Heart Of Stone - Episode 49&50&51

 

HEART OF STONE

Heart Of Stone - Episode 49&50&51

 (..Sold•To•The•Pit•Of•Hell..)

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or reposted in any form, or by any means without a written permission from the author.

Copyright © 2025.

By: Naomi Cindy B.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

#Unedited 

The absence of Ryker's lips made Shayla's lashes separate, her eyes opened, catching his own.

He looks the same, but there's a small tilt below his right brow.

"Moy Vladika, are you ok?" She asked the first question that came to mind.

He kept looking at her as if there's something hanging on her face.

The moonlight shattered between them, brightening the island more, but she has no business with that beauty right now.

Something isn't right.

"Huh? Are you...ok?" She asked again, lifting her palm to his forehead to touch gently.

"But your temperature isn't too cold" she muttered confusedly.

Ryker took her hand away, sitting back on the chair. He gave her smallest finger a slow caress before letting it go.

"Explore, it's all yours." He said point blank.

Shayla did her slow blink. "But you suddenly broke the...kiss." she drawled carefully.

"What? You wanna continue?" He leaned in sharply with that smug expression again.

Shayla stepped away before he could reach her. A cute chuckle filled her lips as her steps fell afar.

"No. I'm just worried, you seemed to be zoning out." she said, subtly biting the inside of her mouth.

The NO was a lie. 

None of their kisses has lasted as long as she wanted, and that hurts.

Maybe she's the greedy addicted one, or maybe he's the one not giving enough, but all she knows is that once his lips separates from hers, she'd be wanting more, and more.

Ryker lowered his hand, taking a cup of alcohol from the table, but he poured it away without drinking.

No idea why, but the smell of food and drinks just have a way of irritating him, but he ate the salad from her the other time, and he took a bite from her strawberry earlier without getting that irritation.

She's really effortlessly making him do these things.

A smirk formed on his lips, and his mind zoned to what happened some minutes ago. 

The foreign surge inside him. 

Last time he felt this surge was 200 years ago, he got so weak without a reason, and he had to go into seclusion for a year. 

The surge is like a premonition of bad things, meaning he has to heighten his carefulness.

He looked ahead, and he squinted a bit when he saw Shayla inside the island river already.

The water reached her knees, not very deep.

She's looking at the river with the stare of an huntress, and he sighted what she's hunting for—a octopus.

She has been chasing it around the water for minutes now, but her warmth is driving the sea animal away from her.

She went down to catch it again, and Ryker secretly stretched two fingers forward, freezing the octopus.

Shayla was finally able to catch, and the smile that rubbed on her face afterwards was priceless.

She looked up, raising the animal as she walked out of the water.

Her boots are completely wet with the water, even the down parts of her jean pants. They're all dripping as she came back to him with a little run.

"Look, I got it." She said, breathing heavily and dangling it.

"Messy, are you gonna eat that?" He frowned.

"No! It's just fun catching it. When I was young, I had no friends or playmates, and I've always wanted to go on play outings to the park, but all I got was beatings and ill-treatment from Ma, so don't be mad at me if I get messy sometimes. I guess my inner child is still breathing." She said, face going down.

"Who said you could go sad?" Ryker talked.

She looked up quickly. "You're really not angry about it?"

"You're cute when you play childish." He replied seriously, and she smiled wide with a huge blush to crown it.

"What are you going to do with that?" He asked, looking at the octopus. "Kill it?" He lifted his hand.

"No! Everything isn't about killing please! I'll return it to the water!" She quickly rushed two steps back to the shallow water.

She threw the octopus back inside, and as she rushed back, Ryker waved his arm.

Their chic outfits changed to robes. Black and pink respectively. On the waist of Shayla's robe, there's a tiny scent bag hanging there.

"Whoa! The more I know you, the cooler you turn out to be, Boss." Shayla said, jumping a bit so her robe flowed with the air.

"Don't call me that, or I'll really kill you." He deadpanned, walking ahead of her.

Shayla was skipping her legs behind him till she got in front of him.

She faced him, walking backwards.

"Why can't I call you that, Boss?" She intentionally asked with a warm teasing smile.

He didn't reply, so she stopped walking, till he walked past her.

"Boss, you really don't like the name? Huh?" She went after him again, holding the tip of his robe with that tip of her fingers.

Ryker smiled secretly, but Shayla saw it, and she chuckled, staring at him with with eyes full of admiration.

Suddenly, Ryker stopped, facing her.

She let go of his robe tip.

"Get a different name." He said.

"Boss?" She replied.

"I'll seriously kill you" he glared, his deep voice tickling her ears.

"Moy Vladika?" She said, getting serious too.

"No. You have three days to form one, your highness." He replied, taking her hand and pulling her over the bridge.

"Three...days? That's too small." She complained.

"I don't care." He replied, caging her to the bridge rails suddenly. Their lips almost touched.

Her breaths hitched, and she expected something steamy again, but Ryker just teleported with her.

--

[West Palace, 11PM]

Everyone is sitting down.

Kasia and Astor on a couch.

Winona on a single couch.

Faye and Blaise on another couch.

Rumi is sitting on a stool in the middle of everyone of them, and there's a permanent smile on her face.

Her gun is still in her right hand.

On the left hand, she's eating a gumbo soup which she scooped from their kitchen.

"You better decide who's gonna die first, cos if I finish this soup without any decision from y'all, I'll kill everyone using the same bullet. It'll go from one body to another." She said, bringing another spoon of the soup to her mouth.

Faye is exchanging signals with Astor, using her eyes.

Blaise is communicating with Winona and Kasia too with his body.

"And if you think this is an ordinary cartridge gun, then you're wrong." Rumi continued, raising the gun.

Her badass smile spread to her eyes as she stared at the gun like her priceless treasure.

"I cast a spell on the bullet, one can kill at least seven people at once. It doesn't matter if you're Eternals or not, it'd cut your lives short." She stood, dropping the soup plate.

She faced Faye, stretching the gun to aim at her.

"You shouldn't have gone to my client's house, Faye.

"Shoot me, if you dare!" Faye spranged up suddenly.

Rumi didn't waste time after hearing those daring words.

She fired.

The echoing sound of gunshot blasted through the silent air, causing everyone else to stand up.

"Faye!!" They shouted collectively, horror and terror accumulating.

Faye fell on the couch, her shot chest bleeding to the ground, but she made no sound, just there like a dead weight.

"I've lived for hundreds of years, and for those years, I wrecked havoc everywhere I went. They know my history in every non-human city I visited. Eclypseria, Solaria, Vekkar, Kelara! just name it! I kill families and murder friends to shred attachments, and you...a mere snake... you wanna act as a stunt in my way? You're way too full of yourself." Rumi scoffed.

But her expression experienced a breach when Faye suddenly stood from the couch like she wasn't the one who just got shot.

She brought her palm to her mouth, vomiting the bullet on it.

Rumi's eyes snapped.

"A mere snake?" Faye smiled too, psychotic and dark. "That's where you're mistaken, bî+ch. I'm a white viper, and your spelled bullet is a poison I can easily neutralize. I've been eating poison since long ago, so you're the one who should be scared, cos I show no mercy to your kind!" 

"Thank you Faye!" Blaise hailed from the other end of the room.

Just one second, Faye transformed, her snake form nearly took over every part of the living room.

Winona disappeared into the wall.

Blaise's red hair shone in waves.

Kasia and Astor stood side by side, and they successfully trapped Rumi in the middle.

Unluckily for her, the gun only has one bullet, so it's useless now.

She grabbed their mop stick from the ground, bringing it to her knees to break away the woolen part.

She kept the stick, defending herself with it from the whole family, but she's no match.

Winona bursted out of the wall behind her, giving her a hit at the back of the neck which sent her flying to Blaise.

Blaise's hair strands messed with her eyes, but she was able to smack Blaise with her stick twice before she went down flat.

From there, Kasia and Astor mind-lifted the center table, bringing it down on her body. 

The table shattered to bits on her body, sending glasses across the lobby. Rumi's blood flooded the middle, and now it's Faye's turn.

She crawled aggressively to that middle, wrapping her tail on Rumi's body. She threw her off that angle, and Rumi's body travelled to the railings where she hung like a rag.

She spit hot blood to the ground, and she jumped down the bloody railings with heavily bruised body.

From there, she went out of the top window, bursting out of it. She left with the breeze.

Faye transformed back, and Blaise quickly took off his jacket to cover her naked body with, but Winona stopped him.

"Close your darn eyes, pervert." She rolled eyes, snatching the jacket from him to go cover Faye with.

"But I covered her in Eclypseria, nothing I haven't seen." Blaise muttered.

"That was a great warmup." Kasia smiled at Astor.

"I know, right?" He chuckled.

"All thanks to Faye" Winona said.

"Of course" Blaise nodded.

"To get her mark back, she has to travel back to the past, into her own memory." Faye said calmly.

"I'll text Ryker. He rarely checks texts, so let's hope he sees this." Kasia said, getting her phone.

--

Rumi was staggering as she walked the last street that leads to the city. Her arms are on the wall, dragging with her heels on the ground.

Her blood was drawing on the wall, and she's still vomiting blood.

The wounds on her body still bleeding.

She entered a alchemist shop, and the alchemist stood shockingly at her sight, wondering where she got thrashed so much.

"Painkiller herb" she ordered, leaning on the counter.

She held her bleeding rib.

The man gave her a strange look before taking out a small bottle which he handed to her.

Rumi drank it all at a go, wiping her lips with her palm.

"That'd be two thousand nyx." The alchemist said.

Unfortunately, those were his last words.

Rumi stabbed his neck with the rim of the bottle, and she exhaled as his bloody body dropped at her feet.

She got a whole pack of the painkiller herb before stumbling out of the shop.

Her pains lessened already by now, and she can walk without holding walls, but her mouth still tastes metallic with blood.

Cracking her neck, she pulled out a small phone and dialled a line.

"The secret got out, and knowing how desperate Ryker is, he'd want to make her travel back in time into her memories to get the mark back, and that's where I'll wait at. I'll kill her inside her memories." She said.

"How exactly did the secret get out?" A low voice asked from the other end

"Faye, the stupid snake from West Palace. She's stronger than I think, can't believe my spelled bullet failed on that bî+ch." Rumi stood upright.

"Get me everything you can find about her origin. If I'm gonna kill her, I'll have to rummage through her background first." 

She hung up and poured another bottle of the herb down her throat, then she dipped her hand into the back pocket of her trousers.

She pulled out a small picture of Soren, staring at it as she walked into a dark boulevard.

--

[Next Morning, King Mansion]

Liza started her day with money packaging.

She was sweating as she threw the wads of cash into a tall black bag inside her workroom.

She has vowed to never give Rumi even a stipend anymore, but she can't let her ruin her plan now that the Feast is close. 

She can't risk it.

She threw the last bundle into the bag and was about to zip it up when she saw Kade standing by the door, staring at her with spite.

Had she forgotten to shut the door?

"Kade... you're ready for school?" She ineptly said, smiling.

"The more I see you, the more I wish you weren't my mother. Why did you have to give birth to Shayla too? Why!!!" He yelled.

"Kade—"

"I'll go in search of additional powers wherever it is. I only have to wait for the right time and opportunity, and find a way to create a rift between her and the demigod." He threatened and left the room, shutting the door with a loud slam.

Liza ignored his rants and zipped up the money bag. She got her phone and dialled Rumi.

"Money is ready, let's meet at the park as planned. I have all you need to keep your mouth shut!" 

"Deal's off, the secret is open." Rumi replied bluntly.

"What are you talking about!" Liza demanded.

"Faye from the West was at your mansion last night. She's a slithering viper snake, and she heard our conversation." Rumi explained.

"What!!" Liza sat on the bag, tension taking over her body. "Now what? What's next?"

"I'll wait inside the memories for Shayla, and I'll kill her." Rumi replied.

"Rumi!" Liza stood immediately.

"What? Shocked? My brother Ryker deserves to spend his long life in freezing cold. When I helped you put the spell on her, I had no intention of ever removing it, so it is what it is. I always have a plan A, B, C for my shit, even plan D and E. I'm always prepared, and I'll end everything myself." Rumi sighed and hung up.

"Darnnn" Liza growled, running out of the room.

--

[Vega Mansion]

"Miss, your congee is ready. I added meatballs like you wanted." The only maid in the mansion said as Mercury came out of her room.

Mercury ignored the old woman.

She just walked to the dinning, had her seat and started eating.

"Baby, you're ready?" Esme stepped downstairs, looking beautiful in her fitting skirt and feathery fur blouse.

"The Feast ballet practice gets harder today, so I have to be in school in time to balance my bowels." Mercury gave her a peer.

"Proud of you, you're as hardworking as your mother." Esme smiled, settling beside her.

"Tell me Shayla and Xena aren't really gonna be at the center." Mercury said, her fake lashes battling in the middle of the dark mascara.

"What center? Trust me it's just a matter of time, wait till the feast." Esme scoffed. "And how was the meal I helped you with? You didn't tell me if it was good or not."

"Sadie poured it away, she didn't let Soren eat it." Mercury explained.

"I don't understand." Esme gave her a quick stare.

"It was for Soren." Mercury admitted.

"Why would you cook for Soren?" Esme frowned.

"Cos I love him, isn't it obvious? Don't be slow." Mercury dropped her spoon, taking her jacket and bag from the maid.

"I'll go first" she smiled at Esme and left the house.

Esme blinked thrice, trying to get it all together.

This isn't happening. At all.

"No. It's just infatuation. She's going to get over him." She told herself.

Her phone hummed, and she was already smiling before picking it up, knowing it's definitely Zeke.

Sweetheart: Mother wants dinner with you tonight. Pick the menu, and mother will pick the time.

Esme typed a reply immediately.

--

[East Palace, Back Field]

A power training has been ongoing since daybreak.

Everyone obeyed the call of Granny Tara including Zeke.

The only people who aren't here is Azura and Granny Jojo.

Soren seems to be focused again, and that made Sadie so happy.

They're still winning against Jude, but Jude's energy level has increased so much that he's nearly on par.

Jude's nature is insanely strong, and that's why glasses break when he holds them too tight.

Seems he has been practicing in secret, cos his improvement is shocking.

Lilith is by one side of the field, drilling a hole on the ground with her scream.

The hole is already wide, she's currently working the depth.

"Careful with the ground, it might just swallow you." Pearl walked past.

"Now stop talking like you know so much about grounds." Lilith replied.

"Of course I know nothing about grounds, you're closer to it than me." Pearl replied scornfully, and Lilith gritted her teeth, unable to do anything since she's at the base of the hierarchy chain here anyways.

"I should be killing you for putting your mark on me, but nah... you're still somehow useful for the family, so I'll let you go. Newsflash for you, I'm getting married to him secretly tomorrow." Pearl said.

Lilith's eyes widened "What!"

"Yeah, feel free to wail about it. Y'all don't know what I am,, but I'm a patient person. I'll patiently wait for y'all to figure out my big role." Pearl grinned, but her grin wasn't permanent.

It wiped off in a whim, and she gave Lilith a heavy strike. Lilith rolled into the pit she had dug.

Granny Tara bursted into a impressed laughter up the field.

She's standing there with Zeke who's also grinning.

"This is the great child your wife nearly killed?" Tara scoffed. 

Pearl was laughing beside the pit too, resting her palms on her knees.

Jude suddenly knocked off the twins, they both landed with a loud thud to the dry field.

Sadie's ankle sprained.

That's the first time Jude actually brought them down.

"The hell?" Zeke faced them.

"Soren has a sting on his wrist from Granny's snake bite! The venom is slowing him down and if he slows, it affects me too!" Sadie complained.

"You got bitten by my snake? And you didn't tell?" Tara went closer, appalled. "Kiss the snake, it'd suck the venom out of you, else you'd get drained completely."

"I'd rather die" Soren rolled eyes and waltzed out of the field.

Sadie looked at Jude before running after Soren.

"You did well, big brother." Pearl pat Jude, leaving with him too.

Lilith crawled out of the pit with her hands and knees.

She has so many scratches and cuts. She threw off her socks and left the field angrily too.

"Soren is now very different, madly so." Tara said.

"Not really, he has always been a little bit empathic. I mean ... He's the same person who cried when his pet rabbit died when he was 8, but Sadie already killed that empathic side of him, dunno why it's arising again." Zeke sighed.

"Keep an eye on the Old Chef's daughter, I'm telling you." Tara insisted.

"Morning here..." Granny Jojo's voice broke into their discussion.

Mother and son turned to see Jojo coming with Azura, side by side.

"Oh...it's the mirror watch." Tara said, clearly ridiculing Jojo.

"Oh...it's the wife of the snake." Jojo replied, using the same tone.

"I see you're finally awake from coma." Tara said as Jojo halted in front of her.

"And I see you're finally awake in the brain after it slept for donkey centuries." Jojo replied savagely.

Tara attempted to pull out her snake for a bite, but it's unavailable, so she just kept glaring at Jojo.

Jojo glared back.

"Is this really necessary?" Zeke faced Azura.

"Your mother can't be the only Matriarch here, sweetheart. You want power struggle? I'm giving you just that." Azura faced him too.

Zeke snickered.

--

[Heartless Tower]

Shayla is all ready for the ballet school, even Xena is here, ready too.

They had eaten the pancakes made by Cheyenne together,but now that it's time to leave, she's finding it really hard cos she hasn't seen Ryker this morning at all.

Last she saw him was last night when they left Pink Island together and he dropped her in her bedroom to sleep.

She kept looking at the blue hallway for any sign of him when she was eating at the balcony, but he didn't show up till she was done with Xena.

Sage said he's in his Phoria, and whenever he's in there, he hates being disturbed, so she really can't see him before going to school.

There are places she still can't enter in this tower, he still limits her accesses, and she understands...

He's not used to her intrusion yet.

Cheyenne took her and Xena to the garage, and she looked at the direction of his Phoria again before getting in the car.

Cheyenne drove them out.

Meanwhile, in the Phoria, Ryker sat in the middle of a fogged water which has sweet-smelling roses scattered around it.

This water is different from the one in his Groove.

This one is for subtle relaxation, he only uses the Groove when things get intense with his ice.

He wore a white bathrobe, but his chest is completely bare, and his eyes her closed as the treated fog simmered into his white skin.

He revealed his right hand after a while. Shayla's earring sat on it. He tilted his head as he rubbed the gold with his fingers.

It fell from her ear again when they teleported last night, and he just kept it. She's clumsy without even realizing, and it's entertaining.

He revealed his second hand.

On that one, he's holding the neck of a snake—Granny Tara's snake.

"Took you long enough to come say hi after entering this palace." He said.

The snake stretched out it's tongue to sting, but Ryker froze it's neck, so it stopped moving.

He threw the serpent on a low white rock not far from the fog.

"Idiot." He muttered.

The visitor alert sounded by the Phoria door, and Ryker left the warm water, fog oozing out of him as he walked barefoot on the ice ground till he got to the door which opened without him touching it.

Sage came to view.

"Your phone, it kept buzzing in the bedroom." He offered.

"From the human world?" Ryker asked, face flat.

"No. From the West Palace, it's about the goddess." Sage replied.

Ryker took the phone, and the moment he opened the message, he looked up.

"Her her back... from school." He ordered, and Sage left to do that.

--

[Black Swan Ballet School, Elite Practice Hall]

Music rolled in from the blinking multicolored walls, heat wafted in the room from the wild energy of ballerinas, tunes curling with their smooth moves.

The hall breathed with life, thumped with ambitions, feels like a universe on it's own.

Xena and and Shayla are at the center 

Soren isn't far from Xena at the left, and they're going to make some moves together.

By the left, there's a new girl beside Shayla too.

At the near back, there's Mercury and Sadie who look murderous, they did the dance with spite.

They both hate the sight of Soren near Xena, and at the same time, the sight of Shayla in the exact middle.

Shayla and Xena might be the center, but Shayla has more spotlight, it's a obvious fact.

She's making her moves too easily. She dances with her heart and mind, her body just interpretes beautifully.

And she's wishing Ryker was here, maybe she'd do better than this? She really wants those frosty blue eyes to be watching her right now, but he's probably still in his Phoria.

Xena and Soren's body touched again, and their eyes met as their moves synchronized.

She clearly saw the small swell mark on his wrist as a result of the snake bite, she wondered if he's ok.

He's not looking at her at all. He's too focused on his dance to care.

Esme and she rest of the teachers and co-judges are in front of the room.

They might not say it, but their eyes are full of admiration for Shayla in the center.

Even Esme can't deny it.

Her flexibility is peak. 

Her body is too soft that it looked like it'd break whenever she moved her legs up.

The first dance practice session ended at 10, and immediately Esme dismissed them, Pearl entered the hall, causing whisperings from the resting dancers.

"The former blind one?"

"Don't tell me she'd be here too"

"I've heard about her, she's cunning!"

"But she's pretty!"

"Pearl Millions here. Let's get along!" She waved at the ballerinas.

Sadie and Soren left like they don't even know her.

Mercury followed, and she's still looking shocked as she walked past Pearl.

Shayla and Xena were making their exit too when Pearl blocked them.

"Move!" Xena glared.

"I have nothing to say to you, move out of the way." Shayla said.

"But I have something to say to you," Pearl chuckled, leaning closer to her ear to whisper...

"Do you know this is actually my second life? I only reincarnated this time. When I got my sight back at Mount Zhitomir, I got memories of my first life back, and guess who was my dear husband in my first life?" 

Shayla went rigid.

"Yes. It's exactly who you're thinking, that irresistible god."  Pearl whispered again.

"Goddess!" Sage entered the hall.

"Sage?" Shayla moved.

"I am to take you back home" Sage said.

"Huh? Why?" Shayla asked.

"It's about your mark. Come, no time." Sage replied.

Shayla followed immediately, Pearl's words heavy on her mind.

When she got to the door, she looked back at Pearl, and Pearl winked cunningly at her.

She left with Sage eventually.

Cheyenne appeared beside Xena. "I'll be your guard then." 

"About last night, I just don't want to leave father—"

"I'm not talking to you, Miss Xena. I'll only guard you." Cheyenne cut her off, and Xena nodded.

They left the hall.

--

[East Palace, Heartless Tower]

Seeing Ryker after missing him all morning should be blissful, but Shayla couldn't even thinking about anything except Pearl's words.

She's inside her room, laying in her bed presently.

Sage and Ryker are inside with her, and they're saying things about how they're going to send her back to the past to get her mark back, but she's just following with her head, not her mind. Her mind is somewhere else.

"You're going to follow her into your memories? No, My Lord. I'm never allowing that. You both haven't bonded, so you going into her memories with her will wound you and send you to sleep for years, you'll have to go into seclusion and it's dangerous. You might even get lost in there." Sage said, and that snapped her out of her thoughts.

"That's really going to happen?" She sat up.

"Yes, goddess. I believe in you, I trust you're not weak. You can do this alone so he really can't follow you when you both haven't bonded." Sage explained.

"There'll be villains of the past, she can't do it alone." Ryker insisted.

"I'll do it alone." Shayla replied, and he faced her, eyes meeting.

"Trust me, I'll try my best." She assured, reaching for his robe to hold gently.

"Your best isn't enough...give it your all, and get it." Ryker deadpanned, sounding like a threat.

"Yes, I will." She replied, laying back on the bed.

"You're going back to the day your mother saw your mark. What were you doing?" He asked.

"I was bathing in the rain" she replied.

"You'll stop yourself from entering the rain that day." Ryker said, and she nodded.

"Yes" she quickly corrected.

"I was four years old, and it was a week before I turned 5" Shayla said, shutting her eyes.

Ryker placed two fingers on her forehead, waiting for a second before a blue beam flashed.

Her soul followed the beam, travelling with the blue light into her memories.

             {Shayla's Memories}

Shayla landed back in the living room at Liza's mansion.

The weather is already blackening outside. Clouds are already gathering, meaning it's going to rain soon.

The rain will soon fall.

Shayla pulled her eyes away from the open window, and her younger version ran out of the storeroom.

Her 4 year old self, wearing that faded singlet and black knickers.

She looked so eager to bath in the rain already, and she began praying for the rain to fall.

"There are marks on my back from Ma's beatings. Maybe the rainwater can calm it down a bit." She stood by the window, watching the clouds, impatient for the downpour.

Shayla climbed the couch with her quickly.

"You can't bath in the rain. You shouldn't take off your clothes." She whispered.

Little Shayla turned around, wondering where the voice is coming from.

She's not seeing Shayla.

"Who was that?" She mumbled.

"It's me. I'm from the future. You can't bath in the rain, else your Ma will sight your mark and cover it." Shayla whispered again.

"Who are you?" Little Shayla replied, jumping down from the couch and looking around.

"You can't see me, but I see you" Shayla replied, wanting to touch her, but she can't.

"She's a bloody lair, you should bath in the rain. Don't you love it?" Another voice popped out.

 

Shayla was utterly shocked to see Rumi entering the house. She recognized her with her blonde curls 

"Rumi?" She muttered in disbelief.

"Welcome to your death, demigoddess of fire." Rumi smiled eerily.

"Who are you both? Why am I not seeing anyone?" Little Shayla turned around again on a spot, her confusion running deeper.

"You have to go bath in the rain, now!!" Rumi pushed her.

"Stop it! What exactly are you after!" Shayla got in Rumi's way.

"I'll still kill you, don't rush and get out of my way!" Rumi pushed Shayla out of her way.

Shayla fell on the sofa, and Rumi faced little Shayla again.

She tore off her knickers.

"What...why are you tearing my clothes!" Little Shayla stumbled, looking scared.

"Tear off your singlet too and enter the rain, or I kill you!" Rumi threatened.

Little Shayla swallowed.

"Don't!! You can't go inside!!" Shayla yelled, picking two glass cups from the table.

She threw them at Rumi, but Rumi easily waved them away.

Little Shayla is already taking off her singlet by now, and that was when Shayla got it.

Rumi put her under a spell.

"No!!" Shayla rushed forward, but Rumi dragged her back, falling on the sofa with her.

Shayla picked one of the broken pieces of the cup, shoving it into Rumi's eyes.

Crap. It didn't even enter.

"We're inside your memory, Shayla. You're the only one who can get brutally hurt you fool!" Rumi laughed, flipping her away.

Shayla rolled off, and before she could stand, Rumi already kicked her in the face, slapping her three times one after the other.

Shayla's lips bled, but still...she stood.

By now, little Shayla is already stepping outside, about to enter the rain.

"Mini me!!" Shayla yelled, flipping the door open to go out.

Rumi pulled her back again, slamming her head on the wall.

Shayla bled all-over the face, tasing it in her mouth too.

Her eyes burned with tears, and she slumped on the floor where Rumi held her down at.

"Mini me... please..." She struggled against Rumi's unyielding hold as she watched little Shayla entering the rain. At the same time, Liza appeared.

"Where's that rape product?" She muttered, opening the door to step outside too.

Shayla's eyes widened on the floor, going beyond their limits.

Rumi's smile widened, but just as Liza's hand touched the door to open, she remembered what she's cooking in the kitchen.

"My porridge!" She gasped, rushing back inside.

At the same time, the rain pouring outside got replaced by a ice shower.

Big ice chunks fell from the sky, sounding heavily on the roof.

"What's going on?" Rumi muttered confusedly.

Little Shayla rushed back inside, and that small body merged with Shayla's grown body.

The wounds on her face closed up, and the blood wiped off on it's own. Her body felt the blazing change.

It was so high that she collapsed, but before she could fall, another presence entered the memory.

Ryker's.

Her body fell into his right arm, and his deep blue eyes glared up at Rumi who's already walking backwards.

"Bastard!" Rumi cursed, opening the door to escape, but...

Shayla's gold-rimmed eyes opened at that same moment, her aura infusing with the air.

So hot. Mad hot.

Her hand went up angrily.

The burning millennial fire erupted, catching Rumi by the door.

TBC.

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