The castle walls hung in heavy silence. A cold chill came from the library and faint whispers.Corin had been keeping an eye on the advisor for awhile now. And he showed signs of betrayal tonight proved it. Corin edged along the walls to the library and paused by the door he could hear the advisor talking to someone. “Your good at what you do” There was a pause then he continued “I want you to kill him tonight, and you will be rewarded.” The silence was eerie the person he was talking to didn’t respond but the advisor seemed shocked “What? What do you mean there’s an intruder?!.” Corin bolted down the corridor running through the maze of passways until he ran into the throne room out of breath. King Stephen sat in his throne talking to one of his generals then gave Corin a curious look “Everything alright? “ Corin took a moment to catch his breath “The- advisor- is a traitor! “ Corin said and the moment the word left his mouth the advisor came in with a figure clad in black The figure wore a hood consealing it’s face The air felt heavy Corin went pale when he saw the death mage “Kill him “ said the advisor The deathmage held its staff and uttered a curse in dragon tongue a black light emerged from the staff aimed for the king Corin jumped it the way it hit his body like a shockwave he hit the ground and writhed in pain a scream teared from this throat. Once the pain subsided the death mage stood over him And uttered a binding spell and dropped his staff by Corin like a magnet it attached to his arm and Black Plague slowly appeared on his hand. Corin looked and say that the king was dead

Oh Yura, sitting in your favorite spot. Sunning, relaxing, queen of all you survey. Your ruffled fur is drying in the Sun, your whiskers twitch slightly. But, lo! Who arrives but Adak!! He waddles up to you (on all fours, for fur seals, like all sea lions, have flexible hips) and bows his long-whiskered face. Yura, you are not a fool. You fall not for this suave pinniped. You bark, you charge, you drive Adak back into the waters. But he is not easily swayed. He returns, and yet again you drive him off. The harbor seals watch in silent judgment. Eventually, Adak admits defeat, and you, dear Yura, are queen again. At least until next Thursday.

‘We’ve got it, Miss! You need to go!’ Tess ran at full speed towards the exit. The room was collasping before her. ‘Shadow! Shadow, do you copy?’ ‘Yes, I’m getting out, Carter! Did the other team get the drive?’ ‘Unfortunately, no ma’am. Hostiles got it.’ ‘Sh*t. Okay. Where are they now?’ ‘Outside the building, ma’am.’ Tess made it outside, knocked out a guard, hopped into his car and started driving. ‘Where are they, Carter?’ ‘Northanger abbey, ma’am.’ ‘Got it.’ She turned a corner and saw a motorcycle. ‘Is it that one?’ ‘Yes miss.’ The figure on the motorcycle spotted her. He started shooting. ‘Well, that’s not good.’ She pulled out her bo staff, and flicked it. It turned into a shield. He shot a few more rounds, got on his motorcycle, and left. ‘Oh come on!’ ‘Ma’am, there’s a police barricade at wincester road. You might want to lead him there.’ ‘Good idea, carter.’ Tess grabbed a motorcycle and started chasing after him again. ‘Ma’am, you’re losing him.’ ‘Great.’ She gained speed, chasing him into wincester road, and right into the arms of the police. He glared at her as he was led into the vehicle. She smiled. ’All in a day’s work, Carter. All in a day’s work.’ ‘It’s night ma’am.’ ‘Shut up or I’ll get Moore to reassign you.’ ‘Okay. sorry miss.’

(About: Lia was used as a human experiment by Alex and she gets ✨ revenge ✨ ) “Lia…” Alex gasped out of breathe, “why? Why would you betray us?! We have you so much, we’re the god damn reason that you became the person you are…so why?” “You betrayed me first. You used me. You experimented on me like…like I was some kind of pet!” I yelled. My anger building up. There was no one here to hold me back. I could finish him right here, right now if I wanted to but yet, I couldn’t. I wanted to see him suffer, after all those years he kept me locked up in a cage like I was some kind of animal, I could finally do the same to him. There was so many things i could do to him, he’s just so vulnerable. I almost pity him. Seeing him like this is amusing. I look at him, “beg.” “What…?” “You heard me. Beg. Bet for mercy. Beg for me to let you go. Beg for me help you.” “You know I can’t do that” “Then that’s your mistake” I step closer to him, he backed up, until he finally backed into a wall. “There’s no where to go Alex.” “Please, just let me go. I have friends I need to get back to. I have more things to do. I have to get married and have kids, I have to apologize to so many people, including you.” Alex cried. But did I care? No. Not at all. “Remember when I begged, just like that? I begged to be released. I begged for you to let me go. And what did you do? You laughed. So tell me, why should I let you go?” “Lia please…” I laughed, “you’re funny.” 3rd person POV Lia gripped him by his throat, watching the life drain out of him but yet, it wasn’t as fun as she imagined. She let go, taking a knife out of her pocket, dragging it across his face, leaving bloody trails. Alex looked at her with fear plaguing his eyes, scared of what she’ll do next. Will she poison him? Will she tear him apart, limb by limb? Will she use his as an experiment? The possibilities were endless, there was so many things he had done to her, and it was coming back to bite him in the ass. And of course, Lia was finally getting her long waited revenge, the 13 years of waiting was finally over.

The loud clang of the train engine coupling with its heavy load penetrated the hot thick air as midday approached. This particular day, Sara thought, had to be humid and hot. The day she had to travel 2 hours in the morning heat to collect her mother at the train station. Ever since she decided to move to “that God forsaken house 200 miles from nowhere,” she and her mother had fought. And, her appearance. She’s proud to be a minimalist, even with her choices of clothes and makeup, but not to her dear old mom. To her mother, Sara let herself go, both mentally and physically, since she decided to leave Tommy, her husband of 10 years. She couldn’t tell her mom the real reason she left. She said it was because he wanted her to have a baby, but it was really the fact that she had fallen in love with life. She wanted to live. Be free. Free to love, travel, work at what made her happy, and not answer to anyone. But her mother would never approve of her leaving to “chase rainbows.” Chuckling to herself, there’s certainly no rainbows here in Southeast Texas near the Louisiana broader. Hot and dry this day, of all days. Tessa🦋

My heart pounds distinctively like far off drums. My breath gets slowly gets heavier and heavier. I hear someone scream in the distance. A woman I think. I run faster than I ever thought possible through the blazing hot and orange flames. They consume my neighborhood casting flickering, dancing shadows on the streets and buildings. I fly past all of my childhood memories. The park where Mom always pushed me on the swings and caught me at the bottom of the slide. My best friend Bailey’s house where we used to spend hours creating unique recipes we would serve to her stuffed animals. The ice cream shop where my older brother James would take me every Thursday afternoon to get our order, double scoop, one triple chocolate and the other fudge brownie. These were all years ago though. And all of them are dead. I run past each house, each bringing a memory that aches more than the last. I run until my legs can’t carry me anymore. Right before I collapse I see a slight glimpse of two people in scrubs running towards me. And then I black out. When I finally come to, I wake up in a room with blinding lights. When I stop blinking, I realize I’m in a hospital. I look around and I hear the beeping machines and see the colorful cards and little presents. I can’t muster the strength to go look at them. I fade back out until I’m asleep. When I wake up again, I try and remember what happens. I was sitting at the dinner table with my family having our weekly Pasta night. And then, we all felt a sudden wave of heat smother us. “What’s that?” My Dad asks standing up and fanning himself with his shirt. And that’s when the fire envelops our house. My mom starts screaming and James grabs my baby sister Birdie from her high chair. We all make a dash for the door, an unsaid agreement to run to our grandparents house. On the way, James trips, taking Birdie down with him. There’s a lot of screaming (plants from me) and my parents both stop to hell them. That’s when the burning fingers of the fire grab my entire family, never to return then to life. Before they die I hear my mom yell “GO CHARLIE! Run as far as you can!” After a risky hesitation I bolt to the only place I can think to go, Bailey’s house. Once I get there I see the falling house, someone scream her name and I know she’s gone. Numb with heartache I sprint as far as I can go. They’re dead. All of them. They’re never coming back. I’m all alone. After weeping for my family for the longest time, I realize everything hurts. I look at my skin and see that I am covered in burns. The doctor comes in and tells me it’s a miracle I’m alive. I was burned terribly and everybody I know is known to be dead. “I know this is hard. But it’s going to be ok. Everything will work out just fine sweet girl.” I go to sleep and when I wake up there is someone standing in my doorway. When my eyes focus I see the hunched over figure, clutching onto a cane. “Grandma?” I gasp, tears coming to my eyes. “It’s me honey.” She says crossing to me and laying with me stroking my hair, murmuring that everything will be alright. And for the first time since the accident I feel a tiny blossom of hope inside of me.

The old king clad in heavy armour stood with his chest proud and observed the battlefield. The links of chain in his chain mail clanged as he dragged his zweihander across the grass. Heavy blade over blades of grass. His wife, the Queen stood by his side, but taller as she stood upon a golden chariot. She held a slender longbow in her grip with an arrow primed and ready. The wind blew her exposed hair that was left free-flowing backwards but her stern and determined gaze did not falter. By the king and the queen stood their royal advisers, bishops in occupation but strategists in nature. The coned hat with a cross emblazoned in its centre was intimidating to the fainthearted. A heavy spiked ball dangled on a chain. This was a flail of judgement. If the enemy did not yield to the their king and religion, then they would receive the blessing of the spiked ball to the skull. They did not charge into battle but they ensured both as motivation and invigoration to the frontline as a force to be reckoned with. Next we had the knights, the horses were wild with fervour from the knights who sat patiently in search for vulnerabilities. Their job was to pick out the unsuspecting. They swerved in the midst and throes of battle to take down their enemies who were otherwise engaged. Two towers loomed at the corners of the battlefield. Their presence is unmissable. The range of which the archers positioned behind embrasures that overlooked the field directly in front of them or their sides. Any fool that crossed their line of fire would be asking for death if they ignored these gargantuan and intimidating structures. Finally, the frontline pawns. Comprised of indentured servants and militia, they were instructed to move only when they were told to move. To take a step forward and to bang against their bucklers to taunt the enemy. It in fact had the opposite effect as it clanged like a ladle to a cooking pot. They felt the least equipped for war and so they were glad that their instruction was to move as little as possible. Directly opposite this army was almost a mirror image. Like two sides of a coin, these two armies represented the polar opposite of each other. Like night was to day, darkness was to the light and evil was to the good. The pawns banged their bucklers, the towers prepared their volley, the knights reared their horses, the bishops recanted their prayers, the queen primed her arrow upon her chariot and the kings stared bitterly at each other.

I dig my fingers into Hyathorn’s yellow fur, hir side heaving with every panting breath. Above us, concealed by the heavy clouds, the wyvern shrieks again, the pitch of its cry heightening and lowering as it passes. Hyathorn snarls around hir lolling tongue and shakes hir feathery wings. “Steady,” I whisper, giving hir a pat with one hand and tightening my grip on my sword with the other. Winged hounds have been used in battle historically, true. I’ve ridden them before myself. But Hyathorn is the family pet, all fluff and play; ze has no armor or training. That didn’t keep hir from leaping at the wyvern when it first swooped down into the yard. It won’t keep hir safe from claws or fangs. But I have no way of telling hir this, nor do I want to face the wyvern alone. I wouldn’t stand a chance, just me on the ground and it in the air. I could tell Hyathorn to flee, and ze would take me with hir, but the children in the house mere feet behind us - my brother’s kids - are counting on me. The wyvern calls again. I track the sound across the sky with my eyes and hoist myself onto Hyathorn’s back, balancing my sword against my shoulder and wishing for a proper saddle. A patch of cloud darkens as something moves through it, and I can just make out the shape of the wyvern’s bat-like wings and snakelike body before it rushes into view, diving straight towards me, revealing all the teeth in its scaled head with another battle cry. “Go!” I shout. Hyathorn bounds forward, and just before it seems we will meet the wyvern at the end of its dive, ze extends hir wings and leaps into the air, right over the wyvern’s head. The wyvern snaps at Hyathorn’s feet, barely missing hir toes. I slash downward with my sword, just managing to nick the top of the wyvern’s head, leaving a scratch in its scales. It isn’t much of a wound, but the winged reptile screams all the same, turning its attention away from the house. I watch over my shoulder as Hyathorn and I climb higher into the air. The wyvern swoops around in a wide curve to pursue us. Every beat of its massive wings ruffles my hair and Hyathorn’s fur, and as we enter the clouds, that same breeze disperses what I had hoped would be our cover. “Keep flying, Hyathorn,” I urge hir. “Higher!” Hyathorn’s breathing is heavy, but ze keeps up hir pace, gaining altitude with trembling feathers. The house shrinks beneath us to the size of a toy - though the wyvern remains the same size, keeping pace behind us - and I have to wonder if Hyathorn has ever flown this high before. Hopefully ze has enough adrenaline to do it. I know I do; my teeth are chattering with how jittery I am. But I don’t have wings. I need to count on Hyathorn’s. Ze has to be faster than the wyvern. “Higher!” I say again, but I’m drowned out by the wyvern’s cry. I look up, wiping sweat out of my eyes with my sleeve, and then down again. It’s gaining on us. We’re not faster. It’ll have to be enough. I adjust my grip on my sword and clamp my knees more tightly around Hyathorn’s sides. “Turn, Hya! Turn!” I tug on Hyathorn’s fur, and ze obeys. “Now, dive! Do it!” And, bless hir, ze listens. My brother’s big, goofy fluff ball of a winged hound folds zir wings, points zir nose downward, and plummets straight towards the wyvern. The cold air tugs at my face and world below begins to grow as we dive, and the wyvern opens its toothy maw to meet us - - and I strike out in front of Hyathorn, plunging my sword straight into the wyvern’s mouth. Its teeth slice into my arm, and in the same instant, my own blade slices through the roof of its mouth, puncturing its brain. My pained scream mingles with its agonized wail, and I lose my grip on the sword as it falls away from me, its wings spasming, trying and failing to flap again. Hyathorn howls, spreading hir wings and slowing our descent. I clutch my shredded arm to my chest, the spreading redness turning the fur on Hyathorn’s back a dark orange-brown, and focus on keeping my balance. The wyvern falls, falls, and falls, finally crashing in the middle of the old stone road and lying still.

I glanced at my partner over the little wall on the roof I’d positioned myself on top of. I waited...5..4..3..2..1...and Go! I jumped the two stories with a swift tuck and roll. As I bounced back up I was already diving a mid swing attack from one Jackal’s minions. I then pulled back and gave him a good right hook in the jaw;hard enough to knock him out. I glanced at Jesse to see how she was fairing fighting off three guys; two armed and one brick wall of muscle. She’d just disarmed one and chucked the brick wall at the second armed guy. I twirled into a side kick in the gut of the guy that just tried ramming into me from the left. Then I twisted back around to ram my knee where it hurts at the guy thinking he could come up behind me and remain unharmed. To finish him off I grabbed the back of his neck and slammed his head into my knee and knocked him out. When I saw that Jesse had the rest taken care of I headed up to the metal staircase at the side of the building to go after Jackal himself. When I walked into the room that appeared to be some sort of office I was surprised to see Jackal twist around in the spinning chair. He didn’t appear to be ready for a fight. “Ahh I assume you’ve taken care of my men. I figured you would but it took you approximately three minutes longer than I expected.” I glared at him, “ We’ll did you count the time it takes to take two flights of stairs.” “Yes, I did indeed.” I rolled my eyes. Small talk with bad guys never really was my thing. “All right Jackal lets just cut to the chase already.” “Ahh always so impatient.” I growled at him. I then rushed to the side to gain momentum from the brick wall and flipped into a tackle. Only, I didn’t hit Jackal... I hit the floor ...hard. I got up rubbing my side and saw Jackal - flickering... I slapped my hand to my face feeling my stupidity sting. Jackal was using a hologram.

I wildly scribbled my name onto a small slip of paper before inserting it into a worn box, The attendant smiled at me waving her hand gesturing me to move along. I tipped my head and walked forward, the sun shone brightly in my eyes making me squint against it. The roar of the crowd came next, the show hadn’t even started yet and they were already panting for the entertainment. It made me sick of how much they wanted it, and even sicker of how much I needed it. I wasn’t exactly in a good financial spot at the moment, and I was on the edge of subscription. To the army. If I kept my taxes coming I would be safe, but I had nothing left so fighting for money was my only option. I looked out toward the crowd, knowing I wouldn’t find a familiar face even if they were there. I spotted the line of contestants in the far corner of the arena, I strode towards them examining the arena as I did. It was a bowl, traditionally built with stands covering every inch. The sand kicked up in the wind making everything blur in a beige haze. “Tiana Windmere ‘The Eel’ verses Eckle Deare ‘Jetstream’” I was so focused on not shaking that I almost didn’t even hear the announcer shout out contestants. I assumed immediately they would fight and the first to draw blood would win. I was right. The blare of horn it’s source unknown erupted in the bowl. And time seemingly froze, Tiana ‘the Eel’ they called her, moved like magic. Her movements untraceable and unpredictable. Eckle ‘Jetstream’ was lightning speed and bolted off at Tiana with an unimaginable pace. The fight went on for what seemed like forever until Tianas mouth sputtered with red liquid from a hard punch that Eckle delivered. “Evangeline Digotta verses Ezra Gian ‘The Lion’” Announced the unseen speaker. I frowned as my name was blared over the speakers but I had no nickname to go along. I searched for Ezra and there he was, And I knew why the nickname was so. His golden hair ruffled slightly in the wind, bleached of all color. He bore his teeth and I saw to my horror they had been sawed down to tiny malicious points that shone paper white against the sand. We walked forward onto the sand our paces matched in time, We stood in our stance and I watched him with fierce eyes. The horn blared and time froze once again, I watched Ezra as he darted towards me, the sand behind him kicking up and an idea popped into my head. I bent low and timed his pace perfectly, scooping up a handful of the chalky plain substance and throwing it into the air with the flick of my wrist. Ezra saw it and he tried to stop his pace but his vision became painful and he shook his head like a dog. With my chance I pounced upon him my feet lifting from the plain earth and I pulled my arm back and with a neat hit I had struck him right between the eyes. A seemingly deafening crunch resumed time and the roar of the crowd came back. But I didn’t let pride get the best of me until I saw blood, and I did. The liquid dripped down his chin and landed, staining the sand. The corner of my mouth lifted in triumph, and the crowd was roaring, no. Chanting. The Snake. The Snake The Snake. They were calling me, I raised my fist and in response a thunder of feet stomped in return. I looked down at Ezra, he was now standing, the blood coming from his nose crudely wiped to the side making him look more dangerous than he was. “You cheater.” He breathed, before spitting at my feet. “Not a cheater, I’m a snake.” I said before walking off the arena.