Crossed Spells

Chapter 25: The Hunt (Part 2)

Without wasting a moment, Lucas grabbed Aria's hand. "Quick!" he shouted, pulling her along as he ran. They dashed into the night, their footsteps echoing on the pavement of Ravenswood's deserted streets. Adrenaline pulsed through their veins, sharpening their senses and giving them energy they didn't know they had.

Behind them, they could hear Nightshade howling with rage. "Catch them!" he ordered in a hoarse voice. "They must not escape!"

Lucas and Aria ran breathlessly, turning randomly into dark streets, trying to shake off their pursuers. The town they had known all their lives suddenly seemed foreign and threatening. Every shadow seemed to hide a danger, every sound made them jump.

"This way," Aria panted, pulling Lucas towards a narrow alley. They plunged into it, hoping the darkness would hide them from their pursuers. For a brief moment, they thought they had managed to lose them. But their respite was short-lived.

A whistle in the air was their only warning. Lucas had just enough time to push Aria to the side before a blast of compressed air crashed against the wall at the exact spot where they had been standing a second earlier. Brick shards flew in all directions, one of them grazing Lucas's cheek.

"He found us," Aria whispered, fear evident in her voice.

Lucas gritted his teeth, feeling anger rising within him. He was tired of running, tired of being afraid. Standing up, he faced the entrance of the alley, the shadows around him thickening in response to his determination.

"Lucas, what are you doing?" Aria whispered, alarmed.

"I'm tired of running," he replied, his fists clenched. "It's time to face Nightshade."

As if he had heard his name, the professor appeared at the entrance of the alley. But he was no longer alone. Several dark figures surrounded him, their eyes glowing with an unhealthy gleam in the darkness.

"Ah, my dear students," Nightshade said in a honeyed voice that contrasted with the hardness of his gaze. "You've given us quite a run for our money, I must admit. But the game is over now."

Lucas felt Aria take her place beside him, her hand finding his in the darkness. He could feel the luminous energy emanating from her, perfectly counterbalancing the shadows surrounding him.

"What do you want from us?" Aria asked, her voice trembling but determined.

Nightshade took a step forward, his eyes shining with an almost feverish glow. "What do I want? Oh, my dear Aria, it's not what I want that matters. It's what you are. The potential you represent. You two, together, you could change the course of history."

"We're just teenagers," Lucas protested. "We just want to live our lives normally."

Nightshade's laugh echoed in the alley, a cold and joyless sound that made the two young people shiver. "Normal? My dear Lucas, you have never been normal. You are the heirs of an ancient power, the keys to a destiny greater than you can imagine."

As Nightshade spoke, his allies began to deploy, forming a semicircle that blocked any exit. Lucas could feel panic rising within him, but he pushed it away, focusing on the warmth of Aria's hand in his.

"We are not pawns in your game," he growled, the shadows around him thickening in response to his rage.

Nightshade didn't seem impressed. On the contrary, his smile widened. "Oh, but you are, whether you like it or not. The only question is which side of the chessboard you will choose to place yourselves on."

Suddenly, one of Nightshade's allies stepped forward. It was a woman with flaming red hair, her eyes glowing with an orange light that resembled dancing flames. "Enough talk, Nathaniel," she said in a husky voice. "Let's take them now, before they cause us more problems."