Nell: “It will be okay….it will be okay.”241Please respect copyright.PENANANgNogVugpu
241Please respect copyright.PENANAgll36GGBEj
241Please respect copyright.PENANAJdr6bVQmf1
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?
241Please respect copyright.PENANAHkxAIARVVI
241Please respect copyright.PENANAAUJshXCrI5
Sever: “We got it, move out.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA6ZbPxpD3BJ
241Please respect copyright.PENANAITVuv6ppa8
Alyson: “Na-”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAIpnsfbUGyc
241Please respect copyright.PENANAVu4EIWTlms
I try to get up but the rifles move to freeze me in place.
241Please respect copyright.PENANA2ROvSTWpLN
241Please respect copyright.PENANAu9nu3fCtSt
Nell: “What are you going to do to my son?”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAzYCwQ5wwyJ
241Please respect copyright.PENANAxJA3fGabub
Sever: “…You don’t need to know.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAsgtFoLDH77
241Please respect copyright.PENANAwwJUqzh2nt
Nell: “…”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA3mpPdUoI2O
No…241Please respect copyright.PENANAIAGK74VRR5
241Please respect copyright.PENANA2P2BkMI3Ql
Sever: “Be sure to go to school tomorrow Alyson. We need everything to move as usual. Low suspicion and all that.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA2rT8oVHRdd
241Please respect copyright.PENANA8U0id85g0E
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANApbIbsfgI0N
241Please respect copyright.PENANA0iUA9e2PlD
A day that was supposed to heal us is instead one where we’re damaged beyond repair. And it’s not even over yet.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAlaAW9cQTl9
241Please respect copyright.PENANAUlZmdSExSc
Alyson: “N-Nell, I need to know what you meant by Nao being a mage.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAOGhld8Qht1
241Please respect copyright.PENANADcmOqqS78S
She’s still holding me in her arms and shaking trying to hold back a flood of tears.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAWGx55f3OPS
241Please respect copyright.PENANAxlr1Xg10pw
Nell: “Alyson…I’ll try to explain. But I don’t know what good it will do….Nao is gone.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAUkxKF4uPKY
241Please respect copyright.PENANA2rMiYOGFf6
Alyson: “Not yet, maybe I-”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA9zDhWPzE8k
241Please respect copyright.PENANAQVMB3VP77L
Nell: “No!”
241Please respect copyright.PENANApE9jvkjnWY
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjB7WMV9oKw
Alyson: “!”
241Please respect copyright.PENANANPkdmpUN0U
241Please respect copyright.PENANALB9M6GznKi
Nell: “I’m already on verge of breaking…don’t make me lose you too…”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAhdJN80E8oJ
241Please respect copyright.PENANATXgACXAxWA
Alyson: “So you telling me to leave Nao to those…monsters?”
241Please respect copyright.PENANApwdlKHN8KG
241Please respect copyright.PENANAl5oEWSEeSd
Nell: “…”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA9hMzPdOwTx
241Please respect copyright.PENANANohJ3NBlYD
Alyson: “…Let’s drop it for now. Please, just tell me everything.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAEgGStae1SC
241Please respect copyright.PENANA5FW0H9kNqw
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANALtMhUqwOgU
241Please respect copyright.PENANArl2a1lafX9
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANARbFYhjXN7H
241Please respect copyright.PENANAp6j4c8Y36P
I’m the one that sent Anton to Nao…
241Please respect copyright.PENANAyKzHUniQ7x
241Please respect copyright.PENANAI312ecJgxq
Alyson: “Nell…I have a confession to make.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANATkz85SpTnB
241Please respect copyright.PENANANFGSTfMkqp
Nell: “No…not you too.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAZGFkAvm8il
241Please respect copyright.PENANA1vIUliZmSf
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAPigtlrvmAT
241Please respect copyright.PENANAOMDYRFnuaQ
Alyson: “I-I’m so…so sorry.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAV4gyWAzOF8
241Please respect copyright.PENANAuTTpMR2nww
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANATiPBJaTfBi
241Please respect copyright.PENANAvvb2bnjp6t
Nell: “W-We’ve all made mistakes. If only I wasn’t blind to it. No…I lost my only son.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAyeIxbw7Mbo
241Please respect copyright.PENANAKeiOv3EyMU
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAx8z7axJvid
241Please respect copyright.PENANAfkAvqyYV1R
Alyson: “What…do we do now?”
241Please respect copyright.PENANATgCGByIhvN
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjV6Xe1GGcj
Nell: “I don’t know. But one thing is for sure, we will make up for this for the rest of our lives.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAY3tJ1Ax2pd
241Please respect copyright.PENANA0CXKBcZ5rP
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAerZOrWUSJ5
241Please respect copyright.PENANAmj7Dy1rsX9
But more than that, voices from my past haunt my thoughts. Whispering perspectives that only deepen my guilt.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAVtyWOrCG3r
241Please respect copyright.PENANAZr1guYMgzO
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjqkxn7K9KE
241Please respect copyright.PENANAW6kzZbY6Pj
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAd78EUvhgYx
241Please respect copyright.PENANAmtksWNt72g
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…
241Please respect copyright.PENANAb4Ne0JNugq
[Switch Perspective: Anthony]241Please respect copyright.PENANAFKviQF5tAV
241Please respect copyright.PENANAMRr1C36XhJ
Mat: “Are you okay?”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAoxHIaJmJCN
241Please respect copyright.PENANAQvbW7Ga69u
Anthony: “Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a bit worried that we’ll get bullied because of yesterday.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjsAggF9Vpj
241Please respect copyright.PENANAXfDuGNdFMD
Velo: “Don’t worry, Nao scared them away. As he said, we won.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA18FWUn2bUz
241Please respect copyright.PENANAQPP5Tn4sU7
Mat: “Besides, it’s the beginning of the day who wou-”
241Please respect copyright.PENANApfbVpZDRJh
241Please respect copyright.PENANA5K9M9FqTP0
“Yeah guys, we want to show you something.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANANB7IqT4aN4
241Please respect copyright.PENANAGm7VlPimEN
Their faces darken at the realization of what’s about to happen. But me…I crack a smile.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAOsPTYaGOl5
241Please respect copyright.PENANAFuWzrA0Pp1
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAb5G0ctfJMz
241Please respect copyright.PENANAA1VPU5G2pg
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAVzioF1KAuF
241Please respect copyright.PENANAvTA6Ev06B2
“So let it be written. My new owner and husband.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAKFc4SgpCLd
241Please respect copyright.PENANAglOSpFXQbG
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANArpb0FanqqR
241Please respect copyright.PENANAxgNcYEzw7d
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANARThs11QPvv
241Please respect copyright.PENANARwtQ4Y8vpp
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAkitkhLpmWa
241Please respect copyright.PENANACkuzd1H3BB
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANA0jIrhUShrJ
241Please respect copyright.PENANARpKo50NnMZ
Well, no more. That time is over. As I look into their eyes filled with fear, I wonder if this is what Nao felt.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAl24DpeNdzl
241Please respect copyright.PENANA5qmBcY0z4S
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAgecHibOqrN
241Please respect copyright.PENANArHbLAeEFtE
“Come my husband, let us once again burn another world. Another blood bath for our promised wedding day.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANALHav0MaYpe
241Please respect copyright.PENANAiXSLxTJL37
I’ll be what you want me to be. As long as I can have my vengeance.
241Please respect copyright.PENANA9rxZDUYZfg
241Please respect copyright.PENANAzPik0squXn
Mat: “A-Anthony…”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAqC4VAEZZR3
241Please respect copyright.PENANAGy2juPpQYE
Oh, I almost forgot. My friends lay beaten and broken behind me.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAylJPU92lHd
241Please respect copyright.PENANAuVccap2n4t
“Ignore them love. I’ll keep the end of my deal. We’ll spare them but no one else may live.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAx1t88ITyDt
241Please respect copyright.PENANAdemtzBEaPw
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.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAcK1gtElasI
241Please respect copyright.PENANAeZYfrwVy2h
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….
241Please respect copyright.PENANAExf2yMCS2B
Anthony: “Let none survive.”241Please respect copyright.PENANA5mts1jCT6e
241Please respect copyright.PENANA7wLkLl6w55
[Switch Perspective: Alyson]
241Please respect copyright.PENANAYx2uOXRxvu
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAdL9MLsyT73
241Please respect copyright.PENANAc2oYulb5nF
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjl0zagrS06
241Please respect copyright.PENANAOZUmdKxRNz
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANA67J5YQusZy
241Please respect copyright.PENANAAty9rrW6e5
“Okay everyone, calm down. It must be-”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAaKESXd1vmg
*SCREAM*241Please respect copyright.PENANAdjCGyVxn2P
241Please respect copyright.PENANAQ2c1T58vCs
Outside we can hear blood-chilling screams and thunder. But what drove us to madness was the smell of ashes.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAo7UjvL8I6k
241Please respect copyright.PENANA6f5CxoG2Cv
“Everyone stay here and hide under your desks. I’ll go and see what’s happening.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA7xilbaxRGj
241Please respect copyright.PENANA1rPSotfKT1
The teacher leaves the room and disappears into the darkness of the hallway. The noises didn’t stop and the smell only got worse.
241Please respect copyright.PENANALkNn0bWnGi
241Please respect copyright.PENANA4ukFmZ5dM3
I’m…scared stiff. Am I…going to die?
241Please respect copyright.PENANAis7273QMDh
241Please respect copyright.PENANALZqnKHXx0D
???: “Alyson!”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA2ppvvvM7Ct
241Please respect copyright.PENANAmyvoYlyz9l
A voice wakes me up from my dark thoughts. I watch the door fly open and a girl rush inside.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAsaUtm6RgMb
241Please respect copyright.PENANAgmOv1aRKed
Deanna: “Alyson hide!”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAIMoNK4CqaW
241Please respect copyright.PENANAFCP5HCFuUq
She runs to me and grabs a hold of my shoulder.
241Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZvqSDXjah
241Please respect copyright.PENANAu8vBQfMFI1
Alyson: “Deanna? What’s happening?”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAsQIfv0V0xM
241Please respect copyright.PENANAcOPcnRutGR
Deanna: “No time to explain but I’m sure you and Trevor are Anthony’s main targets.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAuYpsPFBbTk
241Please respect copyright.PENANADQYg9eiH52
Anthony? H-He’s the one doing all of this?
241Please respect copyright.PENANACRREGt1K6j
241Please respect copyright.PENANA86so59Qy7I
Anthony: “You’re not wrong.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAY2Z5oAIZpo
!!241Please respect copyright.PENANA0oC6yZ3D19
241Please respect copyright.PENANAlDJhwSFt9s
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAMDZoOvYFJQ
241Please respect copyright.PENANAOtsrDlFVJm
Are we the last ones?
241Please respect copyright.PENANAu6PrkMORWJ
241Please respect copyright.PENANAmcrn5juIfA
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.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAzJcZkAC66d
241Please respect copyright.PENANAcheJU1yOfb
Deanna: “W-Why are you doing this?”
241Please respect copyright.PENANARnRexRp4uI
241Please respect copyright.PENANA3xfUkCl0jn
Purple lightning strikes right in front of Deanna’s eyes.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAbY7DLT9C0w
241Please respect copyright.PENANALHsMSK9ZBc
Deanna: “AHHH!”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAxOD5oLIa0n
241Please respect copyright.PENANAGWbTTWkQwF
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.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAPcMKdFAcVL
241Please respect copyright.PENANAFiACeaJNGh
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjcRBdm5lak
241Please respect copyright.PENANA14v5a9OfYY
Anthony: “As for Alyson. You may be Nao’s sister, but you’re still a part of the problem. He’ll forgive me eventually.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAKS0a1H61iK
241Please respect copyright.PENANAaLts55MSax
Alyson: “If you still care about Nao then save him!”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAFncOP1Mi0o
241Please respect copyright.PENANAN0G1ZmZqyO
Anthony: “Save him? What do you mean?”
241Please respect copyright.PENANApwYsDJhBf9
241Please respect copyright.PENANAZVtEgP7XiS
Alyson: “Sever and his men took him last night. They were searching for that magic book.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAMbHiAzV5rl
241Please respect copyright.PENANAysoHH7NcDx
Anthony: “!”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAQKFt3BX4gD
241Please respect copyright.PENANAywo0poZ1zw
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.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAos6rVycRPA
241Please respect copyright.PENANAt2w4F9sxK6
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAwAg0qtJw3d
241Please respect copyright.PENANAlil84ro5Rm
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAP1bpuepQbL
241Please respect copyright.PENANANpOegOC3rc
Deanna: “Alyson…”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAKxuPdjo5Os
?241Please respect copyright.PENANAaLmkiFyP2n
241Please respect copyright.PENANAmzCjzmvasP
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?
241Please respect copyright.PENANAtFTA22eUBs
241Please respect copyright.PENANAUJGFpCpxJf
Anthony: “Tch, don’t pretend bitch. You haven’t changed.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA63zN8FJM1I
241Please respect copyright.PENANAjk3Vh0jO9O
Deanna: “…”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA9NzXmdrWv5
241Please respect copyright.PENANAPDho1dliMA
Alyson: “W-Why?”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAPH68diRkuR
241Please respect copyright.PENANAkT0VzBwr1p
Deanna: “Because you inspired me to be better, this is the least I can do.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAwys7qQIE3V
241Please respect copyright.PENANApyPdATHnS6
Alyson: “Deanna…”
241Please respect copyright.PENANABKZdbiu7ek
241Please respect copyright.PENANAiKASzDbK6q
Anthony: *Sigh*
241Please respect copyright.PENANAu7enfPkCRk
241Please respect copyright.PENANAEdomIEmHwg
Anthony: “Fine, I’ll roast you both.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAR3oWybPdNq
241Please respect copyright.PENANAc7oW97uLMQ
???: “Wow, and I thought the bullies here were evil.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA6AwdGKPADr
!!!241Please respect copyright.PENANAHzUtpUTsFt
241Please respect copyright.PENANAIMmx31SLzF
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANAEvGDxWAR8e
241Please respect copyright.PENANAFheSVfJRDQ
Anthony: “King…”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAA9H5A4WFun
241Please respect copyright.PENANAkXQo35e5ot
Trevor: “I was right, you would be a good warm-up. Maybe even the main attraction.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAVFXPShrCmk
241Please respect copyright.PENANAblPwjcLSSp
Anthony: “How can you…be calm right now?”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAd1xTlVhkH7
241Please respect copyright.PENANAZUoBjf87Zy
Trevor: “I’m not calm…I’m excited. Who would have thought magic existed, this is the fight I was looking for!”
241Please respect copyright.PENANAAatAiuQhlY
241Please respect copyright.PENANAKElW2lWDE9
Anthony: “…Begone.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA7E11Z3F5Hi
241Please respect copyright.PENANA6C9nbfT4Oq
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.
241Please respect copyright.PENANABR8zqUGIre
241Please respect copyright.PENANAAFdBtBuIzZ
When the smoke and lightning clear, Trevor appears unscathed.
241Please respect copyright.PENANARuxFJNGsXE
241Please respect copyright.PENANAU3hp1w3n0T
Trevor: “I hope that’s not all you got.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA3yTWniJrC3
241Please respect copyright.PENANAKoWAo2GONT
Anthony: “!!”
241Please respect copyright.PENANA1KdzlAcmDH
241Please respect copyright.PENANAN2zgmAyz9G
Anthony: “…I see. Well, that’s not fair. But, she doesn’t mind the challenge.”
241Please respect copyright.PENANANXuaQ0Sk8G
241Please respect copyright.PENANAnswmLbC6en
She?
241Please respect copyright.PENANA10cU59rySs
241Please respect copyright.PENANA1sG0hZWX3Y
Trevor: “Still got more? Then bring it on!”
ns 15.158.61.7da2