Chapter XXI
"How's that for magic, dear sister?!" Duff shouted at you, the toxic hate dripping from her tongue when she spat the words.
Fury coursed through every vein in your body, and you had raging bloodlust filling up inside you; you wanted her dead. Dead by your hands. Your remaining ear twiched slightly, and your muscles became stiff at the heart-tearingly difficult decision. Fear of remorse held you back, but the way she treated Kid... that was unforgivable.
Liz and Patty - tending to Kid's unconscious body on the ground - exchanged a nervous glance and nodded once. "Alexus," Liz urged in a cautious voice.
You ignored her, your anger finally peaking. A scream of fury escaped your throat, and you felt your emotions taking over - you could no longer hold back.
Patty whispered in her sister's ear, "looks like the fox is out of the bag now, huh sis?" The younger Thompson giggled at her own remark, but Liz's expression didn't change.
The magic in your blood began rampaging; the storm around you whiplashed into roaring winds, and the rain pelted on the scene like bullets, the sky darkened to a black hole of clouds and debris, and lightning turned the sky into a frenzy of sparks and explosions.
Duff yawned, the uninterested gape on her face still present - this struck a nerve and your rage peaked again, the magic surging to a new height. Your feet lifted off the ground, your whole body emitting a shower of sparks, glowing from the amount of magic radiating from your being. Your hair whipped around your face with the winds doubling still in speed.
Duff's expression faltered for a second, then whipped right back into her cool 'I'm-so-not-scared-right-now' facade. "OoOohh, so melo-dramatic!" She mocked, waving her arms around sarcastically.
Balls of pure energy formed in your hands, and you aimed to fire at her, targeting her chest.
"I've had enough of this," Duff spat, though her voice shook a little. She flung Caitlyn's knife form straight at you, and the blade plunged into your heart.
"Alexus!!" Liz and Patty shrieked at once.
Your limbs went limp and cold, and you felt the blood pooling around the blade lodged in your chest. Your body slowly sank into the cold, dark feeling that came before death. The magic weakened, and the attack you formed dissolved away.
"I... I have to stay strong..." you whispered coarsely to yourself. Your strength ran from your body, and you fell to your knees. Your hands found their way to the dagger, your fingers wrapping around the handle. It moved slightly, the pain sending a cold shriek from your lips.
Tears fell from your face, too afraid to die.
Duff laughed, applauding Caitlyn and the damage she caused.
"I have to live..." you thought, but you couldn't find a reason to. The vengeful hate you felt for Duff melted away with your energy and life. You desperately scoured your mind for a reason to live, something that could give you the strength and hope. The faces of your classmates - your friends - spun through your mind: Maka, Soul, Black*Star, Tsubaki, Liz and Patty... Crona...
Falling over on the cold street, you eyes began to close as your eyelids grew heavy. You knew these were your last moments of life; one of those moments where it was said that your whole life would flash before your eyes. But that was all you saw, the faces of your friends at the DWMA. This WAS your life. This was where you belong; but that was not enough to give you strength to live through this.
Specific memories, etched into your memory forever, poured into your mind as well... the snowstorm... your first dance... your first kiss.
"...Kid..." you called in a small voice. A small smile tugged at the corners of your lips, and a few warm tears escaped your eyes. An image of him surfaced in your mind, and you knew you had the strength to survive this. Not just survive, but fight.
"Had enough, dear sister?" Duff called. Another chuckle escaped her throat. Liz and Patty's faces were covered in tears at the scene.
"No," you growled, glaring at your sister. You slowly rose from the ground, finding just enough strength to hold on.
"You're not dead...!?" Duff's eyes grew wide, asonished, and scared.
"Nope." You wiped some dry blood from your lips with the back of your hand, then gripped Caitlyn's handle again. You ripped the knife from your chest, and blood streamed from the open wound, though you didn't seem to notice. You stood there, the blood-drenched blade in your hand, returning your sister's stone-cold glare.
"This fight ends now." You stated.
