ᕯ۞ᕯ❂ᕯ۞ᕯ

Alcester whimpered, "Please go easy on me..." as he and Edward took their stances.

Gracefully twirling his spear, Edward came to an abrupt stop, the spearhead inches from the ground, his hand gripping the ancient wooden staff.

"Don't worry!" He smiled sweetly.

At Sir James' signal, they began. Wasting no time, Edward swiftly slashed his spear at Alcester.

Icurus watched Edward closely, studying how his body moved as if dancing, his feet precise and calculated. Most notably, his friendly smile was replaced with an unsettling emptiness. His eyes glowed green, steam hissing from his mouth like a dragon about to fire.

Rosabella noticed the change as well, he very much resembled to his older brother.

Leaning back, Alcester cried, "Too close, Edward! Do you want me dead?"

Twisting his spear, Edward slid down sweeping Alcester's legs out from under him.

With a thud, Alcester fell face-first. "Ow!" he cried out.

Already on his feet, Edward twirled his spear and pressed its point to the back of Alcester's head.

Feeling the spear's coldness, Alcester whimpered and trembled.

Smiling once more, Edward turned the spear into a ring. "Are you alright?" He leaned down to check on his friend.

Breathing heavily, Alcester stammered, "I-" before fainting.

Eleanor pouted, "Oh dear..."

ᕯ۞ᕯ❂ᕯ۞ᕯ

ᕯᕯ★ᕯᕯ

I wonder if my mother would be happier as a mortal human rather than a faerie, since she implies that being a magical creature is difficult. It is especially challenging when you happen to fall for a human and your mother disapproves, cursing your half-human children.

I entered the training grounds to find Alcester knocked out on the ground with my panicked younger brother beside him, trying to figure out what to do. My deranged twin sister held an ink pot, wanting to draw on Alcester's face with her fingers while sweet Rosabella tried stopping her. Her sister was dying of laughter.

Ah, I've arrived at the wrong time.

I decided to leave when a flash of red blinded me. I stopped, confused. What?

My head buzzed, my ears ringing uncomfortably, leaving me dizzy.

A chuckle preceded an annoying, ancient, high-pitched voice. "Greetings! It's been quite a while since we last talked, Sonny!"

Oh, come on. I don't deserve this.

I steadied myself against the wall with one hand, the other on my forehead. Fainting here would be embarrassing. I have a reputation to uphold.

'What?! You're not supposed to-' he cut me off.

"Not supposed to be here?" His voice laughed. "Oh, come on! Let's have fun!"

My vision clouded with green as if tiny vines curled onto my eyeballs. My body felt foreign.

"Stop it!" I cried, too loudly.

I looked at my hands. From my limited vision, I could see black veins spreading from my wrists.

Unfortunate.

ᕯᕯ★ᕯᕯ

ᕯ✬ᕯ★ᕯ۞ᕯ❂ᕯ

"Stop it!"

Rosabella looked back, hearing Ernesto's voice, thinking he had shouted at his sister. But her eyes widened when she saw Ernesto at the entrance, breathing heavily with black veins stretching from his neck to his face. He was shaking, his green eyes now a deep shade of pink, the whites turned pitch black.

Beside her, Eleanor dropped the ink pot, blood pouring from her mouth as she smiled, black veins spreading over her body as well. "Ah yes," she spoke, "we are twins, connected in that way..."

The students of Enchanted and Stormbringer Academy looked at each other in confusion and fear.

Sir James called out, "Children, please remain calm!"

Frozen in place, Edward watched his siblings in horror.

Eleanor coughed up more blood. "Edward..." she said, reaching out to touch his cheek, "go call Mother."

Her finger lightly grazed his face before Icurus slapped her hand away. "You're going to spread it!" he said.

"Rude...but true..." Eleanor's eyes glazed as she murmured, "Rosan is telling me to do it..."

"Will they be okay?" Xavier asked worriedly.

"Good question," said Diana, gripping Eleanor's shoulder. "Bella, go check on Ernesto. I've got her."

"On it!" Rosabella sprang up to aid Ernesto.

"All of you, get inside the classroom, now!" ordered Miss Evans.

The students hurried to comply. Icurus helped Edward to his feet. "We should go," he urged.

But Edward hung back. "I don't want to leave them..." He looked to his suffering siblings.

Eleanor lay pale and bloody on the ground, Diana doing her best to wipe the blood away. Ernesto gripped the wall so hard it cracked under his hand, unaffected as Rosabella tried to get his attention. Green thorny vines protruded from his mouth and coiled around his arm.

"Hey, we need to go!" Xavier shouted, carrying Alcester's unconscious body.

Icurus took Edward's hand. "Come on...they'll be fine..."

Ariana pulled Edward's other arm. "Yeah, and your sister said to get your mom!"

Edward nodded. "The closest way is past my brother."

Rosabella had a danger in her hand, she struggled to cut back the endless vines.

"Occupied," said Ariana.

"Guys..." Xavier's voice shook. "I think the way to our classroom is blocked too."

The vines from Ernesto's arm had spread to the walls and the entrance, blocking it completely with thick, thorny vines covered in leaves and scarlet roses.

"Oh, what a great first day!" Xavier said sarcastically.

"Truly," Ariana agreed.

ᕯ★ᕯ✬ᕯ۞ᕯ❂ᕯ

ᕯ★ᕯ✬ᕯ★ᕯ

Rosabella desperate at this moment slapped Ernesto straight across the face. She hoped it worked.

"Hello..?" She called out to him.

He went deadly still, no longer shaking. He lifted his head glancing back at her. Rosabella looked into his eyes for anything they could tell her, yet they her told nothing. She gripped his other arm, "Come on! Snap out of it!" her voice desperate.

Ernesto didn't move, he couldn't move. Rosabella still held his arm, gripping it tighter, "Come on...I know you"

Just then his entire arm set itself on fire with a blueish-purple hue, Rosabella was quick enough to get away.

ᕯ★ᕯ✬ᕯ★ᕯ

ᕯᕯ★ᕯᕯ

Darkness was all I could see. I was a prisoner inside my mind. How embarrassing. I expected better from me.

It was empty, nothing at all. I am so empty-minded.

There was a spot of light and I walked towards it. It was just a spot but it illuminated enough light. It was quiet and peaceful.

Until my eyes landed on the ground. There she was the worst version of me, my sister rolling around on the smooth surface. She came to a spot when she saw me.

"Hey," I said

"Hey," she smiled and then rolled away.

How am I related to her?

Anyways...I wonder what's going on outside.

ᕯᕯ★ᕯᕯ

ᕯ✷ᕯ✬ᕯ۞ᕯ

Xavier cried out in panic, clutching Icurus's shoulder, "We're gonna die virgins!"

"Calm down!" Ariana scolded. "Hold Alcester properly!"

"I'm trying!" Xavier shouted back, still panicking.

Diana spoke up, attempting to comfort Eleanor, "At least we'll die holy."

Edward's ring transformed into a spear, but Icurus grabbed his arm before he could act. "What are you doing?!" Icurus asked.

Edward frowned. "Can't you see my brother's on fire?!"

Ernesto was frozen in place, vines protruding from his mouth, one half of him engulfed in violet flames while roses coiled around the other.

Rosabella had backed away, dagger in hand. "What should we do?" Diana called out to her.

"Survive until help arrives," Rosabella instructed.

Suddenly, icy mist swirled around them as the area beside Ernesto burst with frost. Ernesto's expression remained unchanged.

Vinter stepped forward, facing the group. "Ernesto, can you hear me in there?"

Edward looked at Vinter skeptically. "He can't hear you."

"It's worth a try, Edward. Go get your mom, I'll hold him off," Vinter replied.

Rosabella observed Ernesto. "He doesn't seem aggressive, but I have a plan to wake him up."

"What about Eleanor?" Diana asked.

"Take her and Alcester to the infirmary," Rosabella directed.

Diana nodded. "But who will carry her?"

"I've got this," Ariana said, shoving past and easily lifting Eleanor into her arms.

"Wow, she's strong," Icurus remarked.

"Icurus, I need you. The rest of you, go," Rosabella ordered.

She whispered her plan to Icurus, who nodded nervously. "I hope I don't mess this up."

Ernesto summoned a circular array, with runes symbols, launching blue fire towards them. Vinter created an ice wall for protection, and then an ice tunnel for their escape. "Hurry! I can't hold him forever!"

They rushed through just before it melted from the intense heat. Jagged icicles formed behind Vinter as he asked, "Where should I strike?"

"Cut him free from the vines," Rosabella said. She turned to Icurus. "You know what to do," she said with a wink.

ᕯ✷ᕯ✬ᕯ۞ᕯ

ᕯᕯ★ᕯᕯ

I sat in the darkness with minimal light, "This is so boring..."

My sister rolled past me from behind, "Roll brother! roll"

I buried my face in my hands, "I can not live like this..."

She rolled past me again, "Weee...this for eternity"

"I am gonna go insane..." I smiled to myself, and my smile dropped, "Why am I smiling...?"

I looked at the small light, "Why am I narrating..?"

My sister rolled past me again, "Oh brother, people beyond our world watch our every move! We could be in a book! And our author is a fifteen-year-old, who has nothing better to d-"

"Stop talking!" I screamed, running my hands through my hair.

"As you wish..." she rolled into the darkness.

I hugged my knees and laid down, "I want my mum"

ᕯᕯ★ᕯᕯ

ᕯ✷ᕯ✬ᕯ۞ᕯ

Ernesto stopped, his hand falling to his sides. He made no effort to move away as the icicles sliced through the vines, freeing him. The top half of his clothes burned away, revealing pale, toned skin underneath.

His breath came quickly as he walked forward, seeming uninterested in fighting. But scorching heat surrounded him.

"Ha! I knew he was gonna use that. He used too much energy trying to keep himself together," Rosabella remarked.

"Huh?" Icurus asked.

"She means while Ernesto was being possessed, he used all his strength and magic trying not to get possessed," Vinter explained.

"Ah, alright," Icurus said.

"Icurus," Rosabella called, "you know what to do."

He nodded, cupping his hands and creating a water bubble around them. Unsheathing his sword, he said, "I hope this works..."

"Be careful, you two," Vinter warned.

Icurus walked out from behind the ice wall, gripping his sword tightly and concentrating so the water bubble wouldn't burst.

Ernesto watched him wearily. "Hey," Icurus waved. Before he could say more, the ring on Ernesto's finger flashed. In a blink, it became a scythe, similar in colour to Edward's spear. Its curved blade was raven-like, the staff coal black. At the centre, where Blade and the staff met, was a purple gemstone.

Spinning the scythe, Ernesto approached him, as if he was the grimriper.

Icurus reminded himself he just had to stand there, focused on the bubble protecting them from the heat.

Just as Icurus thought he was a goner, Rosabella leapt behind Ernesto, stabbing her dagger through the back of his neck.

No blood came. She landed beside him as Ernesto fell to his knees, then face-first to the ground.

Icurus stood bewildered.

"He's not dead!" Rosabella reassured. But their bubbles had busted.

Gasping at the sudden heat, Icurus felt no air. The heat clouded his mind, knocking him out too.

Rosabella held herself together, crouching and catching her breath in the intense heat.

ᕯ✷ᕯ✬ᕯ۞ᕯ

ᕯᕯ★ᕯᕯ

"Hey..." my sister called out,

"What?"

"A lot of people got knocked out today.."

"Oh" I looked up at the light, and it seemed to get bigger.

ᕯᕯ★ᕯᕯ