Ashes Of The Throne | Part I

Chapter 135 | Eye Of The Storm

Madison struggled to make sense of the muffled voices surrounding her, faint whispers of her name weaving through the chaos. Amid the torment, she thought she heard Sera's frantic cries, lost in the relentless agony echoing in her mind.

"JUST LET HER GO!" Eko's voice rang out, sharp and commanding, cutting through the storm as if the sheer force of her will could tear Madison from Xero's grasp.

"She possesses the crystal! Feel it pulse!" Isis's voice dripped with malicious satisfaction. "We've finally found it."

Eko fought back her rising panic as she watched Isis and Xero's malevolent smirks fixate on Madison. Xero's grip on her cousin tightened, his dark intent unmistakable. Eko's heart raced, fear surging through her as she felt powerless against their hold.

"Matthew!" she called out, her voice raw, needing for him to act. "Please!"

Without hesitation, Matthew turned to Eko, his hands gripping her shoulders firmly, grounding her amidst the swirling chaos. His eyes locked on hers, steady and relentless, burning with determination. The intensity in his gaze reassured her; he had a plan. He still had a way forward in the middle of this storm of violence and uncertainty.

Before she could question him, Matthew moved with swift decisiveness. He pushed Eko, sending her toward Toni, who stood nearby, braced for what was coming. Eko stumbled slightly, caught off guard, but Toni's reflexes were sharp, and he caught her before she fell. His grip on her wrist was firm, an unspoken promise that she wouldn't go back into the fray.

Toni met Matthew's eyes, understanding instantly. There was a plan in motion, and now, his role was to keep Eko safe. As she struggled, trying to move back toward the chaos where her cousin was still trapped, Toni's hold tightened. "Stay with me," he urged, his voice low but steady, anchoring her even as her heart screamed to be by Madison's side.

Matthew, feeling the weight of the escalating danger, knew they were teetering on the edge of catastrophe. The tension crackled between his warriors and their enemies, as palpable as the storm itself. Taking a steadying breath, he strode forward through the rain-soaked ground, positioning himself between his friends and the looming threat, acting as a shield. His heart pounded with the urgency of averting disaster, but his hands remained raised, palms outward in a gesture of peace.

"We just want Madison. Take the crystal," Matthew declared, his voice steady as his eyes locked on Xero. "And fuck off."

The storm howled around them, and the group stood on edge, drenched from the relentless downpour, weapons at the ready. The gravity of the moment weighed on them all, knowing that one wrong move could unleash chaos far beyond what they had already endured.

Behind him, Eko struggled fiercely against Toni's firm grip, her panic rising with each second. "Let me go!" she shouted, her voice breaking with desperation. "Toni, let me go right now!" Her eyes were wild, her emotions a torrent of fear and determination as she strained to break free, her focus solely on Madison, caught in Xero's tightening grasp.

Toni, sensing her desperation, held her back with everything he had. "You need to trust him," he said, his voice strained but calm, trying to keep Eko grounded. He knew how much was at stake, and Matthew needed space to try and deescalate the volatile situation.

Eko's eyes locked onto Matthew's form as he stood at the forefront, the rain drenching him, lightning illuminating the battlefield as if it were a scene from a nightmare. But her cousin's life was on the line, and for her, standing back and waiting felt like an impossible ask.

Madison's anguished screams pulled Eko's attention from Toni, her heart shattering as another searing jolt of electricity wracked her cousin's body. The dark spots clouding Eko's vision mirrored the horror she felt, watching helplessly as Madison seemed to suffocate under the unbearable torment. Fear gripped her, twisting her insides, and her body began to numb, her instincts screaming to break free, to save her. But Toni's firm grip held her, keeping her anchored despite her rising panic.