The Massacre

"If they saw her — they will attack her in an instant and kill anyone who comes between them and her. But if they don't see her, there is a chance we could win the day."

"Wait, what?" Oziyat knitted his eyebrows in confusion. "What are you trying to say, Gweneth?"

"I suggest a disguise," said Gweneth looking straight at Chris. "Remember the day we met? You could do that again, right? That way you would be safe and we could focus on attacking them rather than protecting you."

Everyone just stared at Gweneth for a full minute, the surprise was apparent on everyone's face. Finally, Oziyat smiled.

"That's a good idea."

"It is," Luna smiled as well. "And not just Chris, I think we all should change our appearance. We got lucky that the people outside the temple didn't know us, but who knows who will we find next?"

Chris, Colin, and Ginny nodded in unison.

"Then do it quickly and fast," Gweneth ordered peering through the trees. "Anyone could see us, any minute."

Immediately, Chris and Luna pulled several things out of their bags. They mixed and matched some potions and spells, and within two minutes all of them changed. Colin's light brown hair turned pitch black, his brown eyes turned black as well. Luna's dirty blond hair turned copper-red and her eyes changed to green from blue. Ginny's fiery red hair turned dark brown and her eyes turned purple. Chris's shoulder-length hair turned to golden blonde from brown and her eyes turned silver from blue. 

After the alteration, Chris pulled out some scarfs which they could tie around their faces to avoid further recognition. 

"Let's go," Chris said as soon as they finished.

"Try to go to the Eastern Gate if you can," Oziyat advised. He and Gweneth were first to gallop out of the forest, followed by Chris, Ginny, Luna, and Colin.

Instantly, they were swept into the war happening between some great wizards and skilled Vampire Guardians. Here and there Chris saw a few vampires from the colony fight alongside the Guardians. All around magic clashed with weapons and the vampires, who didn't have weapons, bared their fangs and defended themselves. Bodies of wizards littered all over the ground. The air smelled of blood and death. 

Chris felt nauseous but she took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in her throat, pushing away the awful feeling. She looked over her friends to see if they were okay and to her surprise, Ginny, Luna, and Colin didn't look shocked. They looked almost calm and a little bit disgusted. And without waiting, they jumped in after Oziyat, who had already killed a wizard, and was battling four so fast that he just looked like a blurred outline.

Chris straightened her wand arm and lunged into the massacre. She caught one wizard by surprise and knocked him out, another one retailed but Chris needed barely a minute to subdue him as well. The third one was cautious and startled by the fact that a witch was attacking him. But he didn't take time to counter-attack. Soon, the wizard started throwing killing curses at Chris, she dodged every time and finally knocked him out as well.

Before Chris could move on to the next wizard, someone suddenly grabbed her arm violently. She jerked back and faced an angry-looking dark-haired vampire. He was about to attack her again when Chris recognized him. 

"Aiden! Why are you attacking me?" Chris shouted and the vampire, Aiden froze. Chris had met him while visiting the vampire colony. He talked a lot and was a very big fan of Oziyat and her, that's why Chris remembered him. 

Hearing Chris's voice Aiden squinted at her face before asking doubtfully,

"Wait, your voice — are you –?"

"Aiden, it's me," Chris lowered her voice. "Christina."

Aiden grimaced for a moment and suddenly grabbed Chris by hand and pulled her behind him.

"What the—" Before Chris could finish a killing curse flew over her head. 

Aiden saved her and the next moment, he clutched the attacker by the shoulder and dug his fangs on the wizard's throat. Chris stared at the wizard's eyes as they slowly closed and his soul and color left his body. Aiden without care threw the wizard's body on the ground and turned to Chris.

"Lady Christina, why did you change your appearance? You are barely recognizable. You are lucky my sensitive senses could recognize you. But I almost killed you!"

"They know my actual face, Aiden. If they see me, you guys could be in a big problem," Chris explained dodging another wizard's attacks. "Geez! How many has he sent?"

"A bigger problem than we are right now?" Aiden asked surprised as he ducked as well. "Wait, they are here for you?"

"Yes," Chris blasted away the wizard. "I mean, yes, they are for me but I don't know why are they attacking your people without even looking for me."

"I don't know what's going on but you need to go inside the castle," Aiden said punching a wizard on the dead. The wizard fell unconscious or dead, Chris didn't stop to look.

"Why?"

"Because they are attacking everyone. They attacked the entire colony. There are very few of us locals here because the rest ran to the northern mountains to save their families and the people who didn't want to fight. I don't think they are here for you, Lady Christina. I mean, just look how many are they."

Hearing Aiden, Chris frowned and blasted some icicles from her wand piercing a wizard in the thighs and chest. Aiden looked impressed by this.

"I knew you are a great fighter Lady Christina. But you need to go inside immediately. You don't look like yourself. There is a chance some vampire might not recognize you like me and attack you."

"You are right. Why didn't I think of that," knitting her eyebrows Chris looked for Gweneth in the mess. But Gweneth was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, Chris's eyes landed on three wizards, who were sneaking through the gate of the castle. "Aiden! Three wizards just snuck inside the gates. We need to stop them."

"How dare they!" Aiden roared before charging towards the door. Chris followed his lead and a thought struck her. She sent a message through her talisman. "Ginny! Luna! Colin! Listen to me! I think something is wrong. I'm going into the castle. Get inside as soon as you can."

"Okay!" replied Colin.

Chris and Aiden raced inside the castle gates and went inside the castle. A tall familiar Guardian who was near the gate rushed towards them.

"Three wizards sneaked past the gate," Chris informed him without stopping.

"Great First Goddess have mercy!" The guard exclaimed before following them.

Chris, Aiden, and the tall guard raced through the hallways peering at every corner and room to find the intruders.

"Where did they take off so fast?" Aiden asked. "What do you think Guardian Javier?"

"I don't know but we have to check the Queen's chamber. She could be their target," Javier, the Guardian replied looking tense. "Almost all of the other Royal members fled to safety soon after the attack."

But when they reached the hallway of the Queen's chamber, everything looked normal. The four guardians guarding the door looked alert as always. Javier approached them and after a moment it was confirmed that the intruders didn't attack the Queen. Then who?

"Who else is in the castle?" Chris asked.

"Only Princess Rosaline and Prince Kale," Javier answered. "We should check if they are okay too."

"Yes," Chris nodded and they started to run back to the other's chamber. As she expected Rosaline and Prince Kian, both of their rooms were empty. So they went back to searching every room in the castle.

It was taking a lot of time and with every passing minute, the uneasy feeling in Chris's gut was increasing. 

Where did the intruders go?

⟦To be continued⟧