Blood Ties

Chapter 5

Chapter Five

            “I understand.”

            The moment Marco finished those words, the window behind them shattered. Layla stepped in calmly, crunching bits of broken glass beneath her boots.

            Immediately, Marco sprang into action, his feet flying across the room and his arms wrapping about the chest protectively. Star screamed and darted into the corner, her eyes wide.

            “Oh, I was so hoping you’d make this easy. I do hate to get my hands dirty.” Layla rolled her eyes and nonchalantly shot a fireball at Marco. He leapt to dodge it, subsequently dropping the heavy chest. It burst open, sending the glow orb inside rolling towards Star’s corner. Star’s eyes wildly swiveled around the room, trying to decide what to do. Deciding, she reached down and clutched the orb to her chest.

            Meanwhile, Marco and Layla were engaged in a hand-to-hand battle, neither one willing to waste their precious magic. Layla cuffed Marco in the jaw, Marco returning the hit with a powerful jab to her stomach. Layla gasped and kicked him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. He grabbed her ankles, dragging her down with him. He rolled on top of her, pinning her down with his weight, and aimed a solid punch on her cheek. She spat a tiny fireball in his face, forcing him to reel backwards and giving her the advantage. Grabbing his arm, she yanked it, and all present cringed from the loud cracking. A cry of pain exploded from Marco’s mouth as the bone in his forearm was literally broken in half. Layla now pinned him down, and took the opportunity to send a series of quick, vigorous punches at his face. With one last powerful hit, he was out cold.

            Layla stood, dragging his dead weight in an upright position. She yanked a knife out of her belt and pointed it at his neck. She now addressed Star. “Give me the Evanescere, Princess, or I’ll kill him.”

            Star’s heart raced and her legs trembled. She clutched the orb tightly between her sweaty palms. “N-No! L-Let him go, now!” She cursed her shaky voice and attempted a slightly more commanding tone. “I don’t know what this thing does, but if you don’t let him go…I’ll smash it!” She raised it high above her head, preparing to throw it against the floor.

            Marco’s eyelids fluttered, and it took a few moments but his eyes eventually focused on Star. He shook his head almost unoticeably, but his meaning was clear. She could not break the orb.

            Layla snapped, “If you do that, he still dies, and I doubt you’ll be able to break it.”

            Star opened her mouth to respond. All of a sudden, a shocking, hot flush of pain spiraled through her entire body, emanating from the orb. She shrieked, an almost animal sound of pain pouring from her mouth. A bright flash of white momentarily blinding both Marco and Layla, and Layla’s grip on Marco loosened slightly. Marco instantly threw his good elbow at her face, coming into contact with her nose and causing blood to gush from both nostrils. He jerked away from her, dashing towards Star and wrapping his own hands around the orb. She let go with a gasp, her eyes stinging with tears.

            “Star, hold onto me!” Marco ordered as he felt the familiar warmth rising within him. He sighed, shaking his head. “I’m going to regret this.”

            The two were suddenly enveloped in a flash of white, and when Layla was able to regain her sight, they were gone.

                                                                    ***