I felt my stomach twist into knots.
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"It's...get...ting worse.." Alena said somberly.
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In replace of her normal face, a dark mask was covering half of her face. Curled horns poked from her head.
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She had turned. In the time I had wasted..
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I slowly approached her. "Iris...it's me. You don't have to worry."
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Alena also tried to comfort her, wrapping her arms around Iris's sides. Iris initially accepted her comfort, sitting down and heavily breathing.
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"Arelin is here...to help...you.."
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Iris looks up at me, not saying a word.
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I look at Ecluna, who was cowering in the corner and hyperventilating.
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"Ecluna, you have to come over here where it's safer."
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"I can't.." she muttered. "If I move, she'll kill me..."
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She wasn't mad at anyone when I left...but it was the darkness accelerated her anger only towards Ecluna. She was the one who injected more Dark magic into her body.
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"Don't worry.. we're going to get you out of here..."
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I slowly approached Iris once again, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Iris...please calm down...we can fix this...you just have to give me a chance.."
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I could see a flash on realization on her face, but she simply stared at me. She didn't make a single word.
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"Ecluna...hand me some of your magic.."
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"What if I make her worse?"
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"I'll see if I can split the two magics apart. I'll use the Light magic on her and absorb the Dark magic."
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Quivering, Ecluna floats an orb of her ecliptic magic towards me. I ripped the two magics apart and gave the Light half to Iris.
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She screeches horribly for a couple seconds, then...she snaps back to her original self.
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"...Arelin? What's happening to me?" She looks at herself with fear and confusion.
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"You're lucky I could split her magic in half. You could've killed Ecluna.."
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"E-Ecluna?" She looks behind her, and realizes what she had done.
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"Oh my God, Ecluna! I'm so sorry!"
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"It's okay, it's okay, I'm just a bit shaken up. I'll be fine. At least you're back to normal.. somewhat..."
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"Somewhat?" she runs to the nearest mirror before shrieking at the sight of her own face. I noticed her height had increased significantly, her head almost touching the ceiling.
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Alena slowly tugs on her sleeves. "It's ok...ay...you're safe and...that's all that...mat...ters,"
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"W-What's Mom gonna think? She's gonna kill you!"
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"I'll have to talk it out with her...and maybe I should take you with me. You do miss your parents, don't you?"
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She nods. "If you don't mind, I don't..."
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"Alright then, you must be really really happy to see them again.."
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I take her darkened hand and lead her out. "Watch your head.."
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I hear a loud noise on the wall. "Too late..."
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I sigh and let her through the doorframes. As soon as we made it to Emburaria, we quickly found more places to hide Iris. Espero was the first one to notice her, of course.
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"Iris?"
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"Esp!" she took him from the ground and hugged him tight. He then realized was being lifted off of the ground.
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"Wait a minute... where'd you get a growth spurt? You're taller than I am,"
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"The weirdo curse is affecting my body somehow, but I wanted to come out and see everyone again!"
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"I noticed. Why don't we take you somewhere so you don't scare the people here?"
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"Oh...okay then.."
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Espero quietly leads her inside. I follow them. Queen Violet sat quietly in her chair. All three of us show respect to her majesty's presence.
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"Your majesty, I'm sorry for bothering you, but this is..Iris, daughter of Irene."
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"...You are the individual Aurelia and the children have been talking about."
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"I...think so.."
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"Iris...your abilities, the abilities that have gotten you this far...it could harm more than help. You have both Dark and Light magic in your body, two of the most strong types of magic this world can contain."
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Iris looked a bit enamored by the thought..but then realized she was more of a danger to others, which made her rub her arms in shame..
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"However, you are not the monster you make yourself out to be. You are still human. Don't forget that."
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Iris silently thanked her with a light nod.
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Queen Violet looks at me. "Arelin.."
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"Yes, your majesty?"
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"Take care of Iris. Make sure she fully recovers from the curse that has been inflicted on her."
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"I will."
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"Well, maybe we should get going. We still need to see Aunt Irene.." Espero says, taking Iris's hand and dragging her away.
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I decided to go home for the day. I had a lot of studying to do. I read until my eyes started to give up, as if weights themselves pulled them down..
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***
It was terrifying when I first heard it. The screams of the innocent, magic swirling around the air. It made me jump out of my seat.
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"Nocturne...did this..."
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I somberly look at my sister. "Are you okay?"
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"I'm worried... about Iris..."
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I had totally forgotten about leaving Iris with Espero. I quickly put on my coat and slipped on my shoes.
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"Don't..Mother will be sad...if you leave.."
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I look out the window. The world around us is in chaos...
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"...I have to. For my people. For Iris. I'll be back, okay?"
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"...Hurry..."
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I jump out of the window and painfully drop down to the ground. I carefully sneak around the area.
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I run into someone. Their features...were undescribable. The mask that covered their face...it...covered their eyes too..
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That's when the Darken slammed it's abnormally long and clawed hands in my direction. I stop carefully, and throw a rock in another direction. They noticed the noise and ran.
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"So they're blind..." I whispered. "Good to know.."
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I continue sneaking, sliding by any Darken I saw while looking for Iris in the process. She couldn't be far..
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***
Iris POV
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Despite my pain, I had to keep going... before anyone else got hurt.
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I could feel her aura. Nocturne was the reason all of this was happening. I had to stop her. Darkens scattered around the area, blindly feeling their way around.
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I felt my own face, the ragged teeth of the ends of the...thing that covered my face. I don't want to become...that. I didn't want them to feel the same pain as me either. That was another reason I wanted to stop her...
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I didn't have time to think before someone snatched me from the middle of the street.
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"Iris?"
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"Jake?"
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"Jesus Christ, I was about to knock you out,"
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"What's going on?"
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"Nocturne... she's back,"
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"What are we gonna do?"
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"What we're supposed to. Take her and her snarky little brat down.."
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"B-but...I can't..."
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He grabs my hands, squeezing them tight.
"Iris. You're probably the strongest person I know. All of us can do this. We're stronger than we were back then..."
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"But...if she gets ahold of me, she might use you against me...I can't be there..."
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"Don't worry about that,"
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"...Okay. I have to...get Arelin..."
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"No time. We have to go. Now,"
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Jake grabs my arm and drags me around. That's when another one of my jolts of pain hit me..
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"W-wait...hold on..." I suck the air through my teeth.
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"Did I do something?"
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"N-no no, it's just something that happens sometimes... I'll be fine. Let's keep moving.."
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I slowly limp my way towards Nocturne's piercing aura. As time passes on, I start moving a little faster. But the shockwaves of pain became more frequent. I could care less.
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Jake, at some point had to carry me. "You're gonna be okay. Just breathe. We're gonna fix this.."
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I did as he recommended. It did feel a little better..
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"Ah..there you are, Iris.." Nocturne says as she noticed me. "Thank you, my child."
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"You're welcome... mother.."
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I realized that wasn't Jake at that exact moment. Ciaran had shapeshifted...no...he made the illusion of Jake. In order to lower my guard. Nocturne immediately used her magic to snatch me into her hands.
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"Now that our prize has arrived, why don't we get started?"
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"Nocturne! Let her go!" I hear my mother order.
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"Whether I let her go is up to your actions. Leave, and I'll command her myself to kill you. Stay, and risk your life to save the unsalvageable.."
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"Don't worry, Iris, you'll be safe...for now." Nocturne lets me go, but immediately enveloped my body in an orb of darkness. I was forced to watch my family and friends fight for my sake.
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Ciaran floats next to me, pretending to sit. "This will be very very interesting, wouldn't you agree?"
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I slam against the wall of the bubble. "Let me go, Ciaran!"
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"I cannot let you leave, Iris. Not when we have so many things to look forward to after this.."
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"Like what?"
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"You'll see..." he smiled with that stupid toothy grin.
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I noticed how well they were doing. Nocturne was looking a little angry at the fact.
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"Alright Nocturne...you should've surrendered when you had the chance." Espero looks at a pile of boulders, the rocks slowly float above Nocturne and piles on top of her.
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"I'll give you another chance though..." Espero pulls out a knife from his pocket and swung it around her face. "Surrender now, and I won't cut into your face."
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She cackled at him...she was cornered but...she laughed at him...
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I slam against the bubble again. "What's so funny? What are you planning, Nocturne?!"
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"Quiet, child. This is what happens when you attempt to threaten me..."
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Just before I could think about what that meant, an arm of darkness creeped up behind Espero...
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I didn't forget the sound it made. The arm sharpened it's end and...pierced him right through the chest..when it ripped itself out, he slowly fell to the ground, with a pool of blood forming underneath him.
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"ESP!" I screamed. Others did the same.
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I had to see if he was okay. I used the little bit of Light energy I had left to break free from my floaty prison and crawled over to Espero.
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"Espero! Esp! Get up!" I shake him vigorously. He faintly placed his hand on my shoulder.
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"I-I'm sorry for...n-not h-helping you with y-your c-curse, Iris.."
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"I don't care about that right now, I'm worried about you!" I feel the tears roll down my cheeks like rivers.
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He chuckles, coughing up a bit of blood along with it.. "...I d-did m-my job...I d-died p-protecting you.."
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"Don't say that! You've got to stay alive, Esp! You can't just leave me!"
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He wipes my tears. "I-It's o-okay...y-you don't h-have to cry...n-not for me.."
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"Esp..."
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"...I-I'm gonna miss you, Iris.."
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His body goes limp after that...
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"Esp? Esp?!" I continuously shake him. That's when Jake puts his hand on my shoulder.
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"It's no use Iris...he's gone.."
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I saw the memories of me and Espero flash within my eyes as I saw his lifeless face, a small smile formed in his final moments of life..
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Those moments is what made me cry even harder. I had lost him. The one who'd promised to be there for me until the very end. Espero was gone, laying lifeless in my arms.
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"Don't worry Iris," Nocturne rips me away once again... "You'll forget about him soon enough..."
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"You've taken one of them from us...how many more souls must you torture before you're finally satisfied, Nocturne?" Mom asked her, stifling tears.
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"Enough to where you finally snap. Where you reach your limit. That's when the suffering can end. Now, make a decision. Leave now or suffer the loss of another child.."
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Mom stepped back with visible tremble, picking up Espero. "...I'm so sorry, Iris. I... don't want anyone else to suffer..."
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She slowly leaves the scene. The rest of the group follows behind.
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Nocturne wipes away my tears...
"Shh, you don't have to cry... we are going to take very good care of you.."
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"Why? W-why did you kill him?"
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"If I didn't, he would have killed me first. I was only protecting myself. And now, there's only one part left of our mission to complete.."
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"Shall we leave then, Mother?"
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"Yes, we have a lot to do.."
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What are they planning to do with me? Was I going to die? Those questions swirled around my head as they dragged me away.
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***
Arelin's POV
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I was too late. Nocturne's aura was slipping away from my field of sense. What if she'd already had Iris and was making her escape?
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"Arelin..."
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Alena was behind me. I almost jumped.
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"Alena...you can't be here."
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"Iris is...my friend too. I have to be there...for her.."
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"...If you come with me, you have to promise to leave if it gets too dangerous, okay?"
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She nods her head and grabs my hand.
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I try to run as fast as I can to catch up. I have find Iris before something happens.
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"Arelin...something bad happened..." she points towards a dark puddle, soaked into the soil around it.
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Alena goes up to it, and feels it. She shuffles away.
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"I-It's blood...still warm..."
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Fresh spilled blood.. Alena was right. Something horrible happened here..
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...I have a feeling I should go to that town...
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I run in the opposite direction, gripping Alena's arms tightly as I do.
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I was hardly breathing when I arrived...
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"Alena...you stay here.."
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She sits quietly. "Be careful.."
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I nodded in understanding, and left her there.
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Using some of my knowledge, I seemingly teleported from one point to another..
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Right in front of the castle, I kicked my way through.
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"Nocturne.."
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"Ah, hello again, Arelin..."
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"I'm not here for chit chat. I'm here for Iris."
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"If you want her that badly..."
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Iris...she turned again.. She was no longer herself, an animalistic husk of who she once was..
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I tried to get through to her again. "Iris..."
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I step forward, only for her to swipe at me. Talking to her wasn't an option. Iris continued to angrily stare.
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She begins to fight with me. I was barely prepared to dodge most of those attacks, allowing her to land hits on me. No matter how many times she landed attacks, however, I wasn't going to hurt her.
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"Why don't you show Arelin what you've just learned?" Ciaran asked of her. I couldn't begin to think of what he meant. When I looked up, Iris had disappeared, before I felt a hard push from behind me. Iris was on top of me, refraining me from moving.
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"Good. Now finish him,"
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She stomps her foot against my temple, before charging an attack. At this point, I was ready to accept death. I was in too vulnerable of a position to save myself. Or so I thought. Just before she could finish attacking, I used the illusion of her cousin. A bit cruel to save myself, but it was a last resort.
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Fortunately it worked, however, Iris looked more.. upset about it...
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"E-Esp?" she whispered, as crystal tears fall from her eyes. What happened to Espero in the town square for her to tear up like this?
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"I-I'm sorry..I didn't want you to..." Iris hugs me, digging her crying face into my chest..
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I ended the illusion. She was obviously back to normal. I comfort her while staring daggers into the others' eyes.
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"What...did you two do to Espero?"
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"Are you really that empty skulled? Mother got rid of him. He's gone.."
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"...You...killed him?"
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"Hmm, yes, I guess you could put it that way,"
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I hug her even tighter. "Iris... I'm so sorry,"
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She didn't reply, and just cried even harder..
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"Now, if you would let her go, we can go our separate ways,"
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I pull her away. "I'm not letting you. You've tortured her for far too long,"
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"Then you shall suffer the same fate as Espe-"
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"Mother, I will handle this. You should rest for the night,"
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"... If you insist. I shall be on my way to bed,"
Nocturne, for once, left our sight..
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"Now that Mother has left, you can leave now,"
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"...Can I tell you, Araginee, one last thing?"
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"What is it?" Iris replies.
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I barely blinked before he had teleported right in front of us, snatched Iris from my arms, and...
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"I... love you..."
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He then kisses her, catching the both of us by surprise.
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"W-What?" Iris says in shock.
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He hands her back to me. "Did I scare you?"
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"W-we should go..."
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"Go ahead. Maybe you just need some time to think about it..."
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We follow his orders and leave. As we exit, I ask her. "...Are you okay?"
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"I...I don't know. It was all so sudden," she says, still visibly confused.
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"I don't know if you should trust those words just yet. You know how much he likes to trick you.."
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"It felt genuine..."
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".. We'll have to see how genuine he actually is.."
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"...I brought...ev...ery..one else.." Alena says, approaching us.
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Mrs. Araginee was disheveled. She must not have slept since yesterday. She sleepily walks over to Iris and wraps her arms around her waist.
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"I'm...so sorry, Iris...I didn't want to leave you with them.."
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"It's okay, I knew you were only looking out for rest of them. If I weren't so weak in my regular magic, I'd take care of them myself.." Iris creeps down and hugs her mother back.
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"You are okay to come home, right?"
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"I can visit, but I can't stay. If I turn on you or Dad, you wouldn't be able to stop me.."
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"...Come tomorrow. I'm sure you're tired."
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"I have a lot to think about. But I promise, I'll be there!" Iris gives her mother a wide smile.
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Irene smirks back. "Okay, kiddo. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
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Iris nods rapidly. "Okay!"
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Irene looks at me. "Thank you for taking such good care of her."
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"You're more than welcome, Mrs. Araginee. I'm just doing as I promised."
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Irene hugs Iris once more. Then Jake, then Ecluna. Suddenly, it had turned into a group hug. I joined in.
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I swear I could feel the wind wrapping around as well...I was convinced...Espero was also there.
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