ѕуԃηєу ηαтιση: вσσк тняєє

Chapter Ten

"OPEN FIRE!" Melissa shouted just as her soldiers ran down from their ships and raised their crossbows cocked with razor sharp arrows. They all formed a line at the beach, readied their crossbows, and they all pulled back the trigger, releasing every arrow in their arsenal. Glory's head snapped to the side and her eyes narrowed vigorously. As she caught sight of the arrows, Ember saw the flaming library in her eyes' reflection, and it broke him inside. He shook his head, and walked back a few steps. He no longer had any side in this, in any of this suffering. He couldn't take it. He had to leave, to escape and never come back.

He gasped and swallowed back the tears that fell down his cheeks, and mucus started coming out of his nose in terror. He looked at the sight before him, and now understood. This was war. This was suffering. And it is exactly what Glory Warlock has grown up knowing more than anyone. She conquered over war and pounded her way through bloodshed. And it's what she was living through right now in her fever dream. Ember shivered--though it was very warm out--and he wrapped his arms around himself as he backed away. He thought he was going to throw up, but fought his meal back down to his stomach.

As the arrows flew her way, Glory clenched her teeth, and jumped up in the air the second before they struck through her flesh. She did a mid-air roll and landed softly on the ground, avoiding nearly every arrow. One managed to catch her in her thigh. She cried out in agony, and plucked the tip of the arrow from her body, wincing in pain. She stood up straight and threw the arrow so hard that the tip sunk right into the soil beside her feet. She sneered at the soldiers as they started reloading their crossbows, and her open palm suddenly started glowing white again. Her eyes narrowed and with a flick of her hand, a jet of an energy wave shot out and wiped out every soldier like a sonic explosion.

Her eyes showed no emotion at all as she scowled and looked back at Melissa, who still stood beside her. She turned her body around and began walking toward the queen with her whole body radiating white glowing energy. Her eyes narrowed so much then that Ember could've sworn she was squinting to see. He stayed back despite his current nonexistence right now, and continued watching his best friend and mother-figure fight brutally. Glory's energy slashed like a whip and struck Melissa's body relentlessly, to no end. Melissa dodged and blocked most of Glory's whips by holding up her golden shield to block her face. Glory cried out in frustration and continued to hit Melissa up until she got so close that she was only a foot away from the queen, and Melissa grabbed Glory by her shirt collar.

With a grunt of effort, Melissa threw up her shield and connected the gold metal with Glory's head. Glory's head lolled downward and her arms and hands fell to her sides, which were previously gripping Melissa's arm that held her shirt collar. She gave up and let the darkness consume her while Melissa lifted Glory up off her feet and carried her up in the air with one arm, moving towards the water near the beach. Ember broke out of his shock and followed Melissa to the beach, watching what she was going to do to Glory. He stood just a few yards away from her and kept from crying. Before Melissa did anything with Glory yet, she closed her eyes and muttered her apology.

"I'm sorry, Ember." Melissa said, making the young boy behind her widen his eyes. "But this girl does not belong in this story."

The next thing Ember did was cry out in shock when Melissa raised her arm and let go of Glory's shirt collar, throwing her so hard that she crashed down into the deep end of the ocean. Ember instantly forgot everything and ran forward into the water. He knew Melissa couldn't see him, and he didn't care. He dove underwater and continued to swim deeper in the water, trying to find Glory. He swam maybe ten yards and finally caught sight of her faded corpse sinking slowly to the sandy floor. Her body was more pale than he'd ever seen her, and he swam closer to her so he could try and help her.