Chapterfourteen: Destinies Written in Blood
The battle still raged like a storm unchained—screams, blasts of power, and the clash of blades echoing across the trembling ground of the academy. The skies were painted with a dark hue, thick with smoke and arcane energy. Among the chaos, Catherine sprinted through the ruined hallway, cradling a trembling Eli in her arms. Her breath came in gasps, her chest rising and falling rapidly as dust and ash clouded her vision.
"Eli," she panted, her voice laced with urgency and fear, "You must be strong. You must have confidence—for someone like me is fighting to protect you with all my soul."
Eli's eyes, wide with confusion and fear, met hers. She was trying to keep her composure, but even he could sense her panic beneath the brave words.
Then, as if summoned by fate itself, an Esada appeared at the end of the hallway. Dressed in solemn white robes, his face pale like death, his eyes glowed an unsettling crimson. He stood still, a silent executioner awaiting command, the white cloth wrapped loosely around his arm drifting with a ghostly grace.
He said nothing. He merely stared—not at Catherine—but straight into Eli's soul.
Before he could move, we shift scenes to outside the crumbling halls, where the other students were being hurried toward buses by lesser heroes and school guardians. Alarms wailed. Magical shields protected the perimeter.
But the fight—Vile vs. Nice—was relentless.
Vile stood there as if amused, a sinister grin painting his face, his crimson jacket whipping in the wind. Nice, bloodied but determined, struck again with a flurry of blows. But to Vile, it was all a game.
"You're putting on a good show," Vile chuckled, dodging easily with an almost lazy grace. "But you're not even warming me up."
Nice growled, pushing himself harder, faster. He landed a few blows, one grazing Vile's cheek—but the villain just laughed.
"Tell me," Vile said, licking the blood from his lip, "you call yourself hero? And what do you plan to do with Eli Calamaki?"
Nice's fists clenched. "Protect him. From monsters like you."
Vile's smile deepened. "Protect him? That boy is destiny itself. A key-way. A threat. And most importantly—mine."
Nice's eyes narrowed. "If he's that important to you… maybe I should end him before you reach him."
The world froze for a moment. A breeze swept through.
In the blink of an eye, Vile appeared behind Nice, gently placing a finger on his shoulder.
"You won't," he whispered. "Because he was destined to belong to me… since the day he was born."
Then with a flick, Vile stabbed him—not with a blade, but with a single blackened finger pulsing with dark energy. The power surged into Nice's chest like a thunderbolt. Nice gasped, his body trembling before falling to the ground.
"nice!" mighty screamed.
From the side, Mighty, another guardian, launched himself into the scene, rage in his eyes. But before he could reach Vile, Keal, another Esada, intercepted him and delivered a crushing blow that shattered the earth beneath them, sending Mighty crashing down like a broken meteor.
---
Back in the hallway, Catherine stood between Eli and the Esada, her eyes now fierce like a serpent ready to strike.
"Eli, run!" she barked.
"But—"
"I SAID GO!" Her voice cracked as power surged from her body.
Eli hesitated only a second longer before obeying. As his small feet carried him away, Catherine's eyes glowed emerald green. Her arms transformed into twisting serpentine limbs, scales running up her skin. Snakes of ethereal energy slithered from her shoulders, writhing, hissing, and lashing toward the Esada.
With a cry, Catherine unleashed her Snake Tempest, a flurry of energy serpents launching themselves like missiles. Each snake snapped at the Esada, venom sizzling through the air. She moved like liquid fury—sliding, striking, spinning with martial precision. Her tail-like lower limbs swirled around her, boosting her jumps and strikes in unpredictable patterns.
The Esada raised a single hand, whispering something ancient.
A spectral shield of bones and smoke formed before him. The snakes struck and exploded, one after another, rattling the hallway. The clash sent shockwaves tearing through the walls, tiles splitting like cracked glass.
But the Esada… remained unfazed.
"You are not the one I seek," he said coldly, stepping through the smoke.
Catherine leapt with a scream, her hand transforming into a viper's head. She struck for his neck—
But he was too fast.
With a flash of silver, he vanished and reappeared behind her. Before she could even react, he plunged a cold, cruel blade into her throat.
Her eyes widened in shock. Blood gushed like spilled ink. Her knees buckled.
Eli turned just in time to see her fall.
"NO!" he screamed, but her body hit the floor with a sickening thud.
---
Eli ran. Tears blurred his vision. His chest ached with grief. But he kept running—through the halls, out into the open courtyard where bodies lay scattered, smoke rising like the breath of demons.
Then, through the haze—he saw him.
Faded—the Awaken hero. His white cloak torn, his body covered in burns and wounds. But still, he stood tall. Silent. Watching Eli with soft, unreadable eyes.
Eli's steps slowed.
Their eyes met.
Eli smiled—hope, relief, trust—all flooding his face as he ran toward him, arms outstretched in slow motion.
But Faded turned his head… and looked away.
Then, out of nowhere, a shadow moved.
A figure leapt from behind and struck Eli.
Everything shattered.
Eli was hurled forward by the impact. He landed hard, scraping across the ground. The world spun. His ears rang.
As his vision faded, he saw a boot step beside him.
A voice followed—a cruel, playful voice.
"So fragile. So important."
Then darkness.
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TO BE CONTINUED...