Red String {EDITING}

Lyra's Ability

Rylan froze, staring at his mate's newly regenerated hand as Blythe protected them from their few remaining assailants. "You can regenerate and heal any part of your body...?" He asked, staring intently as something dawned on him. "Even your head...?"

"Yeah."

"Those eighteen heads we found..." Tears leaked down his cheeks as he cupped Lyra's face. "Those were all yours...?"

She stared at the ground, rubbing her neck. "Yeah." She said. "This isn't even the head I was born with it... even though it has all the same memories..."

"They cut off your head eighteen times?!" Rage was written across his face. "Please don't tell me you were awake."

The pain in her eyes told him the answer.

"Regeneration is a very rare Gift." Finar said, glancing at her curiously, blocking out the murderous mutterings of her mate and her father.

"It's why they want me back..." Lyra smiled sadly. "I'm their guinea pig. The one he practices his new torture techniques on... All because I'm not easy to break..." She shivered. "Centipedes in my ears... Removing nails... Putting bolts into my feet..."

Rylan's arms wrapped around her tightly, pulling her further away from the battle. "It's OK, Ly." His hands rested on her shoulders, his pale blue eyes boring into her brown ones. "You aren't there anymore."

"You mean..." Finar glanced over at her. "Those eighteen heads we found... Their facial features beyond recognition... A single lock of hair the only indicator of which child was which..."

"Hair can be cut... Facial features smashed beyond recognition..." Blythe said. "We never bothered to check... We just assumed... because it fit..."

"Well..." Finar mumbled grimly. "At least we all know for next time."

"There won't be a next time." Rylan scowled, watching as red lightning formed a crackling dome around Lyra, trapping her inside. "Stay safe, Ly."

"Dammit!" She scowled, kicking the barrier between them. "Rylan! Get my mother to let me out! Now!"

"So, this is your first argument..." An incredibly shirtless Blaze strode towards her, blood trailing down from his chest as he walked away from the dead wolf splayed out on the ground behind him. "How cute..."

Lightning formed a blade that was soon crackling by his throat. "Not another word." Lyra hissed, holding one hand between the sparking bars that didn't seem to hurt her in the slightest. Of course they wouldn't. Her mother's Gift was exactly the same as hers, after all.

"Calm down, Lyra." Damien sighed, standing next to the dome of red lightning. "Your mother is allowed to be a little overprotective."

"Says who?"

"Glad to see you've got your sense of humour back." He said, smiling sadly.

"Who says I lost it?"

"I..." Her father stuttered. "I just assumed..."

"Relax." She grinned. "I was only joking."

Relief crossed his reddening face. "I'm going to help your mother out. Stay here."

"It's not like I can really go anywhere." Lyra grumbled, slamming a lightning blade against the crackling bars.

Brown eyes met hers momentarily, and then one cheeky wink later the man's attention was focused on the fray in front of him as three newcomers made their way onto the playing field.

Lyra's eyes widened, black horns forming on either side of her head as she stared into a very familiar set of eyes that smirked back at her. Her eyes burnt red, the sound of hoofbeats echoing in her ears as her knees gave out. "He's here."

Rylan's head snapped around, following Lyra's gaze to the blonde standing in the middle of the other two reinforcements. A snarl escaped his lips, his feet digging into the ground as he charged towards the brown-eyed blonde.

"RYLAN!" Blythe roared.

Finar swore. "He's lost control."

"Let me out." Lyra hissed, barely noticing the purple tint entering her vision. "Right now!"

"Even you won't be able to stop him." The brunette sighed. "He's lost himself in his rage... We can only hope he doesn't use his Alpha-" Finar blinked, watching as Rylan's eyes glowed, becoming more wolfish by the second. "He's using them... That idiot..." He said, watching as the Alpha King's claws came out, raking down the blonde's face before he was swiftly knocked unconscious by a swift blow to the back of his head. Outrageous strength was only helpful when used correctly, as demonstrated by the Alpha King in that instant. "You've got to be kidding?!" Finar muttered. "I know he's out of control, but to be taken down in one blow?!"

"Tch." Blythe spat. "As soon as this is over, that brat of an Alpha King is having some serious training sessions with me." He shook his head. "This is ridiculous. You stay and watch his mate." He ordered, stepping forwards, but then a burst of purple light made him freeze. His head swivelled, his eyes widening when he spotted the snow-white horse rearing behind him.

Purple hair whipped out in the wind, defying gravity, purple eyes glowing as purple lightning shot down from the sky. Lyra was no longer wearing her black armour. Instead, she found herself wearing purple and white armour, a white quiver on her back filled with matching arrows. A white crown sunk low on her head, slightly covering her forehead as it perched on her skull at a jaunty angle. An oddly familiar white bow appeared in her grip, her hands instinctively knowing what to do – already pulling back the string, her purple eyes locking on her two targets as two crackling purple arrows materialised on her string. "Rylan..." She whispered, her bow singing moments before the two low-level soldiers about to hurt her mate disappeared in swirls of purple blossoms.

"She..." Blythe whispered, blinking in shock when he spotted who was atop the white horse. "You've got to be kidding... You can't be..."

Lyra planted both feet in the stirrups, urging her horse forward with a single thought. The horse seemed to know what she wanted through the strange connection spiralling between them, which was handy seeing as how Lyra had never actually ridden a horse before.

Purple blossoms were scattered across the field before long, numerous purple roses springing out from the ground at various intervals: a growing tally of the number of lives she'd taken.

That was when she appeared on the horse in front of her.

A mix of black and white hair streamed behind her as she cupped Lyra's face, her red and blue eyes staring into her purple ones. "First..."

Lyra blinked. "Huh?"

"Pestilence..." The girl mumbled, jumping down from the horse, gently stroking its snow-white mane. "The one who conquers..."

"What are you on about?!"

"You've summoned your horse." The girl spoke, sending chills shooting down Lyra's spine. Her voice was oddly calm. Quiet, even. Yet it held a threatening edge, and it was that edge which was putting Lyra on the brink of her seat. "So ride." Her voice shook Lyra out of her thoughts, making her grip tighten on the white bow as her horse shot forwards – carrying her towards the true heart of the battle – to where a very familiar blonde-haired brown-eyed man waited for her.

He had come.

The man who had tormented her endlessly for ten years.

Omega Taurus's Chief Interrogator.

Vladimir Grigorio.

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ILLENIS HERE

As much as I was tempted to write George Smith,  John Cena or Tracy Neil, I refrained from doing so. No idea where that name came from, I just thought of a name and a vaguely interesting surname. I shortened it in an earlier chapter, which was when I first decided on this guy's first name - Vlad, as he is known as by the hotshots of Omega Taurus, and Vladimir to everyone else.

Until the next chapter.

Illenis out.

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