Half-Bloods R • 2 : Growing Shadows

C • 26 : Dance like Leaves, Sing like Wind

Elizabeth leaned over the couch, then grabbed and stuffed two handfuls of large marshmallows into her mouth. She chewed slowly while staring at Christopher who looked back at her with an amused smile and confusion in his teal eyes. Anna watched Elizabeth and stabbed a marshmallow onto a stick, holding it over Demi's face. The four were having an indoor campfire while the archdevil siblings went out to discuss their visit to the Demon Realm.

Demi was stretched out and laying, arms behind her head, beneath the coffee table with a plate of chocolate and marshmallows on her belly. Christopher sat on the couch, his legs crossed and a bag of marshmallows and two plates next to him, while Anna sat in front of the couch, near Demi's right shoulder.

Elizabeth had finally finished reorganizing her room when she decided to join the trio.

Demi spat a small plume of flame from her mouth, toasting Anna's marshmallow. Anna quickly grabbed from the plate of graham crackers, and the plate of chocolates then made a s'more for herself. Elizabeth laughed, half choking on the marshmallows, as the girl bit into the snack and suddenly began frantically fanning her mouth. Christopher and Demi then began laughing as Elizabeth swallowed.

"I hate you guys," Elizabeth chuckled.

"Yeah! Mortal enemies!" Demi shouted, throwing a chocolate square at Elizabeth, which she quickly caught in her mouth.

"Motal enmes!" Anna followed up, tossing a marshmallow as she stuffed the s'more into her mouth.

Elizabeth caught the marshmallow as well, then pointed to her open mouth while looking at Christopher.

With a chuckle, he gently placed a cracker in her mouth, "Mortal enemies."

Elizabeth snapped her mouth shut and swallowed the uncooked s'more after quickly chewing. "Boo! You should've thrown it!" She said, grabbing another handful of mallows.

Anna and Demi booed and laughed at him as they threw marshmallows. Christopher just rolled onto the ground and used a pillow as a shield. Elizabeth quickly called the five-second rule and dived over the couch to catch the marshmallows that fell to the floor, blowing them off and wiping them on her shirt before popping them into her mouth.

"Aw, gross!" Anna laughed.

"Gross to you, maybe," Elizabeth stuck her tongue far out of her mouth, placed down a marshmallow, and rolled her tongue back.

"So weird."

Elizabeth huffed and launched the marshmallow at Anna, who scrambled to the side as if an entire army were after her. Elizabeth activated her veil-marks with a devious grin and caught the marshmallow, making it float after her young friend, who scrambled over the couch, fell to the floor, and ran into the kitchen as Elizabeth's marshmallow followed her. Elizabeth, giggling to herself at first, was soon crying as she laughed on the floor.

Demi shook her head, "Ya know, I never thought she'd be a germaphobe. She sure didn't get it from you."

"She probably got it from Villin," Christopher said as Anna came quickly into the living room and carefully backed up the stairs, the marshmallow just mere inches from her face.

"Liz," Demi droned a warning.

Elizabeth flicked a finger toward herself and caught the marshmallow in her mouth when it zipped toward her. She sneered at Anna who was definitely annoyed with her. Anna sulked down the stairs, a single bead of sweat on her forehead. Christopher held out a cracker which Anna gently took and ate, nodding her thanks as she sat back down on the floor in her original spot. Elizabeth sat in front of the couch as well, she crossed her legs and leaned back with her head next to Christopher's. Occasionally, she'd poke him when he looked elsewhere, only to act innocent when he looked back at her.

Demi rolled her eyes, burned another marshmallow for Anna, then reached her hand over the coffee table and grabbed the TV remote. With a quick click, the TV was on and displaying a live news report of a massive riot comprised of magic users and non-magic users attacking a facility in Waco. The Order soldiers poured out carrying riot shields, but in the crowd, Elizabeth saw many of the soldiers carrying guns, ready to put down any magic user.

They all watched in shock as a single ball of magical light flew up into the sky and guns fired. The feed cut back to the news station, and the reporters and crew all left in equal shock. The main reporter, a young Anthraahlan woman named Mira Jest, walked off camera in an attempt to hide her tears.

Everyone was silent as the second reporter continued talking shakily, everyone except Demi. Her face didn't carry the weight of seeing people killed, she just looked tired and changed the channel. She placed her plates aside and slid out from under the table, then walked over to Anna and kneeled down.

"You okay?" She rested her palm on Anna's cheek, the young girl had tears flowing like rivers down her face.

"It was just a light spell," Anna whispered, "Just a stupid light spell."

Demi pulled her into a tight hug and said nothing.

Anna's words were lost in sobs, and Christopher and Elizabeth just looked at each other in silence.

Demi helped Anna up and wordlessly took her to her room. When they were gone, Christopher stood up and grabbed the remote. He changed the channel back, and the female reporter was back and sitting silently as the man continued reporting. They switched back to the live feed.

The two forces had collided, magic was flying through the air, guns were being fired from both sides, and a few glowing x's had been ignited. Suddenly, Elizabeth felt a pulse in her veil-marks, someone out there had unleashed their full power. She saw a pair of green x's blaze through the crowd and begin tearing Order soldiers apart. She could feel the kerronasen's determination, his fear for his family should this riot be quelled, his anger over persecution both on Anthraahla and Earth. She could hear his thoughts, pleading for the strength of the Veil, the strength of his fellow kerronasen.

Then another kerronasen unleashed their power, three pink veil-marks slicing further into the fray. This kerronasen had lost everything to the Order and simply wanted revenge, revenge for her sister, her parents, and her beautiful daughter. Elizabeth felt sorrow coursing through her ceaselessly, she felt hot with rage.

I can help them. Elizabeth realized.

She closed her eyes and placed her hands on her knees.

Christopher tapped her shoulder. "Elizabeth, what are you doing?"

"Shush, I need to concentrate."

Elizabeth went silent and focused, pushing out the feelings of her fellow kerronasen only temporarily as she searched for her thoughts and feelings. She unleashed the power within her veil-marks, the bright violet glow overtaking the room. She reached for the kerronasen outside the Facility, she reach farther and farther, digging through mist and fog until she found them and latched onto them.

She called to them, screaming their names, "Take out the gunners first!"

She opened her eyes and felt magic pour out into the room, she was floating, her hair flowing as if it were underwater. She looked at the TV, the two Kerronasen suddenly shifted their path, and with the connection between the three of them, they took out every gunman and destroyed any bullets that flew at them.

She heard them give their thanks but felt the connection begin to break.

"No! No no no!" She grasped for the connection but it was gone, her magic was too weak.

She was too weak, now she could only watch. She dropped back down to her feet and looked at Christopher who watched her with wide, starstruck eyes. At any other time, she would've enjoyed that look in his eyes and maybe would've teased him for it, but not now.

At the moment, she felt weak, she needed a kerronasen teacher.

"What was that?" Christopher asked.

She huffed, "I connected to those Kerronasen, I was trying to guide them through the battle, but I'm too damn weak."

"So what now?"

"What else? I'll try again."