The Battle of Our Minds: Flesh and Blood

The One

Everly and Wyatt began to regain consciousness, but Everly was no longer the same. She sat up, rubbing her back.

"WHY DOES THIS HURT SO MUCH?!" she screamed.

Wyatt rolled over on the ground, semi-conscious. He felt like he'd had the wind knocked out of him, but Everly looked like she was being tortured. Her back arched backwards in writhing pain. She was contorted.

Then, he saw her eyes. They were black, just as her father's had been after death. Just as those who had been possessed. But she wasn't possessed.

She screamed again and straightened out, hurdling herself to her feet.

"That – now that – was painful."

"Ev. What's wrong with you?" asked Wyatt, pushing himself off the ground and getting up on his feet, again.

"I've never been better." Everly stretched and from behind her back emerged silky, black wings.

"Apparently, I inherited these from my father. They were there the whole time. It just took the right amount of power to bring them out. Check them out." She whirled around, showing off her twelve-foot wings. "Unfortunately for you all, you're way too far down the gene pool to have inherited such a trait." She smiled condescendingly. "Who knew that all the first generation Nephilim had wings and they were just too weak to unfurl them? Sad really." She laughed condescendingly.

"Weak bloods," she added. "I think it's time for me to have a little fun. There's very little of the world I've seen, and I'm not wasting it here."

She began to walk towards the stained glass window.

"Everly – have you turned? I don't understand. What has he done to you?"

"He's given me his power. My inheritance, you indecisive moron. While you've spent your life wondering what side to choose, I've had the privilege of choosing both. I've seen what each has to offer, compared pros and cons, you know? But I think I've finally settled on the decision that has the most to offer. I mean, come on, look at these!" she remarked, waving her wings.

"It's time to have a little fun and live for myself for once. I'm sure I'll see you later, but you better hope I don't" she smiled devilishly. She untied her blond ponytail, letting her long, sandy blonde waves hang around her wings.

She went up to the stained glass window. She admired it for a moment.

"I've always liked this window, but there's one thing that's missing."

"And what's that?" asked Wyatt, restraining his anger.

"The serpent."

Everly smashed her fist into the window, breaking the colorful shards into smaller crystals, falling to the ground like glittering teardrops in the moonlight. Through the space where the window once was, Everly flew off into the night.

* * *

Wyatt ran to Brianna's room, pounding on the door.

"What do you want, Wyatt? I've had a horrible day and you're seriously waking me up?"

"Everly's turned. She's gone."

"Come on, we have to find Isaac."

They ran down the hall and told Isaac what had just transpired. His face was ghostly white.

"I can't believe this. I was just with her."

"Well it's true. So we best move on. I'm sorry, but we have bigger concerns than rescuing Everly Cross. If she's truly gone dark and has demonic power, she must be stopped. We can't have her flying about the world terrorizing people," said Brianna.

"She's right, Wyatt," Isaac confirmed. "We have to let her go. If what you're saying is true, Everly is dead. She's not the same anymore."

"You're wrong!"

"She's not possessed! She's gone! We can't waste our time chasing a dead girl. We have to kill the demon that she's become if she becomes a threat to us and humanity," declared Isaac.

"She's not dead and she's not a demon! She's a girl!" Wyatt yelled, punching Isaac's doorframe where they stood.

"We can't compromise our mission for just some girl!" said Brianna.

"I'm not letting her go. Everly is still inside of her. We're rescuing her, no matter what."

"Wyatt," said Brianna. "If the Five Minds wasn't in shambles, your memory would already be wiped. You haven't vowed your allegiance the Light, yet. We can't trust anyone, and we shouldn't even trust you. You're in no position to be making demands."

"You've always been like a sister to me. Who have you become?"

"The leader I should've been before all this happened."

"A leader doesn't abandon her soldiers. It seems like Everly isn't the only one who's changed."

Brianna and Isaac looked at one another, not having anymore to say.

"I'll follow Everly to the ends of the earth," determined Wyatt. "I'll find her, and I'll bring her back to us. Everyone deserves a second chance, and I'm going to make sure she gets one."