Day 126

The night has fallen on Verantuvia. Bracus has returned home, bloody and bruised. Blood oozes from his mouth. Netedinark's castle is now mostly destroyed after a battle with him. He was knocked unconscious by Bracus.

"He's back. He is alerted that Netedinark is going to go into full fury very soon. What will happen next will be the worst part of our lives."

Day 128

A menace of slimy species branded from the tentacle slime king himself is charging towards Gaeriscelleh with speed. A legion so fierce that the footsteps and cries for murder can be heard miles away.

"Netedinark is sending full marches. Gaerisians, brace defence now! We have to protect our people at all costs!"

Day 132

Most of the east of Gaeriscelleh is full of limbs will be an understatement. Organs

"Not many troops left on him. He should surrender!"

Day 133

"Shit! More troops are coming. I thought he was limited!

"Ella, Ivelisse, Rick, Markus, Aelen, join the front. Father McKelsey, defend the hospital. Don't let them get to Naomi."

Ivelisse

"Why? She 'asn't woken up yet? Why do t'ey need her?" I ask in my own dumbness.

Dominique says in an utmost disgusted tone, "There's no way in God's name that Netedinark will touch her again like he did."

"Why didn't s'e fight back? S'e 'as powers."

Everyone glares at me, including the ones that were kidnapped. Why, though? I am just wondering why she didn't fight back-no need to give me sour faces. No one says anything, not even me.

Dominique and Bracus take the central front of the Teketa, the densest in this attack. Ella and I were assigned to the east of the front, not as dense. Aelen and Markus are at the west part of the deck.

As for Rick, he gets to be a medic, healing soldiers on the spot.

Ella stomps on the ground, spreading purple shockwaves and quakes that shake everyone's body. The ground concaves in. The crust is now frail upon Ella's foot.

"You remind me of w'at Naomi did durin' our trainin' session," I remark.

"Pardon?" She snaps back before kicking the soil and the crust collapses with farther widths. Small ravines crack open the planet for a second before a central sinkhole becomes bigger.

"Nevermind," I say, mesmerised by her abilities, "Carry on."

I spawn myself multiple times and use my clones to take on the Teketa army. I can hear Ella sigh once she sees a lot of me taking on multiple targets. "Better hope it was worth it," she mumbles.

Day 136

Days went by without any breaks or meals. Our forces push back Teketa. We are close to the borders of Gaeriscelleh's forest. Multiple warriors have been wounded and killed on both sides. Rick managed to save hundreds of them per day. Some of them were not so lucky.

The light of the star is about to shine rays on us constantly during the day, not just some spots here and there from the forest. I wish to reach that light, but on this day, a storm has arrived.

Winds possessing thousands of souls lifted into the afterlife have now come back to haunt the living. Bracus mentions that storms can become wretched here during our off-time.

Water droplets dump upon our heads and ground, mixing with the mush and blood. Thunder claps so loud that it makes me jump nearly every time. The only thing that is close to blue in the sky is the lightning, and it touches the ground or the trees.

Still, there are no breaks for fighting. The Teketa are facing this too. Both Ella and I are panting, out of breath, tired, wanting this to end.

Ella grunts in great distress as she swings an axe into a mutt-like Teketa's face. It lets out a shriek before plopping to the ground. Nothing fancy about casualties in battles; they all drop dead once they're finished.

She looks around before sitting down below a tree. The back of her head meets the sticky ends of the bark. "Can this end?" She whines.

"I 'ope so too," I agree.

She forcefully exhales as she glares at me. The smile and happiness when we first met is now gone. It's my fault we are all here, fighting someone else's battle. It's now up to me before her respect for me is totally gone."

"Ella, I-I-I-"

"Not right now, Ive," she spat.

"But it's important."

The tree bark exploded with sheer force, causing Ella to yelp before tossing to the side. A large boomerang is all I see. I dodge out of the way before that thing can obliterate me too. The metal reflects greatly even in the darkest of storms.

It spirals back to its rightful owner, a giant Reveta. He catches the boomerang back. If it weren't for the dark veil, we would be seeing a war monster. A menacing dark figure appears with black large branches upon his back. It's Lord Netedinark himself.

"Look who we have here," he says with a mighty grin.

I clutch my sword tighter than ever as I get ready to swing. "Netedinark," I spat.

"Nete-who?" Ella spat.

"'e was t'e one w'o 'eld you captive, Ella!" I said without looking at her. I don't feel like being caught off guard right now. I shout at Netedinark, "You're not gettin' 'er again!"

"She is not the one I am after, Ivelissssseeee." He hisses upon my name.

You're after Naomi.

"Got'ta get t'rough me first."

He chuckles as he and the Reveta charge after us at appalling speeds. I cast a warp bubble just before they can touch us. The veiled creature chucks the boomerang at the warp bubble, only for it to fall to the ground.

The lord stops. His large slimy branches turn hard and sharp as he stabs them into the ground. They quickly rise up and wrap around me tightly. I can feel its coarse texture grate against my skin. I scream a cry for help. My warp bubble disappears from my lack of concentration,

The ground begins to tremble. A wet sinkhole emerges below our feet. All of them tumble inside the muddy waters filled with bodies and branches. That didn't stop Netedinark from releasing me. In fact, his grip tightens; my airway contracts further.

Ella shrieks at them, trying to get Netedinark to let me go. He doesn't. The sinkhole spreads, and more trees fall into nature's cesspool. A waterfall all around us with a threatening sound.

Ella keeps on shrieking and shrieking before she is pulled underwater. I guess the only way out is under a single point. I take a deep breath before letting myself become a one-dimensional being. I never felt so relieved to be free from Netedinark's grip.

I swim to where I saw Ella last before being pulled under by the flooding currents. It's hard to see in so much filth. I couldn't even find her until she crashed into me. I go back to my normal self. I whisk ourselves away from the sinkhole by quantum tunnelling several metres away.

Quantum tunnelling is far different than teleporting. I have to create a tunnel inside matter. I am invisible during this stage. I can open the exit wherever I've picked. I can phase through matter. It's like having no collision in a game. This can be an advantage because I can pick safe spots.

The moment we leave, Ella falls to her knees, coughing and inhaling. "What the hell?" She blurts in between coughs.

"I took you out of t'e sink'ole. We 'ave little breat'ing room t'ough."

She spits up the water she swallowed. "Gods, that was a bad idea."

"At least, t'ey will 'ave a good swim," I joke.

I offer her my hand to help her up. I pull her in a hug. The wind is making the rainstorm even colder than it actually is. Our entire armour is saturated with fluids. Ella jumps by my sudden movement, but she does embrace it. "I-I miss you, Ella!"

Her arms come out of embrace before shoving me to the side. I crash onto the wet ground, nearly hitting my head. Before I can turn around and express my hurted feelings, Ella screams at an incoming tendril. Her shockwaves don't prevent it from slowing down.

I got back up and used my sword to chop it right before it got to her. It plops to the ground before disappearing into ashes. Netedinark charges at us dashing speeds. He looks more displeased rather than cynical minutes ago.

Time to mess with gravity. I make the gravity around me become unstable like a blackhole. Everything around me has lenses. I reach out my hand at Netedinark. He rises in the air and is tossed a long distance. I can't tell where he landed.

"Can we switch?" Ella asks me.

"Na," I said with a smile, "T'e s'ockwaves suit you more."

She responds, "I think you're suiting me with yelling, Ive."

"Just need more practice..."

"I should've done this when I figured out you had done the ritual."

"I agree."

"Blast you right through the wall."

We look around. We see no one. We both sit and relax while still on edge.

"W'at are we goin' to do after t'is?" I ask her.

"Rebuild the damn house. You're going to help most of it though."

"It's goin' to take me years to pay it in full, Ella."

"Ive, we will contribute, but I am very pissed at you for attempting to do the ritual during your job as a babysitter."

I strain myself from not crying. "T'at was dumb of me. I knew t'at rituals can be dangerous around children."

"You're not babysitting ever again. Get another job or get a degree."

"Will do, Ell..."

"Maddie's parents are dead because of you."

"Dominique told me..."

The same Reveta appears right behind Ella. Its arm has a black mist flowing around it.

My gaze turning into fear alerted Ella. She spins around, only to scream the mightiest of all screams at them. The shockwave pushes them back. She keeps screaming higher and higher to the point I am even covering my ears. Purple waves radiate around her. Most of them are directed at the Reveta,

The Reveta falls to the ground, plugging in its ears. Purple cracks begin on the Reveta's skin, only for it to burst into nothing. The explosions sound like a window breaking. Finally, Ella stops screaming.

At this point, we agree to move. Ella and I begin walking in the rain like mother and daughter. Hours go by, searching the Teketa. We begin to dream of retreating and getting a good night's rest.

"Why hasn't the rain stopped yet?" Ella groans.

"Could be Gaeris's 'urricane," I said with a shrug.

"You have to tell me everything once we get back to the base."

"Will do, Ell."

The rain is not making our walk romantic, nor family-friendly. Perhaps, I can play in the ever-growing puddles or sing the rain to go away.

A bright blue appears, followed by a deafening clap of thunder. All of us jump. "I haven't heard thunder in a while. Looks like it's picking up," Ella states.

"Want me to ask Dominique, so we can return?"

"No," she shakes her head, "Don't piss her off. She could be battling in a serious frontline. Ours may be calm, but hers might not be, so don't distract her from- Did you hear that?"

Both of us stop walking. "'ear w'at?"

"Sounds like a stomp or something."

"Could be somethin' fallin' down a tree, Ella. It's stormin'."

"It seems of- Uhhhhh!"

A sharp tendril penetrates into Ella's mouth, coming out of the other side of her head. Blood oozes out of her mouth. She gurgles heavily before folding onto the ground.

"ELLA!" I cry while falling to my knees as she chokes to death.

Ella is choking on her blood, I scream into my mind, hoping Rick will hear.

Using the link to track you down, Rick responds.

I gasp with tears as I watch the one I love fade away. Ella keeps coughing up blood while she suffocates. I look up, asking the universe to forgive me, only to find Netedinark standing in the way.

"'ow could you?" I whimper.

"She's not worth it," he tells me before his branches lunge at me.

"No, you don't!" I go back into a single dot.

Netedinark threatens for me to come out, saying that I am doing the same trick again. He keeps yelling at me to reveal myself or else. I don't budge.

Netedinark is at my location, I say in my head.

I-I can't come in until he is gone, Ive, sorry, Rick responds.

"Fine then," Netedinark growls as a branch sharpens and smashes into Ella's skull. He keeps stabbing Ella even after she goes quiet and limp.

"No! Stop!" I go back to my normal form.

He laughs, "Too late."

The rain goes away, including the trees. I can't see the ground or the sky, just a world of black. It is just Netedinark and I. We are in Netedinark's power move. He is stronger here and can take away our power. He smirks at me before his branches come toward me.

"No! Don't!" I beg as my eyes close.

All I hear is the slashes of Netedinak's branches with splatters of blood. I can hear him scream, but it is at a distance, only to fade away like a voice becoming farther and farther away. I open my eyes. The rain continues, dropping down as soft as my tears. I am back in the same spot with Ella's still body.

"I'm sorry, Ivelisse," Rick reluctantly says, "I can't revive Ella."

"What do you mean? I t'ought you can 'eal."

"I can...But, she is already gone. I can't bring back the dead, Ive." His tone sounds like he is choking down his own cries. He is holding the barrier while I can't.

"No-No! Can you try again please?"

"I've been trying for an hour. She is not coming back. Ella is now dead, joining our numbers of casualties."

"No! No! NOOOOOOOOO!"