Nell: “It will be okay….it will be okay.”149Please respect copyright.PENANAKbIAjeGFNS
149Please respect copyright.PENANAQQ9xrsj7Y8
149Please respect copyright.PENANAQmQLPjUAUX
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?
149Please respect copyright.PENANAH2oB5A8Yfj
149Please respect copyright.PENANAjdm55g8aw8
Sever: “We got it, move out.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAUNKsPTeCqz
149Please respect copyright.PENANAeNaRze26yX
Alyson: “Na-”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAxxkRIPQlFU
149Please respect copyright.PENANAmGXvg4KCST
I try to get up but the rifles move to freeze me in place.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAHRyN0ECb4F
149Please respect copyright.PENANAP2p0DEk8HV
Nell: “What are you going to do to my son?”
149Please respect copyright.PENANACcHW05FH1n
149Please respect copyright.PENANAp8OkQWHmqk
Sever: “…You don’t need to know.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAMphJGf53yJ
149Please respect copyright.PENANAlj1V9nmI4D
Nell: “…”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA3uzZD3Ypzn
No…149Please respect copyright.PENANAIndj6ZKtOB
149Please respect copyright.PENANA1LmQElQNQk
Sever: “Be sure to go to school tomorrow Alyson. We need everything to move as usual. Low suspicion and all that.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA3Dd6EJrPgt
149Please respect copyright.PENANARIL9fotKXS
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAz4c0PzmttM
149Please respect copyright.PENANAmQNOYj5eO2
A day that was supposed to heal us is instead one where we’re damaged beyond repair. And it’s not even over yet.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAnUiKeYq8kA
149Please respect copyright.PENANAriSIosq2by
Alyson: “N-Nell, I need to know what you meant by Nao being a mage.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAcdhDvOvTEb
149Please respect copyright.PENANAw76Z4ym9Ru
She’s still holding me in her arms and shaking trying to hold back a flood of tears.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAVPpD0u0QVw
149Please respect copyright.PENANAm0hlqMLM1P
Nell: “Alyson…I’ll try to explain. But I don’t know what good it will do….Nao is gone.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAny6RXgI7AK
149Please respect copyright.PENANAa6sp7MJNeo
Alyson: “Not yet, maybe I-”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAdHD9rDqr8k
149Please respect copyright.PENANA5htCCqJVZA
Nell: “No!”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAIhzmDnPOJP
149Please respect copyright.PENANABRL7dlc1Za
Alyson: “!”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAMvrjtvA3BR
149Please respect copyright.PENANAdVtVZNuqUF
Nell: “I’m already on verge of breaking…don’t make me lose you too…”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAAhfj2t3dol
149Please respect copyright.PENANAD9fHUfTW60
Alyson: “So you telling me to leave Nao to those…monsters?”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAgKgXnqFnmm
149Please respect copyright.PENANAVSzfsib7Jy
Nell: “…”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAYr8TULfR8Q
149Please respect copyright.PENANAYa9wQFzLby
Alyson: “…Let’s drop it for now. Please, just tell me everything.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAQwaiLDJZlA
149Please respect copyright.PENANALtiMCv8zy5
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAQGJkrAJ9Lc
149Please respect copyright.PENANAUT2NgHuTVc
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAhAQN7v0EWG
149Please respect copyright.PENANA0lCdKeQoiU
I’m the one that sent Anton to Nao…
149Please respect copyright.PENANAXGpYmNKn8n
149Please respect copyright.PENANAR7LeMPUIki
Alyson: “Nell…I have a confession to make.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAb2pzIie8TT
149Please respect copyright.PENANA2dymb6yOKv
Nell: “No…not you too.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA8DtmoNxHo4
149Please respect copyright.PENANAxo3JpEgm98
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANADUZjJczSTf
149Please respect copyright.PENANABvdZWZQWWI
Alyson: “I-I’m so…so sorry.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAlsZRjnXTXJ
149Please respect copyright.PENANAlz2KghktEv
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAgVgiamR3ww
149Please respect copyright.PENANAr1hssAP3xe
Nell: “W-We’ve all made mistakes. If only I wasn’t blind to it. No…I lost my only son.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAeBY7ohKQXa
149Please respect copyright.PENANAD6sZWzkN7c
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANA1PZB0ryRXh
149Please respect copyright.PENANAcJ9wYq8w9Q
Alyson: “What…do we do now?”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAJXNOC9b0rC
149Please respect copyright.PENANAjpEWx8Fq23
Nell: “I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, we will make up for this for the rest of our lives.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA9hSpXRPbvV
149Please respect copyright.PENANAQuW3jrrtRy
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAKh3CVMMUZz
149Please respect copyright.PENANALmd8jjWAwo
But more than that, voices from my past haunt my thoughts. Whispering perspectives that only deepen my guilt.
149Please respect copyright.PENANACxMOayCUH1
149Please respect copyright.PENANAXkxmumZAX1
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAUqlHHcq8NM
149Please respect copyright.PENANAqS6mhDmWlH
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAKddFuh4h5q
149Please respect copyright.PENANAMO4cq0oylR
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…
149Please respect copyright.PENANAj0ocG5n3iW
[Switch Perspective: Anthony]149Please respect copyright.PENANA422HUKXVtm
149Please respect copyright.PENANAT8YCPBCOBY
Mat: “Are you okay?”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAtvppbkFoVg
149Please respect copyright.PENANAWAVKWmJeCb
Anthony: “Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a bit worried that we’ll get bullied because of yesterday.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAgUkaqYuMaC
149Please respect copyright.PENANA3uG1jzxEFi
Velo: “Don’t worry, Nao scared them away. As he said, we won.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAQy00ysoyyq
149Please respect copyright.PENANADBMLjUshrv
Mat: “Besides, it’s the beginning of the day who wou-”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAl9vrQ2ceio
149Please respect copyright.PENANAjetqHRYdmH
“Yeah guys, we want to show you something.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAaFEtzsf4LO
149Please respect copyright.PENANAwWgaq5cBPF
Their faces darken at the realization of what’s about to happen. But me…I crack a smile.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAmKZWg4TZOx
149Please respect copyright.PENANASoFAup7Dpr
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAZrrDIxP8A5
149Please respect copyright.PENANAnVVxWNWEax
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANACvCZCQRbiH
149Please respect copyright.PENANAg3ohdOTQUD
“So let it be written. My new owner and husband.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA4TtglfziQO
149Please respect copyright.PENANA8gyrPvvTn9
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAasyH7hA3Zr
149Please respect copyright.PENANATcUzTEFS98
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANA0dcdzY4fLS
149Please respect copyright.PENANA7MnzLMP9s8
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAww3xL1FmEq
149Please respect copyright.PENANAPkZtAmJ1Wq
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAYyAxVwQkmI
149Please respect copyright.PENANAAFXgqZBkJf
Well, no more. That time is over. As I look into their eyes filled with fear, I wonder if this is what Nao felt.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAbdbPG4QPzB
149Please respect copyright.PENANAa1edwVuqRE
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAqGENAPDUrV
149Please respect copyright.PENANAjWcYsIa0jR
“Come my husband, let us once again burn another world. Another blood bath for our promised wedding day.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA1KIoybyjWN
149Please respect copyright.PENANAieOgD3GkLq
I’ll be what you want me to be. As long as I can have my vengeance.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAclzTQAkv2o
149Please respect copyright.PENANAkQw4IJjj7r
Mat: “A-Anthony…”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAYKUsXjpn20
149Please respect copyright.PENANAHgMEcb9DCu
Oh, I almost forgot. My friends lay beaten and broken behind me.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAml9D4wSr1w
149Please respect copyright.PENANA2h6XLKEiuK
“Ignore them love. I’ll keep the end of my deal. We’ll spare them but no one else may live.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA0d40pXLpqI
149Please respect copyright.PENANAJZ811YmUBd
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.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANANt62WEIqEd
149Please respect copyright.PENANAnscnCCPopC
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….
149Please respect copyright.PENANABMF9zNJ6V0
Anthony: “Let none survive.”149Please respect copyright.PENANAkHSrka2XyR
149Please respect copyright.PENANAMYT4sOoGi3
[Switch Perspective: Alyson]
149Please respect copyright.PENANAJyO6v673f0
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAs7Jn7GwB6r
149Please respect copyright.PENANA7wSX5r0q2z
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAeGIqEaOVZd
149Please respect copyright.PENANAienjjMBc6T
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAjs0Gn2PX5Q
149Please respect copyright.PENANAnfmiAVGgeQ
“Okay everyone, calm down. It must be-”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA7eavYWTVnS
*SCREAM*149Please respect copyright.PENANAVNvCbuxzT4
149Please respect copyright.PENANAgWSljsIThl
Outside we can hear blood-chilling screams and thunder. But what drove us to madness was the smell of ashes.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAIu8CxpPGvv
149Please respect copyright.PENANAGqxVtGsxmr
“Everyone stay here and hide under your desks. I’ll go and see what’s happening.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAvX0FD4Vs8x
149Please respect copyright.PENANA9nk8r8kTMg
The teacher leaves the room and disappears into the darkness of the hallway. The noises didn’t stop and the smell only got worse.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAXyagCQWxpD
149Please respect copyright.PENANAWbm1iYXb5W
I’m…scared stiff. Am I…going to die?
149Please respect copyright.PENANAuPvjmGRpDb
149Please respect copyright.PENANAQR0H38lu4K
???: “Alyson!”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAJWPiRN9i9k
149Please respect copyright.PENANAly7zvWTkO1
A voice wakes me up from my dark thoughts. I watch the door fly open and a girl rush inside.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAXY3SbpGv1m
149Please respect copyright.PENANAaSmVPfm5cb
Deanna: “Alyson hide!”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA64veCiOLIw
149Please respect copyright.PENANAIegF7R9inw
She runs to me and grabs a hold of my shoulder.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAtgUvtdx2k8
149Please respect copyright.PENANAFkvm3P8Qzx
Alyson: “Deanna? What’s happening?”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA8DHWRBA81l
149Please respect copyright.PENANAr7h4AjKdko
Deanna: “No time to explain but I’m sure you and Trevor are Anthony’s main targets.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAc2j2DFb2IA
149Please respect copyright.PENANAI8Pz0voJCi
Anthony? H-He’s the one doing all of this?
149Please respect copyright.PENANAo4sixsTtXS
149Please respect copyright.PENANAun4eVIwTR6
Anthony: “You’re not wrong.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAXA9EMqNgpw
!!149Please respect copyright.PENANATgIq9Lgvpv
149Please respect copyright.PENANAs0KNxXmnup
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAKgzCxH776B
149Please respect copyright.PENANAhW2hGUA4LM
Are we the last ones?
149Please respect copyright.PENANAeg7cXDZR1c
149Please respect copyright.PENANA40SS8ZxBgp
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.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA2Jd1jsBLcj
149Please respect copyright.PENANAISi20khU1C
Deanna: “W-Why are you doing this?”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAldlhwl0yJ6
149Please respect copyright.PENANADGfppLLzWP
Purple lightning strikes right in front of Deanna’s eyes.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAxXNKGznm6K
149Please respect copyright.PENANAuk5u0nmDnS
Deanna: “AHHH!”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAqaBjObNBm1
149Please respect copyright.PENANAzUIfKv3vMU
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.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAl046mrxb3f
149Please respect copyright.PENANA6ePQ0WJPXt
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANA51iX5hbEbG
149Please respect copyright.PENANAIQOQRmSzIp
Anthony: “As for Alyson. You may be Nao’s sister, but you’re still a part of the problem. He’ll forgive me eventually.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAXsxjaqW1pI
149Please respect copyright.PENANAUsOYdpTmPH
Alyson: “If you still care about Nao then save him!”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAFD6PmZ7Htl
149Please respect copyright.PENANAovfP4QkIG4
Anthony: “Save him? What do you mean?”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAtTZqek1a6R
149Please respect copyright.PENANAX2RSF3NVr3
Alyson: “Sever and his men took him last night. They were searching for that magic book.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAHc5fff7828
149Please respect copyright.PENANABr78Q8PAIM
Anthony: “!”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAXUpKSrfYgL
149Please respect copyright.PENANADYZ6TR8ksc
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.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAWABrbbk98a
149Please respect copyright.PENANACdhyRUBhS4
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAyyQeqEtgA1
149Please respect copyright.PENANAooMH1NLq3c
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAZKKFoLDjWI
149Please respect copyright.PENANAncutGECtjz
Deanna: “Alyson…”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAiBT5NkkBY5
?149Please respect copyright.PENANATt2ZsQPYvH
149Please respect copyright.PENANAjueXcuHhc6
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?
149Please respect copyright.PENANAEOnnZZgWRp
149Please respect copyright.PENANAPD0Hzp5dqi
Anthony: “Tch, don’t pretend bitch. You haven’t changed.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAGk65owlqxk
149Please respect copyright.PENANAsReQoCjCU9
Deanna: “…”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAQGYgb2y87v
149Please respect copyright.PENANAjLV9LPhda6
Alyson: “W-Why?”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAiRfFn5rF3T
149Please respect copyright.PENANA87Ejs5Lbgv
Deanna: “Because you inspired me to be better, this is the least I can do.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANADih8Itzihg
149Please respect copyright.PENANAejGDTuKnu9
Alyson: “Deanna…”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAwx5uKsgiN8
149Please respect copyright.PENANAZrnQQFAnyv
Anthony: *Sigh*
149Please respect copyright.PENANALAOXfU8cfU
149Please respect copyright.PENANAostZ3YBycR
Anthony: “Fine, I’ll roast you both.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAigmu6yiu0I
149Please respect copyright.PENANA65kq48LR5R
???: “Wow, and I thought the bullies here were evil.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA6WCmEjVDju
!!!149Please respect copyright.PENANAGCNGXU0pE3
149Please respect copyright.PENANAueKienyLNM
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAemN1USm3wc
149Please respect copyright.PENANAPumwlevifn
Anthony: “King…”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAp9wNKqvjKU
149Please respect copyright.PENANAXDkvR5NM9T
Trevor: “I was right, you would be a good warm-up. Maybe even the main attraction.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANA1L3IxNvlO6
149Please respect copyright.PENANAr88BzROJ86
Anthony: “How can you…be calm right now?”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAExjXQkrnf7
149Please respect copyright.PENANANXzPXwWYVR
Trevor: “I’m not calm…I’m excited. Who would have thought magic existed, this is the fight I was looking for!”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAA68PqnZ7Bi
149Please respect copyright.PENANAmKorshyeft
Anthony: “…Begone.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAJEx1w3vMo9
149Please respect copyright.PENANAuaGKGmaV0z
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.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAb8bAzP2wzD
149Please respect copyright.PENANAdjCzdiv3gv
When the smoke and lightning clear, Trevor appears unscathed.
149Please respect copyright.PENANAP7V8hBXAIq
149Please respect copyright.PENANAC2eHDvv4Ei
Trevor: “I hope that’s not all you got.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAMrznXrMAdn
149Please respect copyright.PENANAnnoBxpk100
Anthony: “!!”
149Please respect copyright.PENANANB8mPnE6d2
149Please respect copyright.PENANAJLEy3vYWHg
Anthony: “…I see. Well, that’s not fair. But, she doesn’t mind the challenge.”
149Please respect copyright.PENANAQEZbY3lP9o
149Please respect copyright.PENANA7XcQz1CwYW
She?
149Please respect copyright.PENANAbrLcZWWsnx
149Please respect copyright.PENANAB8uBX85GGH
Trevor: “Still got more? Then bring it on!”
ns 172.70.127.5da2