Sienna groaned as she woke up to the bright sun hitting her eyes. “I really need something to cover that window. She rolled out of bed and landed on her feet. The cold ground sent shivers up her spine. “And maybe some carpet for the floor.” She stretched her arms out above her head. Once done, she brought her hands down to her mouth and exhaled some warm air on to them. “How did it get so chilly in here?”

The door slammed open. Eren stood in the door frame, breathing heavily. “He’s here,” she said, looking into Sienna’s eyes.

Sienna scrambled to her feet as she raced to Eren. They ran down the hall and into the dining room. Archer and Naomi waited in that room.

“Are you ready?” Naomi asked.

Sienna nodded. This was what her training with everyone led up to. This time Sha’al would be defeated.

Naomi opened the door, revealing the frozen lake. Sienna watched as her people ran off the lake. She couldn’t believe that the lake was frozen when it was summer time, but

“Let’s evacuate everyone first,” Sienna commanded. She summoned the ice from the lake, cracking it open so Titus could be free. Titus rose to the surface. “Track Sha’al for us, Titus.” She stepped out onto the wood bridge and lowered herself on the ice. “Everyone hop on. I’ll take us to the people still in their houses, and we can help them from there.”

Naomi and Archer glanced at each other.

“Come on, we don’t have time for this,” Eren said as she jumped onto the ice. The colour drained from her face. “Bad time to be seasick.”

Sienna snorted. Naomi and Archer hopped down. The ice glided across the rest of the ice with masterful technique. Sienna weaved it in and out of the way of the bridges and empty houses. She stopped at a few to collect the remaining people. Eren, Naomi, and Archer held on tightly to the new companions. They arrived at the shore of the lake.

“Time for you guys to run. Run past the rivers and into the small woods. We’ll fetch you all after we defeat Sha’al,” Sienna commanded her tribesmen. She watched as they ran to safety. She turned her attention back to the lake. “Time to unfreeze this popsicle.”

Eren summoned a flame and set it off on the lake. Naomi and Archer followed her lead. Sienna gathered as much of the ice as she could and turned it back into water. As they progressed further into the lake, Titus began circling a spot.

“He’s there,” Sienna said. Deep in the shadows of the lake, the part that Sienna feared.

“Then we’ll draw him out,” Archer said as he stepped forward. A ball of fire burst forth from his hand and slammed into the centre of the lake. Steam rose forth and Titus swam as close as he could to Sienna’s side.

Sha’al’s screeches filled the air as he rose. The shadows dissipated as the steam thickened. The snakes swarmed around his body. He was almost human, had it not been for the snakes wrapped around his body.

“I left you for a month, and you still did not learn. Foolish people.” He walked across the water towards the four of them.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Sienna summoned a ball of water and looked to Eren, who nodded in response. Sienna sent forth the ball of water. Eren’s ball of fire intercepted it right as it hit Sha’al. Boiling water splashed around. Steam came forth and the snakes moved out of the way, revealing the pale skin of Sha’al.

“Strike him there,” Sienna commanded.

Naomi and Archer summoned their flames and moved in sync. A giant spear made of fire formed above their heads. It arced through the air and struck Sha’al. The roars of his pain filled Sienna with glee.

Sha’al looked at her. His eyes pierced through her soul. Dread filled her. She felt her knees grow weak, and the strength she had left her.

“Some mastermind you are. You can’t even stand in the most important part of the battle.” Sha’al laughed, the sound resounding deep in her bones, reminding her of her once broken arm.

“I don’t need to stand to fight you.” Sienna summoned a wave, large enough to hold Titus. She waited until Titus entered it. She waited until Sha’al stepped closer. His arrogance would be the end of him. But he didn’t step forward. He took a step backward. The strength in the wave wavered.

“Send it now!” Eren yelled. “Just get it over and done with.” A wave of flames rose from Archer, Eren and Naomi. They sent it forth, striking Sha’al. Immediately after, Sienna sent her tsunami forth.

She watched as Titus jumped out of the wave and headbut the snake bearer straight on. She clasped Eren’s hand and Archer’s hand. The four of them formed a circle. Sienna sent a ball of water into the centre of them. Steam rose from it as Eren sent hers forth. Naomi sent a small flame forth, intensifying the steam. Finally, Archer sent his forward. There was no more ball of water, just steam that the four of them had to control in perfect synchronisation with each other.

Titus dragged Sha’al through the water, bringing him onto the shore.

“The four of you think you can beat me?” he rasped. The snakes left his body, revealing the man beneath. He was ghastly in appearance, thin and decrepit, yet somehow had all this strength.

“Ophiuchus, the Snake Bearer,” Sienna said. “The traitor.”

“I did not betray the Zodiac. They betrayed me. They listened to that Wolf’s lies. She’s not even a Zodiac. She’s an impostor!” Sha’al roared.

“Yet you’re killing the others. Why not just kill her?” Eren stepped forward to ask.

“Because killing her isn’t enough.” He chuckled. “I will kill everyone who betrayed me. Virgo is already gone.”

A spear of steam formed above Sha’al.

“Then we’ll stop you here,” Archer said.

“Because of you, I haven’t seen my family in months.” Naomi stepped forward. The spear followed their movements. It hovered above Sha’al’s heart.

“And I’ll fulfil my duties.” Sienna commanded the spear to drop. It sliced through his skin with ease as it solidified into ice. Sha’al’s blood stained the sand and the water.

A weight lifted off of Sienna’s shoulders. She did it. Maybe not by herself, but she fulfilled her family’s duties. Tears poured from her eyes as she fell to her knees. “We did it.”

“Yes, we did.” Eren crouched down next to Sienna.

Naomi hugged Sienna from behind. “It wouldn’t have been possible without you.”

“Let’s go tell your tribe,” Archer suggested.

“Good idea,” Naomi chirped. They released Sienna from the embrace.

Sienna, Naomi, and Eren rose to their feet.

“Do you think we can host that feast now?” Sienna asked.

“Yes,” Eren said. “I’ll bring the message to the Astran Tribe.”

“I’ll tell Hunter Tribe,” Archer said. “I’ll bring my boyfriend too!”

“All of the Elka Tribe will be there.” Naomi smiled.

“I look forward to meeting everyone then.” Sienna shot a toothy grin towards everyone.