Nell: “It will be okay….it will be okay.”410Please respect copyright.PENANAAMZLILTvIo
410Please respect copyright.PENANAGO7Uw9a8p6
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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?
410Please respect copyright.PENANAkMG9f7q91M
410Please respect copyright.PENANA2mri2JZe9a
Sever: “We got it, move out.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANACXakJoKHrV
410Please respect copyright.PENANAI9ZlCYoZAL
Alyson: “Na-”
410Please respect copyright.PENANADbc5gUu5Af
410Please respect copyright.PENANASBdMWgvMWg
I try to get up but the rifles move to freeze me in place.
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410Please respect copyright.PENANAM37aPpUTgT
Nell: “What are you going to do to my son?”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAzmgkvgqLQS
410Please respect copyright.PENANAxSnM40pH1N
Sever: “…You don’t need to know.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAcsKPtLTIul
410Please respect copyright.PENANAA2uLBUEERv
Nell: “…”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAI0M0w8TkF4
No…410Please respect copyright.PENANAdrcI996KeT
410Please respect copyright.PENANAOl7xx8orez
Sever: “Be sure to go to school tomorrow Alyson. We need everything to move as usual. Low suspicion and all that.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANA05quus8WAM
410Please respect copyright.PENANAbRw7zTxoSH
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAjEpNQOnBOt
410Please respect copyright.PENANApOdll4b9pN
A day that was supposed to heal us is instead one where we’re damaged beyond repair. And it’s not even over yet.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAECMju3DSsa
410Please respect copyright.PENANAGyyAPyIf1n
Alyson: “N-Nell, I need to know what you meant by Nao being a mage.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAafregZEIkL
410Please respect copyright.PENANAwYYnsU540t
She’s still holding me in her arms and shaking trying to hold back a flood of tears.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAIRWjocWp4P
410Please respect copyright.PENANAb5w4CPFI4G
Nell: “Alyson…I’ll try to explain. But I don’t know what good it will do….Nao is gone.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAFlVH15MUvo
410Please respect copyright.PENANAFhzLYDfKQv
Alyson: “Not yet, maybe I-”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAdeezdFQOBQ
410Please respect copyright.PENANA9oceGRhoHm
Nell: “No!”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAHTaXmCvq4t
410Please respect copyright.PENANA2XnPqOorPN
Alyson: “!”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAMtPFTpKs7S
410Please respect copyright.PENANAobB7tE6mji
Nell: “I’m already on verge of breaking…don’t make me lose you too…”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAw8mkzauI2J
410Please respect copyright.PENANA5UIBAXH9KI
Alyson: “So you telling me to leave Nao to those…monsters?”
410Please respect copyright.PENANADct8AthvjV
410Please respect copyright.PENANAAj1yHkVNJ0
Nell: “…”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAWv5IZA5K9N
410Please respect copyright.PENANAzgx1ERI2E9
Alyson: “…Let’s drop it for now. Please, just tell me everything.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAa4uGFzQnXy
410Please respect copyright.PENANAZnWBj7UQn5
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANABiyZfoQM0E
410Please respect copyright.PENANApnv2OajsU0
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAVGfWTLD8HT
410Please respect copyright.PENANAFNW7sEI3J4
I’m the one that sent Anton to Nao…
410Please respect copyright.PENANATdzhrOezBI
410Please respect copyright.PENANAg4qbi0FyDa
Alyson: “Nell…I have a confession to make.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANA1tfFh1tulp
410Please respect copyright.PENANAiwZFBEVWbx
Nell: “No…not you too.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAwEHWtxXnPt
410Please respect copyright.PENANAvvzjuNRklf
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAnflvUcPCQT
410Please respect copyright.PENANA0IEbX7BXai
Alyson: “I-I’m so…so sorry.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAtFzIhVQTyC
410Please respect copyright.PENANANkRyZf9Jzs
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANADfOrtRPKET
410Please respect copyright.PENANAUcaOlVn3KL
Nell: “W-We’ve all made mistakes. If only I wasn’t blind to it. No…I lost my only son.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANA8vpD4k7KUZ
410Please respect copyright.PENANAlrhOhNMVoB
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANA4gZ7Uva4Qv
410Please respect copyright.PENANAtwCp8iwAJh
Alyson: “What…do we do now?”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAnZRKmHKd6v
410Please respect copyright.PENANAXWHY707cZK
Nell: “I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, we will make up for this for the rest of our lives.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAQ0FXbuTzBt
410Please respect copyright.PENANAHTD3E6arHg
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAyLXNe0wb49
410Please respect copyright.PENANAoJnsd7VTIz
But more than that, voices from my past haunt my thoughts. Whispering perspectives that only deepen my guilt.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAG4mrhTweLx
410Please respect copyright.PENANAcwehqpNk28
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAKx15iUMT7a
410Please respect copyright.PENANAK94p79fI44
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAe7D0J9Uxw9
410Please respect copyright.PENANADXawIKHYBP
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…
410Please respect copyright.PENANAkhAlo9GgvC
[Switch Perspective: Anthony]410Please respect copyright.PENANA1Gh9l8B070
410Please respect copyright.PENANAlUgSLNvPe9
Mat: “Are you okay?”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAkuw4wCucLE
410Please respect copyright.PENANAuIP7FM1bgv
Anthony: “Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a bit worried that we’ll get bullied because of yesterday.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAb9saOjV3ar
410Please respect copyright.PENANAWyelL7tA7W
Velo: “Don’t worry, Nao scared them away. As he said, we won.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANA8HMtmSgqsT
410Please respect copyright.PENANAeS7PaijC75
Mat: “Besides, it’s the beginning of the day who wou-”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAfht3sFt5yy
410Please respect copyright.PENANAiTNuseRJJY
“Yeah guys, we want to show you something.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAMgPzB5AaoA
410Please respect copyright.PENANAFifi9Gzt9n
Their faces darken at the realization of what’s about to happen. But me…I crack a smile.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAcPiP1KHXqW
410Please respect copyright.PENANA4SF3E8FTVL
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANATQpnFmKnxj
410Please respect copyright.PENANAzwu32Ox0Th
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANASzTAZyVUnF
410Please respect copyright.PENANAXhQCs8mzgC
“So let it be written. My new owner and husband.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAEDx8xnwYjC
410Please respect copyright.PENANAoJbEyNaPHf
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAiHdhMJzM9m
410Please respect copyright.PENANAgx7pBJkFJi
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAR8kb61qAYr
410Please respect copyright.PENANAscp7sNKpvQ
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAn5zGluREAS
410Please respect copyright.PENANAhp0AwXrwc8
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAeSh7HSI9a8
410Please respect copyright.PENANAA7ZhDBN1U3
Well, no more. That time is over. As I look into their eyes filled with fear, I wonder if this is what Nao felt.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAY2RHnyaoNt
410Please respect copyright.PENANARinUtWWgRz
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAOD7hgoBFGz
410Please respect copyright.PENANAXL9SJZgcfj
“Come my husband, let us once again burn another world. Another blood bath for our promised wedding day.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANA6GxhlAHyVO
410Please respect copyright.PENANAxgV4Uc7chY
I’ll be what you want me to be. As long as I can have my vengeance.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAvdnBaRJySq
410Please respect copyright.PENANA7HfRkRu6Pb
Mat: “A-Anthony…”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAanbqTavITm
410Please respect copyright.PENANAHkVJb4aUrA
Oh, I almost forgot. My friends lay beaten and broken behind me.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAYTDGVOh16N
410Please respect copyright.PENANAmPjWXlzJVh
“Ignore them love. I’ll keep the end of my deal. We’ll spare them but no one else may live.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAL0jbo2rzge
410Please respect copyright.PENANA9I8UzKlp9D
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.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANA2rSZVQpKAv
410Please respect copyright.PENANAwZuv1SH9RA
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….
410Please respect copyright.PENANA7h2iWnlRtI
Anthony: “Let none survive.”410Please respect copyright.PENANAYuJMYGItME
410Please respect copyright.PENANABRnw0Jvfjc
[Switch Perspective: Alyson]
410Please respect copyright.PENANAEAVUSZeS8b
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAROWyfkNSCR
410Please respect copyright.PENANALUv7q2DcPx
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAOMRcZhGOf2
410Please respect copyright.PENANAL7tam392VY
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANATvRIE0dXV1
410Please respect copyright.PENANAkOdEcHig3A
“Okay everyone, calm down. It must be-”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAZgK1BQJGl6
*SCREAM*410Please respect copyright.PENANABwdJWe79PK
410Please respect copyright.PENANAePz6gVMeB1
Outside we can hear blood-chilling screams and thunder. But what drove us to madness was the smell of ashes.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAEMKd9hp3VF
410Please respect copyright.PENANAxAVnxqkmX3
“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!”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAnger5afJw5
410Please respect copyright.PENANAvgJdqjQpu0
A voice wakes me up from my dark thoughts. I watch the door fly open and a girl rush inside.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAQCypByf5Y2
410Please respect copyright.PENANAzPjR8DUAWO
Deanna: “Alyson hide!”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAl7LUp4gKHz
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She runs to me and grabs a hold of my shoulder.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAJTS7PHfCS0
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Alyson: “Deanna? What’s happening?”
410Please respect copyright.PENANABVFFC1lKgm
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Deanna: “No time to explain but I’m sure you and Trevor are Anthony’s main targets.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAzUlll8OSsv
410Please respect copyright.PENANANErQ9irC8S
Anthony? H-He’s the one doing all of this?
410Please respect copyright.PENANAIGyK9vQ5f2
410Please respect copyright.PENANAvObMocpjpY
Anthony: “You’re not wrong.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAcXstj9oT3Q
!!410Please respect copyright.PENANAAHQsIn1jO1
410Please respect copyright.PENANApbq9LH9dvy
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAUSkhAGE7MI
410Please respect copyright.PENANAnxJ0SXsOH7
Are we the last ones?
410Please respect copyright.PENANAhHNO74lVtl
410Please respect copyright.PENANA12QEFUbUce
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.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANADaSfVjAPiG
410Please respect copyright.PENANAVlQEgQl3Wo
Deanna: “W-Why are you doing this?”
410Please respect copyright.PENANA6uP21oJzBV
410Please respect copyright.PENANAarmesHud5o
Purple lightning strikes right in front of Deanna’s eyes.
410Please respect copyright.PENANA9e5FcfXzRr
410Please respect copyright.PENANA2ocryCbume
Deanna: “AHHH!”
410Please respect copyright.PENANADVfHrWYjmh
410Please respect copyright.PENANANmk00W0PHY
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.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAWCwxErazfm
410Please respect copyright.PENANAgfWaUrzAas
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAa7cEHTFY2H
410Please respect copyright.PENANAipzCUAEbz3
Anthony: “As for Alyson. You may be Nao’s sister, but you’re still a part of the problem. He’ll forgive me eventually.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANADehrCKo9hP
410Please respect copyright.PENANAMNtvFLJfZt
Alyson: “If you still care about Nao then save him!”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAsiOw3aAeRJ
410Please respect copyright.PENANA1iaSPzPGab
Anthony: “Save him? What do you mean?”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAjXrjNew3xx
410Please respect copyright.PENANAbT5YzRfCl7
Alyson: “Sever and his men took him last night. They were searching for that magic book.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAE7Gmx78U6h
410Please respect copyright.PENANAIP964POYcJ
Anthony: “!”
410Please respect copyright.PENANA4l8RlgSMzk
410Please respect copyright.PENANAuXcuGcwJZg
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.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAR4Qg46e4yA
410Please respect copyright.PENANAn5o8XQdj3X
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAu8CxYdXach
410Please respect copyright.PENANAxSbuntRTXF
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAu1WyokOrDD
410Please respect copyright.PENANAPDjGh6qsX6
Deanna: “Alyson…”
410Please respect copyright.PENANASjwGPLBWIf
?410Please respect copyright.PENANADbhdlcuBN6
410Please respect copyright.PENANAO6NV5Jy2E4
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?
410Please respect copyright.PENANAIVobqtBWrI
410Please respect copyright.PENANAgbCPkb6MgN
Anthony: “Tch, don’t pretend bitch. You haven’t changed.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANArlgLaF4ik6
410Please respect copyright.PENANAwJgJmTIyfj
Deanna: “…”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAyCdHxeAacK
410Please respect copyright.PENANAoxEdwJH8rc
Alyson: “W-Why?”
410Please respect copyright.PENANA5BnMCb3BY7
410Please respect copyright.PENANAQcwRMtvaP2
Deanna: “Because you inspired me to be better, this is the least I can do.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAffkQVLc16A
410Please respect copyright.PENANAOXn3c0QQwj
Alyson: “Deanna…”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAgD50vGpdWA
410Please respect copyright.PENANAFAfgIZ4diP
Anthony: *Sigh*
410Please respect copyright.PENANAE2l5F5DNhj
410Please respect copyright.PENANAjF8OVtjwhz
Anthony: “Fine, I’ll roast you both.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANACgaQ1920kM
410Please respect copyright.PENANAsxef3F1983
???: “Wow, and I thought the bullies here were evil.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAips4fAWT3v
!!!410Please respect copyright.PENANAb1w2iXr2C1
410Please respect copyright.PENANAv31tQ0Nc4A
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZQ8NMieK2
410Please respect copyright.PENANAaU0d6duogR
Anthony: “King…”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAy6UrUonfhS
410Please respect copyright.PENANAy8iRCCB7Mm
Trevor: “I was right, you would be a good warm-up. Maybe even the main attraction.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAgTp02PrWHk
410Please respect copyright.PENANASwZqX657b0
Anthony: “How can you…be calm right now?”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAU0E0ylK7k5
410Please respect copyright.PENANA9rPcKDb8wT
Trevor: “I’m not calm…I’m excited. Who would have thought magic existed, this is the fight I was looking for!”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAqS7Cv90KHh
410Please respect copyright.PENANA5OdhI2rhuB
Anthony: “…Begone.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAdCYTFmU9ph
410Please respect copyright.PENANAkj7cP1uAIL
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.
410Please respect copyright.PENANAGUs9hC1lBG
410Please respect copyright.PENANAZZJa138ffC
When the smoke and lightning clear, Trevor appears unscathed.
410Please respect copyright.PENANA9pqQxKnUUZ
410Please respect copyright.PENANATpA8yLL2aP
Trevor: “I hope that’s not all you got.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAoMskIHfkOD
410Please respect copyright.PENANAzamzBu5DED
Anthony: “!!”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAHR6mq2ZRdi
410Please respect copyright.PENANAWgEAb6ojpP
Anthony: “…I see. Well, that’s not fair. But, she doesn’t mind the challenge.”
410Please respect copyright.PENANAKZKqn0IcRY
410Please respect copyright.PENANA8hfJ2cJQ39
She?
410Please respect copyright.PENANAhkGFOethw4
410Please respect copyright.PENANAtthcwB93iE
Trevor: “Still got more? Then bring it on!”
ns216.73.216.54da2