Blood

Chapter Twenty one: The beginning

The power of the Heartstone pulsed within me, like molten fire surging through my veins. My vision was clouded with rage, red tinting the edges of my sight as my gaze locked onto Emily. I could feel the weight of vengeance, pushing me forward, urging me to make her pay for what she'd done. She’d taken my mother from me, stolen a part of my soul—and I was going to make her suffer for it.

I lunged at her with newfound strength. Emily's eyes widened in shock as I landed a blow, sending her sprawling back. She tried to retaliate, conjuring dark, twisting shadows to lash out at me, but I countered her moves with ease, sidestepping her attacks as if they were nothing. The power of the Heartstone coursed through me, guiding my every movement, amplifying my every strike.

She was weakening, and soon I was no longer just countering her—I was hitting her, over and over, each strike harder than the last. The satisfaction of watching her stumble, watching the fear creep into her eyes, only fueled my anger. I wanted her to suffer, to understand the pain she’d caused. My fists struck with the force of a thousand suns, and I could see her weakening, her face bloodied, her body barely able to withstand the onslaught.

I conjured a sword out of pure energy, how I did that? I have no idea. I raised the sword into the air, prepared to end it all—

“Ethan, stop!” Seraphina's voice cut through the haze of fury, and in an instant, she appeared between me and Emily, her hand held out in a gesture of peace.

“Move!” I growled, my voice trembling with raw, choked emotion. The fire in my chest simmered, but it didn’t die down. My hands shook, red still tinting my vision as I glared past her.

“Killing her won’t bring your mother back,” Seraphina said gently, her voice soft but firm. “I know how much it hurts, Ethan, but this won’t change what’s happened.”

“It won’t,” I spat, “but it’ll mean there’s one less murderer in this world.”

Seraphina took a step closer, placing a steadying hand on my shoulder. “If you kill a killer, the number of killers in the world stays the same,” she murmured, her gaze meeting mine with a look that was somehow both sympathetic and unyielding. “Let me take her back to the council. They’ll ensure she gets the punishment she deserves. And… it wouldn’t look good for the Guardian of the Heartstone to start his role with blood on his hands.”

“Guardian of the what?” I asked, my anger momentarily eclipsed by confusion. "I couldn't guard my mom from that witch and you're calling me a guardian?" I looked down at her hand on my shoulder.

“Since you couldn't protect your mom today, you can make up for it by protecting all those who feel the same way. ” she said. “Your blood is now bonded to the heartstone. It's yours to protect. You're the guardian now.”

I swallowed, looking down at my hands, still trembling, the rage starting to ebb as her words sunk in. “Fine. I’ll let her live… for now,” I muttered, watching as the other vampires came forward, dragging Emily away. She cast one last, defiant look at me before they disappeared with her into the shadows.

Seraphina turned back to me, her eyes softened, but her tone stayed serious. “There’s a lot about being a Guardian that you don’t know, Ethan. A lot you’ll need to learn.”

I scoffed slightly, feeling the weight of her words. “What happened to the last Guardian?”

“He’s dead,” she replied simply, a note of sadness creeping into her voice. "Courtesy of that witch and her people."

I frowned, looking at her. “How can someone with this much power be killed by mere witches?”

“Guardians are powerful, Ethan, but they’re not invincible,” she explained. “The others before you… they were never truly bonded to the Heartstone. They protected it from a distance. But you… you’re different. The crystal and your blood are connected.”

“So… that’s what’s special about my blood,” I murmured, realization dawning on me. “My blood has always been connected to the Heartstone,” I glanced up at her, my curiosity winning over my anger. “Why?”

Seraphina handed me a card, her expression unreadable. “I think your father is better suited to explain that.” She took a step back, gesturing to the card in my hand. “This isn’t just any card. Tap it when you’re ready, and it will take you to the other side. You’ll get the training you need—the training all Guardians go through.”

I looked down at the card, feeling the weight of her words. “My mother just died. I can’t…”

“Whenever you’re ready, champ,” she said softly. “There’s no rush. I understand.” And before I could say anything else, Seraphina stepped back, her figure fading until she vanished entirely.

A moment later, my father and Ava appeared, rushing toward me with open arms. I could feel their grief mingling with mine as they held me close, our tears mixing in a shared moment of sorrow. We clung to each other, the weight of everything that had happened settling heavily around us.

After a few moments, I pulled back, wiping my eyes. My father’s hand stayed on my shoulder, grounding me, while Ava took a shaky breath, glancing around the desolate space.

"I'm sorry, Ethan. I knew I should've done more to protect her, to protect you."

"It wasn't your fault dad. She tricked all of us. I should've come to you sooner when I found out what she was."

"It's fine. Let's just go back home."

Ava looked around with a mixture of curiosity and hesitation. “Um… so… how exactly do we get out of here?”