Chapter 17

(Charlotte's Section)

I feel drained, every single time I use magic I feel worse, I have headaches and I can only sleep for 2 hours at a time. Orpheus says it's normal, I'm a new magic user and my body isn't used to the strain. I trust Orpheus, she was created to help me...wasn't she? Vee tells me to trust the heroes, she always knows what's best for me. Nosebleeds and delirium are normal... Seeing my reflection laugh at me is normal. I will control this power, I will be better than my brother.

I have to.

Orpheus clapped her hands as I snuffed out the fire, lighting candles, and then extinguishing them had been her newest task, and I'd aced it. I did a fake bow and smiled "Do you think I'm almost ready?" I asked hesitantly, Orpheus bit her lip and crossed her arms "Not...yet." She said it tersely, almost bitterly. I tilted my head and waited for her response, but at the same time, my nose started bleeding.

"Shit," I said, then I blinked, I usually didn't cuss... but it seemed so natural now. I brushed it off and staunched the blood flow with a napkin, Orpheus had an odd smile on her face. I brushed that off as well, it was concerning how I could overlook so much just to learn magic. Orpheus had her arms behind her back, she smiled creepily "Later today I'm gonna teach you something new in the woods" Orpheus said sweetly, I nodded.

I climbed the stairs to my room, I'd been staying on my grandfather's property ever since I met the Heroes, or the 'The Forsaken' as they called themselves, Only Orpheus and Theseus talk to me, the other four just bow whenever they see me or refuse to speak to me at all.

My head throbbed as I collapsed on my bed, I don't dream anymore, I don't sleep either. I looked at my phone, I hadn't even looked at it in 2 days, I opened the screen and saw 3 missed calls from Akira. My heart ached and I was about to click on them and call back, but my finger stopped right before it hit the screen. I felt hurt every time I thought about her, calling would be infinitely worse.

The decision was made for me when I accidentally melted it, I sighed and set the smoldering phone back on my bedside table, Magic was terrifying. I closed my eyes slowly and sighed, only to have my moment of peace interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in," I whispered, wincing at the loud creaking noise the door made.

Vee opened the door with a box in her hands, her face was set in a smile, dark hickeys shined from her neck and I felt a moment of jealousy. "I heard you did well, so I brought you this" Vee Gestured to the shiny wood box, I sighed heavily "A cigar box?" I asked, Vee, smiled and chuckled, "No, open it." Vee said, handing me a silver key, I flinched as it touched my skin "It's steel, don't worry"

I put the key in the small keyhole and turned it, the box clicked and the top opened to reveal a velvet-lined pillow of sorts, in the center, was a strange object. It was a steel glove of sorts, with claw tips that were supposed to be placed on fingers, with steel chains going down from the fingers to form a bracelet around the wrist, there were two of them, obviously made for both hands.

I looked at Vee hesitantly, She picked one of them up "Your Grandfather created these to help werewolves, the claws can be used as weapons, the tips are pure silver and sharp enough to take off an arm" Vee said, fitting the claws on my hands, I closed my eyes and prepared to feel the sting of silver instead I felt soft velvet touch my fingers and cold steel, I opened my eyes and gasped.

The claws were fitted perfectly to my hands, they were oddly beautiful as well. Vee got up and left, closing the door softly, I laid down on my bed again, carefully taking off the claws and pulling up my blankets. My head throbbed the second I took them off, I winced and closed my eyes. Slipping into a peaceful sleep.

A sharp knock pulled me from my sleep, Orpheus opened the door and threw a black cloak at me. I Quickly pulled on the cloak and followed her, we left the house silently, I rubbed my hands together and was surprised to feel the claws, didn't I take those off? The cold air was even chillier the farther we trekked into the woods.

"Where are we going Orpheus-" I was cut off by noticing she was gone, the cold air stung my face and growling could be heard all around, I started running, hoping whatever it was wouldn't catch me, I was so busy looking behind that I ran right into a tree, I sat against the trunk and felt tears leave my eyes as the growling got closer, hundreds of red eyes were all around me, creatures of all sorts were around me, glowing red eyes all fixed on me.

I barely had time to react as one of them leaped forward and clamped onto my arm, I tried to shake it off as hot blood ran down my arm. I summoned some fire and burned its face, it jumped back with a whimper. I felt my arm start burning, The creature gave me what appeared to be a smile as I felt Its venom take effect, I tried to summon more magic but I couldn't.

The first creature, the one covered in my blood, ran at me. I had only a second to react, I flexed my hand and felt the claws, The creature leaped and I slashed. A resounding whimper came from the creature as the silver took effect, blood gushed from its shoulder and I got into a fighting stance.

Another creature leaped from behind and clamped onto my shoulder, I grabbed it and threw it off as more ran towards me. I slashed as much as I could but it had no effect, the wounds would just heal, in a moment of twisted genius, I had an idea. One of the creatures leaped at me and I ripped out its heart, it died on the spot. The other creatures faltered for a moment but they launched at me nevertheless.

I kept ripping out hearts, the blood coated my hands and chest as I continued my massacre, I felt alive in a way, I didn't feel sadness, just joy at winning. The creatures kept coming, but in smaller groups, occasionally one would get a grip or a bite in but all I could feel was the heat from the blood.

I dropped to my knees with gasping breaths, my pain set in and I winced. The creatures circled me, stepping lightly over the fallen corpses of their brethren, getting close and preparing to make the kill shot, I felt a smile touch my face, my hands didn't feel like my own as the fire crept up to them.

My magic returned and fire wrapped itself around me, I took a deep breath... Then I blew all those creatures to hell. I closed my eyes as the exhaustion and blood loss hit me, I fell flat on my face and wondered who would find me. Orpheus? Vee? maybe even Akira...

I opened my eyes to the smoldering clearing and saw Orpheus on the ground bowing before me, tears streaming down her face. "You truly are the Mistress of Darkness!" Orpheus said, I didn't understand what she meant until the moonlight shone on the clearing and I saw that the 'Creatures' I had killed...were people. The other members of The Forsaken were there as well, all of them were bowing. I felt sickened, but at the same time, that dark thing in my mind chuckled.

'Finally'

I killed hundreds of people...I'm a monster...

'Not yet...but you will be'