“Yes, let’s test it.” Draven nodded, jutting his head forward and turning to the people with a broad smile.“Vampires, faes, werewolves, and phoenixes prove to this being of chaos that you can’t be blinded by cunning words and deceits. Prove your loyalty. Prove that your eyes are opened and you know the truth. If you are on my side, the parliamentarians side, the side of truth and loyalty, stand up. Stand tall and proud.” He announced, raising his hand.The people shared looks between themselves and talked in hushed tones. Seconds turned to minutes, and not a single person rose up.“Come on, don’t be shy to stand for what’s right. You know the truth.” He encouraged as his brows creased and his smile twitched.‘You’re right, Draven. They know the truth.’ Layla thought as she gazed at the crowd.He said more words— anything in his vocabulary— to get them up to their feet to stand by his side. Nobody stood. Though some shuffled on their seats and others avoided looking at him, no one sho
‘Invincible. He will be invincible.’ Layla gulped as her breath turned shaky. ‘He’s already very strong on a normal day, and I feared I wasn’t going to be able to beat him, but now… I’m terrified. How am I going to defeat an already powerful vampire who stole the powers of others, including elite supernaturals and even his own comrades? Can I… Can I…’“Don’t think too much, moon child. Let me show you instead.” Draven said, lifting his hand higher, and the sky’s red colour intensified.A sharp pain stabbed through her chest, and she gasped, clutching her clothes over her chest. She coughed, blood trickled down her lips, and her eyes widened.‘Alaric, Zayne. They’re in danger. No! No! I—’“God of the sun, Sol, led me your power. Healing golden ray!” Eleanor yelled, and bright, yellow light shone in the sky, dispelling some of the red.“Eleanor!” Layla gasped, turning to her and wiping the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. Eleanor was floating far above her and Draven, alm
‘I c-can’t… I c-can’t do it. I c-can’t.’ Layla thought as tears dropped down her face from her only working eye.Her body was sprawled on the ground, littered with burns and cuts that refused to heal. Her bodysuit was just a bunch of threads holding onto themselves with their last breath.Every inch of her ached and refused to move. Her glaive was a few inches by her side, but no matter how she wanted to, her hand remained dead tired and unmoving.She stared at the sky; red light fought with yellow one that was way dimmer than when it had come on. Her beacon of hope was wavering.‘P-please be… be strong, Elly. I-I know you aren’t su… supposed to f-fight a-and… and I’m… I’m s-sorry to… to put y-you in this… this p-position but please stay strong. I-If you go off, I’ll lose my m-mind.’Eleanor wasn’t a fighter. She wasn’t to be in the heat of the battle. She was meant to bring things to order. She was the restorer and healer. She was to correct what the parliamentarians had done wrong a
A gust of breeze blew past Layla’s face, and everything grew still. All the pain clawing at her quieted, and the ominous aura around her disappeared. Her eyes fluttered open, and they stared into Selene’s calm, warm ones. The world around them was grey and frozen in time.“You answered me.” Layla breathed as her lips turned into a small smile.“Why didn’t you call me since? Why did you wait until you’re almost dead to ask for my help?” Selene asked, placing her hand on her cheek.“I forgot.” She laughed as a warm sensation bloomed inside her and all her fear and terror disappeared. “Didn’t I tell you it was my battle? Didn’t I tell you I was going to fight through you? Why would you let yourself go through so much horror?”“I thought I could do it on my own. I don’t know why I thought that, and I can see it was stupid, really stupid.” She replied, but her bright, happy smile didn’t fall.What she did was stupid and almost cost her everyone’s life and hers, and she was going to give h
“You. Are. Weak.”The dagger went through Layla’s neck like it was butter, but nothing happened. Her head was still on her shoulders, and there was no single scar. It was like nothing had happened.Draven’s eyes were wide, darting from the dagger to her unsevered head, and her smirk grew wider.“You are weak, Draven. Despite stealing others powers to add to yours, you still couldn’t get rid of lil’ weak me. It’s such a shame.” She mocked as her glaive lifted off the ground to her hand, and she swung it at him.He dodged, but not quick enough. The blade cut across his chest from his left shoulder to his side, leaving a large gaping wound.He stumbled back, pressing his hand to it, and he glowered at her as the red radiating off his body glowed brighter.“You’re going to regret that!” He snarled at her as the wound slowly closed.“No, you’re going to regret everything you did to me and all the Children of Hope that have come before Eleanor and me.” She said, pointing her glaive at him,
‘I’ve killed Draven, so why is the sky still red? What is going on? Why is everyone still unconscious? Why aren’t they standing up?’ Layla thought as her eyes flickered around the arena.All the spectators were as they were the moment Draven had activated the eye of chaos, unconscious, foaming from their mouths, and covered with red glowing streaks.“Felix? Felix? Are you there? Can you hear me?” She pressed her finger to her earpiece.“Ugh, no reply. He’s out too.” She fretted, tugging at the bottom of her ponytail. “Is he alright? Are they alright? Are they alive?”She floated across the arena, over the fallen crowd from one end to the other. She placed her hands on her chest, searching for her bond with her protectors.‘At least they’re alive.’ She breathed as she returned to the centre of the arena. “But why is the eye of chaos still on? I thought that it would go off the moment I killed him. Will it remain like this until everyone’s power is gone? No, it can’t be. I have to find
“This isn’t the time for useless jokes or gatekeeping the ttruth, Demeter.” Layla scowled, narrowing her eyes at her as she tightened her grip on her shoulder. “If you don’t tell me how to stop it, everyone will die, including you, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want that.”“You can’t stop it. No matter what you do, you can’t stop it.” Demeter grinned, shaking her head. “The eye of chaos can only be deactivated by the one who activated it.”“What?!” Layla gasped as shivers ran through her spine. “No! It can’t be. You’re lying. There has to be another way.”‘She has to be lying. The eye of chaos has to have another way to be turned off without Draven.’“There’s no other way! Everyone here is going to die. Then it will keep spreading out, draining every supernatural in its way until it has taken every bit of power in the supernatural world. Everyone will die.” She cackled, throwing her head back, and her entire body shook. “Every single one of them will pay with their lives for turning the
‘Did… did it work?’ Layla thought, wincing as she sat up. She opened her eyes, and her lips curled to a large smile.The red light was going dimmer and dimmer, and the red clouds began to dispense, making way for the evening sky. The dorm around the arena flickered off and on for a few seconds and faded away.“It worked! It actually worked!” She cheered as she stood up and Eleanor flew to her side. “Layla! Can you see that? We did it! We did it!” She squealed, throwing her arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug.“How is everyone? Are they— what’s that?” Layla scrunched her brows as small balls of white and yellow light flew from the sky to them.“What’s what?” Eleanor asked, letting go of her and turning around.The balls of light swirled and danced around, and Layla reached out her finger to touch one of them. A recognition burned in her soul, and she wore a gentle smile.“They’re our sisters. They’re finally free, and they’re thanking us,” she whispered.“You’re welcome.