Heartless | A Powerless Fanfiction Novella

Chapter 27: Corrine

The glint of Paedyn's hair next to me is tempting me too far to face the girl. I could so easily uncover her right here, right now before she enters the final Trial. She's nervous I can sense it, but there's also a touch of acceptance that this is the last time she will have to step in the Bowl before a winner is crowned. Does she believe it will be her? Is she hoping that an Ordinary will win the king's trials and so she will prove every Elite in attendance wrong? The king will not allow that. His Enforcer has to win this damned thing and then it will all be over. His show of power will reign once again, entertainment of the Elites winning against the threats of the Resistance brewing.

Plagues I can almost hear her heartbeat it's so fast and I can't say mine is any slower for that matter. On this day I will have no power against what will happen and I can do nothing but accept that and watch it all unravel. The maze arranged in the Pit is a tangle of paths that keeps changing on constant rounds, meant to confuse and more importantly kill whoever is brave enough to make it through. The whole of Ilya is standing witness around the place, waiting behind the glass thrumming with Mute waiting for the event to begin.

The Silver Saviour takes one final deep breath next to me.

"Let the final trial begin," The king's voice thunders in unison with the cheers of the crowd and so she runs into the last game.

The Ilyans' voices intensify with shouts as the contestants twist and turn corners, Kai going head to head with his cousin, and Paedyn from the looks of it with her nemesis of Blair. Maybe it will all be over for the Ordinary before anything begins. It's not meant to be to my disappointment, not when Paedyn breaks free of the fight and runs for the right way towards the end. The Sights projecting the events in the depths of the Pit don't miss her expression as she comes to an abrupt stop only feet away from her win.

'Not only do you have to be the first contestant to reach the middle, but you must also kill the person that awaits you there.' The king's voice thrums in my memory and my heart stops just like Paedyn's does when the person waiting for her... is none other than her best friend.

Adena.

My eyes don't leave the projections when Adena's broken body is put on display for the whole kingdom to witness. When the tears of her best friend rush to her aid as she falls on her knees before her. When realisation dawns on the Silver Saviour.

When a branch plunges in Adena's back.

Blair's smile is nothing less than vicious. And Paedyn screams.

Another scream roars from the stands, and there is Makoto against the railing banging on the Mute with all his force for Imperials to let him go. Plagues, it was Adena he visited the palace that day. It was his lover he was risking his life for.

"The tunnels! They came through the tunnels into the box!" An Imperial's voice near me snaps me to attention and suddenly the world descends into pain.

A Silencer's power drowns me, forcing me to my knees before the Resistance member in a black mask - a cruel irony to the white one that is now hiding my grimace of pain - and I can do nothing but submit to the agony now flowing through my blood. Plagues I would take a sword to the heart than this living torture. Looking over at the box where the Royals stand, there is a Silencer behind each of them with blades against them daring a move. Kitt's eyes find mine just as a voice booms into the audience:

"And this concludes the sixth ever Purging Trials." The man with straw blonde hair and pale blue eyes stands before the arena, "Many of you may not know who we are. And that is because we are your king's most deadly secret. His dirtiest secret. We are Ordinaries. We are Fatals. We are the Resistance."

He is their leader. Gasps across the audience reign themselves in as he continues his speech of poison entangling itself into beliefs and lies.

"We can peacefully come together, or we cannot. I would think the lives of your only heirs would be enough to persuade you to set your pride aside and reunite all of Ilya's people together."

No. Kitt.

I strain against the holds of the Silencer but with no use, the Ordinary's voice is stern, "People of Ilya, welcome us home. We are no threat to—"

And then the Enforcer erupts into flames, consuming all the Silencers with his power and bringing them to their knees. Screams and shouts fill the air as Imperials pour into the Pit and Elites stand to fight: chaos is spiralling in a clash of blades and powers.

My feet regain movement running for the royals, towards Kitt as I finally muster the courage to pull my powers from its depths. That touch of death now welcome as I descend on Ordinary after Ordinary standing in my way, black masks falling disintegrated on the sandy earth and the sickening smell of burned flesh wafting around me. The prince has pulled his Dual ability, both water and flame drowning and searing everyone coming at him and the queen, the thirst for blood so clear I almost don't recognise him. So fixated on getting to him I almost don't dodge the sword in time, a pierce of pain stinging my side and white turning crimson. When I glance back ready to face the Ordinary I find Commander Lain instead with a horrifying smile plastered on his face - his mask, half broken now reveals that jagged scar - his blade stained in red his hand. My blood dripping off if it.

"Little dove, how I will enjoy seeing you fall."

He takes a swing at me again but I block it.

"What are you doing?!" I shout against his force pushing the metal against mine, "The king needs you!"

"The KING has entrusted me with something else, little dove."

No.

Another swipe and he finally lands it on my shoulder, forcing a grunt of pain from me.

"You've been playing too close with the crown Corrine! It was bound for someone to find out and oh how ironic it was me!" His laugh is callous, the cold tone of it as sharp as the bite of yet another cut this time across my abdomen, "Kisses under the moonlight don't sound so thrilling anymore now do they?"

Plagues he saw us on the night of the ball.

The king has ordered my death.

"I will NOT fall before YOU of all people!" My voice is dipped in venom as I pull my powers sending a bolt his way but I miss only forcing him to back away.

The pain searing through me is interfering. I can't control it.

"We'll see about that, little dove."

We clash again and I manage to cut at his side, a swipe at his leg and once my hand lands on his chest I let the lightning flow through him. I watch him crumble before me as he collapses with that ghostly smile untouched: the very embodiment of horror.

"Your head will roll before mine. I made that promise to myself."

I turn to run back towards the box but I don't make it far, before someone is behind me and a force throws us both to the ground.

"I hope I've earned your forgiveness now, Corr." My brother says before he collapses to the ground, Lain's sword speared through his chest.

Everything is silent. No more shouts, no more fighting. The world is drowning as I scream holding my dead brother in my arms.

"No, no please Damien!" Sobs take over uncontrollably, I will not reign it in, not for him, "DAMIEN!" I shout at him, shaking him to wake up, to not leave me again. But he doesn't open his eyes.

The first truth between us is death. And for the first time I believe my brother when the coldness spreads over him.

He's gone.

"I forgive you, Damien." I whisper against tears, "I forgive you."

I bury my face in his jacket, only holding him and not daring to let go.

This has all been a game after all.

But no King nor Ordinary has won.

Death has.