CHAPTER 2

The presence of the unwelcomed guest, identified as Dark Tale, sent chills down everyone's spine. 

It got everyone racing out of the Hall like crazy.

"No way! " Chi-Chi exclaimed at the sight of the pale lady called Dark Tale. She grabbed Matthew by the wrist and yelled, "Let's get out of here! "

"Who's that? " Matthew asked, staring at the unwanted guest.

"Don't you know that demon? Gosh! We can talk about that later, but for now, let's go!" Chi-Chi pulled her cousin hard from the wrist, aiming for the entrance like everyone else.

Bella, Jessica and Faith are stunned by the presence of Dark Tale. She gazed at Bella, letting out a smile.

"I'm waiting for your answer, Miss Best Writer. Are you indeed the best as you said? " Dark Tale questioned, taking a few steps forward. 

"Don't come any closer! SECURITY! " One of the judges yelled out at once. 

Dark's eyes glowed on hearing the judge calling out to the security guards from backstage. She navigated her eyes towards Bella, and saw her running behind the judges for protection. 

"This is no place for you, Demon! " Another judge said, protecting Bella.

The security guards came dashing out with their guns, standing in front of the judges and the girls, protecting them.

"Any move you make Dark, we won't hesitate to send our bullets into you, " The head of the security guards voiced out.

Matthew and Chi-Chi where still behind the panicking crowds. The people's fear got the best of them. They couldn't get through the entrance due to their rush. 

"There's no way out, " Chi-Chi panicked, clinging to her cousin.

"I see no reason why everyone will be running away from a lady. She's just one." Matthew found this amusing. 

Bit his cousin's face expression didn't look like one who is ready to listen.

With a sigh, Matthew said, pulling Chi-Chi back from the crowds, "There should be a way out. It can't be only this way."

He takes his eyes gaze towards the stage, where the securities had gathered to face Dark.

"The back stage," He reasoned, taking his cousin away from the crowds.

"Matt, where are we going to? " Chi-Chi asked on seeing her cousin heading back. 

"Just trust me. We'll be out soon, " He assured her. 

 The security guards on the other hand, kept their guns pointing at Dark. 

The body guards of the girls immediately came to take the girls away. 

Dark saw this, taking her steps forward again. 

"STOP THERE! This is your last warning!" A security guard yelled at her. 

"With a wave of my hands, all that stood before me vanished in a blink of an eye, " Dark narrated, with her eyes glowing red. 

As soon as she made that statement, all the security guards vanished, including the girls' bodyguards. Leaving the girls and judges behind.

Matthew, who was trying to sneak to the back with Chi-Chi, sees this and froze at once. 

"What was that? " He gazed in horror. 

"That's a sign that we can't head backstage. She'll end us if she sees us," Chi-Chi warned, trying to push Matthew back to the rowdy crowds, but her cousin didn't want to move. 

He still wants to head backstage. 

 "I still need an answer from you, Bella." Dark walked forward. 

The judges got terrified that they had to run away from the girls.

"Don't leave us! " Bella screamed in fear, trying to follow the judges, but she feels her legs frozen to the ground. She can't run.

She looked at her friends and saw they were frozen too.

"What's happening to us? " Jessica cried, feeling her knees going down along with Faith, until they were both on their knees.

Only Bella remained on her feet. Her heart pounding as she carefully directed it back to Dark, seeing her standing before her.

Her bloody red eyes sent chills within Bella's heart, causing her to scream out, "Please don't hurt me! "

Hearing her cry, Dark said, " The best writer you say? Pathetic! Let me show you the true power of a real writer."

Her eyes glowed red as she narrated, "Bella Rust lifted her eyes to the heavens and saw a ball of fire coming at her. She can't move nor can she run."

Bella felt her head forcefully falling back, with her eyes gazing at the ceiling. She sees a ball of fire appearing above, getting bigger and bigger.

She screamed out in fear, calling out for help.

Those that heard her cry, didn't have the guts to face Dark Tale. They all want to run before she gets to them.

A smirk crept across Dark's face, as she proceeded, "This will mark the end of her... Story. "

The ball of fire came down towards Bella, sending her forehead breaking with sweats. 

She screamed out and... 

"DARK TALE!" A voice called Dark from behind, causing her to cease the fire from consuming Bella.

Turning back, Dark sees a young lady glaring at her, ready to fight.

This lady is no other person but Chi-Chi.

It turns out that Matthew had found an opening to the backstage. While making their way there, Chi-Chi saw what Dark was about to do to Bella Rust, and turned back to save her idols without Matthew knowing.

"Leave them alone! " Chi-Chi ordered boldly. 

Dark lifted her brow at Chi-Chi. She scoffed at her, saying, "A sudden plot twist in my story? I like this."

"You don't belong here, Dark Tale. It's better you heard back to the pit you came from, demon! " Chi-Chi challenged boldly.

Her boldness got some fans and writers looking at her. 

"What is she doing?"

"She's going to get herself killed!"

On hearing Chi-Chi's words, Dark's creepy smile vanished. An ugly grin appeared instead.

Chi-Chi sees this and gets scared. 

"Silly me! What was I thinking?"

Stretching her hand at Chi-Chi, Dark narrated, " A heroine from the unknown stepped out to face the queen of tales herself. But before she could even make her move, she became crippled, falling hard to the earth with a loud THUD!"

Just like that, Chi-Chi felt her legs go wobble. A sharp pain in her two legs got her screaming, falling to the ground with full force, unable to move.

"My legs!" Chi-Chi cried, struggling to move, but she couldn't.

"Battling to move, the heroine lifts her head to see the queen coming with her sword." Chi-Chi heard Dark. 

Just as Dark narrated, Chi-Chi's head came lifting under Dark's control. She sees a sword appearing in Dark's hand, as she stepped closer, lifting it above Chi-Chi.

Chi-Chi gasped at this. Dark is about to end her for good.

"As the queen, it's her duty to end the story of anyone who calls themselves a writer, for they are unworthy. Starting with the heroine that challenged her."

Her sword came down with speed.

Chi-Chi screamed out, shutting her eyes.

But something unexpected happened.

Matthew stepped in, covering his cousin from Dark's sword. But the moment he stepped in, the sword vanished, leaving Dark stunned. 

"What is this? " She uttered, stepping back from Matthew and Chi-Chi.

Her astonishment affected her control over Jessica, Faith, and Bella. The three girls felt free from Dark's control. 

Quickly, they ran off before she notice there are gone. 

Dark was too stunned to even see her preys escaping. Her eyes remained on Matthew.

"Who is this man?" She wondered, stepping back further.

"His presence suddenly interrupted my power. Who is he? "

Just then, more securities came from backstage to get Dark. That's when Dark realized that her preys were gone.

"It's not over."

With a wave of her hand, she vanished from the hall.