Ashes of Vile

39

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Divided Power of One String

There was a string in Ashgrim where both ends were divided. However unseperated, they had a middle ground: the downfall of Ashgrim's power status, especially the Viles. The Vangards and foremost group that had brought terror upon Cassidy Idgen. The Vangards knew at some point they were bound to meet each other, it was inevitable. They were fighting the same battle.

If they were to fight the war, they needed ascendance: and in order to do that, they had to go way past the big vision and with the already existing triumph. Arcadia, the beast, the start of it all. The Vangards initially disapproved of the idea, to be in the same room with Chase, August, and the rest was unideal. But they knew Wyld's proposal was right. They needed Arcadia. They needed the beast that had awoken the source in Cassidy along with the abilities of those on the same string.

"Fighting alone is worse when you're fighting the horrors of the world. Whatever blade you wield, we will still be fighting the same battle. Might as well be allies, two against one. What can stop us?" Wyld Madden, the spokesperson, said with caution. It was intimidating to be in a room full of people he didn't recognize, he only heard stories of them, most from Cassidy.

"The Valkyrie can stop us," Chase Creed sternly said.

"Good point, Chase! Thank you." Wyld said with a huge sarcastic smile. Cassidy desperately attempted to hide the smile that snuck up on her as she noticed her friend struggle. "What makes you think we can trust you?" Devin tilted his head, asking Wyld with a straight face. "I could ask you the same thing." Wyld retorted.

Valencia leaned in and whispered into Cassidy's ears, "Wyld's in-laws sound like trouble." Cassidy chuckled at Valencia's rare joke. She looked at her, nodding, and within sight she catches August in the far back with a dark lingering look on the two of them. "It doesn't matter. We're throwing all cards in the deck soon." Abourne shrugged.

"How soon?" Cassidy raised her eyebrow.

Chase Creed looked at Cassidy and she felt the shivers climb up her spine, looking at the eyes of the man who bought saved her and made her life recently miserable. She also couldn't help but notice Lilac and her unreadable gaze on her. But she no longer cowered underneath their gazes, especially August's, so she stared as she replied to the words of Inez Vimgard. "In the next few months, it's not exactly set in stone, but the day will be here before we know it."

Oh yes it will, Cassidy thought. She had felt the days pass by quickly, every minute of the days spent thinking about the day coming. Due to forced circumstances, the Vimgards were pushed to mix in with people they loathed. The only exception were the two youngest, Sadie and Lace, even bonding better than Sung Mi and Inez, the closest they knew to a friendship. The first week was hell as they helpd up strong guards with cold stares and burning words. However as time went, it slowly loosened. Although they were not comfortable and warm, they communicated, and that was the most important thing. It had helped them advance their plan further, moving through the timeline at an appropriate pace. Before they realized, they had finally attained the first goal of their plan. They had fully awoken Arcadia, no longer just an unused hidden card. The beast was finally to their control.

To Cassidy Idgen's control in particular. As she stood with her arms tucked behind her back, her eyes were full of love as she looked at the beast that had terrified her the first time meeting it, and even the second, and third. It never got better, not until when she got to admire it knowing its connection to Vermithis. Through the memories she felt the love Vermithis had felt for the beast, the way it had protected her, the bond it had with both the source and withholder. Cassidy opened her palm and the source reflected on her eyes as it spiralled and wrapped gracefully around her hand. She had seen the source in the hands of Chase Creed, but her heart swelled when feeling it and seeing it with her. It belonged to her, and she no longer hated it. It was a force of nature, she couldn't be afraid of it.