Once upon a time, the realms of Chance and Men lived in peace and harmony. The balance of the worlds was perfect. Unfortunately, the thirst for power and magic is an inevitable poison, as insatiable as the noble families of chance. Their thirst led...
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Chapter 12
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Time seems to have stopped.
At the moment the dagger crashes against the stained glass and shatters the heart, the world freezes. My body feels so light that it seems to float. I take a deep breath, and as the air leaves my lungs, a gust of wind propels me backward. Time resumes its course.
I hear my name being shouted at the top of someone's lungs, and I land abruptly in Killian's arms, causing him to fall backward. I can't think of anything else but his face, and I sit up, locking my gaze with his. His green eyes grip mine with such intensity that my breath catches in my chest. I can barely feel his hand brushing against my face, pushing a strand of hair away from my eyes.
"Am I alive?" My whisper is barely audible, and his eyebrow raises, his gaze softening, and he briefly rests his forehead against mine. "Alice..." he murmurs in return, his tone filled with concern and what seems like awe.
The adrenaline pumping through my veins forces me to break free from his embrace, and I grab the hand offered by Élise, pulling myself to my feet. Disoriented, it takes me a few seconds to realize the situation. The enchanting beauty of the field has been replaced by a monstrous scene. Hundreds of bodies lie at our feet. Some are human, but most belong to our assailants. I breathe a sigh of relief seeing that most of the players are still alive, albeit injured and shaken.
Finally, my gaze settles on the dragon, or rather, what's left of it. The pile of stones in the place where the beast stood bears a striking resemblance. "It was just an illusion..." I state aloud. "You're completely insane, Alice!" Xavier bursts into laughter and places his hand on my shoulder, as if reassuring himself that I'm indeed alive. We stand there for a moment, motionless. I finally realize what I've just done. I charged at a dragon, despite the danger, despite the fear. I struck at its heart. I smile, recalling the warning from the unknown individual. A weight seems to lift off my chest as I become aware of my victory.
"Win, and you shall be rewarded." I turn to the group by my side. "Do we have to wait for a reward?" Philippe shrugs, his gaze scrutinizing me as if seeing me in a new light. I'm no longer the scared young girl; I'm a player now. He sees me as competition. By inspecting each of their postures, I understand that they all think the same, even Xavier, behind his jeweled smile.
I reach out my hand to Killian, still sitting on the ground, and pull him toward me. His eyes tell a different story. As if he expected it, as if that's all he wanted to see. The sparkling light in his pupils sets my heart racing. I don't know if it's the adrenaline causing this effect, and I release his hand abruptly, moving away from him.
