Nell: “It will be okay….it will be okay.”376Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4ZB8kgltg
376Please respect copyright.PENANAUekQM8P4Nf
376Please respect copyright.PENANA5Yk6SKxYfQ
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?
376Please respect copyright.PENANAQJUv40ttpa
376Please respect copyright.PENANAdElWk1mw3I
Sever: “We got it, move out.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAI6XN0cR4jL
376Please respect copyright.PENANAQ8k9suxdVj
Alyson: “Na-”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAYGCeWesb7l
376Please respect copyright.PENANA1wAep5hP3L
I try to get up but the rifles move to freeze me in place.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAHQPKxaBRzl
376Please respect copyright.PENANAQLv6a8Am3u
Nell: “What are you going to do to my son?”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAFWXSMj0HTG
376Please respect copyright.PENANAb9EqYRRN1p
Sever: “…You don’t need to know.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAtyrprb0rTR
376Please respect copyright.PENANATbbMlF7UEE
Nell: “…”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAUnaKpDrBCv
No…376Please respect copyright.PENANAwmsi8kiiBE
376Please respect copyright.PENANATCVrw8NN4K
Sever: “Be sure to go to school tomorrow Alyson. We need everything to move as usual. Low suspicion and all that.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANArh4zJnDJiv
376Please respect copyright.PENANA7Efbz9Atky
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANADHtncM6B6h
376Please respect copyright.PENANAWhYLqxNOzh
A day that was supposed to heal us is instead one where we’re damaged beyond repair. And it’s not even over yet.
376Please respect copyright.PENANA6rnnNYwJuB
376Please respect copyright.PENANA8uuBlc0p8p
Alyson: “N-Nell, I need to know what you meant by Nao being a mage.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAYcyeCKB78n
376Please respect copyright.PENANAFBnTns4ZSO
She’s still holding me in her arms and shaking trying to hold back a flood of tears.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAPvEHjnAsdz
376Please respect copyright.PENANAlCte2ueZxK
Nell: “Alyson…I’ll try to explain. But I don’t know what good it will do….Nao is gone.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAptkj218A6M
376Please respect copyright.PENANAOTbLCqrqSr
Alyson: “Not yet, maybe I-”
376Please respect copyright.PENANABlLibf75mw
376Please respect copyright.PENANAMtjrSN9P6c
Nell: “No!”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAyRo19iYlaY
376Please respect copyright.PENANA6QQyQx0Aew
Alyson: “!”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAAjzlEOBWwm
376Please respect copyright.PENANAV3kJzTcylG
Nell: “I’m already on verge of breaking…don’t make me lose you too…”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAAnGJC9oRyi
376Please respect copyright.PENANAMx4HyGF9lb
Alyson: “So you telling me to leave Nao to those…monsters?”
376Please respect copyright.PENANATzlfPi6ar8
376Please respect copyright.PENANABYpu2Rk4S2
Nell: “…”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAMWfxmLoiYN
376Please respect copyright.PENANAqxLVDwMghZ
Alyson: “…Let’s drop it for now. Please, just tell me everything.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAjEZsGdZeFy
376Please respect copyright.PENANAbdpe1YTcsR
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAcGq57zW0wS
376Please respect copyright.PENANAAu8Q3SvU79
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANACgfx1WfuVf
376Please respect copyright.PENANAm8KBX2Obgp
I’m the one that sent Anton to Nao…
376Please respect copyright.PENANAlLm5EFScrl
376Please respect copyright.PENANAHhViXI7ALr
Alyson: “Nell…I have a confession to make.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAcvorPnmL41
376Please respect copyright.PENANARaQRaek4lf
Nell: “No…not you too.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAQ8lTSrm7Ui
376Please respect copyright.PENANAQoKCiMJB6g
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAwtCKQhFQfE
376Please respect copyright.PENANAZK44ev3qus
Alyson: “I-I’m so…so sorry.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANArqSNp5kThW
376Please respect copyright.PENANARF0zOCWshT
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAiTXSrGoqhs
376Please respect copyright.PENANACJnFfngIUG
Nell: “W-We’ve all made mistakes. If only I wasn’t blind to it. No…I lost my only son.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAUZMvFFiWPF
376Please respect copyright.PENANAIXkedZ4fgm
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAYB4fCkiS8d
376Please respect copyright.PENANASdiK7widOk
Alyson: “What…do we do now?”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAMdPyISAlAu
376Please respect copyright.PENANAxSSHM8viqe
Nell: “I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, we will make up for this for the rest of our lives.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAuePe1tml6Z
376Please respect copyright.PENANAX94tGDK84f
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAp0XB297O2Z
376Please respect copyright.PENANAhwIwn6aA9t
But more than that, voices from my past haunt my thoughts. Whispering perspectives that only deepen my guilt.
376Please respect copyright.PENANALXNwR951J7
376Please respect copyright.PENANA7l81sbRdoe
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAoq0b28hxVZ
376Please respect copyright.PENANAU32RadYvRx
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAFWoHcma6wS
376Please respect copyright.PENANAVFf4WcfHmV
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…
376Please respect copyright.PENANAgBFDvXyk0z
[Switch Perspective: Anthony]376Please respect copyright.PENANA9Ku9L8bRuc
376Please respect copyright.PENANAjfc5IllQql
Mat: “Are you okay?”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAsIdRVn90eA
376Please respect copyright.PENANAoyhGgfjfY7
Anthony: “Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a bit worried that we’ll get bullied because of yesterday.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAGLhmXA5i07
376Please respect copyright.PENANAy3EJ2muKNr
Velo: “Don’t worry, Nao scared them away. As he said, we won.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAo6jC5vXXsw
376Please respect copyright.PENANAWxaSm2hFXJ
Mat: “Besides, it’s the beginning of the day who wou-”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAgcHHJhy3KY
376Please respect copyright.PENANAPN5X7Lt7Eu
“Yeah guys, we want to show you something.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAIB9ttnWfD6
376Please respect copyright.PENANA36vDEAgW5o
Their faces darken at the realization of what’s about to happen. But me…I crack a smile.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAElglFwEHtS
376Please respect copyright.PENANAgPEyrc3T1d
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAZPsA25OJCY
376Please respect copyright.PENANAnDzfvzKsxW
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAe2uXq4D4xS
376Please respect copyright.PENANA51NOTunnhQ
“So let it be written. My new owner and husband.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAcnxMyZ4xKn
376Please respect copyright.PENANANgiTVIqg63
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAbIvwYVKgAW
376Please respect copyright.PENANAafBGwo61Zg
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAsKEuGKCndq
376Please respect copyright.PENANAJAvA6vmVss
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANA7bPwlxQwyd
376Please respect copyright.PENANAh58nsN0EoM
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANArfntZToJ3Z
376Please respect copyright.PENANAUzxKl84g4x
Well, no more. That time is over. As I look into their eyes filled with fear, I wonder if this is what Nao felt.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAwTrv8g5JRY
376Please respect copyright.PENANAQZjdnp1xPB
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANA7rcjSGTxOa
376Please respect copyright.PENANAw5eC5duBsM
“Come my husband, let us once again burn another world. Another blood bath for our promised wedding day.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANA7wFSnKSBH2
376Please respect copyright.PENANAudmowax8rI
I’ll be what you want me to be. As long as I can have my vengeance.
376Please respect copyright.PENANABFofbPS6SK
376Please respect copyright.PENANA2CLmtfBu9p
Mat: “A-Anthony…”
376Please respect copyright.PENANA6j6IwHnUfH
376Please respect copyright.PENANAtnpTuAEMlg
Oh, I almost forgot. My friends lay beaten and broken behind me.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAcvnmlGb67p
376Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4ETxQrPsK
“Ignore them love. I’ll keep the end of my deal. We’ll spare them but no one else may live.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAZap6tkyrXL
376Please respect copyright.PENANA2DowgqdlvW
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.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAc10GIwvxCo
376Please respect copyright.PENANAZy0Q3oY3lE
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….
376Please respect copyright.PENANADQex8dtERZ
Anthony: “Let none survive.”376Please respect copyright.PENANALpi0mruRMP
376Please respect copyright.PENANADySIwNgZPJ
[Switch Perspective: Alyson]
376Please respect copyright.PENANAoquhUSdzzE
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAdlEMlO5bPm
376Please respect copyright.PENANAPprRkzdbHr
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANATDiOnBi4x5
376Please respect copyright.PENANAeu3tVixoWY
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANA0UAEW2493a
376Please respect copyright.PENANAMrHEUS439t
“Okay everyone, calm down. It must be-”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAFcgubwRTjq
*SCREAM*376Please respect copyright.PENANAKTcwmctyaP
376Please respect copyright.PENANAS0sRmyVuL4
Outside we can hear blood-chilling screams and thunder. But what drove us to madness was the smell of ashes.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAXk6DfmICJO
376Please respect copyright.PENANAbOT13XIC2q
“Everyone stay here and hide under your desks. I’ll go and see what’s happening.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAKBi36wbJS2
376Please respect copyright.PENANATlnVu4FbG4
The teacher leaves the room and disappears into the darkness of the hallway. The noises didn’t stop and the smell only got worse.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAQ26NFwdDDt
376Please respect copyright.PENANAqg4qkV3hgA
I’m…scared stiff. Am I…going to die?
376Please respect copyright.PENANASpfyZuFjJs
376Please respect copyright.PENANAvzA5jeBvfb
???: “Alyson!”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAdJ4qzbEEyk
376Please respect copyright.PENANA3g06sajRwC
A voice wakes me up from my dark thoughts. I watch the door fly open and a girl rush inside.
376Please respect copyright.PENANA1BYu1mUEk1
376Please respect copyright.PENANAXNJqbiouLc
Deanna: “Alyson hide!”
376Please respect copyright.PENANArjo7TYE0QK
376Please respect copyright.PENANAVHJ1ebmAWK
She runs to me and grabs a hold of my shoulder.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAsDF1bt1FwX
376Please respect copyright.PENANAkxJ4Zsoqp7
Alyson: “Deanna? What’s happening?”
376Please respect copyright.PENANA8MnFRtCVbs
376Please respect copyright.PENANAS6N7QFQzzn
Deanna: “No time to explain but I’m sure you and Trevor are Anthony’s main targets.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAHflh4h2PGN
376Please respect copyright.PENANAI903hNL4bQ
Anthony? H-He’s the one doing all of this?
376Please respect copyright.PENANAIABrQx18jE
376Please respect copyright.PENANAwlQS7ayM3H
Anthony: “You’re not wrong.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAQ2BjrH3XKB
!!376Please respect copyright.PENANAnwD5KegeWx
376Please respect copyright.PENANAU6ZbBGPxvN
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANASqoNJk9IQh
376Please respect copyright.PENANAhZfbE4K0gw
Are we the last ones?
376Please respect copyright.PENANApYYjRv9kjs
376Please respect copyright.PENANA21mrgqEXAp
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.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAiqNkshbFZs
376Please respect copyright.PENANAvazWGpysna
Deanna: “W-Why are you doing this?”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAASWLen6sEF
376Please respect copyright.PENANAm2GSlgpb7P
Purple lightning strikes right in front of Deanna’s eyes.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAnwCn70camI
376Please respect copyright.PENANAIhppx5aRGw
Deanna: “AHHH!”
376Please respect copyright.PENANA1q8vHdAmNw
376Please respect copyright.PENANAHKSw9KWWCW
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.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANA3WTZqRmdz9
376Please respect copyright.PENANAtQi22RbcL2
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAfnh80YZYsS
376Please respect copyright.PENANAzcEuBxWSbd
Anthony: “As for Alyson. You may be Nao’s sister, but you’re still a part of the problem. He’ll forgive me eventually.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAly0UsPMTVP
376Please respect copyright.PENANApeqORLb3Ig
Alyson: “If you still care about Nao then save him!”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAx2pSgYykib
376Please respect copyright.PENANAUqAjbbqruP
Anthony: “Save him? What do you mean?”
376Please respect copyright.PENANA1fUn83QbOk
376Please respect copyright.PENANAE0v5LolP4k
Alyson: “Sever and his men took him last night. They were searching for that magic book.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAAOMIOwFJY2
376Please respect copyright.PENANAa43WLbAMOY
Anthony: “!”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAbkH1hOKjcL
376Please respect copyright.PENANAzduSiSdXiV
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.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANA1i7Az7Zvqg
376Please respect copyright.PENANAGheFAaGqJf
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANABNwBZqrByC
376Please respect copyright.PENANAeQJpVRyT00
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAP0VZ7BECZP
376Please respect copyright.PENANA5EhLWn5iNy
Deanna: “Alyson…”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAsE3leyCgXp
?376Please respect copyright.PENANAruPC4xvBQu
376Please respect copyright.PENANAyOfSmPtVsL
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?
376Please respect copyright.PENANAY6CTKTuIZj
376Please respect copyright.PENANAhJsqXMczMa
Anthony: “Tch, don’t pretend bitch. You haven’t changed.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAU2VuBIjC91
376Please respect copyright.PENANAaon3uDcAfx
Deanna: “…”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAhpPdCvBC1m
376Please respect copyright.PENANA1Aqjd28NHz
Alyson: “W-Why?”
376Please respect copyright.PENANASWMyNeYprJ
376Please respect copyright.PENANAtsTSbjzw7k
Deanna: “Because you inspired me to be better, this is the least I can do.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANANnqI3A2EgK
376Please respect copyright.PENANA1mRbpn50Dv
Alyson: “Deanna…”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAm0JMApdbV9
376Please respect copyright.PENANA8yQmMiNinh
Anthony: *Sigh*
376Please respect copyright.PENANAD76yx1BbvG
376Please respect copyright.PENANA1o1aMpQu6m
Anthony: “Fine, I’ll roast you both.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAynM6laUxxy
376Please respect copyright.PENANAKxdUWu20rN
???: “Wow, and I thought the bullies here were evil.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANALmF97eaKW7
!!!376Please respect copyright.PENANAoyryckntEr
376Please respect copyright.PENANAOPdGYZwBaA
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAGYJ7lVgVRY
376Please respect copyright.PENANAaLfyOEu4wk
Anthony: “King…”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAD7bjTAzwj0
376Please respect copyright.PENANAJzRdutdRGC
Trevor: “I was right, you would be a good warm-up. Maybe even the main attraction.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAMBx6fLeyyt
376Please respect copyright.PENANAWBHPRrcRS5
Anthony: “How can you…be calm right now?”
376Please respect copyright.PENANApkvgL2O4tD
376Please respect copyright.PENANAfx2CCc6egj
Trevor: “I’m not calm…I’m excited. Who would have thought magic existed, this is the fight I was looking for!”
376Please respect copyright.PENANA9xNF5wf9Z2
376Please respect copyright.PENANAy5sPaxOu7O
Anthony: “…Begone.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAXCKBzhD7If
376Please respect copyright.PENANAaxChnkmxDw
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.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAY7lEoooPVn
376Please respect copyright.PENANAJ4Zv68iLjD
When the smoke and lightning clear, Trevor appears unscathed.
376Please respect copyright.PENANAUhkncCsShU
376Please respect copyright.PENANAwE1ViFqXyS
Trevor: “I hope that’s not all you got.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANA8ATHrWw1vZ
376Please respect copyright.PENANAKCm55f1Tk0
Anthony: “!!”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAOmX5aYIdip
376Please respect copyright.PENANAIzCF7JlfEG
Anthony: “…I see. Well, that’s not fair. But, she doesn’t mind the challenge.”
376Please respect copyright.PENANAJkkw4vQJX0
376Please respect copyright.PENANAns4IKixOnE
She?
376Please respect copyright.PENANAE9eXOxT39I
376Please respect copyright.PENANAOSdVsN52MX
Trevor: “Still got more? Then bring it on!”
ns216.73.216.224da2