Awaken Into a New World

Chapter 8: Hell Has No Fury

Ivon took a step away from her.

"She's not supposed to do that!"

Aven's eyes filled with shock as a blue pulse of energy erupted from her body, forcing Ivon and his two men to fly across the room. Ivon got up-confused and shaken-and before he even recovered, another calm, blue flame-like energy slowly emitted from her body; its intensity constantly pulled back as it moved out from her as if it longed to release itself but couldn't. Aven smirked, pride laced upon his lips. The ropes around her dissolved, and she stood, glaring at Ivon.

"D'you think you can get away?"

Leah raised her hand, palm facing him; a circular outline formed within it as if it bent light in itself. Ivon got hit by an invisible force, smashing him towards the cracked wall. In fear, the two settlers dashed through the massive hole.

"Aven," she ripped the ropes off her brother and caressed his scarred face, "we need to get out of here."

She lowered herself, let his arm lean around her, and carried him outside and into the settlement yard.

Ivon got up.

"He's still alive?" murmured Aven.

"He won't be any longer."

"What will you do?"

"You'll see." She levitated off the ground and ascended into the air, a trail of energy emanating from her.

"Yeah, fly away, you cowards!"

Leah took Aven a few yards away and landed into a dead forest.

"You'll be okay here-" She leaned him against a tree-"Don't move."

She flew off to the settlement and stood, her gaze zeroing on the wall. The energy restlessly flowed around her body as it got brighter; darkness surely knew its place, giving way to her light.

"Why are you standing there for?" Ivon's voice bellowed above the wall. Leah raised her gaze up at him, armed settlers beside him.

"No matter what pretty lights you have, you don't scare us!" His fellow settlers cheered after his words.

Ivon made a cocky grin.

"Kill her!"

Without hesitation, they shot their weapons at her all at once. Leah stopped the spikes of energy through her hand, circling themselves as if they were birds in the sky, now condensed into a glowing blue sphere. They continued their vain onslaught as they fueled the sphere within Leah's hand until they finally ran out of ammo. She bore her eyes into her enemies, fixing at the large sphere hovering over her hand.

"She's not dead, and what the hell is that?" someone shouted.

"Dammit!" Ivon disappeared from the group.

Leah stared at the sphere for a moment as her eyes reflected its brightness; she aimed it at the wall ahead of her and launched it-wreaking havoc-leaving behind a large explosion that obliterated it and everyone in it; the cloud of smoke and dust engulfed her.

"Destroy her with everything you have!" said Ivon, his tone a fail attempt at sounding like vengeance.

From the smoke, a glowing blue light illuminated brighter while the smoke vanished. Leah strode through and spotted Ivon standing in the middle of the yard. Spikes of energy hit her from all sides, which only wrapped a swirling blanket of energy around her.

"Enough!" she screamed, and a huge pulse of energy spread in all directions, shutting their weapons.

"Are you going to kill us?" Ivon stepped back, a horrified look on his face. "Isn't killing billions of us enough?"

"The things you say," she started, moving towards him, "had nothing to do with me. It was before my time."

He tripped and fell on his back, holding his trembling hands to her. "I'll do anything you want, I promise."

"Remember, I pleaded that you stop; you didn't listen."

Her eye pupils glowed once more. "You'll get what's coming to you when I erase you and this place from existence."

A crowd gathered from all sides. Leah trained her eyes around them, and before they could get near, she flew into the air and ascended deep into the dark clouds above. Thunder rumbled across the sky as flashes of lightning traveled across the gray blanket. The clouds swirled into a large vortex, with strokes of electrical currents flowing within it. Large blue light illuminated from the center and combusted each moment until finally, a large beam of pure energy blasted. Ivon could only watch, helpless, as it drew near.

The beam collided into the center of the settlement, creating a dome of powerful energy that spread out and destroyed everything within a large radius, reaching the outer walls and engulfing it. The destructive dome faded and left nothing but a large chard crater, electrical currents surging within it. The swirling vortex slowed down, and the clouds returned into its natural shape.

Leah slowly descended from the center, looking down at the destruction she had caused. Sapphire flames burned her face's wounds as it healed.

"Aven." She flew towards the forest and landed where she left Aven, quickly falling to her knees beside him, out of breath.

"What did you do?"

"You know what I did." She intertwined her fingers and sighed exasperatedly. "I had to destroy them. They were going to kill you."

"Do you see now why we can't trust them?" He stroked the tear off her cheek, and the glow from her pupils dimmed. "They're wicked. There's no good in them, not even one."

"I didn't listen to you; I should've known." She sat next to him. "Why did we go there if you knew we couldn't trust them?"

He held his injured leg. "I had to let you see for yourself."

"You knew they'd find out who we are?"

He nodded. "It wasn't as quick as I thought, and if you didn't spill your drink, we'd be dead."

Leah chuckled. "A mistake that came with a solution."

"Exactly." He cringed, sweat dribbling from his forehead, and gripped his leg. "I can't heal myself; that liquid's restrained me."

"Allow me," she said, resting her hands on the wound on his leg, which made Aven scream. "I can't concentrate if you don't stay still."

Gentle blue flame emitted from her closed eyes, traveling through her arms and gathering around her hands, resting on the wound. It spread across his body, and the cuts and bruises on his face healed. The flames ceased when Leah opened her eyes

"You should feel better now." She took her hands off the wound.

"Much better." He bent and strained his leg. "Thank you."

Leah smirked and stood, dusting herself off. "Try to stand."

He stood with ease. "Good as new."

"What are we doing?" She turned her back to him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what are we doing here? This world is against us; we can barely keep ourselves alive, and with this mission," she paused, averting her eyes, "what if this is a waste of time?"

"What, the mission?"

"Everything, Aven." Her lips trembled as she held her arms around her torso. "Being here's a waste. What if we're searching in vain?"

"Why do you say all this?"

"She's dead, Aven."

"No." He shook his head. "I know she's-"

"What?" Leah gritted her teeth, stepping closer. "Alive?"

She twisted her lips. "Aven, we barely made it, and if she survived, they'd have killed her!"

"Why are you talking like this so suddenly?"

"They told me they got to her first."

"It could be a lie, or they've mistaken her for someone else."

"No," she said firmly. "This came from someone who had an intense hatred for us. He boasted he had killed her himself."

"So what?" He gestured with his hands. "If he couldn't tell you her appearance-"

"He did."

He narrowed his eyes. "Oh, did he now?"

"It doesn't fit her description, though."

"What did he say?"

"She has white hair; it's the only thing he told me. I'm telling you, this is a waste of time."

"White?" He crossed his arms. "Do you think we should keep an eye out for someone who fits that description?"

"But it'd be like searching for a neutron star in a whole galaxy!"

"That's true, but at least, this star'll stand out."

She sighed. "Where should we start searching?"

"Let's see." He put his fingers under his chin. "Should we go find more settlements?"

"It's too dangerous."

"I'll be fine." He brought his hands to his side. "We'll be careful this time."

She took his outstretched hand. "I hope so."

"Shall we take flight?"

She nodded, and both of them ascended to the air and flew off.

-

Alecia slept restlessly on the bed, frowning and twitching. A cold breeze chilled her skin as she opened her eyes and perched, catching her breath. As she rubbed her face, a flash of a lightning bolted from the window, along with the audible sounds of thunder.

She looked outside.

"Weird."