Chapter 24

"Are you ready to accept me??? Are you ready to let me in?," It demanded. I closed my eyes, feeling a sharp pain in my chest.

"Yes," Were all the words I had to say. In a flash of an eye, mindsearing pain went through my body, forcing me down to my knees. I breathed heavily, my voice becoming distorted as power flooded my veins.

"WHAT ARE YOU!," Flare screamed. I panted, a violet aura spilling out of my skin. I opened my eyes, suddenly able to see a hundred times better. I'm in control. I looked at my hands, the Mark's on my body glowing.

"What the hell!," Flare cried. I looked up, cocking my head, an icy chill going down my spine.

"Ready to get serious?," I demanded, my voice distorting.. Its not even my voice anymore.

He raised his hands, their palms glowing.

"I will END YOU!,"He roared. I rushed forward, lunging at him an icicle shooting from my palm through his shoulder. He yelled and grabbed my wrist, instantly burning it and throwing me off to the right.

I rolled to my feet, panting heavily. I snapped my fingers, a wave of icicles shooting at him from my body. He tossed his hand through the air, melting them all instantly. He laughed, his silver eye glowing brighter as he slammed his palm into the ground, instantly turning the floor around us into lava.

I yelped, freezing it over and sprinting closer to him. I kicked him across the face, turning on my heel and grabbing his wrist, spinning him around and throwing him to the ground, entirely freezing his arm over. Lioe I've seen him do before, his entire body turned to liquid lava, forcing me to lunge backwards. My eyes widened, I feel a rush if confidence.

That's his weakness.

I go to freeze him, but he stops me, snapping both my arms and shoving me backwards. I stumbled, falling and landing hard on my butt. I steadily rise, pain shooting through my entire body. I cant heal myself and fight this dude at once. I glowered at him, a rush of anger. Even if my bodies broken... Even if I die... I WILL NOT LOSE TO HIM AGAIN!

I raise both my shattered arms, ignoring the pain. I concentrate all my energy into them.

"Now... FREEZE!," I screamed, watching as ice erupted from my body, ripping through everything and anything in its path. I watch as it pierced Flare through the gut, passing right through him and continuing towards the rest of his arm. I watch as instantly, they're all shredded apart, or frozen. I panted, feeling my body burn even more. My arms feel even worse.

"Whyd you do that.. WHYD YOU LET YOUR OWN FRIENDS DIE!," I demanded angrily, a bead of sweat dripping off my chin. He stalks closer to me, his eyes getting brighter as the night gets darker.

"What can I say.. A true king uses his pawns to protect himself. He can use as many as he wants, as long as he doesnt get himself knocked out, or caught in checkmate," He cheered. I stomp my foot, another wave of ice shooting at him. I watch in horror as it goes right through him once again, his smirk growing wider as he gets closer.

" Let's end this.. Shall we?,"

Sarah

It's been two hours since the blondie left. The whole world around me is tripled, and An odd feeling of familiarity dazed me. This is what power feels like.. But this power comes with a cost. My cookie snacks are a reminder of that.

I looked up, seeing Charles passed out.

"Charles... Charles wake up," I begged. He looked up, giving me a confused glance.

"Turn into an owl.. Quick," I whispered. He looked around and nodded, instantly turning into an owl. He flew out of his chains and over to me, returning to normal. I dont know what he did nex,t but before I knew it, he was carrying me.

"Michelle... Help her... Hand me my snacks," I added. He nodded, setting me on the ground and rushing over to the desk, tossing me my bag of tint cookies. I ate one, and almost instantly, I felt better, the excess power I'd been forced to exert returning to me. I ate a few more before rising steadily to my feet.

"I may not have the coolest power... But I am strong enough with other things. I already caught her whiff.," I murmured. I lifted Michelle up over my shoulder, turning to Charles.

"Defend our exit. Protect us,"

Lio

I swung my shattered fist, instantly connecting with his arm. I howled in pain as he grabbed my shoulder and flung me off to the right. I rolled, struggling to stand up. I looked up at Flare, seeing him storm over to me with complete arrogance. I may not have arms... But I have feet.

I rolled backwards, a shockwave of ice tearing from my heels and slamming into him, sending him flying. My feet buzzed as I got onto my knees and stood up, glaring at The disheveled form of Flare on the ground. I glanced down at my fingers, noticing the one part of my hand untouched. My thumb. I smirked, raising it to my cheek. This will hurt like hell.

Screw it.

He rose to his feet, his dark eyes wide with rage.

"You little brat!," He cried, sprinting towards me. I bite my cheek, sticking my thumb inside my mouth and pressing it to the soft skin on my face. I raised me brows and screamed, another wave of ice shooting from my thumb, almost needle thin. I watched it pierce his shoulder, for real this time. Blood sprayed from the wound. He panted, glaring st me.

"Stop it!," He roared, going to run again. That's when I got the worst, best idea ever. I sliced my wrists, letting blood spool out of them. He froze in confusion. I chuckled, tossing the splatters into the air. I froze them, watching the hang still in midair. As if time stopped, flare stumbled, almost too slowly. Each bullet of my blood flew forward, stabbing him anywhere and everywhere it could. Arms, legs shoulder, hands, you name it. But it still wadmt enough.

Right when I thought everything was going well for us, a loud scream sounded through the forest. A extremely beaten up Magnus was tossed out to my side. I turned, seeing the blood... All the blood... No...

"I'm going to kill you.... I WILL FREEZE YOU AND RIP YOU TO PIECES!," I cried, letting my broken arms fall to my sides, limping towards Flare. Tears burned in my eyes, the body lying several feet away from me slowly melting. He laughed, his eyes glowing red. Despite the blood spilling from his body, his confidence was still strong as ever.

"Is that so! You're a damn weakling! You cant beat me!," He howled arrogantly. I threw a punch, which he caught easily. He spun my weak body in a circle, before launching me across the street. My body slammed into a building with a loud crack. I fell, feeling my broken body bleeding.

I felt my tears fall. Magnus... I turned over, looking at the sky, my whole body aching. I struggled to turn. To see Magnus.

"Is this.. How it ends?," I asked. I reached up towards the sky, seeing Magnus's glowing smile above me. Almost in my reach. Hes off to my right.. I know he is. But hes always too far away.

"Oh poor Lio... You thought you were so special.. Didnt you? It's a shame you were just a huge pushover!," Flare cackled, stomping down on my throat. My body arched, I struggled to move my shattered arms, to move his foot off of me. I shake, struggling to free myself. Anything..

I close my eyes, falling still. Maybe this is what I deserve... Yeah I deserve this... Death is the only way out for me.

"I'm glad you made it this long Lionel... It was an honor to kill you," Flare declared. I opened my eyes, seeing as he leans down with a knife, pressing it to my throat. A single tear slipped down my cheek, as the world went dark.

Am I going to die here? Magnus...

No.. I wont die... I will live for Magnus!

I gasped, opening my eyes. My body instantly froze over, all my wounds completely closing up. I shatter through it, grabbing Flare by the throat.

"How... Where did this strength come from!," He demanded. I panted, my body exhausted... I closed my eyes. I dont have any renewed strength... Its a fluke... I need to escape... With Magnus. I looked up, feeling a little bit of blood drip from the corner of my mouth. I flashed a smirk.

"Freeze!," I roared. Time froze around me, like it usually does.. I'm not gonna win against Flare... Hes too strong.. I turned, sprinting over to Magnus and picking him up. I looked around me and ran as fast as I could away from the horrors that became of the Branwell house.

Sarah

Before we could even exit the room, we heard the screams. We walked out in silence, still hearing the screaming of people getting louder and louder.

We took a turn down the hall, seeing a figure at the other end, holding up a girl. Without hesitation, the person slashed the girls throat, dropping her body. The figure turned to us, storming over.

"Wherebis Michelle Hall!," they demanded, pointing their dagger at us. I raised my arms.

"Right here.. Were her friends. Why?," I demanded. The figure got closer, before nodding, taking off the hood. Under it, a beautiful blonde with long golden like hair and blue eyes stared at us, a grim look on her face.

"So I can trust you then... I'll help you guys out for now... But later, you're on your own," She warned. Charles and I nodded, before following her into the unknown.

Lio

I stopped, dropping Magnus and falling to the ground, curling up into a fetal position. Time unfroze. I coughed, blood spraying the dirt around my head.

"Magnus..," I whispered. I crawled over to him, shaking him. He opened his dark blue eyes, looking st me with confusion.

"Where-," He started. I stopped him, coughing a little harder. The pains unbearable.

"I got us to safety... Your mom... Shes still fighting.. But I couldnt beat Flare... And Clare got you... I needed to get you safe," I murmured. I clutched his cheek, a tear slipping down my face.

"I love you," I managed to get out. Before it all went dark. The world around me seemed to get warmer... But it felt oddly... peaceful.

1 month later-Magnus

I sat by Lios beside, rubbing his feverish forehead as he slept. 1 month has passed since the attack on my home. Yet he still hadn't woken up.

Furthermore, My mother made it out safe, but she lost at least ten police officers to death, and over twenty had been severely injured or mutilated. Michelle Hall, Sarah Jenkins, and Charles Bane, all still missing.

The SilverClaw gang hideout was reported, and more than three fourths of the gang was arrested. Only about ten remain. Of them, includes Diego Brown, Claire and Flare, and seven of their goonies.

Lyra was dead for good this time. The strange hooded figure made sure of that for us. Yet I have no idea why they would care.

I have taken care of Lio every day since he went comatose. Doctors believe he overused his powers, breaking a limit the body created to allow our powers to even function.

Furthermore, he suffered sever permanent damage to his arms. Anymore injuries related to what he sustained in the fight, he will never be able to move his hands again. He suffered sever head trauma, possibly from too much hits to the head. The Mark's on his chest have become permanent, and his violet eye, well eyes now, seem to glow even under their eyelids.

And By eyes, plural, I mean both eyes. Some how in that fight, he passed a maximum limit to his power. Therefore, permanently locking him into a similar mode he had been struggling with before. Only I know what that will truly behold.

I stand, tossing the rag into the bucket. Flare... He hurt Lio... I havent heard my boyfriends voice in over a month because if him. He hit my mother.. Destroyed our home.... I swear... I will destroy him and everything he stands for.

I glance out the window, noting the dark night hours. I pull in a hood, grabbing a knife from my dresser.

When I find you... There will be no mercy.