Snap. Destiny Arrives

Choice

Carol shot a photon blast instantly towards Zephin who jumped behind a tree just in time. She considered dragging him out from behind the tree, that was only a couple of meters away, and finishing the fight but Carol quickly concluded that Valkyrie was more important. She was the priority.

Sprinting towards Valkyrie, Carol noticed Zephin moving in the corner of her eye. He leaped over obstacles and raced through the forest faster than she could. He was fast. Too fast. His figure was a blur to Carol as he whizzed past trees.

He reached Valkyrie a second before she did. Before Carol even knew what had happened Zephine held a menacing sword to Valkyrie's throat.

"Get the hell away from her!" Carol said through gritted teeth.

"Stay back or I'll finish her off." Carol could tell he was nervous. He shifted he weight from foot to foot and his hand was trembling ever so slightly. He gulped before speaking again. "You care about her, don't you?"

Carol felt a lump form in her throat. She didn't respond. She couldn't. The words were stuck in her throat and played only in her mind. I do. I really do.

"Turn around and go back to source of energy. No funny business." He said shakily. Carol reluctantly turned towards the source and cautiously stepped forward, careful of her every move. She had dealt with people like Zephin before. He was nervous and that made him dangerous.

Carol could hear him struggling to drag Valkyrie across the ground and knew if she wasn't so worried, she would of laughed.

Zephin had a frail frame. There was no muscle on him unlike his father. Carol was starting to wonder if that was deliberate. The more she thought about it the more sure she was that herself and Valkyrie weren't the only ones who had been caught in their trap. But Zephin was shaking a lot. His nerves seemed genuine and there was no point faking it now.

"Good job my boy!" Carol thoughts were interrupted by the familiar voice she deeply hated. Zayum.

Carol haulted and searched for him. She could hear his booming voice bouncing around the forest it sounded like it was coming from every direction. She continued to scan their surroundings until she saw Zayum's emerging figure followed by the Daeleknux fighters that were now in their hundreds. They were all armed and surrounded the three in the clearing, trapping them with the source.

Zayum's outfit and posture never changed and even with half his face covered Carol knew he had a smug smile on his lips.

"I was begining to think we'd lost you." Carol wasn't sure who he was her or Zephin. "I see you've met my son." Zayum said motioning to Zephin.

"He's nothing like you." Carol stated.

"In physique maybe but his spirit reflects my own." Zayum announced proudly.

"Really?" Carol said with the only confidence she could muster up. In the blink of an eye she kicked Zephin directly in the diaphragm with all her strength. He stumbled back and fell to the ground, struggling to breath. Carol instantly caught Valkyrie in her arms and held her in her chest.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Carol declared.

In an instant the fighters grew closer and raised their weapons. Carol lifted her arm in the direction of Zephin's struggling body and let her energy dance around her fist.

Zayum held his hand up and the fighters froze, waiting for his next signal or command.

"You're messing with very powerful warriors." Zayum warned.

"You're messing with me." Carol snapped back. Zayum thought for a moment before giving his next command to his fighters.

"Leave us!" He demanded. The fighters obeyed in an instant and scurried away into the shadowy corners of the forest. Once he was sure they were out of earshot, Zayum spoke again. "Let my boy go." He said.

"The source," Carol started, ignoring Zayum's request. "I'm going to use it to save Valkyrie." She continued bluntly.

"That'll kill her!" Zayum shouted.

"I'm guessing the poison was meant to do that too." Carol spat. Zayum paused at her words then spoke.

"I had to do that. I had no choice." He argued.

"There's always a choice!" Carol yelled. She tried to compose herself before continuing. "Tell me how to save her."

"Let my son go first."

"You're in no position to make demands." Carol mocked. Zayum studied the source then Zephin. Carol knew he was conflicted but she didn't sympathise with him.

"OK."