SecretsLycidas surged forward, his fists glowing with raw energy as he slammed into the girl. She barely had time to react as the first blow connected, sending her spiraling through the air. Her body twisted violently, but she recovered mid-flight, summoning a barrier of energy around herself. Lycidas was relentless, smashing through her defenses with a brutal series of punches.He struck her midsection, his fist landing with a thunderous impact that folded her body in half. A shockwave rippled outward, and the girl gasped, winded from the force of the hit. She retaliated with a swift kick aimed at his head, but Lycidas caught her leg with a swift motion, twisting her limb before flinging her into the ground. The earth trembled beneath her as she crashed, leaving a crater in her wake.Grimacing in pain, the girl pushed herself up, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes blazed with fury, but Lycidas didn’t give her time to recover. He was upon her again in an insta
Lycidas’ glowing eyes remained fixed on the horizon, his path of destruction unwavering as he raised his hand again, this time aiming toward the outskirts of the city.In a moment of desperation, Claud rose once more from the ground, his muscles straining as he forced himself to his feet. Blood dripped from his forehead, but his determination burned hotter. “I’m not letting him destroy the city,” he growled, raising his hands toward the sky.Drawing on every ounce of his elemental power, Claud conjured a massive water bubble that formed around Lycidas. The bubble grew larger and larger, encasing him entirely. Lycidas, still consumed by the power of the crystal, didn’t react at first, but soon the lack of air began to affect him. He thrashed inside the bubble, fists slamming against the walls of water, but the more he fought, the tighter Claud made the bubble.“Come on…just a little more…” Claud whispered, his voice strained with effort as he held the water bubble in place, beads of s
Secrets IIClaud was home with Lycidas and the others nursing their wounds when he heard a loud bang upstairs from Damien’s room. He went their cautiously and saw Damien there with an unknown man.“Dammy, what’s going on? Why are you back so early and who’s that?”“Hi I’m Jeremy.” The man said, extending his hand for a handshake but was snubbed by Claud.“You’re unbelievable dad.” Damien started. “So you sent me to England so you can take over my mission?”“What gave you that ridiculous idea?” Claud asked.“I think that’s my cue to leave.” Jeremy said before disappearing. “Well, for one. The news. The forest’s explosion? You and I know that only you are capable of causing so much havoc without leaving a trace.”“Yeah, ‘no one will notice’.” Lycidas said from across the room. “Now’s not the time for sarcasm Lycidas.” Claud shouted back.“Who’s that?” Damien asked. “Just some friends that I called.”“So you took me out of my mission so you could put in your friends?”“It’s not like t
After what felt like hours, but was probably only minutes, Matilda stood up from the ledge, brushing her hands against her jeans. “Come on,” she said, offering Damien a hand as she hopped down to the solid rooftop. “Let’s get out of here.”He took her hand, her warmth lingering as they made their way back through the stairwell and down to the street. The city still buzzed with life as they walked side by side, the neon lights flashing, casting colorful reflections on the wet pavement from a recent drizzle.As they left the noise of the rooftop behind, the atmosphere shifted. It wasn’t tense, but something quieter lingered between them now, a silent understanding from the shared view they’d had. They didn’t speak much as they moved through the streets, their footsteps falling into an easy rhythm.Eventually, they reached Damien’s neighborhood—a quieter, more residential part of Riverdale, tucked away from the city’s chaos. His place was a modest, modern apartment complex, built with sl
New playersDamien snuck out of the house to hang out with Matilda. He knew that if he told his parents or anybody there that he was going to meet a celestial, they would literally lock him up. No one even noticed that he was gone because they were too busy trying to discover what the arbiter could be planning.“He can’t really be trying to take over the world the way he did the last time can he?”“That’ll be too predictable.” Claud said. “He’ll want to do what we least expect.”“So what do you think he’s planning then?” Lupa asked. “His daughter must be the one running all the errands for him.”“Whatever plan they have, they need the eldershard crystal to carry it out. If not she wouldn’t have risked everything just to get it back.”“The capabilities of the eldershard crystal is endless. We can’t say for a fact that this is what he wants to do with it or that is what he wants to do with it because there are so many things that can be done.” Lycidas said.“If you were the arbiter and
** ** **When Damien got back, his parents were on his neck because he just left the house without telling anyone. They even grounded him for a week because of that but he wasn’t even paying attention to them. His brain was still replaying the day he just had with Matilda, the long walks, the long talks, the games and of course, his first kiss. The truth was that, even if they went back in time, he wouldn’t change any of the things he did. The thing he did to warrant getting grounded for a week was definitely worth it.***Lupa’s phone buzzed, pulling her attention away from the window where she had been silently brooding over the evening’s events. Damien had been grounded, and the tension in the house was thick enough to cut with a knife. She sighed, picking up the phone and reading the message from Claud.Come outside.Curious, she stood up and made her way down the stairs, her brow furrowed. As she descended, she noticed something unusual on the dining table. A sleek, midnight-b
The Birthday PartyIn about a few weeks’ time, it was Damien’s birth week, and his excitement was bubbling over. It was only Monday, and he had to wait two whole days before the big day, but the anticipation was nearly unbearable. His thoughts were consumed with turning eighteen—a milestone that meant leaving adolescence behind and stepping into adulthood. The idea thrilled him.School was back in session, which was another reason for his excitement. Every morning as he walked down the halls, his eyes would search for Matilda. Seeing her brought an extra burst of joy to his day, and now that they were spending more time together, it felt like everything was falling into place. He could talk to her whenever he wanted, joke about their classes, and make plans for after school. Just being around her made everything feel lighter, even the most tedious lessons.Damien tapped his pencil against his notebook, staring out the window during his math class. His mind wasn’t on equations, thou
The warmth of her breath sent a shiver down his spine, and before he could respond, she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the middle of the living room, where everyone was dancing. They danced together, surrounded by their friends, the music pulsing around them, and for a while, Damien let himself forget everything else. It was just him, Matilda, and the rhythm of the night. At one point, Felix and Jackson tried to pull off ridiculous dance moves, earning them applause and laughter from the small crowd of people watching. Lydia and Amanda cheered them on, and Annie joined in, laughing so hard she could barely keep up with the music. Damien was having the time of his life, his heart light and carefree. But then, as they danced, Matilda leaned in again, her lips close to his ear. “Hey, let’s get out of here for a bit,” she whispered, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Damien blinked, caught off guard by the suggestion. But he didn’t hesitate. Nodding, he took her hand and le