The Underground Palace

Chapter Twenty-Three - Good vs Evil

The room was eerily quiet.  The crowd, before filled with excitement, had now dispersed and fled for their lives.

The Seven Children felt breathless.  It was as though their new power had knocked the breath out of them.  Their hearts were beating faster than before and their skin felt warmer. 

Alex was staring at her hands speechless.  She had her father's power.  When he died, she must have inherited his power.  She slowly turned round and looked at Oliver's pale body.  

Oliver.  The boy who fought hard for a life he had barely experienced yet.  If only he could have been alive to-

Wait.

'Holly!' barked Alex.  Her power, it was pulling at her mind, telling her this would work.  'Use your power on Oliver.'

Holly shook her head.

'I can't.  I'm sorry Alex.  Oliver's gone.'  Yes she can Alex's power told her.

'It will work.  Do it.' 

Holly gingerly stepped forward and crouched down in front of Oliver.  He looked awful.  His skin was pale, his eyes were glazed and his limps were slouched.  And the blood.  It was everywhere.  On his clothes, on the throne and dripping onto the dark cold stone floor.

Holly shakily raised her hands and applied pressure over the stab wound.  She closed her eyes and tears ran freely.  She took one deep breath in and slowly breathed out.  She concentrated on the wound, on the torn muscle, on the pierced kidney and artery.  She channeled her power into the wound and focused on everything.

Alex looked upon the scene utterly confident.  This would work.

Holly focused on the torn organs.  It was like a puzzle, this bit went here and that bit went there.  Slowly the organs started to repair themselves, the flesh bonded back together.  Next Holly channeled her power towards the heart.  She had to get it beating again.  She focused on the heart's muscles.  She squeezed a little then let go.

Pump.  Pump.  Pump.

Was that a pulse?

Pump.  Pump.  Pump.

It was a pulse.

All of a sudden Oliver took one great gasp of air and sat bolt upright in the throne.  He coughed and spluttered for air.  He clasped his throat and looked down at his torso.  The stab wound had completely healed underneath the bloody shirt.  He looked at Holly, whose hands were dripping with his own blood, then to Alex who was grinning wildly back at him.  He ran forward and embraced her in a tight hug.

Holly did it.

He was alive again.

Metres away Marco stirred and groaned.  The electricity coursing through his body was slowly leaving. He looked up and saw a sight he thought was impossible.  Oliver, alive, standing without even a scar on his chest. Holly could bring back people from the dead.

The Seven Children were deadlier than the prophecy comprehended.

James who was standing a bit away glanced down at his father and back at the children. For years his father insisted the Seven Children were dangerous and spent every waking hour researching and finding ways to destroy the Seven Children. The hatred for the Seven Children was enough reason for James to hate his father.

He had grown up around Alex as a child and believed the Seven Children was needed to save the Magical Community from itself. To stop the evil vs good and create one strong entwined community.

But ... bringing someone back from the dead. That was unheard of.  That was strong dark magic.

Marco groaned and went to crawl to his feet but a bolt of lightning struck the floor, just millimetres away from his hand.  Marco snarled and looked up at Alex.