It was a weekend. It had been a family day. Avi and I would enjoy our time with our parents, and I would keep my excitement under control.Our father had already been knocking at the caretaker’s room of the 5th crucible. I could always count on Dad to be punctual. He had a knack for never being late. He would arrive at the terminal ten to five minutes early, at six o'clock, when he said he would.A flower shop by the name of Esahc was our last stop before returning home. Avi and I were planning a flower delivery for mom. She had a soft spot for peonies.I was in the process of picking out a bouquet of fresh flowers for mom as Avi perused the selection of gift wrap. He was in the automobile, keeping a watchful eye. Instead of the habit of interfering in Avi’s unusual routines without good reason, he let us do our shopping.As I paid for my five peony stems, I was greeted by a familiar face across the flower stand. While on the phone, he held a large bunch of yellow and white tulips."I
The roses that were on the dresser a week ago were still there. When I reexamined my appearance in the full-length mirror, I realized something was off. Why they don't wilt is a mystery to me. It could be possible that Isabel's magic was what kept them going strong and healthy.For some reason, I found myself curious as to their intended purpose.My focus went back to my reflection once more. Having everything so neatly arranged was something I got used to. The heavy jacket and mud-slick boots that matched my animal-skin helmet had become my standard attire throughout my time in Samaria.I grew up on a farm.My appearance had changed.I had my hair in a bun and wore an old dress with a headband. A few curls on one side of my face completed my appearance.I looked at myself in the mirror and started blinking rapidly. She styled my hair and applied some mascara, making me appear nothing like the Samarian girl my classmates had taunted for her large eyes, wavy hair, and fragile build. I
Two equally gorgeous demigods were in front of me. One with blue eyes and the other almost golden. Both pairs of eyes were staring, waiting for me to choose one hand.My heart was screaming.Fabian managed to maintain his smile while still looking directly at her. His charming grin made him look absolutely irresistible.Chase looked disapprovingly at me and arched an eyebrow in response. He was most attractive when he wore an expression suggesting he was bearing the world's burden. I had no idea what was going through his head or why he was suddenly standing in front of me with a dance invitation in his hand. I wish I knew what was going through his mind at this very moment.Myra and the other deadlocks maintained their seats during the discussion. Right away, Isabel rose, and it appeared as though she had suddenly had the idea for the plan, which was to force Chase to dance with me to steal the key from his belt.The quest was comparable to searching for a needle in a sea of water."
Morning had arrived. Like a flash, the academy's opening party was over. The tension between us and Chase was so high that I didn't even have fun. Avi, who returned to the venue after we plotted our adventure in the forest, was the only person I knew who really made the most of the evening.Come to think of it, she was only a twelve-year-old kid! But I decided to drop it. My younger sister was the most knowledgeable person in the room. Her craft was weaving. She had a chance to avert calamity trouble they could even happen.Always.How to begin this day eluded me. It looked like today wouldn't be a nice one, so prepare for the worst. What I did last night was like to playing Russian roulette with my life. When Chase Roan Santi suggested the possibility of rebelling against The Drift, he was dead serious. I was about to have a nightmare remembering Mira Zina Zenovia's angry face.In any case, I had to press on. If it came down to it, I'd throw caution to t
The bottom of the hill was now in sight. The strain on my muscles is so intense that it feels like fire in my heels. Fabian wouldn't stop making jokes about me. He laughed when he saw my eyebrows raise in response to his sly hissing.Fabian was a welcome change of pace. The light was included with it. Whenever we spoke, I would open up to him about anything. I had the impression that I had known him for a very long time and that I could put my faith in him.We walked confidently to where Sir Fernando would be holding hisdeadlockstraining. Suddenly, Chase's scowling face appeared a few meters before me.Why is he even in this building? It was very early morning.He looked at me for only a split second. At that moment, I felt my heart momentarily cease beating. His rough yet flawless face was stunning. My adoration of his good looks overshadowed his stern expression; he wore a denim jacket over a white undershirt with torn trou
We give off sparks whenever we come into contact. The stars begin to shine upon us. All of us share a common thread... For whatever reason, you've decided to put your faith in me. You should avoid going into the scary woods.Chase's words kept playing in my mind. Even though he left me stunned at the opening of the cottage garden of the camp deadlock.What can I do to get over the effects of that tense discussion quickly? It's causing me some confusion.It was a good few minutes before I was able to collect myself.I calmed myself down and made my way to the pavilion, where I could overhear the conversations of my fellow deadlocks. Before going up to them, I gave myself a few moments to collect my thoughts. The group I was going to be doing the hunting and foraging with, led by Sir Fernando Aragon, was getting ready when I arrived, so I joined Myra and the others.What happened there altered my mood significantly. That was especiall
In just a few minutes, the big rig reached the bridge that leads from the Tribus mainland to the base of the island's namesake mountain. After nearly twenty minutes down the road, the camp crew finally caught sight of the mass of the unnamed peak, and the truck finally stopped. Here, a jumbled white cloud bank appeared to rise. I was both anxious and eager to get started. I could see the mysterious mountain that had been part of the folk stories since we were in Samaria. This is where the gods once called home. My thoughts were muffled as I relived my dad's tales. As seen from above, Mt. Noah resembled a massive inverted boat. Perhaps it was named after Noah's ark, which provided safety for countless species before the Day of Judgment. All Tribians held the site in the highest regard. Because of this, logging and mining were not allowed there. "The place is not open to all. Only a few are given access to hunt and camp here. We are here with the blessing of the hunter's moon." It w
The ground seemed to quake beneath my feet. My toes were numb from the cold. As my nerves and restlessness increased, I almost stopped noticing the soil's roughness against my bare feet. Terror filled my mind and body.For a while, I considered fleeing. I was so anxious to escape the shadowy sorcerer that I almost ran. I had only walked a short distance when I saw what looked like a comet encased in light crashing toward me. An object that seemed like a stone but was actually coated in thorns and fire smacked me in the face. When I stood up, the pain in my right leg was so bad that I almost started wheezing.I overheard a young voice remark, "You can't get away from a black sorcerer, Stella." The assurance in his voice suggested that he believed what he was saying. Behind me, I could sense his body.I knelt and cried. After missing the first time, he struck me in the left leg with another flaming ball of darkness. I grunted in pain, almost shattering my teeth. O
Chase wished for her. Because fate had decreed that he would be the one to save the Tribe when evil seeded. For a long time, almost every living thing on the planet believed that this was the ultimate goal—he who would save us all. True. I'm guessing quite frequently. But, there are those people who selected the road to their own ruin. Either temporarily or indefinitely. He could have been one of the unlucky few. Be cautious of what you hope for. The rumors have it, but he didn't pay any heed. Chase did not beg a falling star to help him keep the tribe safe on the night in question. He merely desired to be content. The desire to find true love. He thought that true love had an eternal essence. He did. Stella descended from the stars the same night. His desire. Yet, if wishes could be granted, why didn't his hope for bliss and eternal love come true? Why did it tear him to shreds? Perhaps not all of our desires are granted; perhaps a meteor's fall does not magically fulfill all of
My mind was deluged with disturbing visuals. There appeared to be no living things. Nothing but an enormous void of darkness exists. Should we consider Tribes over at this point? Is this what my bleak visions of the future mean? So, this is it? "Chase," Mira muttered behind me. He clung to my arm, which he hadn't done in a long time because he hated me for losing Sandro. "Please tell me what you see, Isabel. Please let me know if you can see the photo of us... of Tribus." I stammered as I tried to speak. As thick black smoke gradually enveloped the entire dome, my entire system trembled. "I'm not seeing anything. I can't. Nothing is visible to me!" "This can't be happening," said Fina, who was standing behind me. The density of the dark smoke increased. None of the doom tree's limbs were visible to us. Our shared anxiety united us. Is it the end of everything? The last place I saw Chase, my eyes widened as I noticed a small light there. That is until the intensity of the storm
A strong breeze blew. Leaves, small branches, and sand fluttered in the breeze. The entire opening of that volcano was barely visible to me. Even with my glasses on, I fell asleep because my lashes are short. I leaned in close to Fabian and Stella. "Clypeus!" Mira begins to cast her spell. Then, gradually, a semitransparent, glass-like dome forms around us. Mira sat behind the sobbing Fabian, comforting his back. Many people see it as rude and hard, but there is a hint of sadness on its face. It is understanding. "She desired to live. I could see it in her eyes. She wanted to be with us, but fate had other plans." The man hugged Stella's body once more. "She's a pleasant person. I'm sorry for your loss, Fabian and Isa "Fina, who was sitting at Stella's feet, made a sad statement. Even though Fina's statement was brief, I could sense her sincerity. I was surprised to hear Mira sobbing behind Fabian. Perhaps he is sorry for what he did to Stella. Tears formed on the bridge of her ey
A piercing scream filled the volcano's mouth. Fighting with opponents had almost rendered me paralyzed. Chase here. I can hear his anguish from where I am. He's finished it. It has been completed. Stella has been drained to death by him. Stella... My dearest friend. She's left. She was consumed by both, as I have seen many times. All of my friends were being taken away from me by fate. Sandro. Myra. Oswin. Now Stella. Tears streamed down my cheeks gradually. I really wish we had more time. Stella exudes positivity. I wish it had ended differently. This is not the case. This is not the case. Chase yelled once more. This created a powerful wave of energy. The man is in mourning. I understand your anguish. That is why his power has been increased by a factor of two. Never underestimate the strength of a bereaved soul. It is capable of destroying an entire village in its grief. Thank you very much! I raised my eyes to the doom tree's flowers once more. My heart was pounding
From the glowing cylinders strewn about, three divine forms form a triangle. A tailcoat tuxedo in a scotch mist white with solid silver Gothic buttons was what Sir Ultra wore. As he descended into the volcano's crater, his mournful gaze followed me. Sir Blue Dane, decked out in a brown military jacket and worn pants, stood across the way. Sir Strike comes down from up high in his trademark black trenchcoat and blows off the Santis. The nearest landing spot was right here, and he kept looking between me and Chase, who was still asleep. That's right, they've finally arrived. Trinity touched down in the volcano's sandy crater. They didn't waste any time, Blue Dane and Ultra. As soon as they landed, they unleashed a barrage of counterattacks on their foes. Meanwhile, I was aware of Sir Strike's close proximity to me. In an instant, his jaws tightened and his golden eyes narrowed. "I hope we're not late," he said quietly as he yanked the grass wrapped around me with all his effort. Whe
Like a light of a single firefly banishing in the prey's mouth, his burning eyes were gone, and so was his grip, which was almost an inch away from my hands. Oswin was able to move him to the point where the bullets would have passed through, which should have been for the enemy. Chase hesitated when he got to his new place, but as soon as he did, three bullets hit his right chest in quick succession. Chase almost recoiled as the bullets hit his body. White, icy mist splattered from the gunshot. like a ball bursting inside after hitting a sharp and deadly bullet. My heart slowly disintegrated seeing his demise. "Chase!" I screamed. I tried to run towards where the man was now unable to move and what looked like a lump of ice in the standing. Chase was frozen solid, metaphorically speaking. He was paralyzed from the neck down. As the scalding liquid trickled down my cheeks, I made an effort to close the gap. As I walked up to the man, tears filled my eyes. It didn't go unnoticed b
This scene was shattered by four shots fired in rapid succession. My first taste of the pungent, cold gunpowder came from the locusts released by Isabel's magical rifle.The next thing I noticed was the smell, which seemed to be deteriorating muscle, fabric, and rubber. When I turned around to face the shadow sorcerers following me, I saw that they, too, were dissolving like ice in the presence of a powerful flame. Isabel praised them as she walked toward them with her gun still pointed at Sandro. Myra and Oswin stayed inside the massive energy orb. Sandro made a gesture that his black coworkers should not attack. I think he was trying to protect Isabel. The all-black group didn't do anything as the student regent moved closer to his old friend. Sandro froze in place. Isabel approached him, the rifle pointing directly at his face. As the man traced a path between them, I saw Isabel take a few gulps at a time. When he got close enough, I could see the whites of his eyes reddening un
"Detrahet me in vas+," came a whisper in the wind. It echoed in my head. Detrahet me in vas... I was suddenly reminded of the mark it made on my mind during the silent hour at the academy, which Isabel informed me meant "bring me the vessel."As the four dark sorcerers held me captive, I fought to free myself. The tight grasp of their dry hands and sharp nails had already begun to irritate my arm and leg. I was definitely terrified when I saw his face again, and I let out a shriek. The look on his face spelled doom for me.I felt my chest disappear. Because of the attention I received from my peers, the struggle was particularly intense. Chase emerged from hiding behind the massive boulder and began to stand. Time will tell, but it seems likely that it will bolt off again soon.They are doomed to die. If it didn't finish, people could feel sorry for me, and that would lead to many deaths. I would not tolerate pity on anyone else's part.But what should I do first, and how?It seemed t
Each passing second was accompanied by the shrill sound of my heart. Then the noise level skyrocketed, and I could see everything happening right in front of my eyes. It felt like my body was going numb with each pulse of my heart and every pump of my veins.A part of me felt like it was wasting away, but my brain wouldn't let me give up.Yes. I did my best to stick to the established sequence. My world nearly came apart at the seams because I trusted the weaver's prophecy. I thought that the beginning and end of my story were written by the universe itself.But.In the middle of the beginning and the end, a pause gave me a chance to alter my fate, if I so chose.This was presented to me by him.I needed Chase to give me hope so that I could keep going until the battle was over. To fight back at every turn, and perhaps throw a wrench into what the foresightful weavers and seers have planned.As he raced to save me, I realized he wanted to prove that he would fight and try to change fa