They Came In Hoodies

Chapter 29: He's Here

Stella's POV

"So this is an ikillic tree?" I asked Birch as she cut a root from the small potted tree, which was almost completely white. It looked sickly to me, but Birch insisted it was in its peak performance.

Birch nodded as she held the root to the light. It was almost translucent.

While Gray looked through the box of Else's things, he suggested me going with Birch to get the tree, which Birch said she had. I didn't really want to go with Birch, but there was something that told me that Gray wanted to be alone for a moment, so I agreed.

Now I was trying to make small talk with a girl that spent more time with Gray than I had ever done. Even though she said she wasn't interested in Gray, I couldn't help but still feel jealous of what I wished I had.

"Yup. This was actually Else's tree. She gave it to me months ago to watch over. She told me I would enjoy watching it more than she would."

"Hu. That's interesting."

"I thought so too, especially when this tree is pretty rare-" she said as she cut another root off. "There, I think that's enough." She showed me the two thick roots in her hands. "We should grind this before we get back to Gray."

I nodded as I heard breaking glass from behind. My head snapped towards the sound of it and saw the Umbra Mortine staring at me with a vase shattered at it's feet.

"Oops. Didn't mean to break that. Anyhow, do you think a simple spell will stop me?" it chuckled as it shifted to my reflection.

The fact it was listening to our plans, that it was preparing for us to attack, it was enough to freeze my blood. How could we pull a fast one on it when it was always around?

"Ah Stella. You got another thing coming if you think you can just free yourself of me this easily."

My heart beat a little faster as a lump appeared in my throat. There were very few things I was terrified of but the Umbra Mortine was something that scared me the most. I fear for what it could do and what it would do once it took control. It was pure evil, I could see that.

"Come on, Stella. You shouldn't be so dramatic about this," it sighed as it walked closer to me. "It's almost time now. I'm almost strong enough to overpower you."

It was trying to get me worked up, and it was working. Fear consumed me as I worried maybe it was a little too late to any of this.

"The ikillic tree would have been useful maybe a month ago, but now. I don't think that will do," it said as it picked at its black nails.

"Stella, girl, are you with us?" Birch asked as she waved her hand in front of me.

I shook my head as the Umbra Mortine and shattered vase vanished. "Yeah. I'm here," I said as I sniffled, trying to pull myself together.

"Do you see it often?" Birch asked as she followed my gaze to the empty corner.

She didn't need to spell it out. We both knew what it was. "Not that often," I lied.

"But daily, right?"

I twisted my mouth as if I ate something sour. "Yeah, it's daily."

Birch was silent for a moment as she thought about my honesty. "Well, we probably shouldn't waste any more time. Let's get this going."

She grabbed my hand and pulled me into a room beside her dorm, which had plants, tubes, beakers, and other scientific things that labs would use. She wasted no time as she ground the roots with a mortar and pestle.