A Written Destiny ||A Music Freaks Fantasy AU

Chapter Ten: A Pang in the Heart

The battle raged on around Star as she ran in between armies, weaving through the groups. Capes tugged in the harsh wind, accompanied by dust and war cries filling the air. Occasionally, she'd have to duck her head here, or dodge a missile there to keep out of danger.

She was running full speed, trying to make her way towards the hill where Amelie stood. All of the sudden, her foot hit a rock and her arms and legs flailed as she crashed to the ground. She squeezed her eyes, shut, let out a gasp, and then forced herself up. Scratches tore at her knees and bruises were purpling on her hands. Still, she kept going.

Come on... Keep going... 

She gritted her teeth, and pushed faster through the crowd. A spear grazed her ear as she jerked her head to the side to avoid it. Star bit her bottom lip to try and conceal the pain.

"NO!" a shout made Star's blood freeze. She turned, and alas, there she was.

Amelie.

She stood on the hill where Zander and Luke had set up to play their instruments. As long as they kept playing, they were untouched. As long as their music filled the air, the monsters couldn't get near them. As long as their beautiful harmonies didn't waver, then all the army could do was flail as they tried to fight against an invisible border.

Just before, the two band members had been playing in unison, letting the melodies carry through the wind. But then, Amelie had appeared, with her dark cloak swirling furiously in the squall. Unlike her army, she could get near them without a problem.

"Well if it isn't the famous music duo," she leered at Zander and Luke, narrowing her eyes. Zander screamed and the keyboard tumbled over. Luke threw his drumsticks aside, and grabbed him before he could fall. But before either could say another word, a bright, icy blue blast of light shattered in the air. 

In the mere two seconds, Star could feel exactly how powerful that magic was. Laura couldn't have been right. Amelie was clearly stronger than she had thought. What if this magic was stronger than music? But all these ideas only flashed once through her head, and then the light had disappeared along with Amelie. Zander hit the ground with a heavy thump.

"NO!" Luke screamed again, and a twinge of despair unfurled in Star's stomach. The monsters had disappeared with Amelie, presumably to go attack another part of the music band. But Star didn't care about that as she rushed over to Zander's body.

"No.... No, it can't be," she choked back a sob, the movement sending a sharp dagger through her heart. Her pulse pounded wildly in her ears as she looked down at her favourite uncle's face.

"ZANDER! ZANDER!" Luke sobbed. "ZANDER, WAKE UP!"

But the pianist made no sign of hearing him, and his eyes were shut in a relaxed manner, as if he had just fallen asleep. No wounds, no scratches, nothing to indicate that he had been killed.

"ZANDER, LISTEN TO ME!" Star screamed, shaking him slightly. But it was useless.

All the signs and sounds of battle washed away. The cold ground underneath her seemed to vanish, and the bright marigolds were no more. Star was just left alone with a damaged heart, all alone in this black emptiness.

Zander couldn't be dead.

No.

It was too horrific to be true. Just like a story come to life. How could he be dead? This man with deep purple curls that was always by her side... He was one of the only people that understood her.

How... How was he gone?

All of this sorrow was too much for Star. Luke lay by Zander's side, desperately clutching his hand, muttering under his breath as tears streamed down his face. But Star wasn't going to wait for Zander to magically come to life. The mountain of sorrow turned into rage, and fury to Amelie. 

Without wasting another moment, she stood up and whisked away as quickly and soundlessly as a seasonal breeze. The center of the battlefield was full of clamour and shouts as Amelie stood in the middle of it all, smirking at the mess she had created. The bright marigolds brushed her shoulders, almost bowing down to her as if she was a queen.

"AMELIE!" Star yelled through clenched teeth. The owner of the name looked up, and when she saw her, an amused smile crawled up her face.

"Star! Oh, it's no surprise. I'm sure you want revenge after what I did to your pwoor, 'wiww, uncwe zander!" she said in a babyish tone. "Oh, how it runs in the family! Esme always -"

Her words were broken off and replaced with a shout of surprise as Star suddenly threw a blazing purple ball of fire at her. It did nothing but to singe the ends of Amelie's hair, but it was enough to provoke her.

"Oh, you want to play that game, I see now," Amelie snarled. Both armies parted so that a perfect circle was cleared around the two. They circled each other like animals in a cage.

Star didn't hesitate and a purple beam of light shot towards Amelie, but she slashed it aside with a slicing motion of her hand. In turn, Amelie gathered an orb of sapphire glow and threw it at her.

Time seemed to slow down, and Star jumped higher than she ever had before. She seemed to hover in the air for a moment, but she came down too soon.

Her feet brushed the orb, sending a searing pain through her legs. She was on the verge of collapsing, but smashed her teeth together and rolled out of the way as another blast was shot at her.

"Occius!" Star cried, aiming blindly as she struggled to her feet. The killing spell didn't do the effect she wanted, but she knew the target had been found as Amelie screamed. 

"Campum Masphe!"

An excruciating pain shot up Star's legs, and a horrible scream left her mouth. Her limbs twitched and she sank to the floor. The agony was taking over. Everything was washed over her as misery was brought out.

"STAR!" she thought she heard Hailey cry, but she couldn't be sure.

I'm going to die soon. She let out another scream as fire raced through her veins.

I can't be living anymore like this. Amelie should just kill me already. But she'll surely torture me to madness...

"STAR! NO! LET HER FREE!" it wasn't Hailey. No... It was a different voice. A voice that was so familiar to her, but she couldn't place a finger on it.

There was no remorse shown on Amelie's face, instead a look of pure glee, as she stretched out her fingers, causing Star's screams of anguish to increase.

"That was only the beginning," Amelie whispered as she put down her hand. Her voice was full of malice. "Let's have another round, shall we?"

Star trembled, limbs still twitching from the impact. Her breaths were coming in ragged gasps, and she could barely feel her heartbeat.

"No..." she muttered to herself. Her voice was so faint, she barely heard it. "You can't give up now. Don't succumb. You have to keep going..."

She closed her eyes and bit the inside of her cheek.

Come on... Do it for them. For Hailey, for Jake, for the music club. Do it for Zander. Do it for.... Laura...

Somehow, she pulled herself to her feet, still shaking. Anger was washing over her like ocean tides. It seemed to overcome the pain.

"Campum Masphe!" she echoed the torture curse, pointing a finger at Amelie.

In an instant, she was screaming in pain as the spell began to do its work. Her cries were filled with more affliction than Star's. Surprised, Star dropped her hand, and the curse stopped at once. For a moment, she hesitated as she watched Amelie roll over to the side, panting heavily. 

Why was she hesitating? Was she perhaps feeling... pity?

But before Star could fully recognize these feelings, Amelie had gotten to her feet, face flushed with rage.

"You wicked child!" she screeched, and Star barely had any time to duck her head before a scream and something sharp was shot at her. She registered nothing but a glimpse of cadet blue, and then everything went black.

A/N: i swear i'm writing and not procrastinating ahaha -

ahaha

hope you're still enjoying the story!