Omniscient POV
The wind howled as Lira and Riona stood side by side, their hands glowing with intertwined tendrils of blue and silver magic. The locator spell pulsed in the air, creating ripples of energy that spread outward like waves on water. They knew they had to find Kaelin before Alistair did. If he found her first, they knew she wouldn't stand a chance.
“She’s close,” Riona whispered, narrowing her eyes as the spell vibrated with increasing intensity. “Keep steady, Lira.”
“I’m steady,” Lira shot back, sweat beading on her brow. “Just focus. We can’t lose her now.”
The group stood in tense silence, their breaths shallow as they watched the magic flow through the air. The spell’s pull grew stronger, guiding them toward a dim alleyway. They moved quickly, the city’s labyrinthine streets pressing in on them from all sides.
At the end of the alley, they found Kaelin crouched behind a stack of barrels, her chest heaving as she tried to steady her breath. Her eyes were sharp and wild, her ears twitching at the faintest sound.
“Kaelin!” Lira called out softly, tapping her on the shoulder.
Kaelin spun around in an instant, her claws extended and her body low in a fight stance. Her fangs bared instinctively, and her glowing eyes darted from face to face.
“Whoa!” Riona raised her hands in mock surrender. “It’s just us!”
Kaelin blinked, recognition dawning in her expression. She straightened, lowering her hands. “Oh. It’s you guys.” She let out a shaky breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly.
“You okay?” Ethan asked, stepping closer.
“I’m fine,” Kaelin replied. “But we need to talk. Alistair—”
“We know,” Ethan interrupted. “We’ve been piecing it together.”
Kaelin hesitated, then nodded. “Good. Because he’s—”
“Already here,” Aiden interrupted, his voice tight.
They all turned. Alistair’s tall figure emerged from the shadows, his silver eyes gleaming as he strode toward them. His presence radiated menace, each step deliberate and unhurried.
“I think we should start going now,” Galen suggested, his voice barely above a whisper.
“No,” Aiden replied firmly. “I’m done running.”
“Aiden’s right,” Ethan said, his tone resolute. “If we keep running, he’ll keep chasing. We have to face him, here and now. He can’t be stronger than all of us combined.”
Riona stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with determination. “They’re right. We only stand a chance if we fight as a team. I’m with you every step of the way.” She smirked. “Let’s punish him for all those unnecessary training drills he made us do.”
Ethan shot her a flat look. “You know this isn’t about the training, right?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Galen sighed heavily as the group turned to him expectantly. “I vote we run,” he muttered, only to be met with a collective glare. He threw up his hands. “Fine, let’s see if we’re strong enough to take him down.”
“That’s the spirit,” Ethan said.
With a feral growl, Ethan’s eyes turned crimson. His fangs elongated, his claws extended, and his skin grew pale as death. Beside him, Kaelin transformed, her ears sharpening and her body rippling with fur as her claws extended. Isolde’s skin turned to glacial blue, her hair freezing into icy strands. A shimmering sword and shield of ice materialized in her hands.
Lira and Aiden stepped forward, their auras flaring with magic as they exchanged determined glances. Aiden smirked. “Shall we?”
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Kaelin snarled before lunging at Alistair.
The air exploded with movement. Kaelin’s claws slashed through the air as she launched herself at Alistair, but he caught her mid-air with a single hand, slamming her into the ground.
“Pathetic,” he sneered.
The others surged forward. Ethan’s claws tore through the air as he leapt toward Alistair, but Alistair twisted effortlessly, sending Ethan sprawling with a single kick. Lira hurled bolts of lightning that crackled and burned the ground around him, but Alistair dodged with uncanny precision.
Isolde stepped in, her icy blade flashing as she engaged him in a furious melee. She struck with rapid, precise movements, each swing of her sword meant to cripple or maim. Alistair sidestepped, ducked, and deflected with infuriating ease. When he finally countered, a devastating kick sent her flying into a nearby wall, her ice shield shattering on impact.
Galen and Riona attempted a pincer attack, combining magic and brute force. Alistair met them head-on, dismantling their efforts with a series of fluid, powerful strikes.
“Enough.”
Alistair’s voice echoed as he floated into the air, his silver eyes blazing with raw power. He dashed downward with impossible speed, striking each of them with a flurry of punches too fast to see. In moments, they were all on the ground, groaning in pain.
“This was a good exercise,” Alistair said coolly, dusting his hands like he just finished cleaning, his feet touching the ground. “But I have to end this now. I have more important things to attend to. I hope you understand.”
Ethan, groaning, pushed himself up onto one knee. Blood trickled from a cut above his brow, but his crimson eyes burned with defiance.
“I see you’re back for more,” Alistair said with a smirk as he saw Ethan struggle to get up.
Ethan rose to his feet, his body trembling but steady. “I just thought I could use a little boost,” he said, extending his hand.
The air shimmered, and the heartstone materialized in Ethan’s palm, glowing with a fiery crimson light.
Alistair’s smirk faltered. His eyes widened in disbelief. “That’s not possible.”
"Let's make this Interesting, shall we?"
YOU ARE READING
Blood
FantasyEthan, a 16-year-old high school student, has always felt like an outsider in his small town. He's drawn to the mysterious and beautiful Emily, who's just transferred to his school. As they spend more time together, Ethan discovers that Emily is hid...
