Nell: “It will be okay….it will be okay.”415Please respect copyright.PENANAV2J3dVwhqR
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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?
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Sever: “We got it, move out.”
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Alyson: “Na-”
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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?”
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Sever: “…You don’t need to know.”
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Nell: “…”
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No…415Please respect copyright.PENANADGBgfx41rj
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Sever: “Be sure to go to school tomorrow Alyson. We need everything to move as usual. Low suspicion and all that.”
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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.
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A day that was supposed to heal us is instead one where we’re damaged beyond repair. And it’s not even over yet.
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Alyson: “N-Nell, I need to know what you meant by Nao being a mage.”
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She’s still holding me in her arms and shaking trying to hold back a flood of tears.
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Nell: “Alyson…I’ll try to explain. But I don’t know what good it will do….Nao is gone.”
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Alyson: “Not yet, maybe I-”
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Nell: “No!”
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Alyson: “!”
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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?”
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Nell: “…”
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Alyson: “…Let’s drop it for now. Please, just tell me everything.”
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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.
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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.
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I’m the one that sent Anton to Nao…
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Alyson: “Nell…I have a confession to make.”
415Please respect copyright.PENANAuZmXLjmEcR
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Nell: “No…not you too.”
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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.
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Alyson: “I-I’m so…so sorry.”
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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.
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Nell: “W-We’ve all made mistakes. If only I wasn’t blind to it. No…I lost my only son.”
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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.
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Alyson: “What…do we do now?”
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Nell: “I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, we will make up for this for the rest of our lives.”
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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.
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But more than that, voices from my past haunt my thoughts. Whispering perspectives that only deepen my guilt.
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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.
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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.
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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]415Please respect copyright.PENANABUr90wjRlg
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Mat: “Are you okay?”
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Anthony: “Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a bit worried that we’ll get bullied because of yesterday.”
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Velo: “Don’t worry, Nao scared them away. As he said, we won.”
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Mat: “Besides, it’s the beginning of the day who wou-”
415Please respect copyright.PENANAwo6izvKrUN
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“Yeah guys, we want to show you something.”
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Their faces darken at the realization of what’s about to happen. But me…I crack a smile.
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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.
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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.
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“So let it be written. My new owner and husband.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Well, no more. That time is over. As I look into their eyes filled with fear, I wonder if this is what Nao felt.
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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.
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“Come my husband, let us once again burn another world. Another blood bath for our promised wedding day.”
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I’ll be what you want me to be. As long as I can have my vengeance.
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Mat: “A-Anthony…”
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Oh, I almost forgot. My friends lay beaten and broken behind me.
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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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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.”
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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….
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Anthony: “Let none survive.”415Please respect copyright.PENANABOexHLb0dw
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[Switch Perspective: Alyson]
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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.
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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.
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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.
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“Okay everyone, calm down. It must be-”
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*SCREAM*415Please respect copyright.PENANAwR6Zc3IAE1
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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!”
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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.
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Alyson: “Deanna? What’s happening?”
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Deanna: “No time to explain but I’m sure you and Trevor are Anthony’s main targets.”
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Anthony? H-He’s the one doing all of this?
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Anthony: “You’re not wrong.”
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!!415Please respect copyright.PENANAqsPHt1q3DG
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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.
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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.”
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Deanna: “W-Why are you doing this?”
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Purple lightning strikes right in front of Deanna’s eyes.
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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.”
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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.
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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.”
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Alyson: “If you still care about Nao then save him!”
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Anthony: “Save him? What do you mean?”
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Alyson: “Sever and his men took him last night. They were searching for that magic book.”
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Anthony: “!”
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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Deanna: “Alyson…”
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?415Please respect copyright.PENANACFVa4sJRdD
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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?
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Anthony: “Tch, don’t pretend bitch. You haven’t changed.”
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Deanna: “…”
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Alyson: “W-Why?”
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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…”
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Anthony: *Sigh*
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Anthony: “Fine, I’ll roast you both.”
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???: “Wow, and I thought the bullies here were evil.”
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!!!415Please respect copyright.PENANA0Hb8wqcuR3
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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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Anthony: “King…”
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Trevor: “I was right, you would be a good warm-up. Maybe even the main attraction.”
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Anthony: “How can you…be calm right now?”
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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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Anthony: “…Begone.”
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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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When the smoke and lightning clear, Trevor appears unscathed.
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Trevor: “I hope that’s not all you got.”
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Anthony: “!!”
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Anthony: “…I see. Well, that’s not fair. But, she doesn’t mind the challenge.”
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She?
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Trevor: “Still got more? Then bring it on!”
ns216.73.216.0da2