MEDUSA 𓆙 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 [English Edition]

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟔 • Revenge and violence

SKY RETURNED TO CONSCIOUSNESS when he felt his ribs being kicked by the toes of heavy boots. He groaned in pain, both from the kick and the headache that seemed to be massacring him.

"You look like trash" was the first thing he heard when he woke up.

"And you, even more so," he retorted, accepting the outstretched hand to get up.

"That makes sense," Riven concurred."The super spy Terra made Dane pee all over himself."He said that Bloom came here to do something with a magic key, and no one could find him, so..."

Only then did Sky realize that Riven was wearing her full armor and holding a bag of equipment. Instantly, Sky tensed.

"Where is that traitor?"

"Dane? Oh well, get ready," ordered Riven.

"Please say that Beatrix and Viperine are still—"

"Yeah, they're both still locked up," he said shortly. "We have bigger problems."

Riven tossed the bag to Sky, using a little extra force that wasn't necessary. Sky unzipped it to reveal his own armor and sword.

"What the hell is going on?" He asked.

"Silva wants us in the Barrier," he replied.

Sky's hand closed on the hilt of his sword. He knew what that meant: burners were in the area and ready to attack. Sky's and the experts' duty was clear.

As they headed for the barrier, Riven explained that the burns were coming in hard, showing the video circulating among the experts — a team being decimated by the creatures.

"When we find Silva, can we not mention this?"

Riven sighed, knowing how perfectly that phrase suited him. "But two is already a pattern. You don't want me to mention that you were drugged by a hellish redhead maniac in order to free murderers from prison?"

"In plural?" Sky asked. "Will Bloom release Viperine too? Nobody knows where she is."

"Honestly, I don't think you're perverted. Oh, what a day! I hope Terra destroys Dane's phone."

Sky frowned.

"Why did Terra steal Dane's phone?"

"Too much crime to explain all at once," Riven said. "We have to run soon so we don't get killed."

◈

BEATRIX WAS STANDING when he heard the shed doors open.

"And here I was, doubting you," she said as she placed the rune disc over her bracelet.

The disk worked fast and caused Beatrix's magic to return instantly. Her eyes gleamed gray as she put a finger on the door. Immediately, a small spark went through the metal and opened the cell door.

"No one knows where Viperine is," said Bloom, as she followed the fairy towards Dowling's office.

"Somewhere in the East Wing," she shrugged. "Believe me when I say there's nothing stopping you from leaving but sheer laziness."

"Does that mean she's a Medusa?" she asked.

Beatrix sighed, not very interested.

"Maybe it's the last one there is."

Once they got there, Beatrix showed them how to deflect the stone bookcase to reveal a hidden door. She stopped in front of her, studying her.

"As soon as Dane arrives, we can launch him inside."

"Sounds kind of hard, using it to set the trap," said Bloom.

"Either he's in the game or he's not," he said. "We'll do it anyway."

Bloom nodded.

"Is that you?" she asked suddenly. "Is he in the game?"

Beatrix tilted her head in a confused gesture, studying the fire fairy... But she didn't have time to react when Stella appeared right beside her and shoved her hard through the door.

As Beatrix fell to the ground, her eyes clouded with magic and she froze, nothing moving—just like when she attacked Callum. Was this some kind of revenge?

"That was very satisfying—far better than knocking over vases of flowers," Stella muttered, clapping her hands together;

It was then that Terra and Musa walked through the door of Dowling's office, less excited than Stella, but looking determined. However, the loyal Terra looked at Beatrix with resentment.

"By the way, Dane wouldn't be in the game."

"See?" Stella asked, convinced. "Freeing the villain to get what Bloom wanted and then imprisoning her again. Simple. My ideas are perfect, you see?"

Musa looked Beatrix up and down.

"In case anyone's wondering, she's not happy."

But Bloom wasn't listening. On the contrary. She was staring at the secret door and thinking about the answers that lay beyond it. But what about Viperine? Could she really escape on her own?

Alfea was once a military area, and even though it is now a school, it still held its ancient artifacts. Their cells were strong and impossible to break. Yes, Bloom was sure that Viperine would not be able to escape.

◈

VIPERINE'S MIND kept reminding her that she was betrayed last summer by the one who had once sworn to take care of her.

Ah, she cursed herself for trusting Sky.

And in that cell, she was going crazy. She wanted revenge... Wow! She had so many people she wanted revenge on—her mother, Sky, Terra. She needed to get out of that place.

Something inside her told her she had trouble in the air. She had discord and chaos, her favorite emotions.

Anakin was wrapped around her leg, squeezing it tightly as he stared at the bars, as if telling her to get out of there and attack. A voice said the same thing in her head, to get out of there soon and go after revenge and violence against those who betrayed her.

Viperine took a deep breath.

One.

Two.

Three times.

And she broke the lock.

━━━━━━
9.25.22

𓆙 𓆙 𓆙

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