Graced

Chapter Ten

Shouts and screams could be heard throughout the halls as Lia raced out of the hidden door, slamming it shut behind her. She hardly cared if the others noticed her secret room, there were worse things to worry about. Dread growing in her stomach as she pushed through crowds of students, she knew whatever was attacking was enormous, and possibly powerful enough the destroy their shelter.

A calm, collected voice could be heard, shouting directions to gather in one of the dining halls at everyone else. Peering over the heads of the panicked crowd, Lia could see Braeden standing over everyone. She pushed through the crowd, and was soon standing at the base of the stairs where he stood a few steps up.

"What's going on?" she yelled over the clamour.

"We're being attacked!"

Lia rolled her eyes in exasperation. "I figured that out! By what?"

A small mousy haired boy bounded down the stairs, three at a time. He almost shoved Braeden off the steps, but caught himself just in time. His eyes were wider than Loa though was physically possible, and his breathing came in panicked bursts.

"I've never seen anything like it!" he cried, voice laced with terror. "It's massive, at least as big as this foyer, covered in brown-green scales, and with legs like tree trunks!"

"What are you talking about?" Braeden asked in confusion.

But Lia knew exactly what he was talking about. Something only she had seen before, something that she had vowed never to tell the others of.

Voices called after her as she spun and raced back through the now empty halls, spun around the corner, and tripped over athletic equipment lying around, falling to her knees.

"Those lazy bastards. They need to learn to clean up after themselves," she growled, rubbing her sore knees. Nevertheless, she continued over to the grey door. Digging frantically through her pockets, quickly growing more frustrated, she finally felt the cool metal of the magic key. She shoved it in the lock, and barely gave it time to unlock the door before she pushed it open and hurried to the back where she had left her weapon.

Lia knew exactly what she had to do, she knew she was the only one with a chance of saving these people. So she snatched her blade from its place, and was instantly reassured by the feel of the familiar weapon. But the feeling lasted only moments, before the familiar terror was back, now accompanied by a new determination. Once more, she hurried back through the halls and into the foyer, which was completely empty.

Just as she placed her foot on the first step leading outside, a commanding voice made her freeze, and spin around trying to locate the source.

"What are you doing?" Bree emerged from a corner, in which she'd obviously been spying. Lia was annoyed at herself for not having noticed her observer. Or observers? Bree was followed closely by none other than... Justin? Lia only had time to wonder briefly what that was about, before Bree was standing directly in front of her, hands planted firmly on her hips, and glaring at Lia. But a slight quaver in her hands and expression betrayed just how worried she actually was.

"And what is that?" She had finally noticed the object Lia had been attempting to hide behind her back. Li quickly moved it farther out of sight. She didn't need the whole place questioning her ownership or how she acquired a weapon like that one.

"Nothing," she replied, inching slowly backwards, and up the stairs. But when Bree looked suddenly at Lia's feet, one of which hung suspended in the air, heading for the next step, she stopped immediately, defeated.

"Look, this is really important, you have no idea. So I need to go up there right now, and don't have time to play twenty questions." She turned quickly and made it up two more steps before Bree's voice turned her around again.

"No. Tell me what you're doing, and what that thing is that you're carrying." Then her voice softened and grew worried. "And do you have any idea what's up there? I heard Ethan's story, and it doesn't seem like something you want to go up and greet. We don't need you to play the hero."

An earth shattering boom echoed throughout the room, as if to emphasize Bree's words.

"Trust me, I know exactly what's out there. And it isn't going to go away on its own. It'll need a little... encouragement." She held up her sword, still concealed in its sheath. Hopefully neither Bree nor Justin would be able to recognize exactly what it was. "And that's exactly what it'll get."

She turned and made her way up the stairs, to the exit. As she was nearing the top, Bree's voice could be heard calling out from the bottom.

"Lia, be careful."

"I will," she whispered. That monster would get exactly what it deserved. She rested her hand on the doorknob for a moment, savoring the feeling of the cool metal against her palm.

Lia whispered to herself, "Now would be a good time for that second gift to reveal itself." Nevertheless, she turned the handle, cracked the door open, and stepped out into the cool, outside air.