“Evil is always possible. And goodness is eternally difficult. It was as
if when I looked into his eyes I was standing alone on the edge of the
world...on a windswept ocean beach. There was nothing but the soft roar
of the waves.”
Entered
When the war begins, and society
slowly falls apart, how will they fix things? When the two people,
causing worldly deaths, and mayhem, basically disappear from the face of
the earth, how do they find them? And when the forever un-quenched
thirst for blood takes over, revealing them, could this be the end of
all Vampires? A story of Love. Death. War. Resurrection and Loss. The
many things eternally endured by the immortal.
SURPRISE EVERYONE!
Chapter 1:
Renee's SOS
For
the first time, since my death, I could feel my heart beat. As I
watched Lana's weak and dead like body, clumsily descending the stairs,
my heart rate sped up.
"Lana?" Nick whispered.
Her head snapped in his direction. I had never seen such anger and evil on Lana's face, than at this moment.
"Nick!"
her voice growled. Low and deep, I didn't quite understand what had
happened to her. Her eyes weren't her eyes. They were black, and
swollen. She was skinny, and her bones were broken.
What happened to the Lana we had a few days ago? I wondered.
"I'm so, hungry" she cried out.
"I'll get you something" Nick ran in the kitchen, and came back in less than a second, with a tall wine glass of blood for her.
She devoured every drop, licking the cup when she finished.
"MORE!" she demanded. The same demonic voice rang from her lungs, and I could honestly admit that I was afraid.
Nick followed orders.
He gave her the glass, and watched as she devoured it again.
For
one split second, he turned his back to speak to us, but I couldn't
hear what he was saying. I watched as Lana's face contorted and her
teeth elongated. A sly smile crept upon her face, and she opened her
mouth wide.
Backing away from Nick, she crawled up the wall, and got in stance, ready to attack her brother.
"Lana, NO!!!" I screamed
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" her voice rang, shaking the entire house.
I leaped into the air.
"Nick
WATCH OUT!!" I ran to Lana, and gripped her around the neck, violently
slamming her into the wall. Hearing her already cracked bones, break
even more.
"LET ME GO!!!!" she growled
"Lana! I know this
isn't really you... but so help me God, I will snap your neck, right
here, right now, if you ever try to hurt him again"
"Siren...oh Siren, Siren, Siren you're not a killer. You could never hurt me... NOW GET OFF!"
Lana ran past me, straight to the kitchen, and I followed
"Lana, come back to us... Please" Nick begged
"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!!!" she screeched
"I- I'm so hungry, Nick, p- please just, let me..."
Nick, walked over to her, in a trance like state. Staring at her wide eyed, staring deep into her soul.
"Nick, what are you doing?"
"I have to help her, she- she's hungry, she needs me"
"Nick!"
"Siren, just... let me help her"
"GET
AWAY FROM HIM!" My loud and now deep voice rang throughout the house,
shaking it, and everything inside of it. I grabbed a knife from the
kitchen drawer.
"Nick WATCH OUT!" I yelled again,
I ran over to Lana, yanking her by the neck once more. Slamming her into the wall, and penetrating her with the knife.
"Siren NO!" shadow yelled to me begging. But the job was done.
"YOU B***H!!!" her shriek of agony pierced through my ears as I watched blood spew from her lungs.
"I had to, this isn't you Lana, I'm sorry"
"I'LL KILL YOU!" she growled
"Come on Lana, come back to us, come back to us please"
Lana
grabbed onto her stab wound. She began choking as the cold black fluid
ran from them. The glob that came from her was alive. It was as if it
was breathing, having a pulse of its own.
"Wh- what is that?" Nick asked
"It's the thing that was inside, controlling her every thought and move" I said wiping the knife.
Lana fell to the floor, crouched in fetal position. Choking, and throwing up the remains of demonic being inside her.
"I- I don't understand, you killed her, she came back to us, AND YOU KILLED HER!!!"
"Nick...
Lana... she- she was dead. Don't you understand. She wasn't alive, how
could she just be alive all of a sudden, don't you see that it doesn't
make sense?" Vincent Raven said
"But look at her, SHE'S ALIVE NOW!!!"
"Yes,
but look at her. When the dead resurrects, its because a lost soul uses
their body to resurface the earth. Someone is taking over her." Vincent
Raven said
Nick said nothing, he simply stayed quiet, staring
blankly into Lana's face as she lay, dying once more on the ground.
Swarmed and surrounded by her own blood, and the black liquid covering
the entire space around her. She choked. Spitting out disgusting Bile.
We all watched her leave us all over again as she fainted, back into the blackness.
"So... that was just some- some thing... that wasn't her...My sister's gone?"
He asked on the verge of tears.
"Nick... I'm- I'm so sorry"
"NO DAMNIT! SHE HAS TO COME BACK! SHE JUST HAS TOO! SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING PLEASE!"
Him and Siren knelt down next to her, while Nick tried to revive her
"Lana....Lana!.. Lana! WAKE UP!"
"COME
ON Lana! PLEASE! FOR ME? FOR Nick! FOR ALL OF US, JUST COME BACK!" Ser
shook her, begging and begging, but I think we all knew that was never
gonna happen.
---------------------------------------------->
Nick's SOS
Just
like that, I had her, and now, she's gone... again...just like that.
For the first time in two years, my heart pumped, rapidly when I watched
Lana limp damn near lifelessly down the stairs. But that wasn't MY
Lana. Not the Lana I've always loved. It just wasn't her.
But if I
could've had that fallen soul, over the actual her, I would've taken
it, because regardless it was still a part of her... and that's all I
hoped for.
"Nick... I'm so sorry"
"Don't be Siren"
"But,
Lana, she- she's gone. I really miss her Nick... I miss her so much!"
Serenity sobbed into my lap as she lay across it. I stroked her hair,
trying me best to calm her.
I had always been so protective of
her. When we were younger, she used to get picked on, one day she came
into the house crying and carrying on.
"Nick!" she yelled busting through our door. Her small 6 year old frame.
I laughed at her squeaky voice, but Lana automatically knew what was wrong.
"What's wrong Siren?"
"That boy, he- he hit me" she cried
"WHO?"
"The boy who plays with Nick all the time!" she continued crying on Lana's shoulder.
"What boy?" I asked
"I
don't know him, but he called me stupid and ugly, then he pushed me
down, and got mud all over these shoes that my daddy brought me"
Me being the a*****e of an 8 year old I was, I just laughed.
But before I knew it, Lana was trudging outside.
"RAIN!" she screamed
"yeah Jay Jay?"
With all of her might, she pushed him, and he fell directly into the mud that Siren fell in.
"I HATE YOU! STUPID!" he screamed
I
saw Siren stick her tongue out at him from the corner of my eye, and
that really ticked him off, so this time, he got up, and smacked her.
The sound of his hard smack rang through the air. And I felt the anger
in me rise instantly.
"RAIN!" I was ticked off this time, I ran up to him, grabbed him by the collar, and punched him square in the mouth.
"Ni- Nick! You're supposed to be my best friend!" he said astounded
"Listen, boys should never hit girls RAIN, so leave her alone! I sware if you ever hurt her again, I'll do worse than that!"
"I HATE ALL OF YOU!" he screamed and ran away.
Serenity ran up to me, hugging me, and crying on my shoulder
"Wh- why is h-he so m-mean to m-me, I n-never was m-mean to h-him...never ever ever!"
"Don't cry Siren, Rain won't mess with you anymore"
As I had a flashback of the entire event, Rain walked up to me, breaking me out of it.
"Still thinking about that ONE time you beat me up huh?"
"Yeah, and you deserved it"
"Well, as long as you know I'd never hurt her now"
"You better not, because I'll kick your a*s again!"
"Yeah, that'll be the day!"
"DUDE! Have you forgotten who my girlfriend is?"
"WHOOO
HOO Siren! Big whoop, I'm not afraid of WHOOOOAAAA!!!!!!!!!" before
Rain could finish his sentence, the flowers in the table next to him
burst into flames
"You're not afraid of whom?" Siren asked coming into the room.
"Uuuhh... Nic... Yeah Nic... that's who I was talking about"
"Yeah, I thought so!"
"Nick, uh, me and shade just finished cleaning the kitchen, I cleaned Lana, and she's back I her room, on the bed." She added
"I think it's time for me to finally let her go Siren"
"Wh- What?"
"Yeah, I can't live like this, my sisters dead body, laying in her bed. It's time for me to finally just... move on"
"Are you sure about that Nick?"
"Yes... I'm sure"
"Okay, then come on"
Siren
grabbed my hand, and led me up the stairs to Lana's room. We stood
silently. I couldn't help but stare into her beautiful green eyes as she
prepared to open Lana's bedroom door.
"I can't believe this" she whispered.
"Me either... but Siren, it's definitely time" I sighed
"Yeah, it really is"
"HUUUUUUUUUUUUUH!"
"What was that?"
"HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHH!"
"I- I don't know"
"Sounds like someone is coughing. With an extremely dry throat. It sounds like, it sound like..Lana..."
~Lana....?~
~I think it is Nick~
I
quickly flew through the door. And there it was, as we had guessed,
Lana sitting on her bed, coughing, and gasping for air, breathing smoke
from her dry lungs.
~Lana?~
"Nic- Nick" her dry voice called to me.
"Lana.... Lana!"
Nick's SOS
Just
like that, I had her, and now, she's gone... again...just like that.
For the first time in two years, my heart pumped, rapidly when I watched
Lana limp damn near lifelessly down the stairs. But that wasn't MY
Lana. Not the Lana I've always loved. It just wasn't her.
But if I
could've had that fallen soul, over the actual her, I would've taken
it, because regardless it was still a part of her... and that's all I
hoped for.
"Nick... I'm so sorry"
"Don't be Siren"
"But,
Lana, she- she's gone. I really miss her Nick... I miss her so much!"
Serenity sobbed into my lap as she lay across it. I stroked her hair,
trying me best to calm her.
I had always been so protective of
her. When we were younger, she used to get picked on, one day she came
into the house crying and carrying on.
"Nick!" she yelled busting through our door. Her small 6 year old frame.
I laughed at her squeaky voice, but Lana automatically knew what was wrong.
"What's wrong Siren?"
"That boy, he- he hit me" she cried
"WHO?"
"The boy who plays with Nick all the time!" she continued crying on Lana's shoulder.
"What boy?" I asked
"I
don't know him, but he called me stupid and ugly, then he pushed me
down, and got mud all over these shoes that my daddy brought me"
Me being the a*****e of an 8 year old I was, I just laughed.
But before I knew it, Lana was trudging outside.
"RAIN!" she screamed
"yeah Jay Jay?"
With all of her might, she pushed him, and he fell directly into the mud that Siren fell in.
"I HATE YOU! STUPID!" he screamed
I
saw Siren stick her tongue out at him from the corner of my eye, and
that really ticked him off, so this time, he got up, and smacked her.
The sound of his hard smack rang through the air. And I felt the anger
in me rise instantly.
"RAIN!" I was ticked off this time, I ran up to him, grabbed him by the collar, and punched him square in the mouth.
"Ni- Nick! You're supposed to be my best friend!" he said astounded
"Listen, boys should never hit girls RAIN, so leave her alone! I sware if you ever hurt her again, I'll do worse than that!"
"I HATE ALL OF YOU!" he screamed and ran away.
Serenity ran up to me, hugging me, and crying on my shoulder
"Wh- why is h-he so m-mean to m-me, I n-never was m-mean to h-him...never ever ever!"
"Don't cry Siren, Rain won't mess with you anymore"
As I had a flashback of the entire event, Rain walked up to me, breaking me out of it.
"Still thinking about that ONE time you beat me up huh?"
"Yeah, and you deserved it"
"Well, as long as you know I'd never hurt her now"
"You better not, because I'll kick your a*s again!"
"Yeah, that'll be the day!"
"DUDE! Have you forgotten who my girlfriend is?"
"WHOOO
HOO Siren! Big whoop, I'm not afraid of WHOOOOAAAA!!!!!!!!!" before
Rain could finish his sentence, the flowers in the table next to him
burst into flames
"You're not afraid of whom?" Siren asked coming into the room.
"Uuuhh... Nic... Yeah Nic... that's who I was talking about"
"Yeah, I thought so!"
"Nick, uh, me and shade just finished cleaning the kitchen, I cleaned Lana, and she's back I her room, on the bed." She added
"I think it's time for me to finally let her go Siren"
"Wh- What?"
"Yeah, I can't live like this, my sisters dead body, laying in her bed. It's time for me to finally just... move on"
"Are you sure about that Nick?"
"Yes... I'm sure"
"Okay, then come on"
Siren
grabbed my hand, and led me up the stairs to Lana's room. We stood
silently. I couldn't help but stare into her beautiful green eyes as she
prepared to open Lana's bedroom door.
"I can't believe this" she whispered.
"Me either... but Siren, it's definitely time" I sighed
"Yeah, it really is"
"HUUUUUUUUUUUUUH!"
"What was that?"
"HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHH!"
"I- I don't know"
"Sounds like someone is coughing. With an extremely dry throat. It sounds like, it sound like..Lana..."
~Lana....?~
~I think it is Nick~
I
quickly flew through the door. And there it was, as we had guessed,
Lana sitting on her bed, coughing, and gasping for air, breathing smoke
from her dry lungs.
~Lana?~
"Nic- Nick" her dry voice called to me.
"Lana.... Lana!"
When
the war begins, and society slowly falls apart, how will they fix
things? When the two people, causing worldly deaths, and mayhem,
basically disappear from the face of the earth, how do they find them?
And when the forever un-quenched thirst for blood takes over, revealing
them, could this be the end of all Vampires? A story of Love. Death.
War. Resurrection and Loss. The many things eternally endured by the
immortal.
Chapter 2
Nick's SOS
"Lana, stay still"
I slowly began walking over to her bed, but before I could reach her, Siren grabbed my arm.
"Nick don't" she urged
"Siren, it's okay, it's her... relax"
"No Nick, NO!"
"Siren, she's my sister, I know what I'm doing, if you want to stop me, then... then just... get the hell out!"
She didn't reply, she simply looked away from me, and If I didn't know better, I'd swear she had tears in her eyes.
"Lana, is it... is it really....?"
"Please brother, I'm so, so hungry"
"Siren it's her" I said.
Lana's head snapped up in my direction.
"Si-Siren... hey girly"
"Oh... Lana it really is you"
"Of course it's me" she weakly joked
Lana ran over to her, to give her a hug, but before she could reach her, Lana dryly yelled
"NO!"
"Wh- what's wrong"
"I,
I can smell the blood, running through your veins, I can even feel how
chill it is... I can taste it... I don't wanna hurt you em... so please,
stay back."
"B-b- but Lana"
"Listen to her Lana!" I hissed
"Alright"
"Lana, do you want me to get you something?"
"As
much blood as you possibly can... please" Her raspy voice quivered as
she begged, and I quickly obliged. Siren and I left the room, and
sprinted downstairs to get her the blood.
"Thank you brother... Just, throw it to me" Lana said
I did as she said
Knock knock knock
"Come inside"
"Hey
you guys, is everything ok- Lana? OH MY GOSH Lana! IT'S YOU! IT'S
REALLY YOU!" Serenity leaped 30 feet into the air, overly excited.
She
ran over to Lana, and gripped her in the tightest hug. I sensed the
uncomfortability on Lana's face, as she hadn't had blood that close to
her in ages.
"Ser, please let go"
"NO Lana! NO!" she continuously cried on her shoulder, not knowing that her life could possibly be over in a matter of seconds
"SERENITY!" I growled
She stared at me, frightened.
~She can't take your scent yet, she could have just killed you, you idiot!~
~I- I'm sorry Nick, I didn't know- I didn't think, I- I - I uuuhh...~
~It's okay Ser~
~Could I- Have a moment alone with her?~
~Ser,
don't you realize how dangerous that could be, she might not have all
of her strength yet, but for blood, she'll kill you!~
~Nick...
she's my best friend, and for some time now, I thought she was dead...
can't you understand how important this is, so please~
~Ser, no it's-~
~Nick! I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF! NOW GET THE HELL OUT! ~
~Nick.. it's okay, I won't hurt her, let her have her moment~ Lana told me
~Yeah Nick... it'll be okay~ Siren assured me.
"Come on Nick, lets go" Siren said as she grabbed my arm.
"Don't touch me" I spat, and I stormed out of the room.
Chapter 3
Serenity's SOS
"Hey girly"
"Hey Lana"
"I've really missed you Ser"
"Psssh you, man, I've been going crazy without you Lana"
"I'm
so sorry for putting all of you through this... I can't believe I was
so stupid. Nick told me from the start to stay clear of Noel, but I
didn't listen, I'm so damn stupid!" she smacked herself in the head
repeatedly.
"Lana! Calm down... what do you mean, how do you know that Noel did it?"
"I was there Ser, what you don't believe me?"
"NO! I know that he's your murderer. But it's just weird that you can remember that is all, relax"
"Yeah... are all of those idiots still outside waiting on you guys?"
"Yes, and I'm not sure if tonight we should follow through with this"
"Ser, this has to be ended, you guys HAVE TO FIGHT THEM!!!"
"We are, do you honestly think Renee... or Sabastien will let us not fight, those guys love a good fight"
"Sabstien's here?"
"Yeah, and so is Storm... and James"
"James?? HE'S HERE??"
"Yeah, but he's on our side now"
"I never thought he'd actually have the balls to stand up to Akari and Emanuel, but I guess I was wrong"
"Way wrong Lana"
"Man, I really wanna get out there in fight, but I'd wind up being a liability to all of you"
"Well, I'd be too worried about you to fight, we'd all be too worried. So it's better that you stay in here, under your shield."
"Yeah, I guess I better"
"Yeah..."
"Well,
you know Ser, I really do love you, I love you so much, and I don't
know what I'll do if I lose you" Lana broke down in front of me, tears
streaming down her cheeks like a faucet.
"I love you too La la Lana... and I will come back... I'm tough.. now!"
"Haha..
yeah, I know, just promise me, you and Nick, and Lana and Rain and
Siren will come back to me, I care about all the others but, you guys
have to come back"
"We'll definitely be back Lana, don't worry"
"But there's one more thing Ser, something I need you to do"
"What's that Lana?"
"When
you see Noel... Kill him. For me, tell him about how you know about
everything, and make sure my name is the last thing her hears before he
dies, will you do that for me?"
"Anything for you Lana... Anything"
Chapter 4
Siren's SOS
My
body shook and trembled, as we were once again preparing to go into
battle. The main thing that was on my mind the entire night was my dad. I
can't believe he's been alive all this time. He looks exactly the same,
not a year over 30.
Of course other things were on my mind ,
like Lana, the war, Nic... and Nick's new-found hate for me. Which, by
the way was burning deep fiery holes in my soul. To know that the one I
love has so much hatred toward me.
Sometimes I think of how it would've been if I would have stayed with Noel.. or Jer.
But I don't feel for them the way I feel for Nick. It's like, I don't know what I did wrong.
I guess I'll have to just push that to the back of my mind, and focus on staying alive.
"Is everyone ready?" Rain asked
"There is no such thing as ready, it's either bravery or cowardice" I replied
"that's the attitude Em" he gave me two thumbs up.
"Everyone, listen. Watch your angles at all times, don't ever leave a spot around you unwatched or abandoned"
We all nodded.
"Okay"
Rain walked over to the door, and I walked over to Nick.
"Nick,
I know you probably hate me for whatever reason, and I'm sorry for
whatever I did to make you feel that way. But regardless, I love you,
and I swear, if I don't make it out of this-"
I never finished my
sentence, because his lips instantly locked to mine, kissing me like it
was truly the last time. The last time my heart would beat, or my
stomach would flutter. The last time my cheeks would blush, or my knees
become weak. The last time I'd here his voice, or feel his body close to
mine. The very last time, and it was something I never wanted to end.
"I
love you Emy, I could never hate you, remember that, so don't EVER EVER
say, that you won't make it, because if you die, then I die"
"NO!
Shadow, If this is the end of me, then you live okay... for Lana, for
Ser, and for Rain. That's who you were living for before you even knew I
existed, so that's who you'll continue to live for"
"I didn't know what living was until I met you Emy, so I never want to hear you talk about your death again. I'll protect you"
"NO!
I'll protect me, Nick, you protecting me will get us both killed, so we
watch our own backs, unless we get into a situation where we need each
other"
"Okay"
I turned to go back to the door, but shadow grabbed my arm
"I love you"
"I love you too..."
"Lets go everyone" Rain ordered
But the last moment before he turned the knob he asked
"Are you feeling brave?"
"No... but I'm getting there"
"Well, you are.. you know, brave"
"Thanks Rain... I'm ready"
"There's no such thing... Now lets go!"
He opened the door, and we charged.
When
the war begins, and society slowly falls apart, how will they fix
things? When the two people, causing worldly deaths, and mayhem,
basically disappear from the face of the earth, how do they find them?
And when the forever un-quenched thirst for blood takes over, revealing
them, could this be the end of all Vampires? A story of Love. Death.
War. Resurrection and Loss. The many things eternally endured by the
immortal.
Chapter 5
Nick's SOS
"GO!" I yelled. We all went running out of the house, ready to attack the first person who dared to move.
I looked around, to see no one. Our front yard was completely empty.
"Where the hell did they go?"
"OVER HERE!"
Emanuel's deep voice filled my ears, and my head snapped in the direction of the sound.
"Well, hello Nick..."
"EMANUEL!"
My head turned in direction to his voice, but no one was there
"Whoa, calm down, I just wanna talk"
"TO HELL WITH TALKING... SHOW YOURSELF!"
"Hahahaaa... why so angry young one"
"Enough with the silly games Emanuel... it's time to man up, and stop hiding behind akari's spells"
YOU DISRESPECTFUL SON OF A B***H! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL BREAK YOU IN HALF, DO YOU HEAR ME!?"
"I doubt that" Emyle said interrupting, and stepping next to me.
"Oh, hello Emylee" Akari greeted her.
"Hello Akari"
"Emanuel, this.... Is the end"
"I highly doubt that Nick.. I highly doubt that"
"I'll change that, as soon as you are revealed...ALL OF YOU!"
"Come find us"
"I have no time for your childish games"
"Come find us Nick"
Chapter 6
Nick's SOS
"GO!" I yelled. We all went running out of the house, ready to attack the first person who dared to move.
I looked around, to see no one. Our front yard was completely empty.
"Where the hell did they go?"
"OVER HERE!"
Emanuel's deep voice filled my ears, and my head snapped in the direction of the sound.
"Well, hello Nick..."
"EMANUEL!"
My head turned in direction to his voice, but no one was there
"Whoa, calm down, I just wanna talk"
"TO HELL WITH TALKING... SHOW YOURSELF!"
"Hahahaaa... why so angry young one"
"Enough with the silly games Emanuel... it's time to man up, and stop hiding behind akari's spells"
YOU DISRESPECTFUL SON OF A B***H! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL BREAK YOU IN HALF, DO YOU HEAR ME!?"
"I doubt that" Emyle said interrupting, and stepping next to me.
"Oh, hello Emylee" Akari greeted her.
"Hello Akari"
"Emanuel, this.... Is the end"
"I highly doubt that Nick.. I highly doubt that"
"I'll change that, as soon as you are revealed...ALL OF YOU!"
"Come find us"
"I have no time for your childish games"
"Come find us Nick"
Serenity's SOS
I
stood in the back of our little army. It was still small despite the
fact that we outnumbered Emanuel. Next to me, stood Sabastien. He looked
so real, so determined, and ready to attack. Too bad it was us he was
planning to attack, and not the enemy.
He started sniffing around, trying to detect the enemy's scent.
"Nick...." He called
"Yes Sabastien"
"The field, they're at the field, in...the next town....I think"
"We can't fight there,.the entire vampric race will be revealed...we-"
"NO! The town going east, not north!"
"I, I smell them..everyone...lets GO!"
We
all sprinted east. Sabastien ran right beside. Sabastien, & I could
smell the betrayal coming right off him. But,.he can't know, so I have
to play it cool
"You ready buddy?" I asked
"Oh..haha, you don't even know the half of it" Thorn replied, with the slyest expression on his face.
"I swear, tonight, somebody's gonna be begging me to spare them"
"Yeah, a whole load of people are gonna be begging for mercy in a few seconds"
His evil smirk never faded when we finally arrived to the deserted town's field.
"WISE CHOICE A*****E!" Nick commended Emanuel
"YOUR MINE Nick...YOU HEAR ME? MINE!" Emanuel screamed
"We'll see about THAT!"
"WARRIORS!
NOW!" Rain shouted. His voice rang loudly through the trees. The only
other sound heard was frightened birds flying away. I looked around me
to see they had disappeared. Only the combats & protectors stood.