now, feeding your eyes with images only I can control. You see, that’s what Valens do. We have enhanced abilities – mind, body, and soul, we are superior to humans. As for the children joining this conversation? Do not worry. Your future remains unharmed… for now.”

  I found a fire extinguisher and started smacking the hinges with all my might.

  “Now that I’ve got your attention, we should get straight to the facts. I AM YOUR LEADER NOW.”

  After knocking one hinge off, I wiped my forehead as beads of sweat dripped down my cheeks. I dropped the fire extinguisher with frustration and started kicking in the door, my feet leaving dents in the thick metal with each blow.

  “In this new world, I will enhance every Valens gift with proven techniques at hand. Where Valens will take charge once and for all! Living a life intended of magnificence! And humans will trust our new system — the advanced system, where Valens vow to keep them protected.”

  Finally, light poured through the severely dented doorway. So I started using my shoulder.

  “As for those thinking about resistance? Yes, I see you. Think wisely. Follow me or I will implode your brain from within. Instant death. What a waste that will be.

  “I’m giving you thirty seconds to decide your fate. Die? Or bow to me? Oh, and by the way? I am your beholder now. The mind can never lie to the beholder.”

  ”Twenty-nine, Twenty-eight,” I counted out loud, backing up and ramming my shoulder into the door again. The door was half way knocked down, but I couldn’t squeeze through the crevice just yet. “Twenty-one, twenty.” I used my feet again, pounding my shoes against the frame like a hammer. “Seventeen, sixteen,” I huffed out. One more good blow…

  After finally kicking the door down, I dashed into the incredibly sticky room. In the corner sat a man and woman — the man focusing with intent through a telescope. The woman was incapacitated by Kayla’s trance, but was wielding a protective shield that wrapped the man and Kayla inside her bubble.

  Kayla hadn’t noticed my intrusion, as I’m sure she was relying on her gift to hinder every being on the island. “Ten, nine, eight,” I counted out loud as I quickly glanced around the room. I need something — anything, to rip Kayla from her spell.

  With a quick shake of my head, I knew I was left with no other choice. “Five, four, three…” I placed a foot back and sprinted toward Kayla, running right through the shield, and tackled her body like a lineman. Holding her body tight, the glass shattered around our frames as we fell from the top story window.

  The next thing I knew, I was waking up on my side and felt as if it had been hit by a bus. Twice.

  My head pounded, my skin stung from road rash and glass, and my shoulder felt like I’d just been shot. The horizon started to spin when I lifted my head, so I closed my eyes and let it drop.

  “You. Little. Whore! Mindless girl! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU’VE DONE?” Kayla wailed from somewhere nearby, but I couldn’t open my eyes. I couldn’t…

  A sharp object pressed viciously against my throat a moment later. Opening my dizzied eyes, Kayla’s crazed expression hovered inches above my face. “I should have done this the moment I met you.”

  My mouth gaped when I realized she was holding a razor-sharp shard of glass against my neck. A searing sting registered as she dug the edge into my skin, and warm blood trickled down my neck and pooled on my collarbone a moment later.

  This is it — I’m going to die. I’ve stopped her for now. Miles will soon find me and finish what I started. He’ll make sure no one dies by her hand tonight. Except me, of course.

  The crunch of someone walking on gravel approached us. Kayla’s movements stopped, and she averted her focus. A minute later, she stood and stomped on my abdomen with her sharp heel.

  My breath rushed past my lips from her blow. Entirely defeated, I curled into a fetal position to protect my midsection. It was when my cheek rested on a slab of cool metal that I realized I was lying on top of a railroad tie, and my eyes faced a dark tunnel.

  “Nicky, come here,” she crooned, waving her glass dagger. Her evil eyes focused on me once more, roving over me like I was a tool in her shed. “Time for your fear to be abolished.”

  He stepped close with cold, copper eyes that took in every injury on my body. He took the glass shard she offered and stared at me — stared with an expression so terrifying I was scared to read
his emotions. “She looks like she’s about to die, anyway.”

  “You have to do this,” Kayla snapped. “For your own good. It’ll make you stronger.”

  He dropped to his knees and pushed my thick hair away from my shoulders. Reading into my eyes, the magnetic connection we shared burned through me once more. I knew he feels it, too.

  Furrowing his brows, he raised the piece of glass and held it above my throat.

  I didn’t plead, and I didn’t send him messages through my emotions. He wants me dead? I’m tired of fighting. He wasn’t successful the first time he tried, so now’s his chance.

  “That’s it, Nicky,” Kayla crooned, her expression light with excitement.

  Nicholas pressed the glass against my neck, and I closed my eyes. He might be strong enough to kill me, but I couldn’t watch him do it. I just hope it’ll be quick.

  Then, the pressure released, and the glass dagger clanged against the railroad ties. I opened my eyes and watched as Nicholas stood tall, his fierce eyes meeting his mother’s.

  “What’re you doing?” she asked, waving her hand toward me. “Do it! Get it over with!”

  Hot, sticky rain poured down a moment later. He stared violently at Kayla, unaffected by the elements he was manipulating. “You created me, didn’t you? You created the monster that I am? Inside and out, I’m your masterpiece. Isn’t that right?”

  “You’re talking nonsense!” she spat. “KILL HER BEFORE I DO!”

  “The first time I saw you really smile was when we were in the car,” he went on, unaffected by her demeanor. “I was in a car seat.” He tensed his jaw and pursed his lips. “It was the day you had dad murder Abby’s grandfather and killed Navi Kavin’s husband as collateral.”

  “Enough of this!” she shrieked, her anger making her body quake. “You’ve been sanctified! I’ve seen your mind! You cannot go back once a task has been completed!”