Nell: “It will be okay….it will be okay.”345Please respect copyright.PENANA2kn9pQotb9
345Please respect copyright.PENANAax4qwKStHf
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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?
345Please respect copyright.PENANAaQyf4t4HJ0
345Please respect copyright.PENANAaLyAOyawxI
Sever: “We got it, move out.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAHeDF8TSJV0
345Please respect copyright.PENANAK0NHMX98J4
Alyson: “Na-”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAjjbe3guRgQ
345Please respect copyright.PENANAKv1svmzLYP
I try to get up but the rifles move to freeze me in place.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAwOl8VEMm0F
345Please respect copyright.PENANALKn66VcSMI
Nell: “What are you going to do to my son?”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAIk8umVxrld
345Please respect copyright.PENANAGR47O0ULaf
Sever: “…You don’t need to know.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAqiOIRjPERn
345Please respect copyright.PENANALoXfvmw1eR
Nell: “…”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAyEdykzV3rT
No…345Please respect copyright.PENANA7oBtJijgz4
345Please respect copyright.PENANAFd0Eg0VvZX
Sever: “Be sure to go to school tomorrow Alyson. We need everything to move as usual. Low suspicion and all that.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAIfTeLJL771
345Please respect copyright.PENANA5DevTDWhsM
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAy9iaPG4DLx
345Please respect copyright.PENANAEKoBvP4ebT
A day that was supposed to heal us is instead one where we’re damaged beyond repair. And it’s not even over yet.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAN88UZCRMtQ
345Please respect copyright.PENANAAB1Q9SLqRY
Alyson: “N-Nell, I need to know what you meant by Nao being a mage.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANA1MeF6274BR
345Please respect copyright.PENANA2NVWTtzMkY
She’s still holding me in her arms and shaking trying to hold back a flood of tears.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAEZVMCnQJz1
345Please respect copyright.PENANAhsQKyNxtZC
Nell: “Alyson…I’ll try to explain. But I don’t know what good it will do….Nao is gone.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAr9pbircRJc
345Please respect copyright.PENANA7joKhA4LH1
Alyson: “Not yet, maybe I-”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAQVDDEkkBFw
345Please respect copyright.PENANA5PFn12ZrZM
Nell: “No!”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAkNDpJuLvhG
345Please respect copyright.PENANAevVxGHZffD
Alyson: “!”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAUwNMmhrS47
345Please respect copyright.PENANA2SyhgO8GzP
Nell: “I’m already on verge of breaking…don’t make me lose you too…”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAA2bVsYOpRu
345Please respect copyright.PENANAaguioZeVay
Alyson: “So you telling me to leave Nao to those…monsters?”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAavFl2aTVeM
345Please respect copyright.PENANAuZP7VVNYzS
Nell: “…”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAmdA69rCbJ1
345Please respect copyright.PENANAEmBYfOCdCs
Alyson: “…Let’s drop it for now. Please, just tell me everything.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAAer7Qie29q
345Please respect copyright.PENANAPOUgKf5oSC
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAPx6q6QmDQo
345Please respect copyright.PENANACgrP6sPkKc
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAPusj41vlDo
345Please respect copyright.PENANANCqFajZWz3
I’m the one that sent Anton to Nao…
345Please respect copyright.PENANALu3VznnWzD
345Please respect copyright.PENANAVZVN7th5Xc
Alyson: “Nell…I have a confession to make.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAIeiZxkckQ7
345Please respect copyright.PENANAV5WraAwJ0v
Nell: “No…not you too.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANA0apRrn4eAC
345Please respect copyright.PENANA2pxtCZ2Afq
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAVro4bkv2am
345Please respect copyright.PENANAX4Kd0CpNWH
Alyson: “I-I’m so…so sorry.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANA9fxqMU4kKn
345Please respect copyright.PENANA15H04tc4hq
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAsUvodhhS1F
345Please respect copyright.PENANAlLwV1tzTjL
Nell: “W-We’ve all made mistakes. If only I wasn’t blind to it. No…I lost my only son.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANA7fPRFl1g5X
345Please respect copyright.PENANAgBZZZHprWd
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAcMPDCDSga8
345Please respect copyright.PENANARVwbrPlsuD
Alyson: “What…do we do now?”
345Please respect copyright.PENANA1hZEwnfvGt
345Please respect copyright.PENANACBrIN3Iz6S
Nell: “I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, we will make up for this for the rest of our lives.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAHOHY2QzD3w
345Please respect copyright.PENANAaojCWxU6us
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAJKSdGNeo5K
345Please respect copyright.PENANAfea1huyMQj
But more than that, voices from my past haunt my thoughts. Whispering perspectives that only deepen my guilt.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAOrcsJ15Kew
345Please respect copyright.PENANATSm7an8Kqv
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANABD06xflrfd
345Please respect copyright.PENANAdl7kTfXaox
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANASEmdwHirxy
345Please respect copyright.PENANAwEtQzcI7np
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…
345Please respect copyright.PENANAfrNXfIoWzG
[Switch Perspective: Anthony]345Please respect copyright.PENANADK3Xh6rr3X
345Please respect copyright.PENANAnJDnV5PwcM
Mat: “Are you okay?”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAJj8vHurClX
345Please respect copyright.PENANAIOCgXuXWtO
Anthony: “Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a bit worried that we’ll get bullied because of yesterday.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANACm9aYI4n9u
345Please respect copyright.PENANAg316vRqnct
Velo: “Don’t worry, Nao scared them away. As he said, we won.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANArz2UObaBZF
345Please respect copyright.PENANAllRZR43FrC
Mat: “Besides, it’s the beginning of the day who wou-”
345Please respect copyright.PENANASl6hO44aMh
345Please respect copyright.PENANAnERm5WdstL
“Yeah guys, we want to show you something.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAK3thcalqP0
345Please respect copyright.PENANAPOzQXh5Sn5
Their faces darken at the realization of what’s about to happen. But me…I crack a smile.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAtqoMP054TM
345Please respect copyright.PENANA7tRsHjSzwp
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAwHd5xNkz9u
345Please respect copyright.PENANAD9ObdzSlEr
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAHS9ljtLCsQ
345Please respect copyright.PENANArPbsAqGMEp
“So let it be written. My new owner and husband.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAXvB91AL9vt
345Please respect copyright.PENANAunbi0OGlIZ
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAbsSMo1FBo5
345Please respect copyright.PENANAUhCaZVbCYh
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANArLUzjpBYY9
345Please respect copyright.PENANAlBE3qc5GAg
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAa4AvnmXmAS
345Please respect copyright.PENANAp4hCar69Mj
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAKXVO2CrdI0
345Please respect copyright.PENANAnFcUEctJ3Y
Well, no more. That time is over. As I look into their eyes filled with fear, I wonder if this is what Nao felt.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAWUMbvkl2M0
345Please respect copyright.PENANAcJhHYvrObx
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANA5b9AzSErQg
345Please respect copyright.PENANAYfbJgmyQeC
“Come my husband, let us once again burn another world. Another blood bath for our promised wedding day.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAAE597ri5ed
345Please respect copyright.PENANAOJKc0cjGRV
I’ll be what you want me to be. As long as I can have my vengeance.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAwDXKPofYTe
345Please respect copyright.PENANAI5mvBNcYXy
Mat: “A-Anthony…”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAiFCEwOT2i0
345Please respect copyright.PENANAY0qROZC53Q
Oh, I almost forgot. My friends lay beaten and broken behind me.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAHLAqPzVbo7
345Please respect copyright.PENANA6mJVKn0BMJ
“Ignore them love. I’ll keep the end of my deal. We’ll spare them but no one else may live.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAqOI2H9R0wr
345Please respect copyright.PENANAHB1yqt5TVZ
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.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAPPcovy9eaB
345Please respect copyright.PENANAfrwqlgyGDR
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….
345Please respect copyright.PENANATHv6SKuay8
Anthony: “Let none survive.”345Please respect copyright.PENANAxc8qFN16Bs
345Please respect copyright.PENANAtPkSokTHbA
[Switch Perspective: Alyson]
345Please respect copyright.PENANAs6fgN1sW2u
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAXN8Dj5WBFh
345Please respect copyright.PENANAszkXpyG6Q9
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAnG1Q8JRm3V
345Please respect copyright.PENANALqkcKBBSrz
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAnTyNjNCNOi
345Please respect copyright.PENANAjZ4rTBi9g4
“Okay everyone, calm down. It must be-”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAbjlTfSNZyO
*SCREAM*345Please respect copyright.PENANAhqs5uAH4DT
345Please respect copyright.PENANACk9FbG90BZ
Outside we can hear blood-chilling screams and thunder. But what drove us to madness was the smell of ashes.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAzzg311yM6A
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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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANA3MtIqAuVCM
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I’m…scared stiff. Am I…going to die?
345Please respect copyright.PENANAbyXS4TIrR4
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???: “Alyson!”
345Please respect copyright.PENANA4guAbaqusp
345Please respect copyright.PENANAg41vuXlQqV
A voice wakes me up from my dark thoughts. I watch the door fly open and a girl rush inside.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAK8i1rBJUtq
345Please respect copyright.PENANACm1I8D4D3G
Deanna: “Alyson hide!”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAfYounNBI2y
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She runs to me and grabs a hold of my shoulder.
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Alyson: “Deanna? What’s happening?”
345Please respect copyright.PENANArumjnBJvZV
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Deanna: “No time to explain but I’m sure you and Trevor are Anthony’s main targets.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAk4Poyfj8nV
345Please respect copyright.PENANAd04EOA6thX
Anthony? H-He’s the one doing all of this?
345Please respect copyright.PENANAOkL0sWCxvs
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Anthony: “You’re not wrong.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAsJ6KG0zwc0
!!345Please respect copyright.PENANAaHKXftR0el
345Please respect copyright.PENANAIvxJfMXZno
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAndd3fs6Bjn
345Please respect copyright.PENANAu6oGNqXFAh
Are we the last ones?
345Please respect copyright.PENANAlMsQUNeH8g
345Please respect copyright.PENANATRGYjYNwPl
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.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAt4pHxPjHSE
345Please respect copyright.PENANAGXUTCg1709
Deanna: “W-Why are you doing this?”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAtZblosOCvr
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Purple lightning strikes right in front of Deanna’s eyes.
345Please respect copyright.PENANA2iD8yrmzH9
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Deanna: “AHHH!”
345Please respect copyright.PENANApMZRbFVHFb
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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.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAgB1EPneMEK
345Please respect copyright.PENANASj2fQKv6Ta
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANASrrhHHDL2e
345Please respect copyright.PENANAXxsd0rm5oS
Anthony: “As for Alyson. You may be Nao’s sister, but you’re still a part of the problem. He’ll forgive me eventually.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANA9dDejSCGm2
345Please respect copyright.PENANAlKUhip4NUY
Alyson: “If you still care about Nao then save him!”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAmoX6IstvOO
345Please respect copyright.PENANAQc9q6FwYuX
Anthony: “Save him? What do you mean?”
345Please respect copyright.PENANA3T3P686UHu
345Please respect copyright.PENANA9EAZaRgoBR
Alyson: “Sever and his men took him last night. They were searching for that magic book.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANA3vwgYtFfhF
345Please respect copyright.PENANA85NLQhOPTE
Anthony: “!”
345Please respect copyright.PENANA7OHsc9awTR
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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.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANADg4QFiN9MJ
345Please respect copyright.PENANAZPZnBBJauH
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANA76lymw1GM2
345Please respect copyright.PENANACz2f0VZNNH
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAfdt8qyGGZu
345Please respect copyright.PENANAxvssBnu8GJ
Deanna: “Alyson…”
345Please respect copyright.PENANA19eH94MnJf
?345Please respect copyright.PENANAptOwJf5Qui
345Please respect copyright.PENANAff3vbiAURy
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?
345Please respect copyright.PENANAZBXTv6Thbw
345Please respect copyright.PENANA9KRLfnDmDj
Anthony: “Tch, don’t pretend bitch. You haven’t changed.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAdV1VbTwKgP
345Please respect copyright.PENANAwNIBVlGpnY
Deanna: “…”
345Please respect copyright.PENANARMfHpaalQT
345Please respect copyright.PENANAH2dUSb9I3v
Alyson: “W-Why?”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAUqzfSD1Jow
345Please respect copyright.PENANAI6BwH5HZev
Deanna: “Because you inspired me to be better, this is the least I can do.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAChQinhthKX
345Please respect copyright.PENANAx4bGxWVrLj
Alyson: “Deanna…”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAEMKfdPGRVX
345Please respect copyright.PENANAP5syLBeYPK
Anthony: *Sigh*
345Please respect copyright.PENANAajzcgQeQty
345Please respect copyright.PENANAfRTxYAjFY2
Anthony: “Fine, I’ll roast you both.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANANHfYvq9pUK
345Please respect copyright.PENANAaxrNBrqzXE
???: “Wow, and I thought the bullies here were evil.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAQ2KTY1gYbn
!!!345Please respect copyright.PENANAjIbXiX3jAT
345Please respect copyright.PENANA3srYQKYVJA
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.
345Please respect copyright.PENANAxFRjcHxH51
345Please respect copyright.PENANAamqyfYDhYq
Anthony: “King…”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAeAfOInNRNr
345Please respect copyright.PENANAaHI8lKawlM
Trevor: “I was right, you would be a good warm-up. Maybe even the main attraction.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAgPFI0JGisP
345Please respect copyright.PENANAJlE26M38t2
Anthony: “How can you…be calm right now?”
345Please respect copyright.PENANALz5h5jSeWt
345Please respect copyright.PENANApz2WvsRkMm
Trevor: “I’m not calm…I’m excited. Who would have thought magic existed, this is the fight I was looking for!”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAqczKWkqYGr
345Please respect copyright.PENANAUtwCqVIf5x
Anthony: “…Begone.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANACdH5PdGVzZ
345Please respect copyright.PENANAxSxqNIbtCs
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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345Please respect copyright.PENANAq1mV3lOLBN
When the smoke and lightning clear, Trevor appears unscathed.
345Please respect copyright.PENANARmmJgpr6gm
345Please respect copyright.PENANAzBLI8it5Wu
Trevor: “I hope that’s not all you got.”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAiyCUvKSKiP
345Please respect copyright.PENANA7xaMs4d5aM
Anthony: “!!”
345Please respect copyright.PENANAIOUKFUeYEg
345Please respect copyright.PENANAVez7NjD9Z3
Anthony: “…I see. Well, that’s not fair. But, she doesn’t mind the challenge.”
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345Please respect copyright.PENANALKUb3rpUz3
She?
345Please respect copyright.PENANAzMxaht7wy9
345Please respect copyright.PENANAXG31KQfh1M
Trevor: “Still got more? Then bring it on!”
ns216.73.216.90da2