The Order

Chapter 18

Annalise's POV

I wasn’t healing, and being carried was agony. Every jolt, every step sent shocks of pain through my body, so I finally told Nate to put me down. The connection to Nova was still missing, an empty void where her comforting presence should have been. My vampire side, however, surged to the forefront, lending me the strength to keep moving.

The forest was a maze of dangers. At every turn, another creature awaited us, claws, fangs, or worse. Exhaustion gnawed at me, a heavy weight dragging my limbs, but my guardians pressed on, cutting through the chaos like blades through shadow. It wasn’t until we reached the base of the mountain that they finally called for a pause.

“We’ll camp here,” Nate announced, his tone leaving no room for argument. “You need to rest before the climb.”

I didn’t protest. Groaning, I lowered myself onto the ground beside the fire, every movement a fresh reminder of the stab wound in my stomach. The fabric of my shirt clung to the injury, sticky with blood, but I grabbed a knife and cut it away, exposing the wound to the firelight.

The edges had turned an angry purple, and the ash—the cursed ash—was almost gone, leaking out with my blood. I grimaced as Emilia sat beside me, her eyes sharp as she leaned in to inspect it.

“You’re still not healing,” she said softly, worry etched into her expression.

“I know,” I replied, rubbing ash-stained fingers together. “It’s the ash. Something about it is stopping me.”

Emilia frowned, her hand hovering over the wound like she wanted to help but didn’t know how.

“What are you going to do?” Sam’s voice came from the other side of the fire. He settled down next to Emilia, his face tense with concern.

I met his gaze, then looked around at the others. They were tired, too, but determined. Just like me. “We push forward,” I said, my voice steady despite the pain. “No matter what. We get that star in its place.”

A rustling sound pierced the stillness, followed by a high-pitched screech sharp enough to make ears bleed. It came from the trees ahead. Instantly, my guards closed ranks, forming a protective semi-circle around me. Their swords gleamed in the faint, eerie light of the Realm of Souls as they waited, tense and ready. The rustling grew louder, but the screeching stopped. The silence pressed in, heavy and unnatural. We were being surrounded.

Then, she emerged.

A woman stepped out from the shadows of the trees. She was tall, her dark skin gleaming under the otherworldly glow of the realm. Long, matted hair framed her face, and her sharp eyes scanned the guards before settling on me—and the stab wound oozing blood onto the barren ground.

She was too far for my guards to strike without breaking formation. Instead, she opened her mouth and released another screech. This one wasn’t the ear-piercing kind but carried a haunting resonance that sent a chill down my spine. And then, the worst happened.

We were surrounded.

Creatures poured out from the trees, their shapes twisted and unnatural. They came in all sizes, their grotesque forms illuminated by the faint glow of the realm. My blood turned cold as fear gripped me.

A deafening roar shattered the silence, and a monstrous figure swooped down from above. Its claws glinted like polished steel as it attacked my guards, scattering them like leaves in a storm.

I looked around. Chaos. Fear. Blood. But I knew—I couldn’t sit here and wait to die.

Gritting my teeth, I tore a strip from the hem of my shirt and tied it tightly around my wound. The makeshift bandage wasn’t perfect, but it would have to do. I forced myself to my feet, my vision wavering, and grabbed my sword.

“No one’s taking me out while I sit on the sidelines,” I muttered, pushing past my guards and ignoring their protests.

Raising my sword high, I shouted into the chaos, “Is this the best you’ve got?”

Laughter sounded behind me, low and amused. Declan stepped forward, his sword resting lazily on his shoulder.

“Iron Man?” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Really?”

“Hey, he was surrounded too, and they still won,” I shot back. “So, maybe we’ve got a shot.”

A loud groan came from Emilia as she moved into my line of sight.

“Don’t encourage him, please,” she said, exasperated. “And seriously—why did you have to be an Iron Man fan too?”

“Focus, people!” Sam barked, his voice cutting through the moment like a whip.

Then all hell broke loose.

They charged from all directions, a chaotic tide of claws and fangs. We split into pairs, fighting back-to-back as our swords clashed against their relentless onslaught. Blood, dark and thick, flowed beneath us like a river. Every so often, one of them would land a hit near my stab wound, sending sharp waves of pain through my body and dulling my strength.

The chaos only grew. The creatures drove us apart, splitting our group further and further. Panic crawled up my spine as I took in the sight of the others—Nate and Declan were bleeding, and Emilia’s movements were slowing, her fatigue painfully obvious.

I knew I wasn’t supposed to use my powers. I promised myself I wouldn’t. But we were helpless.

They attacked from the sky, monstrous wings slicing through the air, while the forest spewed endless waves of twisted creatures. For every one we cut down, it seemed two more took its place. At the edge of the treeline, the woman stood motionless, watching. Waiting.

A piercing cry tore through the chaos—Emilia. I spun around to see her collapsed on one knee, clutching her side in agony. My heart clenched as I glanced around at the others, bloodied and battered, each fighting to stay on their feet. My decision was made.

Summoning every ounce of strength left in me, I let my magic flow. It surged through my body, burning like fire, drawing the attention of every creature around us. Their movements shifted, their hunger visible in their glowing eyes as they descended on me like moths to a flame.

I waited until they were close enough, then unleashed it.

A blinding blast of white light erupted from my body, obliterating most of them in an instant. But the effort left me gasping for air. Worse still, the magic I’d unleashed lingered in the air, and the remaining creatures fed off it, growing stronger.

Then the woman moved.

She stepped forward, her dark eyes glinting with malice as she opened her mouth and released a screech so loud and piercing it felt like my skull was cracking open.

I fell to my knees, clutching my head in agony. Around me, the others did the same, their cries drowned out by the deafening sound. My vision blurred, and through the haze, I saw a hooded figure emerge from behind the woman. In one swift motion, they slit her throat, silencing her.

The screeching stopped, but the damage was done. My body was weak, trembling as I collapsed onto the ground. My breath came in ragged gasps as I felt a tug in my mind, a whispered voice slicing through the fog:

“Let go.”

I blinked, struggling to focus. The hooded figure was fighting off the remaining creatures, moving with deadly precision. The voice came again, louder this time:

“LET GO.”

My vision blurred, the world around me slipping away. I couldn’t hold on anymore. I felt the wall in my mind c***k and shatter as I gave in. I let the dark magic within me rise, flooding through my veins like ice and fire combined.

And I let it take over.

I never let my dark magic out. It’s dangerous—unpredictable. When I give in to it, I lose myself. But now, I need it.

As the power surged through me, I felt the change immediately. The heaviness in my limbs lifted, the throbbing pain in my side faded, and my wound sealed itself shut. The rush of strength coursed through every fiber of my being, sharper and more intoxicating than anything I’d ever felt before.

Straightening to my full height, I took a deep, steadying breath. Energy crackled at my fingertips, and I smiled.

With a single wave of my hand, the remaining creatures vanished, reduced to nothing more than ash scattered by the lifeless breeze of the Realm of Souls.

The silence that followed was deafening.

I turned to the hooded figure, who was helping the others to their feet. Their movements were slow and tired.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice steady and sharp, carrying the weight of the power that still lingered in me.

The figure paused, turning to face me. The hood obscured their face, but I could feel the intensity of their gaze, even from where I stood.