Expelled Souls

Shattered bonds

Ivy struggled against the restraints that bound her to the cold, stone chair in the dimly lit basement. Her breaths were ragged, and she felt a growing sense of desperation. "Why, Dad? Why all of this? Am I not your daughter?" Her voice cracked with anguish.

Her father, a grim figure draped in shadow, looked at her with a mixture of disappointment and disdain. "You’ve chosen a path of darkness, Ivy. You betrayed your own blood for those Retributionists. You are no longer my daughter but a pawn in their game."

Ivy’s eyes widened in disbelief. “No, Dad, you’re wrong! I’m not a pawn. I’ve tried to make things right, to turn dark forces into good. Why are you doing this?”

Her father’s lips twisted into a cruel smile. “Because you were too late. You’ve forsaken your heritage and your family. I’ll use you as bait to lure the Retributionists into my trap. They’ll come for you soon enough. I left the video deliberately.”

“Please, Dad. They will kill you,” Ivy pleaded, her voice trembling. “You don’t have to do this. There’s still time to turn back.”

Her father’s eyes were cold and unyielding. “It’s too late for that. I’ve made my choice, and you’re going to help me complete it.”

Suddenly, the basement door burst open with a loud crash. Noah, his face set in grim determination, entered, holding Ivy’s mother at gunpoint. “Let her go!” he demanded, his voice echoing through the basement.

Ivy’s father’s eyes gleamed with malicious amusement. “So, the boy arrives. Do you think you can save her? How touching.”

Noah’s gaze was fixed on Ivy, who was straining against her restraints, her eyes pleading. His anger flared, and he advanced towards Ivy’s father, pushing his mother to the side. “This ends now!”

The two men faced off, their hostility palpable. Ivy’s father’s eyes flickered with dark amusement as he raised his hand, dark energy crackling around him. Noah lunged forward, swinging a fist at him. The basement became a battleground as Noah’s blows met with the dark man’s supernatural defenses.

Noah’s strength was met with fierce resistance. Ivy’s father countered with dark spells, casting barriers that Noah had to struggle against. The room was filled with the sounds of their clash—the thud of punches, the sizzle of dark energy, and the grunts of effort.

“Noah, watch out!” Ivy shouted, her voice breaking with urgency as her father prepared a particularly vicious attack.

Noah dodged the attack, barely escaping a burst of dark energy that singed the air. He fought fiercely, his movements driven by desperation and love. He managed to land a solid punch that staggered Ivy’s father, giving Noah a brief window to act.

With a determined roar, Noah drew a blade. He charged at Ivy’s father, the blade glinting menacingly. Ivy’s father, momentarily taken aback, tried to defend himself, but Noah was relentless.

In a final, decisive moment, Noah pressed the knife to Ivy’s father’s neck. The room fell silent, the tension palpable. Ivy’s father’s eyes widened with a mix of shock and anger. Noah’s face was set in a grim mask, his eyes flicking to Ivy’s tear-streaked face. The pain and fear in her eyes pierced through him, and he hesitated.

The knife pressed against Ivy’s father’s neck, Noah’s hand trembling. He saw the fear and sorrow in Ivy’s eyes and knew what he had to do. With a shuddering breath, Noah pushed the knife deeper.

Ivy’s father gasped, and the shock on his face was evident. Ivy, overwhelmed by the intensity of the situation and Noah’s conflicted actions, lost consciousness, her body slumping in the chair.

---
Ivy’s eyes fluttered open to a dimly lit room that felt strangely unfamiliar. Her heart raced as she sat up abruptly, only to find Noah sitting beside her. His presence was a balm, but confusion clouded her mind.

“Shhh, calm down. I’m right here,” Noah murmured, his voice soothing yet tinged with concern.

Despite his calming words, fear gripped Ivy. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked around the room, trying to piece together how she ended up here. Noah reached out, cupping her cheeks with gentle hands. His touch was tender, and he softly caressed her face.

Ivy felt a torrent of emotions, unable to voice her fears. Instead, she clung to him, burying her face in his shoulder as they shared a moment of profound silence. The room felt heavy with unspoken words, their breaths mingling in the stillness.

Eventually, Ivy pulled away, her eyes searching his with a mix of hope and dread. “Tell me,” she said softly, her voice trembling.

Noah’s gaze was pained. “I did what was right.”

Her heart sank at his words, an icy chill settling in her chest. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she reached out, softly caressing his face. “Is this our end?” she asked, her voice breaking.

In response, Noah pulled her close, their lips meeting in a deep, desperate kiss. The world outside seemed to fall away as they lost themselves in each other. Time felt suspended, their embrace a moment of pure, intense connection. It was as if the world ceased to exist, leaving only the two of them, entwined in their sorrow and love.

But as quickly as it had started, their kiss ended. They parted, their breaths heavy and their faces flushed. Ivy’s eyes were filled with a mix of anguish and resignation. “You have to trust me,” Noah said, his voice filled with urgency. “I did what was right, love.”

“Goodbye, Noah,” Ivy whispered, her voice barely audible. She got up from the bed, her body trembling with suppressed emotion. She fought to hold back the tears that threatened to overflow as she walked towards the door.

Noah didn’t move to stop her, his eyes filled with a complex blend of regret and helplessness. How could he chase after her when he had already made his choices? The sight of the Retributionists watching her with a mix of guilt and sympathy felt like a cruel twist of the knife. Their pity was as unwelcomed as it was expected.

Ivy’s heart ached as she saw Olivia standing nearby. Without a word, she ran into Olivia’s arms, seeking solace from the only person who had shown her genuine kindness. The warmth of Olivia’s embrace was a small comfort amidst this sick joke. Ivy clung to her, desperate to escape the suffocating reality that had enveloped her.

She wanted to be far from this place, from Noah, from the person she once believed was the love of her life. The pain was almost unbearable, a constant reminder of everything that had gone wrong. As she buried her face in Olivia’s shoulder, she realized that her journey was far from over. The path ahead was uncertain, but for now, all she wanted was to get away from the heartbreak and find some semblance of peace.