HEART OF STONE
Heart Of Stone - Episode 70&71&72
(..Sold•To•The•Pit•Of•Hell..)
All rights reserved
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.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
[2 Minutes Later]
After Ryker and Sage left, Lilith sneaked into the maze using the top metals. From there, she jumped down, but she overestimated herself cos her legs cracked, meaning dislocation.
"Darn it! Can't even teleport, can't descend heights or levitate to travel in the air, all I've got is this stupid banshee scream!" She scolded herself, straightening up.
She limped towards Granny Jojo, and at the same time, she was looking up at Azura's heart on the ceiling.
"Does my husband take classes on how to kill brutally or what? Geez! I wanna puke!" She leaned on the wall, held her stomach and coughed, but she only retched.
Nothing came out.
She took pictures of the rotten body and hanging heart and sent them to the Grand Supreme with the message...
"Your Wife Is Dead Finally, You Must Be Very Happy, Evil Man!"
She pocketed the phone and started dragging Jojo's body out.
"Now that Azura is gone, I'll have to make do with you as my only confidante, Grandmother."
--
[Wellness Haven]
Despite Mercury's insistence that she's fine, Esme was adamant.
She brought her here anyways, and the alchemists are currently doing a wellness check on her.
Mercury kept her blank eyes open throughout, looking like she's tired of life. She didn't even blink once.
Esme stood by the wall, phone in hand as her fingers rushed to text Zeke quickly.
Esme: Sweetheart, your worthless wife found out, and she abducted my daughter. I dunno what she was thinking, but I got Mercury back anyways. Ryker arrived unexpectedly, and I'm not sure if Azura is still alive. He seemed to be targeting her.
She was expecting Zeke's reply when the alchemists got done with Mercury's health check.
"She's fine, no internal damages done, but get her the calming herb bottle from the outer shop when leaving, she seems to be in a state of shock." The alchemists reported.
"I'll do that," Esme nodded, going to Mercury. She sat beside her.
"Baby, I think you should go home and rest till the night munching. The parade will soon end so you don't have to go back, and you don't have to attend the lantern hanging ceremony too. Just rest." She persuaded, stroking her hair.
"Get your hands off me," Mercury muttered, still not blinking.
"Baby?" Esme drawled.
"I said get your hands off me!!!" Mercury yelled, throwing her hand away and standing from the bed.
"So this is it? The reason you kept telling me to get over Soren was because you're in a relationship with his father you shameless wh()re!!" She screamed, not minding the alchemists around.
"Mercury!" Esme rose.
"How could you, just how!!! When did father die? Just last year, his ashes is still fresh in the urn inside my room, and this year you're already in an affair with Grand Supreme—the father of my bestie, the father of the boy I love, the husband of the mother of the two of them! Have you no shame? You know how much I like Soren so why are you doing this to me! Why!!!"
Mercury was shedding real tears as she said the hurtful words, and Esme was confused for a while.
She had to send the alchemists out with a snap before replying.
"Mercury, listen to me. Your father is dead, and i have nothing in this city except the ballet school. It was already falling apart when the Grand Supreme proposed an affair to me! I couldn't say no! I'll become the Palace Madame, and no one in this city will be able touch you or look at your face without bowing. Zeke is going to adopt you, and you'll become a Princess like Sadie. Don't you want to be in the same level as Sadie?"
She persuasively held Mercury's arms as she poured out the words, but Mercury shrugged her off.
"No!!! I don't care about the benefits! Do you know how much I struggled before Sadie could become my friend? That girl liked nobody except her brother, and she's the reason Soren became my friend too! And one thing about Sadie? She can hate!!!"
"She hates too much, you think she'd buy me wrapped gifts if she finds out my mother snatched her father? She'd kill me! Now let's talk about Soren, you think there'd be a future between us if you become his father's new wife? You never think about me, it's always you... selfish wh()re!!!"
"Mercury!!!" Esme grabbed her again.
"What!!!!" Mercury yelled, pushing her away before laughing crisply like a incurable maniac.
"You taught me to get what I want even if lives have to go with it, so don't expect me to thread carefully on this. I hate you!!!" She spat saliva at her and walked out of the haven.
"Oh..." Esme gulped, turning around confusedly on her spot.
"Mercury!!"
--
[Parade]
Since Jojo and Azura went missing, Zeke and Tara sat in the same carriage.
The parade is almost ending though, time is past 3pm. It'd end in an hour.
"Why didn't you go after them? They're probably up to something corny." Tara spoke up.
"No matter what they're up to, it'd only hasten my plans. I planned everything so meticulously that every move would result in my victory. Don't sweat about it." Zeke replied, and his phone buzzed.
Pulling it out, he frowned when he saw the text from Lilith.
The number isn't saved.
Before he could start trying to decipher it, another text came in from Esme.
He smiled after he read that one, then he read Lilith's text again, understanding what it means.
"Azura is dead, I told you it'd work in my favor. I was planning to get rid of her today, turns out the bastard fid it for me."
"It's for revenge, and he obviously started from the bottom of the list if he killed Azura first, who's next?" Tara faced him.
"He won't be able to carry on, he's dying." Zeke grinned, and the old woman sighed.
"But he's cruel as he should be, he killed her on her 700th day? I bet all her offsprings forgot about her already." Tara sighed.
"Except Pearl, that witch is a demigoddess anyways," Zeke sucked his teeth.
The clamour around their carriage suddenly went down, signifying the entrance of someone important.
Tara and Zeke looked back, and they weren't amazed to see Ryker entering the parade.
Azura's blood is still on his face, and his focus is unknown. He's just staring at nothing in particular.
His eyes are straight as he walked the parade grounds. Everyone bowed in fear, moving out of the way and creating a large walkway for him in the middle like he's the king.
"Look at the huge fear on the people's faces...it's annoying." Tara muttered.
"More reason he has to go. I own this city, people can't keep worshipping him." Zeke sighed, relaxing.
"The pain he'd be feeling right now is insane, but the bastard knows how to mask pains, too much."
Ryker's eyes met with his own inside that carriage, and both of them refused to look away.
It's like a deadly staring competition, but Ryker's eyes are a warning of casualties, dark and grim.
"Bastard," Zeke muttered, looking away first.
--
[Shayla's Carriage]
Since the end of the fight, Xena was taken away by Soren.
Cheyenne stayed back in the carriage with Shayla.
Cheyenne has been busy on her tablet, but Shayla has been struggling inwardly with the change she's experiencing. Her blood is becoming hot—too hot to stay inside her body.
She's boiling inside.
It started since she saw a blood thumb print on her arm earlier during the fight.
What could it mean?
"I knew it, of course he'd take the opportunity to sell his ugly treasures." Cheyenne scoffed, her eyes still buried inside her tablet.
"What's that?" Shayla asked.
"Oh...it's a scum in Russia. His name is Caspian Yusluv, he owns a jewelry conglomerate too. Rich, but his wealth is only half of his lordship's. He's not a competitor at all, but he loves inserting himself into the the game."
"The day we lost billions in Frost H2O cos his lordship came home to attend to you, this scum took the opportunity to distribute more newly developed treasures to his own branches, so his net worth went up, and he's bragging about it in the human internet." Cheyenne explained, bringing the tab closer.
"Wanna see a picture of the scum?"
"No no no. I don't want to see anyone's face." Shayla quickly rejected, and Cheyenne turned off the tablet, focusing more on her.
"Are you ok?"
Before Shayla could answer, they felt reduction in the parade noise, and their eyes went up.
Everyone's bowing, stepping out of the way and taking their presence away from the carriage body.
"He's here," Cheyenne said, getting out of the carriage.
A second later, Ryker came in, and Shayla couldn't stop staring at his bloody face as he settled beside her.
"Who died in your hands this time?" She asked, resting her head on his chest without minding.
"Azura," he replied, and she looked up quickly.
"Her?"
He nodded once, looking down at her face. His fingers are already in her hair, caressing.
"You started your revenge on the family already?" She asked.
"That's what it looks like" he replied, and she sighed soundlessly, snuggling closer to his chest.
His ice should be helping her reduce the sudden hotness inside her, but it's not doing anything.
She kept it hidden though, not wanting to give herself away and worry him again.
"What happened when I wasn't here?" He asked suddenly.
"Nothing much, but Cheyenne and Xena fought. Xena was bleeding, Soren took her away." She narrated.
"Good." He replied.
"What's good? The fact that she bled?" She muttered.
"And the fact that Cheyenne handled her. If I did, she'd do more than bleed." Ryker replied.
She lifted her head from his chest.
"Cheyenne said she called you a bastard, and she said you shouldn't have been born cos your birth killed your mother Dominika. She's overprotective of your father."
Ryker went silent, he just frowned, and it showed in the middle of his full eyebrows.
"Are you seeing something about your father that she's not seeing?" She asked, taking his hands to rub.
"Don't call him my father." He corrected.
"Won't do it again," she said softly.
"I found out he killed his wife, and I still dunno why. He must have found out that killing me with the godslaying sword would give him half of my powers, and he wants that power." He explained.
Shayla stayed calm, but she's still rubbing his fingers.
"The godslayer sword is within the Millions Family, that's why he targeted Azura that night. She'd have killed him directly after he touched her, but he intentionally cried that he had a pregnant wife at home. He already knew Dominika would give birth that day, the plan was clean."
"Azura and Zeke took him to the household where they met Dominika who just gave birth, and seeing me—the child, they grew greedy. Like Anatoli wanted, they killed the wife, and took me away with him and Xena to the palace."
"Wait...so the main reason Old Chef is a cook in the palace is because... he's looking for the godslayer sword that's hidden in the Millions Family?" Shayla gasped.
Ryker nodded once.
"And I'm guessing he hasn't found it, and you haven't found it too." Shayla muttered, eyes softer than usual.
"Zeke knows the whereabouts of the sword, I'm still investigating." Ryker replied.
"And Rumi? Where did Rumi go that day. Why did she disappear when Zeke and Azura came to kill Dominika?" Shayla asked.
"Under investigation, but it definitely has to do with Anatoli too. Someone high up is working with him in this city." Ryker replied.
Shayla blinked. "Your father is...wicked." she muttered.
"No one's kind-hearted in this city, Firefly. Don't mistake it...We're devils, including me." He replied, but she shook her head, holding his face.
"You're not as wicked as they think. You're kind to me at least."
"I kill innocents, Shayla. My hands are soaked with their blood, and I'm still going to kill more, and I do not feel guilt. I am exactly the bastard like they call me." He whispered, lowering his eyes.
"Still doesn't mean. You were built to crave blood, and I get you even if others don't." She muttered.
"So...if worse comes to worse and you have to kill the innocent with your fire sword, you'd do it?" He asked.
Shayla went quiet, and her eyes closed as if charmed.
Ryker smiled, pulling her head back to his chest warmly. She fell asleep.
"Remain innocent, simp." he muttered, taking one of her lollipop to his mouth, but it's too sweet, so he just swallowed without eating it.
He held her tighter. The pain inside him is threatening to shred him to pieces. It feels like it's ripping his inner organs apart, one by one, but he kept his cool.
Whatever this pain is, he's aware that he doesn't have much time left.
Meanwhile, outside the carriage, Sage is gulping the third bottle of water, and Cheyenne is laughing at him while rubbing his back.
"We've witnessed many brutal deaths throughout our years of working with him, you should have gotten used to it."
"You won't understand, Cheyenne. He unlocks new ways of killing everyday, and I'm already used to it, but this one... Listen, he stabbed her to the wall with his ice sword, chain-dragged her to the ceiling where her body decomposed and the parts fell off one by one till only her heart was hanging there. F+(k!" Sage drank another bottle.
Cheyenne only laughed more, but she didn't stop rubbing his back.
"I wish I was there, that sounds sweet, c'mon, it's Azura."
"You share the same brutality tendency with his lordship" Sage said.
"Proudly. If any other person except him had killed Azura, then trust me he'd kill the person who killed her. Azura's death was meant to come from him. It's all good." She shrugged.
The smell of walnut pie blew over, and she turned around to see it's available in one of the street stalls.
She kept staring, wanting it but decided to not satisfy her cravings. To her, staring is enough.
"I'll get it for you," Sage said when he saw how hard she's staring.
He was about to crossover to the other side when Cheyenne held him back, and their eyes met.
"I told you, do things because you want them, not because I want them. You're not my servant."
"What do you mean? Buying you a walnut pie doesn't make me your servant." He blinked.
"Buy it, and I won't eat." She replied, and he pulled back secretly hurt.
--
The last noble carriages belongs to the West Palace.
Kasia and Astor shared one, Faye and Blaise shared another.
Winona is the only one inside her own carriage, and she's busy studying the hallway print of the FrostOrb Hall
She's in charge of stealing it tonight during the feast, so she's making the needed preparations. She has studied the print so much that it's now embedded in her brain.
She removed her glasses, sighing. She cracked her neck tiredly.
"Its almost here."
--
[An Exclusive Haven]
Soren brought Xena here for treatment after the fight.
Even after her wounds were healed an hour ago, they didn't leave.
They stayed under a tree shed near the Haven.
Soren has been playing his qin while Xena listened, moving her head with the tunes.
Sometimes, she stared at his face, and sometimes...at his fingers on the strings. He's too good.
"Do you trust your father?" He suddenly asked.
"What do you mean?" She asked back.
He dropped his qin, facing her properly.
"Do. You. Trust. Your. Father? Enough to become your brother's enemy because of him?"
"Of course I do. Father has always been there for me." Xena shrugged.
"I and Sadie once threw you into a poisoned pool, we made Ryker buy Shayla at the dark room before he could release you from the pool." Soren said.
"He saved me because you made him buy Shayla. Trust me, he doesn't do anything without benefiting from it. He probably already knew Shayla was his partner back then." Xena replied, and Soren stood.
"Have you been brainwashed?"
Xena stood too. "What do you mean brainwashed? Your mother is evil, but if someone was trying to kill her, you'd still fight for her, won't you?"
"What mother?" Soren frowned.
"Your mother... Madame Azura." Xena blinked.
"Get your facts straight, I don't have a mother. Let's leave." Soren replied, walking away.
"What's up with him?" Xena muttered in shock, following him anyways.
Rumi came out of a cubicle behind the tree, her hands in her robe pocket and her black lips so ominous.
She has been following them around.
"The bastard probably killed Azura already," she hissed, getting her phone to dial Old Chef.
--
[7:30Pm, Lumi Bridge]
The second part of the feast has started.
City people are standing by the bridge to hang their lanterns on the joy trees on top of the bridge while making joyful wishes alongside.
Some are floating their lanterns on the joy river below the bridge.
Anyone applies.
The bridge is packed, and though Xena came with Soren, he didn't even let her hear what his wish was.
He just whispered it before hanging his lantern on a branch.
Xena did the same, wishing for freedom for her and her father, and wishing for more smile from Soren.
Not far from them, Sadie stood alone, not bothering to hang a lantern.
She's just staring hatefully at them.
"Sadie!" Mercury suddenly caught up with her.
Sadie didn't move.
"Anything you hear about my mother later, please know that I'm not in support. Your mother is dead and—"
Sadie faced her at this point.
"What mother is dead?" She glared.
"What do you mean? Your mother Madame Azura." Mercury gasped.
"I don't have a mother, don't even add to my rage." Sadie rolled eyes and walked away.
Mercury stood there, awed.
It took a while before she was able to follow her.
Cheyenne and Sage just finished hanging their lanterns side by side.
"What did you wish for?" Cheyenne asked.
"Why should I tell you?" Sage scoffed.
"Keep it to yourself then," Cheyenne shrugged.
"Your nonchalance is bad," Sage said.
"You said you won't tell me, and I said fineee."Cheyenne blinked.
"I wished for forever happiness for both of us, for his lordship to overcome his enemies, and for him to grow a love thread faster for his partner so he can become more powerful and ascend to the nine heavens with Goddess and us." Sage confessed.
"Sweet, but I'm not saying mine," Cheyenne replied.
"Totally fine." Sage replied, and Cheyenne smiled a little.
Faye and Blaise came with Winona, but Kasia and Astor have gone to the palace already to prepare for the night munching since it's the most important part of the feast.
"I wished for our midnight curse to lift as soon as possible." Winona said after hanging her lantern.
Faye and Blaise hung their lanterns at the same time.
"We're not telling you our wishes," they chorused.
"Whatever" Winona scoffed, and they both laughed out.
"What's up!" Kade joined them.
"Thought you wouldn't be coming," Blaise said.
Kade picked a lantern, made a wish and hung the lantern before facing them.
"Tonight is a night of history, it'd be a crime to not come."
"What do you mean?" Winona and Faye chorused.
"You'd find out in..." Kade checked his wristwatch. "An hour."
--
[Joy River]
While most people choseto hang their lanterns on trees, Ryker chose the river.
He's on a boat with Shayla in the middle of the river, they're surrounded by the floating lanterns of the people on top of the river.
They're both trying to fold their own lanterns currently.
Ryker intentionally slowed down, so she was the first to finish folding.
"I finished before you!" She raised it.
"As you should," he replied gently, finishing his own too.
With her mind, Shayla put fire in the middle of the lanterns.
They closed their eyes to make wishes, but Ryker opened his eyes after a short while.
He faced to her, staring hard at her as her lips moved, her wishes coming out in a whisper which he's hearing.
As he listened, he's making his own wish with his own mind too.
There's no time anymore.
When Shayla opened her eyes, they both set their lanterns on the river at the same time, and it floated away.
"And it's done! Happy Lantern Feast, Ryshenka!" She gushed.
He pulled her to his laps, and she blinked slowly, wondering why he seems so low-spirited.
He hovered his palm above her left wrist, and a madly beautiful crystal-bead bracelet appeared on that wrist. Color blue and gold.
"It's...pretty." she muttered, touching it with utmost care as if it'd break.
"I formed it from frozen starlight and molten emberstone, a combination of our essence." He smiled.
She brought it to her lips to kiss, liking it more.
"Thank you, Ry."
She could feel coldness on that wrist, oozing from the crystals.
"Wait in the rain," he whispered, stroking her soft cheek.
"What...what do you mean?" She muttered in confusion.
"Happy Lantern Feast, Firefly." He muttered.
She managed to smile, but she just knows something isn't right.
With the fire burning inside her, and with his underlying tone.
"Ry?" She whispered.
Her eyes turned s+du(tively drowsy as she searched his own.
Slowly, he captured her lips, the kiss so deep and ravenous, like he wants to pull out her soul and chew.
Their hardest kiss ever.
She returned the hard energy, with no idea of what's going to come after.
She just kissed his addictive lips like she owned it.
--
[East Palace, 9pm]
The palace munching started since thirty minutes ago—the last part of this feast.
But the last thirty minutes was used by the guests to make their entries, so it's just starting properly now.
The night munch doesn't only include people from Luminaria, there are Grand Supremes and Palace Madames from other non-human cities, and there are important wealthy families too and travelers.
Also, folks from the West Palace.
The East Palace is too full, and one would have to wait for the front coast to clear up before you can walk past a particular lane.
Esme and Liza entered at the same time. Though, their robe materials are equally sophisticated and with the glitters, their rivalry showed just the way it does yearly.
They rolled eyes at each other as they made their dignified entries.
Winona came in elegantly with other Lumi beauties who'd be partaking in the beauty contest.
Granny Tara is already seated on the matriarch throne inside the main feast hall, and Zeke is seated in the center of his court on his throne too.
The moment he saw Esme, he stood and went to take her up the throne with him.
The woman couldn't stop smiling. It's the best day of her existence.
"I guess I'll open the munching with this announcement," Zeke said, drawing the attention of the thousands of guests to himself.
The hall turned dead silent.
"Azura died this morning, killed by the demigod." he announced.
Shocked whisperings started in the court immediately.
"Madame Azura?"
"Oh my gawd!"
"Just like that?"
"Wait... things are aligning. Don't tell me Esme Vega is the new Madame"
"Right. Esme Vega becomes Esme Millions today. She becomes the new and rightful Madame beside me. Her word is law, and the same respect you accord to me...give it to her. Royal wedding comes after this Feast." He commanded, holding Esme by the waist.
The silence in the hall deepened, the shock eating the people up.
"Welcome home, Esme." Granny Tara stood, holding up her wine flute.
Everyone else did just that.
"Welcome home, Madame Esme!!"
The chorus was so loud that it breathed through the palace walls.
Esme hugged Zeke affectionately.
"I love you so much, Zeke."
"I love you, Esmeralda." Zeke smiled cunningly.
The Feast continued as if Azura wasn't part of this city in the first place. As if she never existed.
There's food everywhere, and the aroma is enough to make anyone hungry, so everyone's eating while waiting for the ballet performance.
Mercury is in the crowd, glaring hatefully at Esme beside Zeke.
Old Chef is somewhere in the crowd too, wondering where the godslayer sword might be.
In the middle of the feast, Ryker entered, walking the middle of the court with composure, his eyes settled solely on Esme and Zeke.
The hallwent silent again, and those that were eating had to drop their cutleries or chopsticks to watch what's going to really happen.
Liza kept checking her time, waiting for when Shayla would strike.
Astor and Kasia are at the back of the royal table, and they immediately sent Winona out of the court.
Getting to the middle, Ryker smiled, so threatening yet painful.
"Congratulations on becoming the new palace Madame, Esme Vega." He said, his deep voice echoing with something unclear.
He picked a cup of stinging alcohol and raised a toast.
Esme, not wanting to drag this too far, took a cup too.
"Thank you, Ryker Morozov," she smiled, standing to raise the glass.
Granny Tara was already awaiting the main show.
Zeke stayed calm.
Old Chef is expectant as f+[k at the back of the court.
Cheyenne and Sage entered at the same time, both breathing heavily.
Esme and Ryker lifted their glasses to their lips at the same time.
Instead of drinking the alcohol, Ryker vomited blood into the cup.
Blood mixed with the alcoholic liquid, and his chest slashed into two without a sword or knife.
His blood flowed, so much on the court ground. He started freezing from his feet to the top, very quick.
The cup fell from him, and everyone stood to their scared feet.
"Your Lordship!!!" Cheyenne and Sage began running to the front.
--
[Changing Room]
Since the ballet is the first entertaining part of the feast, the ballerinas are here, all dressed and waiting for when they'd be called in for their performance.
Blaise and Faye secretly left the room, bitch holding the fake FrostOrb wrapped in a thick shawl.
They met Winona outside and handed it to her without a word.
Winona entered the wall, leaving for the FrostOrb room, and they went back into the room.
Shayla finished pinning her leotard and stood, searching for Xena with her eyes. She found her beside the door and went for her.
"Xena,"
"No. I'm not talking to you. Cheyenne probably filled your naive head with lies about father already" Xena turned away from her quickly.
Shayla went to her front.
"Your Pa is a bad man. Ry wouldn't say something bad about someone if the person isn't really bad. You need to be cautious, your Pa is not who you think he is." She said.
Xena scoffed.
"Listen, Shay. Ryker would do anything to make me hate father and come to his side, lies included. You're the one who needs to wake up and see! He's evil!"
"Yes he's evil, but he has been showing you kindness, and he even put you in the ballet school with me—"
"Oh, that?" Fine! I'll forfeit this performance and leave the school! Don't try to school me when you don't know anything" Xena rolled eyes, taking off her leotard.
"Xena!" Shayla snapped.
"Don't shout at me!" Xena snapped back, shocking her. "I won't let you slander my father. We're friends, but don't go too far. The fact that Ryker is fuckin you doesn't give you the right to be his hunt dog too."
Shayla's arms dropped, her eyes widened. She stepped back once, twice, thrice, unable to believe.
Xena gulped, obviously regretting what she just said, but she just walked out of the hall.
Shayla hugged herself.
It's like that harsh statement brought back the hot sting inside her.
She left the hall too, rushing into a washroom where she squatted behind the door, sweating and panting.
The hotness inside her got worse, evil thoughts brewed in her ear.
It's definitely the thumb print on her arm during the parade. That's why she's feeling this insanity.
"Ahhhmm!!!" She groaned, going from squatting to kneeling down.
She blocked her ears with her palms, but that wasn't enough to fight the voices.
Her body burned, embers appeared on her chest and neck and arms.
Sweat. Flooding sweat.
Her back mark shone, so bright that it outshone the electric lightning in that washroom.
This over-bright shine isn't only because of her pains, it also means Ryker is bleeding. What's going on?
Why would Ryker be... bleeding?
She tried to stand, but it's like something pushed her back to her knees....a wicked weight which crushed her, causing her to cry out.
The embers on her skin spread, and the voices resumed again.
"Go out there, kill everyone at the feast and kill Ryker last. Ascend to the nine heavens alone and become the only demigoddess alive!"
"No!" Shayla growled.
"No!!" She repeatedly, scratching the marbled floor with her short nails.
Then...Liza's cunning image appeared in front of her.
"Do it!" She persuaded.
"No! Leave me!" Shayla pushed her.
Liza vanished, but she appeared at her back.
"Do it!" She whispered in her ear.
"No!!" Shayla screamed, turning back.
Liza laughed loudly, screaming.
"Do it!!!"
"No!!! Leave my head!!!! I'll never kill the innocent! I'll never lay a hand on Ry to hurt him! Leave my head! You're just an imagination, you're not real leave me!!!!!!" Shayla screamed till blood crawled out of her nose.
Stretching an arm forward, she burned Liza's imagination to the ground, then she was able to stand.
She flung the door open, meeting Kade there.
"You actually overcame the effects of the blood pact?" He said shockingly. "Just how powerful are you? How deeply have you fallen for the demigod?"
Shayla grabbed him by the neck, hauled him up and flung his body to the side of the hallway as if he weighted a feather.
Her eyeballs are still rimmed with gold-red, and the embers are still burning viciously on her white skin.
She stepped Kade's body as she left the wall.
She walked past Winona who's now holding the real FrostOrb. She has gone to the FrostOrb room to exchange it with the fake.
Shayla didn't look at her, didn't see her. She's more focused on where she's going—to find Ryker.
She burned down a part of the hall wall, entering through the space.
In front of the court, there's Ryker, but he's already frozen inside his bloody ice. He's now a pillar of ice, and everyone is watching like it's some kind of paid show.
Only Cheyenne and Sage are trying to help. Cheyenne is using her nails on the ice, but she's only hurting herself.
Nothing his changing.
Sage is beating the ice with his rope, but it's even more useless than Cheyenne's nails.
Shayla rushed forward, pushed them out of her way and hugged the ice, conjuring more fire in her body.
The fire engulfed her completely, burning and razing with fury till her ballet outfit got burnt away, leaving her in just the singlet and tights.
She kept hugging the pillar of ice, melting it with her fire, so fast and effective.
As the ice melted, water filled the court, and most people had to climb tables and chairs so the water don't swallow them.
In just one minute, Shayla finished melting the ice, but there's no Ryker inside. It's like he melted with the ice, and her madness started right there.
"No....Ry. No." She muttered, looking at her own burning hands.
"No...no...no!! Ry!" She knelt inside the ice water and started searching with her hands as if he's inside somewhere.
She acted mad for twenty minutes straight, searching the water.
"Ry.... Ry!!!!"
Tara exchanged glances with Zeke and Esme.
Old Chef exchanged glances with Rumi who's inside the crows.
The ballerinas rushed into the court at this point, and their eyes when they saw that's going on.
Xena gasped.
"Mother..." Sadie remembered.
"Where's mother?" Soren asked him too, their eyes wide.
Meanwhile, the West Palace folks are already rushing out of the East with the FrostOrb.
Cheyenne and Sage fell on their knees too in the middle of the water.
Shayla suddenly stopped searching the water.
Her eyes came up, and the golden intensified when realization hit her.
He's gone.
"Ry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
That scream flushed hot tears out of her eyes, and at the same time, the East Palace caught serious fire, burning bright with the command of the pain in her mind.
"Fire! Ring the fire alarm!!" The a guest screamed as everyone began running for their lives, pushing each other crazily by the door, fearing death, but some are already getting burnt, unable to escape the rage.
As if possessed, Shayla suddenly pushed herself to her feet, ice water dripping off her body.
Her fierce eyes darted to the only person in the court she's aware is capable of this.
Zeke.
In a whim, she super-sped to him.
Esme blocked her, but she gave her a bite on the neck till her flesh pulled off.
"Mother!!!" Mercury howled.
Shayla landed in front of Zeke, and he couldn't even move even if he wanted to.
She slapped him thrice with her angrily burning palm, blazing.
Zeke's cheek burned, cooked, before tearing off to the floor.
TBC.
Next Episode
Omg please where is Ryker
ReplyDeleteHa this serious hope rkyer survive oo
ReplyDelete