SEVEN: Cursed Souls

CHAPTER 43: EDGE OF THE SWORD (WRATH)

Ryder is determined to save both of his parents but he first have to find out who between his parents is the addressee of the letter, because truth is, whoever it is, is in grave danger at that moment.

Many Skull and Fang members are deployed to help him get into their house. Some of them are also tailing his parents already to protect them from any danger ahead.

There are no letters to be delivered today, and no more Seer to deliver such letters Ryder told himself while rummaging through his closet.

He found a red book and scanned through its contents. It contain names and deaths, his original journal that contains the names of the people he dreams of. He may not remember who they were in the morning but he writes their name mid-sleep. He scrolled through the last page and found his brothers name but his death was not written. The memory of a dream flashed into his mind, he had that dream during the day he received the invitation to Anonymous, and it was his brother that he saw in that dream that day. Too much was happening at that time that he had forgotten to write in his journals before he was captured.

He continued to scan through to find who among his parents are written on that journal. Whatever is in that journal is also on the journal that the Anonymous took and based the letters from. 

The static sound of a radio broke Ryder's focus. "James, please respond. Get out of the house or else Victoria will find you!"

James looked through the window and saw Victoria already entering the house. "Why are you only telling me now?!"

"We've been warning you countless of times but you were not responding, hide already."

Before they could even act to hide, Ryder and James heard a thud downstairs.

"Ma!" Ryder shouted before running downstairs. He was too fast for James to even be able to stop.

It was indeed Victoria who fell and in Ryder's horror, the charred envelope which Anonymous gave him the other night was in Victoria's fruit basket. Although the envelope is opened, the letter was still inside. Ryder figures that his mother might have not read it yet but she already met her end. Ryder thought that it may have been one of the fruits. He thought that maybe Victoria bit one and got poisoned. He doesn't even know if his mother is poisoned or if he is just overthinking already.

"We have to get her to Maya or to the Witch," James said.

He radioed Maya to come but no one answered. They had no choice but to get Victoria to the Skull's lair and be treated by the Witch. James had the three of them separated into three cars. More cars tailed them but it did not shock them, not until they saw five more cars behind.

Everyone started to panic, they were not shocked because they are unfamiliar, but because those cars are of the Assassin's. James thought that it may happen so he had them split earlier. He also ordered everyone to take different routes. He sent a voice record to Hope while escaping.

"Hope, we're busted. Lock all the doors and do not come out. Get Ina and hide undergro..."

James was halted when their car swung into the air. He only hopes that Ryder and Victoria did not meet the same fate as his.

It took some time before any of the members could get to the lair. Ryder is still clueless that James' car crashed. 

Some members are already at the lair when Ryder arrived. It was not like how Ryder planned it to be. He only got more frustrated when they found Hope on the floor, passed out. The bracelet which Ina was wearing was placed beside her.

"Hope, wake up! What happened?" Ryder shouted.

***

A few minutes earlier...

"Hope, we're busted--" Hope was playing James' message but it was interrupted when she heard someone coming into where Ina is. Hope went inside and would rather find Ina being untied by someone wearing a brown robe. Hope knew that she stood no chance if she would move in a rash, so she slowly stepped back to get an axe but she accidently bumped into the table.

It caught the attention of Ina and the stranger but Hope wasted no chance to pick the closest object to her. She threw plates and silverware but the person was able to dodge them.

Hope desperately picked the slab of wood that was beside the door and ran towards the person to smash them.

Hope swung the slab of wood into the person's head but the person only blocked it with their hand. The person suddenly pulled a knife and if Hope did not react fast enough then she could have been stabbed.

Hope released the slab of wood when the person threatened to stab her again but then both of them were shocked when Ina suddenly stood between them.

"STOP! You can't hurt her," Ina said before facing Hope. Hope, who was in shock, froze to where she is. In moments, she started to feel something impaling her arms, Ina stabbed a syringe.

"Take care, Hope!" Ina said.

It tooks seconds until Hope felt her vision circling. It blurred dark before her body met the floor.

***

"Then I couldn't remember anything more. But one thing is certain, I saw her face before I lost consciousness, the person who placed this bracelet beside me and helped Ina escape is one of our own--" Hope said.

"Who is it?!" James interrupted.

"It's Maya, my vision might've been blurred but I am certain that it was her."