A Dance Of Crowns & Thrones | Book I

Chapter 134 | Pick A God And Pray

The sky seemed to fall around Eko, her world upturned, engulfed in raging fire, thickened dark smoke, and crumbling at her feet.

It felt impossible, yet the overwhelming emotions refused to be silenced. Madison had created a complete mess of the situation, and Eko feared the inevitable repercussions. The consequences of today threatened to swallow them both whole, courtesy of Madison's actions.

What in the world was Eko going to do with her cousin now? How on earth was she going to address the chaos, and more importantly, how would she calm everyone down? Madison's presence could no longer be sustained, yet Eko couldn't fathom letting her cousin navigate the world alone, regardless of the challenges that lay ahead.

Perhaps Eric could take care of Madison in the Elders' Plain. Maybe Eko could confine her cousin there until Madison got her head straight and everyone had a chance to breathe. The repercussions of this incident would be severe—lives lost, both soldiers and civilians. Jesse was injured, and the status of the others was unknown. Matthew would surely be furious, Toni already was, and Eko knew she would bear the brunt of the blame. Whatever unfolded here was partly her fault for not controlling Madison, for failing to recognize the severity of her cousin's condition.

Eko sliced down another youma that lunged at her amidst the cacophony of screams echoing around her. She rid herself of distracting thoughts and focused on the chaotic world unfolding before her. Pushing people aside, directing them to safety, she urged them to run behind her, ensuring the path was clear as she pressed forward.

Drenched in blood, her clothes stained with soot, and ash raining down around them, the survivors moved through the smoke-filled air. Eko could feel the intensity increasing as she neared the epicenter, suspecting it to be where Xero orchestrated the onslaught. Bodies bumped into her shoulders, chest, and her feet nearly tripped over the chaotic mess. Civilians sought to escape the danger, while Eko, always resilient, ran toward it.

Eko believed it was inbuilt into her blood, always attracting the horrible things in life, always wanting to fight to protect those who couldn't. Tonight was no different; tonight would be like any other night where they dismantled their enemies. Then she would fall asleep in the arms of a man who made her skies stop falling down around her.

Her focus sharpened as the clouds above split once more, a formidable surge of power resonating through the atmosphere. Lightning clashed, one strike following another. The storm arrived at an opportune moment, its fury poised to aid in controlling the rampant fires encircling them.

She pivoted sharply on her heel, only to find Jasmine striding toward her, a defeated youma lying motionless at her feet. With her disheveled pink locks framing her face, Jasmine pointed an accusatory finger at Eko.

"Look at this face, Eko!" she exclaimed, her long, manicured purple nails emphasizing her frustration. "This is me really trying to keep my shit together. What the hell is up with your cousin!"

Another monster charged at them, prompting Jasmine to effortlessly twirl her sword around her hand. With a swift and precise motion, she drove the steel into the oncoming creature, forcing it to crumple to the ground.

"I know!" Eko pursed her lips together, "I know, I know! You do not need to tell me!" shaking her head.

The smoky grey sky above them darkened as storm clouds gathered faster, the sky smeared with the anarchy of fire. Every minute or so, a flare of jarring lightning rippled through the skies, howling around them more intensely than before. The storm had been gathering momentum. 

"I'm sitting at like an eight right now," Jasmine shouted at Eko over the clap of thunder, "if we are still here when that storm hits, then I'm telling Matthew what the whole 10k credit card was actually spent on!"