The Sun's Shadow

Chapter Thirty-Three

Claymore studied her readied position, and he tilted his head. "You think you rival me? How's that leg feeling?"

She balled her hands into fists and raised them in front of her, mimicking the stance she once saw her father take to fight off some bullies. All efforts may be in vain- But at least she'd go out with a fight.

He threw his head back and snickered into the air above him. Then he slowly brought his chin down, knowing she decided her doom. The sheer fact that she challenged him, rather than give up her innocence to him... Demonstrated her ignorance.

"Very well." Claymore grabbed the emptied wine bottle off the tabletop and rounded her. He danced circles around her, every so often he'd change directions, and she struggled to keep her footing when he did this.

After all she's been through this week... Bring it on. She suddenly stopped tracking him and let him come to her. He twirled the bottle in his hands and, with a wicked grin on his face, he brought it above his head and aimed to knock her out cold.

She braced to better absorb the force of the incoming blow by digging her heels into the ground and crossing her arms to cover her skull.

It never came.

"Impossible." Claymore's breathy voice made her eyes snap open.

Then she felt the impossible. Scorching heat set her shoulder blades aflame and caused black dots to appear in her vision. The fire in which her ancestors were created, the very flames that circulate through her veins, now consumed her entire being and beyond.

They engulfed the room and skirted around her feet, rising and falling to the tempo of her weighted breaths. A foreign feeling burdened her back muscles and made her drop to her knees. She wasn't afraid of the fire... Just of what it could do. She snapped her eyes to the sound of terrible screams, only to see Claymore overrun by the flames.

His face now charred and hardly recognizable. He crumbled to the carpet and curled into himself, shriveling into his final resting position.

Eventually, the fire died down and she was surrounded by ashes. The ashes of her rebirth.

Ele dared to turn her head to see her taut wings sprouting from her back. They felt different, yet familiar. Now that the dust settled, she saw the destruction she caused and didn't feel an ounce of regret.

Until she remembered Claymore and witnessed his burned remains.

Knowing she'd brought on his demise... She sucked the meat of her cheeks into her mouth and bit down; her face hardening along with her heart. The cruelty of the world had to stop shocking her.

She pushed herself away from the scene and went to the door, opening it slowly so not to draw attention. Claymore mentioned the arrival of a vampire. She had no doubt it was Kaanan.

When she crept into the hallway, the heavy door closed behind her and the tip of her left wing got caught under it. She forgot about the trouble of having wings that couldn't be absorbed into her back like Kaanan did with his. Thankful, still, that they had been restored.

She tugged and the action caused her to stumble back once her wing got free. The attempt to be silent failed as she backed into an art sculpture and knocked it over. The delicate ivory masterpiece shattered on impact.

The following seconds she remained frozen, biting her tongue and praying that no one heard. As time ticked on, she could feel her heartbeat change to match the agonizing tempo.

Once satisfied that nobody was coming, she carried on through the sole hallway to where she remembered the entrance to be. One way in, one way out. Unless... She paused when passing an open room and assessed it was empty before entering. There were numerous windows lining the furthest wall and she imagined they'd break, like glass does, with enough impact.