Nell: “It will be okay….it will be okay.”327Please respect copyright.PENANAN0DxlEKLTi
327Please respect copyright.PENANAeCTk8pszoU
327Please respect copyright.PENANALANjnz7H8S
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?
327Please respect copyright.PENANAgRxUPQM5nV
327Please respect copyright.PENANA1CvsRchnR6
Sever: “We got it, move out.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAPcswwEwExD
327Please respect copyright.PENANAA01mYm4pHw
Alyson: “Na-”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAQKNMpNWMpy
327Please respect copyright.PENANA1FdxUqOkP4
I try to get up but the rifles move to freeze me in place.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAmvaQ4iw3Gn
327Please respect copyright.PENANADNBWkcMYzK
Nell: “What are you going to do to my son?”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA3NcgCs8yNR
327Please respect copyright.PENANAoD2UWVkYQY
Sever: “…You don’t need to know.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAKo7lerCJFx
327Please respect copyright.PENANAnNo7p3QvUg
Nell: “…”
327Please respect copyright.PENANADtLaHX7lvn
No…327Please respect copyright.PENANA9kTfmQ85cg
327Please respect copyright.PENANATFz4Cv43gQ
Sever: “Be sure to go to school tomorrow Alyson. We need everything to move as usual. Low suspicion and all that.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAHwnmokRjK7
327Please respect copyright.PENANAtshfolocyW
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAEoIyCKCX0F
327Please respect copyright.PENANA79LBMrR8FU
A day that was supposed to heal us is instead one where we’re damaged beyond repair. And it’s not even over yet.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAn37XcWOlr1
327Please respect copyright.PENANAnpndAWM6dN
Alyson: “N-Nell, I need to know what you meant by Nao being a mage.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA583QtzYUWM
327Please respect copyright.PENANA1jek8kKWlG
She’s still holding me in her arms and shaking trying to hold back a flood of tears.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAGhSgHgFhjx
327Please respect copyright.PENANAiRbSlwqfJK
Nell: “Alyson…I’ll try to explain. But I don’t know what good it will do….Nao is gone.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAA2RpHfbcrm
327Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6lk6Wl6ov
Alyson: “Not yet, maybe I-”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAefbT8yT9kH
327Please respect copyright.PENANA0xXVtR4ecQ
Nell: “No!”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA7Q4X9dZRM4
327Please respect copyright.PENANASDeaYCpLH9
Alyson: “!”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAv1lb67FRIK
327Please respect copyright.PENANAOB12OD3ASw
Nell: “I’m already on verge of breaking…don’t make me lose you too…”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA4jdrbBiPI5
327Please respect copyright.PENANAGMUaaLbay1
Alyson: “So you telling me to leave Nao to those…monsters?”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAAbVWWN1fci
327Please respect copyright.PENANAwz6CAqhp95
Nell: “…”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAavI8yac8ov
327Please respect copyright.PENANAzC0WMXmDUF
Alyson: “…Let’s drop it for now. Please, just tell me everything.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAQW4V42Jw1t
327Please respect copyright.PENANA1JkqBiLvIv
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAuT6Hmp1Fhd
327Please respect copyright.PENANAvKubVCf5DS
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAB5dnRKzyRa
327Please respect copyright.PENANAdiyWAAOylg
I’m the one that sent Anton to Nao…
327Please respect copyright.PENANAM24MO3NomX
327Please respect copyright.PENANAoEDdbL96o5
Alyson: “Nell…I have a confession to make.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAgxVJEvPlZh
327Please respect copyright.PENANAzvllAsLrkx
Nell: “No…not you too.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANArmjMgXcHcn
327Please respect copyright.PENANAHfwZBFEeys
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAryi0OUJMFA
327Please respect copyright.PENANA88IAfa1WJN
Alyson: “I-I’m so…so sorry.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAC5E4HX4Btr
327Please respect copyright.PENANAASntrdTSHx
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANArHoY3kKOAP
327Please respect copyright.PENANAKvBd9JTqUB
Nell: “W-We’ve all made mistakes. If only I wasn’t blind to it. No…I lost my only son.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAh7e0teaWK9
327Please respect copyright.PENANAMyE9uR2zaO
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAZCDeM4DmXa
327Please respect copyright.PENANAQPQcpzKqEv
Alyson: “What…do we do now?”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAYOoxQihcDT
327Please respect copyright.PENANAYS3vlR3IcF
Nell: “I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, we will make up for this for the rest of our lives.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAKJcCZzd6zJ
327Please respect copyright.PENANAQSxICTeGay
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAz6ltIjUyC2
327Please respect copyright.PENANAjjISpRUlEP
But more than that, voices from my past haunt my thoughts. Whispering perspectives that only deepen my guilt.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAJHPphKchPJ
327Please respect copyright.PENANA0YNNAzBrbP
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAEuGecbEhhL
327Please respect copyright.PENANAB2zQEygZ4G
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAySYC8hC1Ap
327Please respect copyright.PENANAoQGQXVEPWs
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…
327Please respect copyright.PENANA3uKKg9TO3O
[Switch Perspective: Anthony]327Please respect copyright.PENANAzvV3Ikhugd
327Please respect copyright.PENANAeH9iC0QLdI
Mat: “Are you okay?”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAZDHBcVWHpz
327Please respect copyright.PENANAbjhSd4QTiu
Anthony: “Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a bit worried that we’ll get bullied because of yesterday.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAs4sseCYNvA
327Please respect copyright.PENANAKQ4t4bVgid
Velo: “Don’t worry, Nao scared them away. As he said, we won.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA5nhqr2J48m
327Please respect copyright.PENANAJhcDFOzKM2
Mat: “Besides, it’s the beginning of the day who wou-”
327Please respect copyright.PENANATk4qGvKjSL
327Please respect copyright.PENANAEb49sLf1r4
“Yeah guys, we want to show you something.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA3BqEDou4Ql
327Please respect copyright.PENANA6JU0WBmiRr
Their faces darken at the realization of what’s about to happen. But me…I crack a smile.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAtzufsrnCF5
327Please respect copyright.PENANArgqlzsoAPP
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAm8lRKCRK38
327Please respect copyright.PENANAxSXmX8omEX
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAww51gta5A2
327Please respect copyright.PENANAzahyw6g6LE
“So let it be written. My new owner and husband.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAmDm14BcIvt
327Please respect copyright.PENANAHeBWRbm68d
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAufztoQOtZ1
327Please respect copyright.PENANAiqVh4BzIqx
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANApmk0ZTd1wR
327Please respect copyright.PENANAgPAoadR1Cv
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAjM5bQSC686
327Please respect copyright.PENANAtgyCBqFoxL
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAx3WACXjxIw
327Please respect copyright.PENANATzkTlvgc8z
Well, no more. That time is over. As I look into their eyes filled with fear, I wonder if this is what Nao felt.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAucN3PXHm4t
327Please respect copyright.PENANAEWnT4MozVj
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAzplQcfbuxb
327Please respect copyright.PENANAWiLe0y6Tl2
“Come my husband, let us once again burn another world. Another blood bath for our promised wedding day.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAD3179p0jHE
327Please respect copyright.PENANACp4UNOFp6A
I’ll be what you want me to be. As long as I can have my vengeance.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAfpsZnWtA2E
327Please respect copyright.PENANAOOVGw6ESU5
Mat: “A-Anthony…”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAHDZ3fbXnui
327Please respect copyright.PENANAL4atdHzPBF
Oh, I almost forgot. My friends lay beaten and broken behind me.
327Please respect copyright.PENANA2RtpFkas62
327Please respect copyright.PENANAhpzLJ9H8t6
“Ignore them love. I’ll keep the end of my deal. We’ll spare them but no one else may live.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAiXnPWDvUIW
327Please respect copyright.PENANA8q7wdSSOtv
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.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA9hoD3ND2lm
327Please respect copyright.PENANASPvqUzU2wr
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….
327Please respect copyright.PENANAQXSxC5x9nY
Anthony: “Let none survive.”327Please respect copyright.PENANAcnsKQAL5Wh
327Please respect copyright.PENANA1dZleE9UBm
[Switch Perspective: Alyson]
327Please respect copyright.PENANA9dDTA7B3rO
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAF84DnzJX2v
327Please respect copyright.PENANAjAMRBNppzR
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAuEDj4fuogo
327Please respect copyright.PENANADmp8a0I92C
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANA2iQYJjj4qO
327Please respect copyright.PENANAFFUpG61wNP
“Okay everyone, calm down. It must be-”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAAzg6Tk7HWD
*SCREAM*327Please respect copyright.PENANAe8aqfgMN6J
327Please respect copyright.PENANApXEwRZRuqR
Outside we can hear blood-chilling screams and thunder. But what drove us to madness was the smell of ashes.
327Please respect copyright.PENANA0rF1BQMr0q
327Please respect copyright.PENANALLLzgEzz5t
“Everyone stay here and hide under your desks. I’ll go and see what’s happening.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANACzhDR2jPAW
327Please respect copyright.PENANA2eomRH4F1X
The teacher leaves the room and disappears into the darkness of the hallway. The noises didn’t stop and the smell only got worse.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAJyNZD7vSzB
327Please respect copyright.PENANAVttdqG7xAC
I’m…scared stiff. Am I…going to die?
327Please respect copyright.PENANAZXXyASPXi2
327Please respect copyright.PENANArHSWqseVL9
???: “Alyson!”
327Please respect copyright.PENANACl7SKhLm9T
327Please respect copyright.PENANALUJQQVK8Yw
A voice wakes me up from my dark thoughts. I watch the door fly open and a girl rush inside.
327Please respect copyright.PENANADcLDkXutaf
327Please respect copyright.PENANAOTGIMYdDUJ
Deanna: “Alyson hide!”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAMXvQJykAQu
327Please respect copyright.PENANALbvCt8tL4j
She runs to me and grabs a hold of my shoulder.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAEGUEahGu8f
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Alyson: “Deanna? What’s happening?”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAn2nlBBX3tS
327Please respect copyright.PENANA2h7BoIHHnh
Deanna: “No time to explain but I’m sure you and Trevor are Anthony’s main targets.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAs1OlpmyTGb
327Please respect copyright.PENANArHKKgAd8zb
Anthony? H-He’s the one doing all of this?
327Please respect copyright.PENANAEWoQmjh2UU
327Please respect copyright.PENANAq0PEgZcDgn
Anthony: “You’re not wrong.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAxCZq8A7VXN
!!327Please respect copyright.PENANAWCwCtS8vGC
327Please respect copyright.PENANAsUmAVwMeCn
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAwvVErhRPLq
327Please respect copyright.PENANATuKyN7SXT4
Are we the last ones?
327Please respect copyright.PENANAekHEpUgomp
327Please respect copyright.PENANA3W1beLnMcj
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.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAeDjPezqZlG
327Please respect copyright.PENANAu7hmPDtuAW
Deanna: “W-Why are you doing this?”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAmWYXXGqi4L
327Please respect copyright.PENANAJbVRCRJCSx
Purple lightning strikes right in front of Deanna’s eyes.
327Please respect copyright.PENANALihhRcUwVj
327Please respect copyright.PENANAmVttametMb
Deanna: “AHHH!”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA8GbUO0E0fb
327Please respect copyright.PENANAStx76TGrog
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.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAoVX7BXiztg
327Please respect copyright.PENANAbWIvGC8uCR
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANABK5o69UziS
327Please respect copyright.PENANA1MJVkdOXWA
Anthony: “As for Alyson. You may be Nao’s sister, but you’re still a part of the problem. He’ll forgive me eventually.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAWN5Bk7vDG2
327Please respect copyright.PENANAGVNQc2rSmN
Alyson: “If you still care about Nao then save him!”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAIWYBAGbd9F
327Please respect copyright.PENANAZTlFqUYKRR
Anthony: “Save him? What do you mean?”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAOQ7NieGRr1
327Please respect copyright.PENANAqEWfXJyrHy
Alyson: “Sever and his men took him last night. They were searching for that magic book.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAcKvQNirRjm
327Please respect copyright.PENANAZQKpyV4dun
Anthony: “!”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA9kRHoIpGkB
327Please respect copyright.PENANA2PLmwOrjbL
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.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANANIQbCT6PAb
327Please respect copyright.PENANAw3H93O6kKu
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAPgJqrvdQP1
327Please respect copyright.PENANAzewZFBOpA3
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAWnTVCsp4ya
327Please respect copyright.PENANARxIJQF9N4h
Deanna: “Alyson…”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAt8QPEvjTzP
?327Please respect copyright.PENANARP074VspI2
327Please respect copyright.PENANADolKR5QIL7
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?
327Please respect copyright.PENANAbvygiEfSQ8
327Please respect copyright.PENANAKjGmbuVWTL
Anthony: “Tch, don’t pretend bitch. You haven’t changed.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA3Ciu3Yw81j
327Please respect copyright.PENANASjf6xZovIj
Deanna: “…”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAvP5kfmwsQ2
327Please respect copyright.PENANANYI7uywpxi
Alyson: “W-Why?”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAF6f0LUAl9W
327Please respect copyright.PENANAblVKMsBHt4
Deanna: “Because you inspired me to be better, this is the least I can do.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANALPDPhWiYSw
327Please respect copyright.PENANAnRJ2BeAKxW
Alyson: “Deanna…”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA3drd7xMoRI
327Please respect copyright.PENANAXcOvHPdKob
Anthony: *Sigh*
327Please respect copyright.PENANAXNr5tSmLFF
327Please respect copyright.PENANAxYPMymIjVH
Anthony: “Fine, I’ll roast you both.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAtihO7eAq0Q
327Please respect copyright.PENANAfASREpCvhE
???: “Wow, and I thought the bullies here were evil.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAIaoTWJOfdg
!!!327Please respect copyright.PENANAsvqKxH8cGR
327Please respect copyright.PENANAKrpKLqLVxE
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANACliK5Qxe5A
327Please respect copyright.PENANAIS4ounTDrs
Anthony: “King…”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAjThYXmba2I
327Please respect copyright.PENANAPAdB8vtxk2
Trevor: “I was right, you would be a good warm-up. Maybe even the main attraction.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAhNwktBHMrZ
327Please respect copyright.PENANAhj9FkJPkCF
Anthony: “How can you…be calm right now?”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAgChQlIiPCc
327Please respect copyright.PENANATOYMgbAdoq
Trevor: “I’m not calm…I’m excited. Who would have thought magic existed, this is the fight I was looking for!”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA2exL3aeyV4
327Please respect copyright.PENANAJASVwFAw28
Anthony: “…Begone.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAb3PyhPHigs
327Please respect copyright.PENANAixnA9uPQaQ
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.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAPyVqRoceZM
327Please respect copyright.PENANAGW3Y64xX3H
When the smoke and lightning clear, Trevor appears unscathed.
327Please respect copyright.PENANAvGbKAykgQo
327Please respect copyright.PENANAWh6adn7LYH
Trevor: “I hope that’s not all you got.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAOfMNFncQfs
327Please respect copyright.PENANAyGTUrvUpmp
Anthony: “!!”
327Please respect copyright.PENANAl4iuFvzOeT
327Please respect copyright.PENANAu85pLvhA2X
Anthony: “…I see. Well, that’s not fair. But, she doesn’t mind the challenge.”
327Please respect copyright.PENANA30CjBWYtjd
327Please respect copyright.PENANAv5oR5L2KPL
She?
327Please respect copyright.PENANA9iV5UpQ6dq
327Please respect copyright.PENANAu1vxgGNNPD
Trevor: “Still got more? Then bring it on!”
ns18.222.143.148da2