Chosen

by Lauren Chow

  “He is going to be staying here for a while. He isn’t going anywhere,” Eric said gravely.

  ***

  I stood in front with Jared and Jay beside me as we heard the waves crash onto the shore.

  “Jared?” I asked quietly.

  “Hmm?” I heard him hum back an acknowledgement.

  “Everything will be fine, right?” I asked meekly.

  Silence was my answer as I looked at Jared who stared out into the distance. I narrowed my eyes and saw something coming from the horizon line. I jumped when I heard a battle cry and saw a large group running towards us.

  “Now!” I heard Eric roar as the beach went into mass chaos.

  30 - A New Era

  It was absolute chaos.

  We jumped off the cliff, plummeting down a hundred feet below. We charged after Maggie’s magic surrounded us to help us safely land.

  I ran towards my first opponent and hit him square in the jaw. He crumbled as I moved to my next target.

  “Well, aren’t you pretty,” the man purred as he charged me.

  He grabbed my arm and twisted it harshly. I gasped before twisting my body in response to kick him in the stomach. I summoned my magic into a ball and forcefully launched the man into the ocean. I shook my arm to ward off the pain as I kept fighting.

  I gasped as I was suddenly knocked over, and I lifted my head to see a woman glaring at me. I tried to move as she held me down, but she was too heavy. She raised her dagger, and I closed my eyes before her weight was thrown off me. I opened my eyes to see Jared offering me his hand. He helped me up as I frantically looked around to check on my group.

  I tried not to think about the bodies strewn on the shore and sighed in relief as I saw that everyone was fine. They were holding everyone off. Adam was alongside Tony where they were surrounded by a mass of people. Troy was helping Drake defend Tanya. Troy used his sword to quickly slash his opponent, causing him to fall limply on the sand. He looked at the body for a few moments before turning to attack another man.

  “Clara!”

  I snapped my eyes to Jared who was gesturing to the battlefield.

  “Now is really not the time to look around. Focus on your surroundings.”

  I nodded before another group of people charged us.

  I kept fighting as I looked around the battlefield. It was exactly how my dream had envisioned it. Blood was soaking the sand and the water was tinted pink. I made my way through the fighting crowd, using magic to knock everyone away.

  I lost Jay in the fight while Jared flanked me. He punched and kicked his way to me. If anyone came close to touching me, he would slam them into the sand. He raised his machete to ward off any newcomers.

  “I have a feeling you went easy on me during training!” I shouted at Jared over the battle cries. Jared shrugged and smiled at me briefly.

  “Maybe a little bit,” I grunted at his response, punching a guy in the stomach and kicking him on the temple. I opened my mind to the people within a few feet of me to keep a look out.

  Come play with me.

  I looked back up to the cliff to see a form patiently waiting for me.

  “It’s Dexter. Stay here!” I shouted frantically.

  Ignoring Jared’s shouts, I ran back to the cliff. I let my magic swirl around me to push the people standing in front of me out of my way. I concentrated on my magic, imagining myself being lifted off the ground. My magic obeyed me and picked me up to fly up the cliff. It set me down to face Dexter.

  “Look at the small hero here to save the day!” Dexter laughed as he pulled out his sword. I glared at him as I got into a defensive position. He was the only one with a weapon, but I had my magic to give me the upper hand.

  “You can surrender and no one else has to get hurt!” I yelled over the howling wind.

  Dark clouds covered the sky as rain began to drench us.

  “I have an advantage though. Once you’re gone, no one will stop my master from conquering the world!” Dexter laughed hysterically. My eyes widened at the passion and loyalty in his eyes. I hadn’t realized how insane this guy was. He raised his hand and aimed it towards me.

  Lightning crashed beside me, and I barely dodged it. Dexter flung down his hand in my direction again and the wind beat harder against me.

  I needed to block his storm, but how? I tried to picture a shield to use my magic, but I could barely concentrate with the wind pushing me back. I tried to read his mind to get an advantage, only to come up blank.

  “Can’t read my thoughts?” Dexter jeered as I covered my face to block the wind. “It’s a special stone, you see. Can’t go anywhere without it.”

  I peeked over my arms and saw a dark red stone between his fingers. He placed it in his pocket as he charged towards me.

  My adrenaline surged as my magic rushed to summon a small shield to cover my face against the storm. Now that I could see properly. I dodged him and swiftly kicked him in the gut. He doubled over, and I whacked his arm so he dropped his sword down the cliff.

  “There, now we’re even!” I shouted as his nostrils flared in anger.

  I saw lightning strike in my direction, but my magic prevented any harm as I advanced on Dexter.

  We kicked each other back and forth as I tried my best to block his punches. I felt my arms start to weaken, so I slid underneath his legs and kicked viciously at his back. He fell on his knees as I struggled up again.

  He aimed a punch, but I grabbed his arm and twisted it with all my strength. He let out a shriek before twisting his body and firing his foot into my stomach. I released him as I doubled over, and he punched me on the cheek. I flipped over from the force.

  I winced as I felt bruises forming on my body. My lips stung from his punch. He grabbed me and forced me to my knees. I struggled to move, but he held me still.

  “Look at what you’ve caused!” Dexter shouted as he roughly held my head up to look at the scene.

  I saw Jay and Jared back to back as they used their swords to get rid of their attackers. Not far away from them, Eric and Tony were struggling as they were beginning to get outnumbered. Tanya and Drake were holding people off as Luke healed someone, and Adam was holding down a blood wound. I heard chants as people were pushed back and I knew it was Maggie and her doing. I searched for Troy but could see no sign of him.

  I saw a flash of a sword as Jared jumped in front of Jay before crumbling to the ground. Jay punched his opponent before dropping down to examine Jared. My world stopped for a moment as I registered the metal in his chest.

  “No!” I shouted as grief filled me.

  Dexter put his mouth next to my ear. “This was all because of you. You failed them,” he whispered. I shook my head in defiance. I would not let any of them down. Anger fueled me.

  “Not today,” I said before I butted him in the head, hearing a satisfying crack. His grip loosened as I kicked him in the groin, and he fell on his back. I stood above him and summoned my magic into the palm of my hand.

  “It’s over.”

  He smiled at me. “Yes. For the both of us.”

  I didn’t have time to react before the lightning struck.

  Pain engulfed me as I felt my body burn from the inside. I tried to scream as fire struck me head to toe.

  The lightning tore us to the edge of the cliff. We both lost our balance as we started to fall over it. The pain left, creating a numb feeling in body. My vision started to blur as Dexter's head flew away from his body. Blood covered me.

  I looked at him during my final moments as the man in front of me morphed into Troy. His eyes met mine and he looked at me with sorrow.

  I felt my conscious fading away as my heart came to a stop.

  I knew this was it.

  It was the end. Somehow, I was okay with it, knowing everyone was safe for another day.

  Goodbye.

  My life drained away as I plummeted into darkness.

  ***
<
br />   JAY WOODS

  They all began to retreat. Bodies were strewn all over the floor as the waves took them away. The storm started to cease, but I couldn’t care less that I was drenched.

  I looked at Jared’s wound, all the while searching for Luke. Jared’s shirt was completely soaked in blood as I carefully pulled the dagger out. I pressed hard into the wound, blood covering my hands. I kept calling his name, panicking, as Jared was no longer responding to my calls.

  “Come on, Jared! Keep your eyes open! Jared!” I yelled as I checked his pulse to find nothing.

  “Move!” Luke shoved me out of the way and examined him. Our group surrounded us, seeming okay, but I couldn’t feel any relief.

  After a few minutes, Luke shook his head.

  “He’s gone, Jay,” Luke said, closing his eyes shut.

  Cries were heard as I turned away, only to see something worse. I looked and saw two figures crash onto the sand, their bodies immobile. I knew it was her. As soon as she crashed down, my world shattered in front of me.

  I ran to her and found myself holding onto her. I held her tightly against me. Her body felt hot and smelled of smoke. I looked for any signs of life, only to find lifeless blue eyes and burned skin. I pushed her hair back, hoping to get some reaction. I’d told her that she couldn’t die—I’d failed her.

  “Clair,” I croaked, but she didn’t move an inch. Her face was expressionless and her body remained limp. Tears filled my eyes as I let them fall down my face.

  Jared and Clair’s names were mourned into the air as cries echoed across the shore. I vaguely heard Adam’s cries and Tanya’s sobs, but everyone was blocked out. I couldn’t focus or grasp this scene that was my reality.

  I felt the life leave my soul as I was left with emptiness and loneliness. There was no reason to be living without Clara. I held her to my chest as I finally let a sob come out of my mouth.

  My Clair was gone.

  Epilogue

  LUKE WILSON

  Eight Months Later

  I ran out of the bar as I heard their shouts.

  They’d been hunting me for weeks and had found no lead until now. I knew it was stupid to go to the bar, but I couldn’t help myself. It was an escape from the thing that was my reality. I fell in love with the liquid burning down my throat. I needed my mind to become impaired for at least one more night. But my decision was about to get me killed.

  I shoved my way through the crowd and hid between the alleys. I watched the men pass by and knew they were gone.

  Great. I needed to leave town before they found my hotel. I couldn’t count on anyone to come to my rescue. We all lost contact months ago. I waited until they disappeared before stepping out.

  My eyes widened in surprise as I felt a large hand cover my mouth. I elbowed the person in the front, but all he did was shove me to the wall. The large body held my hands as I tried to squirm out of his hold. I looked to see the face, but a mask covered it.

  “I think you can let him go now,” a voice said from behind him. He turned to look at the person. I tried to look over but I couldn’t see the newcomer.

  “He elbowed me in the gut!” the guy defended.

  “So? It looks like we’re about to rob him or something!” It was a girl, I concluded. Her voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

  “Fine. You talk to him though,” the man replied gruffly.

  He released me, but I stayed defensive and cautious. The man stepped aside, and I was met with a tiny figure with a mask as well. They both wore large black beanies with holes cut out of them. They both looked like mediocre robbers.

  “Luke, it took us forever to find you. You’re lucky I remembered what town you lived in,” the figure said before pulling off the mask. My eyes widened as recognition punched me in the face.

  “I—it can’t be,” I muttered.

  It could be a trick. There was no way it was her. But the hope grew in my gut.

  But once the girl smiled her smile, I knew it was definitely her.

  Clara Evans.

  The man pulled his mask off to reveal Jared scowling at me, rubbing his stomach.

  “We need to talk,” Clara said with a small smile. “Do you know any good places? I’ve never been to Boston this time of year.”

  To be continued...