Dark Reincarnation: Nightshade

Chapter 16

Alice's POV

            "Who the hell are you and what the fuck did you just do..." I asked the cloaked guy standing in front of me. I can't believe I actually let someone get the better of me. I just had to let myself get so damn caught up in my thoughts that I failed to sense this idiot getting close.

            "You need not know my name you insolent brat, just know that I am here on behalf of the church." He said as he drew closer. Stopping just outside of this weird magic circle . Chuckling he said, "You have been ignored thus far because everyone you have killed were simply insignificant pawns. But being able to come to this kingdom and killing one of our head priests has made you a thorn in our side."

       'Oh please, who the hell talks like that anymore' I thought to myself, not really paying much attention to his words. "I honestly couldn't give a fuck less about your stupid church. I had a score to settle with that pathetic piece of shit. And I settled it, simple as that." I told him with a shrug. "Now tell me what the fuck you've done and why I can't feel my magic anymore. I'll give you thirty seconds to undo it before I kill you too."

           "Don't make me laugh child, such big words coming from someone so powerless. Within that circle not only does magic not exist but no one can escape it's perimeter."

 
         "Wanna bet.." I said as I stood up. Walking over to the edge of the circle I tried walking over it only to find myself hitting an invisible wall of sorts. Feeling my anger rise I started to punch at the barrier but to my surprise nothing happened. I really was trapped. "Now I'm starting to get pissed. If you know what's good for you then Let. Me. Out."

            "No, I don't think I will." He said with an unsettling laugh. Then as he reached into his robes he pulled out a small crossbow with a bolt already loaded and ready to fire. Judging by the look of the sickly green substance on the tip of the bolt I realized it was coated in poison.

         "This bolt is coated in a particularly special concoction. Once struck with this bolt not only will you be paralyzed but the poison will slowly shut down your system. The best part, there is no antidote. Now be a good girl and die for me will you."

       'Fuck...' I thought. I didn't see a way out of this. I truly was powerless. Without being able to use my magic I couldn't exactly defend myself not heal myself if I was hit. And without being able to move from within this circle I couldn't try to escape either. For the first time in the last two years I felt utterly helpless. I haven't felt like this since the day I watched my friends die.

       As those thoughts ran through my head it caused me to go into a sort of panic attack. The sight of my friends dying replaying in my head over and over. I soon found myself dropping to my knees as tears started to fall from my eyes making everything around me kinda blurry.

      The robed guy once again laughed in an unsettling way as he realized he had won. He suddenly took aim with the crossbow and was about to pull the trigger. But just before he did the door to the room suddenly burst inward shattering into pieces with an insane force. And standing in the doorway with a rage and bloodlust everyone could feel was Lily.

      She had a strange glow surrounding her entire body and her eyes were barely slits that shone a deep purple. She looked pissed. Before the robed guy could even register what happened in the blink of an eye he was suddenly suspended in the air with Lily's hand around his throat.

           "HOW DARE YOU TRY TO TOUCH HER YOU INSIGNIFICANT WHELP." Lily screamed in his face. Her intense bloodlust growing even thicker. "HOW DARE YOU THINK YOU CAN TAKE WHAT IS MINE."

    You could hear the guy struggling to get a word out as he clawed at her hand trying to pry it off of his neck. But all he succeeded to do was piss her off even more. With a strength befitting a Fenrir, Lily tossed him into the invisible wall in front of me with so much force I swore I could hear multiple bones crack as he hit.

     As he slumped down barely breathing I saw the magic circle flicker a bit and felt my magic again but only briefly. Walking towards me Lily simply kicked the man aside sending him flying across the room. Trying to reach out to me she realized that she couldn't get through the barrier so, just as I did before, she started to hit it repeatedly trying to break through to no avail.

         "What the fuck, why can't I break through... There's no way in hell that weakling was able to cast something this strong." She said as she continued to try to break through. All I could do was sit there and try to collect myself as my panic attack started to calm down a bit.

       As I watched Lily try to get through the barrier I suddenly saw movement from the corner of my eye. The guy had not only managed to get back to his feet but also managed to summon two ethereal swords that gave off a sinister glow. Before I could say anything to try and warn Lily he had already zipped behind her and with a thrust he had put both blades into her back and out the other side.

          "What..." Was all Lily could say as she looked down at the magic swords protruding from her chest. As the guy pulled the swords out of Lily's back he just smiled as she hit the floor. Her blood was starting to pool up around her as the guy simply stepped over her and looked down at me.

         "Well, that was unexpected but no matter. Now, where were we? Ah yes, you were about to die." He said with a triumphant laugh. Stepping even closer.

   
     Looking down at Lily bleeding out I noticed her smiling at me, trying her hardest to act brave. 'No.. not again... Not another friend...' As those thoughts ran through my head it felt like time had all but stopped as everything was moving in a sort of super slow motion. I started to feel a kind of heat rise within me and despite the circle I was trapped in I started to feel my magic rise as well.

    The next thing I knew, I felt my magic surge outward like a damn breaking. The last thing I saw was Lily's bloody smile as the feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and most of all rage consumed me.