Nell: “It will be okay….it will be okay.”357Please respect copyright.PENANAKVpBHcL4hh
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Nell repeats that through tears but I can’t help but stare down the barrel of those guns. Magic? Murder? It’s all too much to take. What’s even real anymore?
357Please respect copyright.PENANAMwT0wkOMNK
357Please respect copyright.PENANAsHSHQgqk6F
Sever: “We got it, move out.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANA1BPTOVTgPZ
357Please respect copyright.PENANAaGauXMOvpy
Alyson: “Na-”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAOZjJRRZbXS
357Please respect copyright.PENANAfEm4w6HNgz
I try to get up but the rifles move to freeze me in place.
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Nell: “What are you going to do to my son?”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAOwCIhlBQDD
357Please respect copyright.PENANAOtKJaWFhxI
Sever: “…You don’t need to know.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAmlXy7Pj3oK
357Please respect copyright.PENANAVDZSAgr7pp
Nell: “…”
357Please respect copyright.PENANA5vI52V7Z3o
No…357Please respect copyright.PENANAUw6GQtJ0rf
357Please respect copyright.PENANAgFBAQSBEPi
Sever: “Be sure to go to school tomorrow Alyson. We need everything to move as usual. Low suspicion and all that.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAmEHXa8nrQn
357Please respect copyright.PENANAEXZ0ZX2aT9
I-I’m too scared to move. I couldn’t do anything as Sever dragged Nao out of my life. With a slam of the door, everything starts to settle.
357Please respect copyright.PENANARZF4ZtAevX
357Please respect copyright.PENANAMU3x4WPYhn
A day that was supposed to heal us is instead one where we’re damaged beyond repair. And it’s not even over yet.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAdwqSsu0O4I
357Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZCdCHuyue
Alyson: “N-Nell, I need to know what you meant by Nao being a mage.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANA9VeECWU8XV
357Please respect copyright.PENANAa3bln1WNoh
She’s still holding me in her arms and shaking trying to hold back a flood of tears.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAYY7XfER8yH
357Please respect copyright.PENANAJCEA8cdKJT
Nell: “Alyson…I’ll try to explain. But I don’t know what good it will do….Nao is gone.”
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357Please respect copyright.PENANA84BhlLst8X
Alyson: “Not yet, maybe I-”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAqfb9hnnsEF
357Please respect copyright.PENANAv0fJobiJyP
Nell: “No!”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAf1m85KFFNL
357Please respect copyright.PENANA5OUi2EHZSZ
Alyson: “!”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAWL8x8yKD5f
357Please respect copyright.PENANAHfzanZqRay
Nell: “I’m already on verge of breaking…don’t make me lose you too…”
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Alyson: “So you telling me to leave Nao to those…monsters?”
357Please respect copyright.PENANA82LDj2H0GD
357Please respect copyright.PENANAYszKhT5UKJ
Nell: “…”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAnIhM2RFTDt
357Please respect copyright.PENANABDManNtexF
Alyson: “…Let’s drop it for now. Please, just tell me everything.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAWUWpwxpXQm
357Please respect copyright.PENANA4KKGa5kAsq
For the next 10 minutes, the lights grew dim and the air thickened. What Nell told me seemed so ridiculous but…it’s all true. Nao killed Anton and he can use magic.
357Please respect copyright.PENANALAoVwVojZn
357Please respect copyright.PENANASKV11XtFju
So many things go through my mind. What this means for his success. How does this effects his ability to succeed? But that is not important because I realize just how much I messed up.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAfd8vLDjbfW
357Please respect copyright.PENANAP4t9x63Wlm
I’m the one that sent Anton to Nao…
357Please respect copyright.PENANAVyfAAPHaZf
357Please respect copyright.PENANAIh0Fs7OWYa
Alyson: “Nell…I have a confession to make.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANASOKhoozeFk
357Please respect copyright.PENANARbK2szuTk6
Nell: “No…not you too.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAq4rJJL4yIr
357Please respect copyright.PENANA6bYugniCPG
I told mom about my actions at school and my queen status. I hate to see the warmth in her eyes fade away. But I…need to tell her the truth. I ran away from telling her how I behave for too long.
357Please respect copyright.PENANALUvDFMYyPO
357Please respect copyright.PENANACpqF4wGvNN
Alyson: “I-I’m so…so sorry.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANA2sarP9APqj
357Please respect copyright.PENANATZgSYufuXi
Tears flood my eyes. Everything hits me and I collapse into her arms. Cold but accepting. I plead for forgiveness in her arms and she answers by stroking my hair.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAb8d3romGPR
357Please respect copyright.PENANAqHLlgF4oPA
Nell: “W-We’ve all made mistakes. If only I wasn’t blind to it. No…I lost my only son.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANA6kKteWCnqH
357Please respect copyright.PENANAS38XcxoWYh
And she’s left with me. A daughter she shouldn’t have adopted in the first place. If only, I didn’t take Lilly’s place…no…stole her place.
357Please respect copyright.PENANA5S2USfi7xR
357Please respect copyright.PENANAluE8vOoOQr
Alyson: “What…do we do now?”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAebSinfxTSk
357Please respect copyright.PENANAFq5m9fe5kh
Nell: “I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, we will make up for this for the rest of our lives.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAUZmfQawcdR
357Please respect copyright.PENANAqoovnEvxu1
Yes…it’s only fair. We stayed in each other embrace for several minutes before dragging ourselves to bed. I couldn’t get much sleep at night. I tossed and turned, thinking about what might be happening to Nao.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAokZeCXpnjq
357Please respect copyright.PENANAZXN5Op8jKc
But more than that, voices from my past haunt my thoughts. Whispering perspectives that only deepen my guilt.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAvRDXD7ehK4
357Please respect copyright.PENANAVFyuoVGcXW
And what about Nao’s friends? How will they take the news, especially coming from me? Is becoming queen and achieving success worth it if my family won’t be there.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAQKUyTeYju3
357Please respect copyright.PENANAVOP963i4im
In the morning, we go about our morning routine without Nao. We try our best to keep appearances just in case we’re still being watched. But a tear here, a wounded glance there. We couldn’t keep it all inside.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAN8zsXfeRgb
357Please respect copyright.PENANAXaoRIMcZAb
I drag my body to school and feign ignorance as best as I can. Going through the motions as if nothing happen. That’s until the sky started to turn purple…
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[Switch Perspective: Anthony]357Please respect copyright.PENANAXNWfuml87Z
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Mat: “Are you okay?”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAI2NB2CE367
357Please respect copyright.PENANAozgGngNOvX
Anthony: “Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a bit worried that we’ll get bullied because of yesterday.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAnEy6oOktw6
357Please respect copyright.PENANAAQJbI0ELEl
Velo: “Don’t worry, Nao scared them away. As he said, we won.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAxn1mQSWegK
357Please respect copyright.PENANAxmqNtMdGfy
Mat: “Besides, it’s the beginning of the day who wou-”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAxF6k22aJHt
357Please respect copyright.PENANAlUqakPxEX1
“Yeah guys, we want to show you something.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAqiJL4SQFGt
357Please respect copyright.PENANALzxcBHWs01
Their faces darken at the realization of what’s about to happen. But me…I crack a smile.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAyIF9Czcc5W
357Please respect copyright.PENANA9EBKjNrDqL
The inevitable happens as they lead us to a secluded area. Nao can’t protect us and he wouldn’t even if he could. He will leave me like so many others when they ascend to become stars.
357Please respect copyright.PENANA3R7TamN783
357Please respect copyright.PENANA38ABHgIj0a
I ignore the screams of pain and the bully’s incoherent ramblings. I ball up a fist and grin. I won the bet. No one changes and nothing will get better. Not until I make it.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAhR7gQHvvJP
357Please respect copyright.PENANA6YTvZr7HYI
“So let it be written. My new owner and husband.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANA5eapo1IBYL
357Please respect copyright.PENANAgPtTBQYUvc
A gold ring emblazoned with ancient words and engraved with a purple gem appears on my ring finger. Everything goes quiet and my environment disappears.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAw4qlZlPPjT
357Please respect copyright.PENANAJfQglgG7ZZ
I push myself off as new clothes adorn my body. Something I instinctively know to be a groom’s attire. But it’s vastly different, more like a cross between mage robes and kingly armor.
357Please respect copyright.PENANACatmxrb2Uy
357Please respect copyright.PENANABrWlQaIix3
The world returns tomorrow and beneath me are my friends. In front of me are the bullies. Once filled with wrath and assurance that they would get away with this, now look at them. Fear and confusion contort their faces beautifully.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAsFA8OVHs2T
357Please respect copyright.PENANAjzI6B218dI
Thinking that aiming for the body will hide our scars from Nao. Thinking that we were so scared that we wouldn’t tell our friend what happened.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAOLPKRILtAW
357Please respect copyright.PENANAWmw4GCBiBE
Well, no more. That time is over. As I look into their eyes filled with fear, I wonder if this is what Nao felt.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAZiURxsjYlr
357Please respect copyright.PENANA0QfS5Dc8qY
But unlike Nao, I won’t waste time. With a wave of my hand, they disappear in a burst of smoke. Turned to ash by the storm summoned by my new ally.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAEdCHUGxnjV
357Please respect copyright.PENANAL6xZXb4Kdy
“Come my husband, let us once again burn another world. Another blood bath for our promised wedding day.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAHjJZqbsts1
357Please respect copyright.PENANAA34zgkRqRz
I’ll be what you want me to be. As long as I can have my vengeance.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAPWG6OquD7Y
357Please respect copyright.PENANAxo4dbXD8Yu
Mat: “A-Anthony…”
357Please respect copyright.PENANATfNegLR5bW
357Please respect copyright.PENANAHQAkHMbCpm
Oh, I almost forgot. My friends lay beaten and broken behind me.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAkQJ5w7JA74
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“Ignore them love. I’ll keep the end of my deal. We’ll spare them but no one else may live.”
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357Please respect copyright.PENANAoiN8z9BLGO
Anthony: “Don’t be scared guys. I’ll do what Nao couldn’t. By the end of the day, no one will do this to us ever again.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAInt2kNgANK
357Please respect copyright.PENANAOtQ1RRMme1
I ignore their pleas for answers and walk to the front of the school. I stare up at our new purple sky, crackling with lightning.
The bullies…
The bystanders…
The incompetent teachers…
The king….
The queen….
357Please respect copyright.PENANANKs0uRvrjd
Anthony: “Let none survive.”357Please respect copyright.PENANAEX6OcGkIZv
357Please respect copyright.PENANA6IZdccZVJ8
[Switch Perspective: Alyson]
357Please respect copyright.PENANAEAIx1arK1F
Thunder and lightning rage outside. What was just a normal day turns into a dark hellscape in the sky. Even the teachers stop what they’re doing to stare into the void.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAmPxJhDC8EI
357Please respect copyright.PENANAizOoKxaQtb
Mumbling and questions start leaking around the class. But given what I know, I’m pretty sure that it has something to do with magic.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAOKG2OXx9J8
357Please respect copyright.PENANAce2uLHpSbE
But it’s not Nao…he wouldn’t do this. Based on what Nell said, he feels horrible for what he did. This…that in the sky…is way worse.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAK3cbXHHiKh
357Please respect copyright.PENANA3kKnBbeZ8Q
“Okay everyone, calm down. It must be-”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAY7zXX9mSeM
*SCREAM*357Please respect copyright.PENANA0uZJqF6gL6
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Outside we can hear blood-chilling screams and thunder. But what drove us to madness was the smell of ashes.
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“Everyone stay here and hide under your desks. I’ll go and see what’s happening.”
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The teacher leaves the room and disappears into the darkness of the hallway. The noises didn’t stop and the smell only got worse.
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I’m…scared stiff. Am I…going to die?
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???: “Alyson!”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAdwZq0cQmnC
357Please respect copyright.PENANA4Wmbd3l70o
A voice wakes me up from my dark thoughts. I watch the door fly open and a girl rush inside.
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Deanna: “Alyson hide!”
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She runs to me and grabs a hold of my shoulder.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAWU6hNnXoxC
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Alyson: “Deanna? What’s happening?”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAicisA0nHxd
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Deanna: “No time to explain but I’m sure you and Trevor are Anthony’s main targets.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAMnZ0J1iAsJ
357Please respect copyright.PENANA7nkmAmnBhs
Anthony? H-He’s the one doing all of this?
357Please respect copyright.PENANAItny56N2Yd
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Anthony: “You’re not wrong.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAGSCRgdlWw9
!!357Please respect copyright.PENANAA8D9A1Mu3u
357Please respect copyright.PENANASgZQ8M7i7n
His voice sends instant chills down my spine. But what makes it worse is that…it’s silent. The smell is still stronger than ever but the screams…they’re gone.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAbEYDoomaWN
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Are we the last ones?
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Anthony: “I don’t even need Nao’s mind reading to tell what you’re thinking. I’m sure there are more hiding but I want to kill you first.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAV8bkcTl7py
357Please respect copyright.PENANA2Io3BSHAat
Deanna: “W-Why are you doing this?”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAjfiCBkUn7m
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Purple lightning strikes right in front of Deanna’s eyes.
357Please respect copyright.PENANArh4xTdf8nW
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Deanna: “AHHH!”
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Anthony: “You have a lot of nerve to ask that question. Be quiet and wait your turn. I’ll be sure to take my time with you. You deserve at least that much for your past crimes. Being blind is a good start.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAMcsbQfE6Ln
357Please respect copyright.PENANArlNMYQFKYC
Deanna is holding her eyes and screaming her heart out. Tears begin to leak out from her hands as everyone else starts to cry out. The cacophony of madness is deafening but despite it all, I can still hear Anthony’s next words.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6xnsnVvMN
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Anthony: “As for Alyson. You may be Nao’s sister, but you’re still a part of the problem. He’ll forgive me eventually.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAcUPR65XDJx
357Please respect copyright.PENANAFSfcl8S1qt
Alyson: “If you still care about Nao then save him!”
357Please respect copyright.PENANA3YKsspjJGU
357Please respect copyright.PENANALz00QGlkip
Anthony: “Save him? What do you mean?”
357Please respect copyright.PENANA67TKw5dgGr
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Alyson: “Sever and his men took him last night. They were searching for that magic book.”
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357Please respect copyright.PENANAaHPB6rJotL
Anthony: “!”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAQlWsBZKfBW
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Anthony: “…No, you’re just lying to get out of this. There’s no way Nao would let that happen. Even if it did happen, I’ll be sure to save him after you’re dead.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAaPFayQOMtV
357Please respect copyright.PENANAxO9ZAiAxiE
He gathers a ball of lightning and prepares to throw it. This is it huh…all of it was for nothing? Everything I did for my success? Everything I did to Nao? It doesn’t mean anything in the end.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAxWZnce98yC
357Please respect copyright.PENANA1JdLNpbU5E
I can’t even shed a tear or scream. The insanity of what’s going on is overloading my mind beyond the point of crashing. I’m….long past that.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAG3PvZ9cfYa
357Please respect copyright.PENANAiHsmP0MLPU
Deanna: “Alyson…”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAav7Qcu4SQB
?357Please respect copyright.PENANAk5mQqrFrRP
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Deanna touches around until she finds me. She then covers my head and cradles me in her arms. Is she…shielding me? Why go so far?
357Please respect copyright.PENANAU2lGAZPExq
357Please respect copyright.PENANAafToifzkvJ
Anthony: “Tch, don’t pretend bitch. You haven’t changed.”
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357Please respect copyright.PENANAmP5JKNGVaw
Deanna: “…”
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357Please respect copyright.PENANApgW4G0mDpu
Alyson: “W-Why?”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAcL9H4Csbtg
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Deanna: “Because you inspired me to be better, this is the least I can do.”
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Alyson: “Deanna…”
357Please respect copyright.PENANANzl9qQ7Hbi
357Please respect copyright.PENANAfFtUgrCvG3
Anthony: *Sigh*
357Please respect copyright.PENANAxSKg87tohM
357Please respect copyright.PENANAMAdGHzO5L5
Anthony: “Fine, I’ll roast you both.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAMxxaIW36bN
357Please respect copyright.PENANAmDnyxBr1gr
???: “Wow, and I thought the bullies here were evil.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANArOEh5DQjvu
!!!357Please respect copyright.PENANAaMcpXbqkyH
357Please respect copyright.PENANAjkUFZ9yfhh
Everyone turns to the one who dared to sound so relaxed in this situation. I felt relief for the first time today and it came from such an unlikely place.
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357Please respect copyright.PENANAgSIzo7x2q1
Anthony: “King…”
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357Please respect copyright.PENANARgqfGPpvC7
Trevor: “I was right, you would be a good warm-up. Maybe even the main attraction.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANANpIi0NDyER
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Anthony: “How can you…be calm right now?”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAkBvAHUAyJY
357Please respect copyright.PENANA5uqvjt3Guf
Trevor: “I’m not calm…I’m excited. Who would have thought magic existed, this is the fight I was looking for!”
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357Please respect copyright.PENANAQjHsNCAO6j
Anthony: “…Begone.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAtDdKIbeeg8
357Please respect copyright.PENANA49BMyI55Us
Instantly, a large pillar of electrifying destruction erupts from where Trevor stood. Everyone looks away from the blinding light but there’s something strange…why are there no screams.
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357Please respect copyright.PENANAGXh4TiPNyo
When the smoke and lightning clear, Trevor appears unscathed.
357Please respect copyright.PENANAJvMsJTFlb0
357Please respect copyright.PENANA1zwbraBupU
Trevor: “I hope that’s not all you got.”
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357Please respect copyright.PENANAPmCkapDhzI
Anthony: “!!”
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357Please respect copyright.PENANAG8FGTzjL1y
Anthony: “…I see. Well, that’s not fair. But, she doesn’t mind the challenge.”
357Please respect copyright.PENANAtwQdpLqvxP
357Please respect copyright.PENANAGn4EvVXCaF
She?
357Please respect copyright.PENANA6qa4DidSgU
357Please respect copyright.PENANAuPPn5lHKQJ
Trevor: “Still got more? Then bring it on!”
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