Nell: “It will be okay….it will be okay.”155Please respect copyright.PENANAf8Wwo0NXAH
155Please respect copyright.PENANA09zp25X9SR
155Please respect copyright.PENANAH7Yvp7qqTc
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?
155Please respect copyright.PENANAjZR8kfxbZw
155Please respect copyright.PENANAuQKYAaHe4L
Sever: “We got it, move out.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAu5Ce9vKotX
155Please respect copyright.PENANAESHBqXjKXN
Alyson: “Na-”
155Please respect copyright.PENANABa8jVBgwCz
155Please respect copyright.PENANAY7ShGg9UDu
I try to get up but the rifles move to freeze me in place.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAPBXezDgF2q
155Please respect copyright.PENANAaLKyMNeyqI
Nell: “What are you going to do to my son?”
155Please respect copyright.PENANA2zcTPJLEGk
155Please respect copyright.PENANAu7YXVh9ziq
Sever: “…You don’t need to know.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAZCzldkPGhI
155Please respect copyright.PENANAzbTq8i0jVI
Nell: “…”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAysWUN9rppG
No…155Please respect copyright.PENANAXbUSg728Tn
155Please respect copyright.PENANAG0HTIHVtz0
Sever: “Be sure to go to school tomorrow Alyson. We need everything to move as usual. Low suspicion and all that.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAPavPOt5kAx
155Please respect copyright.PENANAxfv21wMEb6
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAidJ7VMPXJq
155Please respect copyright.PENANAHkHMMPF76z
A day that was supposed to heal us is instead one where we’re damaged beyond repair. And it’s not even over yet.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAP589LvEAxH
155Please respect copyright.PENANAJgQqsYW9tT
Alyson: “N-Nell, I need to know what you meant by Nao being a mage.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANABRFZgpBYaf
155Please respect copyright.PENANAZQIEqjkmtN
She’s still holding me in her arms and shaking trying to hold back a flood of tears.
155Please respect copyright.PENANADV0CL19ZO6
155Please respect copyright.PENANApYBsiumk2a
Nell: “Alyson…I’ll try to explain. But I don’t know what good it will do….Nao is gone.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAA56AFNNMUx
155Please respect copyright.PENANAYjFhM0gSou
Alyson: “Not yet, maybe I-”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAzewj5Std3x
155Please respect copyright.PENANAQQ7RJ14vpo
Nell: “No!”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6KYdR65ca
155Please respect copyright.PENANA3fVVbQicYR
Alyson: “!”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAxm3RnbZJpR
155Please respect copyright.PENANA5Ct14OPfIo
Nell: “I’m already on verge of breaking…don’t make me lose you too…”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAMEEO5bIVir
155Please respect copyright.PENANA7Z16uwEVTJ
Alyson: “So you telling me to leave Nao to those…monsters?”
155Please respect copyright.PENANA6mPJLfvSU4
155Please respect copyright.PENANAaXwOb44LZJ
Nell: “…”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAsSBgau1yN3
155Please respect copyright.PENANAo9UOh9NoWf
Alyson: “…Let’s drop it for now. Please, just tell me everything.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANA3U1NT7E9YT
155Please respect copyright.PENANAUNwVRSn3Xc
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAfTa2dL9Rna
155Please respect copyright.PENANAZmvTqIxP8h
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAxe5IUBjbgC
155Please respect copyright.PENANA7eIeJOI7I6
I’m the one that sent Anton to Nao…
155Please respect copyright.PENANA5PbERM5efY
155Please respect copyright.PENANALD0a7ro5YH
Alyson: “Nell…I have a confession to make.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAYkwoBjbok2
155Please respect copyright.PENANAbfcDi9zPtR
Nell: “No…not you too.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANA8wZyXthYhU
155Please respect copyright.PENANAXfAGTN1cdI
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANA9V8itgKsTV
155Please respect copyright.PENANApe58D7SQOo
Alyson: “I-I’m so…so sorry.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAZVkAwxUmGg
155Please respect copyright.PENANAXtlUqi7giy
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAIEjxy9yTz9
155Please respect copyright.PENANAE7VtgjKYKB
Nell: “W-We’ve all made mistakes. If only I wasn’t blind to it. No…I lost my only son.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAEPRTPE4FkX
155Please respect copyright.PENANAONQWfWMFKM
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAP4Rm5TNs9h
155Please respect copyright.PENANA2pkH0vMmdD
Alyson: “What…do we do now?”
155Please respect copyright.PENANALjZU9ke7u7
155Please respect copyright.PENANAclAW44Qp95
Nell: “I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, we will make up for this for the rest of our lives.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANA2j1FSZ6nbk
155Please respect copyright.PENANAZWrqjNuOVr
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAt6QYuOLsfh
155Please respect copyright.PENANAUf6D0aaNrC
But more than that, voices from my past haunt my thoughts. Whispering perspectives that only deepen my guilt.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAaxZsrDNG74
155Please respect copyright.PENANAXhqb4TF08e
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANA86ivSvhbgB
155Please respect copyright.PENANA3h1EbonqDO
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANA00uC76fSrI
155Please respect copyright.PENANAWJrOe37Rkv
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…
155Please respect copyright.PENANAXM5foJPhbj
[Switch Perspective: Anthony]155Please respect copyright.PENANAqOYpQ9kq2w
155Please respect copyright.PENANAbCzqH8nHv8
Mat: “Are you okay?”
155Please respect copyright.PENANATjoeJc7b4E
155Please respect copyright.PENANAfgJUqArHBX
Anthony: “Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a bit worried that we’ll get bullied because of yesterday.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAhMn1W07cgk
155Please respect copyright.PENANAplxsmTTy2K
Velo: “Don’t worry, Nao scared them away. As he said, we won.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAAXXtPlaVfn
155Please respect copyright.PENANAGPCNxXMwN7
Mat: “Besides, it’s the beginning of the day who wou-”
155Please respect copyright.PENANA0NOB9MbVjf
155Please respect copyright.PENANAUw87CjjNMy
“Yeah guys, we want to show you something.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANA9UyoCT2Orr
155Please respect copyright.PENANAr2bNDuJAKL
Their faces darken at the realization of what’s about to happen. But me…I crack a smile.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAMDpRHBYIq9
155Please respect copyright.PENANAvgnz5HQ5XH
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAblrEePKdjB
155Please respect copyright.PENANAE1RjsSTBil
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANApue3AwpyOp
155Please respect copyright.PENANAaptazcBnIP
“So let it be written. My new owner and husband.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAc5mOxwugrv
155Please respect copyright.PENANAKRxQeJ6dR6
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANA91fJ7x41Mb
155Please respect copyright.PENANALkLnjez0q2
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAFGHYS93BaN
155Please respect copyright.PENANAMuObD8ayjb
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAt4r0mn40e7
155Please respect copyright.PENANA6xABPnFNJA
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAR7F73Y6dTc
155Please respect copyright.PENANAPODXjXjNRj
Well, no more. That time is over. As I look into their eyes filled with fear, I wonder if this is what Nao felt.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAPflzRpWzOO
155Please respect copyright.PENANADqYGeupYsF
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAGvT6mIunhN
155Please respect copyright.PENANA1ihF3I9hP5
“Come my husband, let us once again burn another world. Another blood bath for our promised wedding day.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAIwU9CHZjt8
155Please respect copyright.PENANA6COmutswD9
I’ll be what you want me to be. As long as I can have my vengeance.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAWkUQ5LHiJR
155Please respect copyright.PENANAZ8t8eIcMBE
Mat: “A-Anthony…”
155Please respect copyright.PENANArMzNQuBLcN
155Please respect copyright.PENANASRGR82aM0L
Oh, I almost forgot. My friends lay beaten and broken behind me.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAc7ZMaTFOaf
155Please respect copyright.PENANAsud5PqdEau
“Ignore them love. I’ll keep the end of my deal. We’ll spare them but no one else may live.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAAsWphVTIyt
155Please respect copyright.PENANAmC0k9ONIh4
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.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAUEjE8jyNVp
155Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZO2lQOBc9
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….
155Please respect copyright.PENANAGmWJlUDocH
Anthony: “Let none survive.”155Please respect copyright.PENANAudXOKrpGC9
155Please respect copyright.PENANAQdQIDUQbxR
[Switch Perspective: Alyson]
155Please respect copyright.PENANATgXFAGOf5R
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAJFVuYQlakJ
155Please respect copyright.PENANAh3rdT4ADGf
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANATH6GiJE1Ww
155Please respect copyright.PENANAzL80gtbtQP
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANA3RlPKK4L7Y
155Please respect copyright.PENANAAQO8BsvEDm
“Okay everyone, calm down. It must be-”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAbJrHZEYSBZ
*SCREAM*155Please respect copyright.PENANAdkI2D3ef6O
155Please respect copyright.PENANADfkiPaT36i
Outside we can hear blood-chilling screams and thunder. But what drove us to madness was the smell of ashes.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAqhqvcT542f
155Please respect copyright.PENANAGPlqeLkSfj
“Everyone stay here and hide under your desks. I’ll go and see what’s happening.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAut6MfP0gpX
155Please respect copyright.PENANAtSnY8Z6Ict
The teacher leaves the room and disappears into the darkness of the hallway. The noises didn’t stop and the smell only got worse.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAkrShl5GWJn
155Please respect copyright.PENANAAr9nzyEGHj
I’m…scared stiff. Am I…going to die?
155Please respect copyright.PENANAVB8SQ1TZ4r
155Please respect copyright.PENANA2m0xJOz7hs
???: “Alyson!”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAOVLs0nPJXx
155Please respect copyright.PENANAQ40SQkMfsp
A voice wakes me up from my dark thoughts. I watch the door fly open and a girl rush inside.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAUAaD4dG9sg
155Please respect copyright.PENANA1dN9ZBzY82
Deanna: “Alyson hide!”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAczfzPZQ7iR
155Please respect copyright.PENANAzWWPeNsKRh
She runs to me and grabs a hold of my shoulder.
155Please respect copyright.PENANA17lwJSkyz3
155Please respect copyright.PENANAYdTzjJFDAr
Alyson: “Deanna? What’s happening?”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAcZNVifvTv9
155Please respect copyright.PENANAI3aHlyM0He
Deanna: “No time to explain but I’m sure you and Trevor are Anthony’s main targets.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAO990a3LflO
155Please respect copyright.PENANA9oOvFAqTHc
Anthony? H-He’s the one doing all of this?
155Please respect copyright.PENANANANP4FiAf1
155Please respect copyright.PENANA6qVJqgussj
Anthony: “You’re not wrong.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAQQs24VegiF
!!155Please respect copyright.PENANAl3H4ANFHP7
155Please respect copyright.PENANA8DG5RVz2JY
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANA803iJEyepA
155Please respect copyright.PENANAF8EvvMt8jf
Are we the last ones?
155Please respect copyright.PENANAklhXa96jh8
155Please respect copyright.PENANAPFCA3tOZfG
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.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAC94orTYIAg
155Please respect copyright.PENANANm3rQFzsPf
Deanna: “W-Why are you doing this?”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAnEEFak7KOQ
155Please respect copyright.PENANAbchupjQ6PP
Purple lightning strikes right in front of Deanna’s eyes.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAjL0Qk5WI3a
155Please respect copyright.PENANA8g9ycbGPet
Deanna: “AHHH!”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAKbz2FfVEvr
155Please respect copyright.PENANALTuaos2h7W
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.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAHmN0YX9o46
155Please respect copyright.PENANAwcQ81yDXlh
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANA2i9ilACgmF
155Please respect copyright.PENANA9s4AvHR0Eq
Anthony: “As for Alyson. You may be Nao’s sister, but you’re still a part of the problem. He’ll forgive me eventually.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAsNPYJUoNDg
155Please respect copyright.PENANA3PUhejxCt9
Alyson: “If you still care about Nao then save him!”
155Please respect copyright.PENANA6BfPpmBPi5
155Please respect copyright.PENANAk96qNqiO81
Anthony: “Save him? What do you mean?”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAey87RqO3ob
155Please respect copyright.PENANAsDLZ1r0aiL
Alyson: “Sever and his men took him last night. They were searching for that magic book.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAlUGaUcZv20
155Please respect copyright.PENANAU0WgKeQeAb
Anthony: “!”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAnrimIUcYNG
155Please respect copyright.PENANA6mopFCR9V8
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.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAoRSGshV9dc
155Please respect copyright.PENANA5N2rgzU5kr
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAH1AXHEwgts
155Please respect copyright.PENANAvtyHwwdkS5
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAagtk8YmEfz
155Please respect copyright.PENANAX2ZWHFf7en
Deanna: “Alyson…”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAPsQ9ohiLoJ
?155Please respect copyright.PENANAjEt7znrofh
155Please respect copyright.PENANAKOZURL9Nog
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?
155Please respect copyright.PENANAFqe9PWCvfU
155Please respect copyright.PENANAONtH9qysFL
Anthony: “Tch, don’t pretend bitch. You haven’t changed.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAGeCvMWKjuX
155Please respect copyright.PENANAIR0p6bInwR
Deanna: “…”
155Please respect copyright.PENANA6rN7FanbF9
155Please respect copyright.PENANA7J9gxj1P7o
Alyson: “W-Why?”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAgovsUqLKAK
155Please respect copyright.PENANAvee2Ne11WS
Deanna: “Because you inspired me to be better, this is the least I can do.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAzoCIzYUtNR
155Please respect copyright.PENANAvDw01LHchF
Alyson: “Deanna…”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAEMP85idjnJ
155Please respect copyright.PENANAOjsIQQnnl3
Anthony: *Sigh*
155Please respect copyright.PENANAewtjt8a9fO
155Please respect copyright.PENANA2nhu2G2BGN
Anthony: “Fine, I’ll roast you both.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAph0x7RUHYY
155Please respect copyright.PENANAvhnx1mR5ED
???: “Wow, and I thought the bullies here were evil.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAa54tr45z82
!!!155Please respect copyright.PENANA8Xipbvs6WG
155Please respect copyright.PENANAGD5mzwQTDv
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAmnHluNnYCa
155Please respect copyright.PENANAEhz3amIHTR
Anthony: “King…”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAPYYaTHFsmr
155Please respect copyright.PENANAPjpZazNPFp
Trevor: “I was right, you would be a good warm-up. Maybe even the main attraction.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAqSutXNM7qa
155Please respect copyright.PENANAgVtiMsfnG0
Anthony: “How can you…be calm right now?”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAhq4M1HBGp3
155Please respect copyright.PENANAmLXxaYv30c
Trevor: “I’m not calm…I’m excited. Who would have thought magic existed, this is the fight I was looking for!”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAtvllvyqnal
155Please respect copyright.PENANAqTDdSlNLfU
Anthony: “…Begone.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAdi2EaL5On8
155Please respect copyright.PENANAuuKA5vRBiI
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.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAKDzwyHocr2
155Please respect copyright.PENANAftmSME42Hc
When the smoke and lightning clear, Trevor appears unscathed.
155Please respect copyright.PENANAvW9TgCYv4P
155Please respect copyright.PENANAx3KPXqYWkH
Trevor: “I hope that’s not all you got.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAF9NqFgxfDa
155Please respect copyright.PENANA5wHRs6BAYL
Anthony: “!!”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAGV2wG7UGJq
155Please respect copyright.PENANAqjylnHA9jL
Anthony: “…I see. Well, that’s not fair. But, she doesn’t mind the challenge.”
155Please respect copyright.PENANAdVyrAp3E2f
155Please respect copyright.PENANAElk8b59At3
She?
155Please respect copyright.PENANATypVirx3s6
155Please respect copyright.PENANAE2WD19QjeK
Trevor: “Still got more? Then bring it on!”
ns 172.70.178.43da2