Terror

Chapter Twenty-Three

Ashley tilted her head with a feral grin, eyes glittering with malice. "You two really thought you could save them?" she sneered. "Idiots."

Cassandra stood frozen, her eyes wide in disbelief as tears streamed down her cheeks. The mutant child—always unpredictable, always powerful—was proving far more to be far more than a challenge.

Those one girl with super speed and the one with ice abilities were now dead, which was great. One of the girls had blood soaking her shirt, while the other had blood dripping down her back.

"Wow, look at me," Divina mocked. "I'm so powerful that a couple humans and now I'm the big bad god."

How dare Divina mimic her actions for what she achieved? It gets her that much closer to killing the rest of these tiny humans, walking out into the world to create her own place.

Suddenly, something invisible snaked around Ashley's ankle, yanking her off balance. She crashed onto the asphalt, flipping onto her back with a painful thud.

Cassandra stood ten feet away, trembling but focused, her hand raised as if holding the air itself in a grip. The invisible force tightened, sending heat crawling through Ashley's limbs, burning from the inside out.

"You took innocent lives," Cassandra rasped. "I don't have much energy, but I'm taking them."

As Cassandra released her grip, Ashley dropped hard on her head. Dazed, she staggered back, eyes fluttering shut.

Panic surged as Ashley raised her hands to use the burning light. Nothing. She tried again. Still nothing. She widened her eyes with confusion and growing terror.

"She took away the high ranks. Oh no," Divina said with mock horror. "Should we all cry now?"

Ashley's blood boiled, teeth clenched teeth as fury and disbelief clawed her mind. How could that mutant child—weak, worn down, barely stranding—steal her powers away like this?

She scrambled to remember what powers she still possessed. But her mind was a void. Every ability, every strength, slipped away.

Cassandra's glare burned her soul, while Divina's cruel laugh echoed around her.

"What did you do to me?" Ashley snapped.

Divina fist snapped sideways, catching Ashley squarely in the jaw. She tumbled, hitting the asphalt with a sickening crack, rolling on her side.

Cassandra's voice cut through the ringing in Ashley's ears. "I erased your memory of your powers. You remember facts, names, everything else. That's the price for making me angry."

Ashley pushed herself up, legs wobbling, only for Divina's boot go slam against her shoulder, forcing her back down. Pain flared in her ribs. This wasn't how her plan was supposed to go after she killed those two humans.

"You shouldn't have killed those humans, God," Divina sneered. "I've warned you that this mutant child is stronger than us. It's not just about raw power; she knows how to use. And guess what? Once your powers vanish, mine return."

Ashley eyes snapped wide as she struggled to turn her head, but before she could, Divina's boot crushed her back down again.

"Impossible," Ashley spat through clenched teeth. "None of this should be happening."

Divina clapped her hands slowly. "Well, that just makes things easier for us. You're nothing but a pathetic joke."

Sparklers flickered through the air, bright and sharp. Ashley's hand shot up, trying to push them away, but her telekinesis refused. Her fingers trembled, grasping at the empty air.