Page 49 of Above
A chant of ooo’s began, the excitement too good to pass up. All I knew was that I was no one’s. And I definitely would never be either of theirs. Not to mention Altair hated me just as much as I hated him. Which meant he was doing this to get to his only real competition in this place. I stepped between them, facingTalon and snatching his jaw in my grasp. I wasn’t his, but he had somehow become important to me recently.
“I need you to go with the medic, Talon. Whatever needs to be done will be finished quickly, I’m sure. And as for me,” I put my hand up, palm forward and fingers straight, “I want nothing to do with the snake behind me. That you can and should believe. I would sooner kill him than let him anywhere near me.”
“Harsh,” Dofrel mumbled, pulling Altair back by the waist as he attempted to get between us. What was going on? Had everyone lost their minds before they even entered their illusions?
“No, no, she’s right, Cal. Why would a worthless akhata want to go anywhere near me? I’m only the future fucking General. How dull compared to the man who cried for his mommy in front of everyone—who pretends to defend her when all he’s doing is showing up after she handled it all. Tell me, Little Void, what do you think his end goal is?”
I blanched, letting go of Talon and stepping back from the three cores. Stars, what the utter fuck was going on? The medic finally got a good hold of Talon, her hand cupping his mouth and glowing silver before he suddenly collapsed. I watched her drag him away, my mind spinning.
“Yes, think with that brain of yours, for once. Save him the suffering that comes with sullying himself and leave him alone. Because you know, just as we all do, that you will not survive this.” Dofrel let Altair go, allowing him to step closer, his mouth going down to my ear. “I’ll make sure you don’t.”
“Enough!” Captain Zade boomed, finally stopping the madness. But it was too late. Everyone had seen what happened. Somehow, my undeniable desire to be seen by everyone as equal had come to fruition, and I realized quickly that I had been wrong to want such a thing. Altair stared at me for another splitsecond and then turned, shoving through the line to make his way to his spot at the very back. “Next will be Nova Tershetta.”
As always, my name from her mouth sounded like a curse. As if saying it would burn her tongue. But she wasn’t my worry as I sighed and stepped forward, the elite lifting their hands and wrapping them around my head.
The way the elite tugged and pulled at my mind felt like having my intestines ripped out. They didn’t bother to be gentle, tearing me apart as they sought out what might debilitate me. I held back the piercing scream that bubbled and boiled in my stomach, unwilling to look weak as I was split like a book and read until my pages were worn. However, like Talon, my knees shook violently, my arms twitching at my sides as well.
When the elite was done, they ripped their hands away, a soft hiss reverberating against their mask and making it shake.
Oh yeah, foul of eadi monster. Almost forgot.
Summoning whatever courage and strength still existed within me, I made my way to the dome, passing through it and awaiting my illusion in the center.
What I expected were my parents, but instead I was shown a large crowd gathered in the courtyard that sat within the gates of the academy, the same place we had all gone after shadow walking to the island. Faces began to morph, changing until they were ones I recognized. Trainees.
That was when the cores stepped forward, the six of them surrounding me.
“This isn’t real,” I whispered to myself as they tightened their circle. If I could remember that, then I’d be fine.
“Isn’t it, akhata?” Otarn mocked, her voice just as harsh and sharp as it always was. My eyes flicked her way, catching the smile that seemed to crawl up her cheeks. She was small, but I had watched her take down people three times her size.
It was fake, but still, my heart raced at her approach.
“We’ve tried before, we’ll try again,” Zade said, her voice soft, like a lullaby. Her words sliced through me though. Try again? To kill me? I figured that much. She was far taller than Otarn, her lithe body not as curvy but just as strong. Her black hair was long, the braid down to her hips and making the red tint of her eyes stand out in striking contrast. Beside her, Talon laughed, his deep tawny skin reddening on the apples of his cheeks.
Just an illusion.
“But this time, I won’t be there to help. I think I finally realized that you’re a waste of time, Supernova.” The nickname spilled like acid out of his lips. In my hand, something firm began to appear. I dared to look, watching a dagger form from wispy black shadows.
“A waste of life is more like it,” Elders cut in, his white teeth bared.
“A disease,” Dofrel added, his earthy chuckle vibrating beneath my boots as they stopped only a few feet away from me on all sides.
This is fake. Fake. Fake. Fake. Fake. Fake.
“Oh, Little Void, when will you finally learn to use that head of yours?” Altair whispered from behind me, his voice so close I felt my hair rustle beneath his breath. “I will bathe in your blood, worthless akhata. Then I will slaughter your family as I’m coated in their curse of a daughter.”
Instinct claimed me. Or maybe fury. I turned, grabbing Altair by the shoulder and shoving the blade into his gut. When he keeled over, I wasted no time, ripping out the dagger and pushing it into his forehead. His skull resisted, but I only pushed harder. Bone cracked. Altair slumped.
A hand was on my bicep. Someone had me. They were going to kill my family. Slamming back my elbow, I wrapped my arm around my chest and sliced, blood smearing across me as what sounded like Otarn cried out. But I couldn’t think about her asDofrel and Zade charged at me. I kicked Zade in her knee, the sickening snap almost as loud as her screams. Dofrel lifted his arm, exposing his side through the thick black leathers he wore. I shoved my blade into the area, blood squirting across Zade as she cried. Dofrel fell, freeing my blade in time to turn and pierce the neck of Elders.
Last was Talon, who raised his hands, acting as if he were giving up. But I wouldn’t fall for his tricks a second time. I tugged the blade out of Elders’ flesh, reared back my hand, and threw it. Relief consumed me as it landed right between his eyes, sending him falling backwards.
Breathing heavily, I allowed my eyes to once again focus on the crowd as they watched in silent bafflement. I moved to Talon’s dead form, pulling the blade out and pointing it their way. “Yes, be afraid. I am the beast in the night that you dream about in the safety of your warm beds and the comfort of your full bellies!”
My screams caused many to step back in terror, parting the crowd. And there, with tears dripping down their faces, was my family. Mama was behind Dad, her arms wrapped protectively around him as the two of them hiccuped from their sorrow. Celeste did not cower in the same way, instead standing in front of them and holding out a thin butter knife from our kitchen, the blade so worn it no longer sliced through mushy beans.
“Celeste?” I asked, stepping over Altair’s lifeless body and making my way to them. Celeste flinched, but remained standing tall.
