STRANGULATE | Markicest

60 | SACRIFICES

The hallways, the decoration, the golden spirals, archs, and staircases sped into a blur.

Feet pounded the glossy floors. Thundered in the halls.

Breaths fast. Clothes and hair whipped to and fro.

The first wave split in three, scouring the mansion. Dorms, rooms, halls. Everywhere.

Footsteps echoed ahead of Cibil's group. Opposing forces.

Cibil stumbled to a stop. A jet of light flew past her face.

Chaos broke out.

Enemies flooded the halls, seething and glaring. Some of them recognized the people in the Resistance. It only fueled their fury.

Evolveds lunged at each other like animals. Powers shot to and fro. Glass, fire, thorns.

Cibil pressed herself against the wall and closed her eyes tight. Her brows furrowed.

Wind picked up from thin air and swirled around her. Her hair whipped across her face.

"Get back!" she shouted.

The Resistance peeled away. Cibil opened her eyes, and the wind burst from her. The enemies blasted into the walls and hit the ground with thuds.

Cibil pointed at a Necromancer—an Evolved with white hair and dark eyes.

"Eris. Put them under," she said. "Just because they're with Antinstine doesn't mean we can kill them."

Eris nodded. Ze kneeled beside each body, palm pressing into them. Any fight in the enemies' faces relaxed, their bodies falling unconscious until Eris broke the spell.

Eris stood and nodded once ze were done.

Shouts and thuds echoed upstairs.

More footsteps thundered towards them.

Cibil gazed at the Resistance, and they nodded at her.

They rushed towards the chaos.

———

"KILL ANYONE WHO STANDS IN YOUR WAY," Antinstine roared.

He waved another group of Evolveds off, breathing hard. They fled down the steps.

Antinstine paced the halls, the sparks buzzing under his skin. His head twitched—then his hands—he cursed—and when his leg jerked, and he collided into the wall, he broke out into laughter, running a hand over his face.

"Look at me," he breathed, twitching. "Getting worked up over flies."

Electricity buzzed under him—balled up in his chest. The energy coiled so tight that it burned, and Antinstine seethed, clutching at his chest. He had to get the energy out—had to use it. Couldn't keep it in.

He huffed, eyes glowing.

"Oh, Dark..." he breathed. He stumbled to his feet, hands twitching—and staggered down a flight of stairs. "When I find you..." He took a ragged breath. "I'm going to kill you with my bare hands."

———

The first wave regrouped at the main entrance.

"Well?" Cibil panted. "Did any of you make contact?"

Emery shook his head, sweating. "Just his Evolveds," he said. "It's like he just disappeared."

Xilef stepped forward, eyes narrowed. "Or he's hiding," he said. He took a deep breath and huffed. "He must be conserving his energy. He knows he can't use too much."