The Demon's Demand

Chapter Thirty-Nine

I coughed out as I slowly took in my surroundings. My head was throbbing. What happened? I glanced around the area and realized it was the same arena. But where was everyone? That's when I looked up, terror swarmed my chest. The ceiling was almost translucent. I could see Mom and Lydia crying out on the ground. Dad looked like he was going to be sick, and Jake had dropped his dagger to the ground, he looked devastated. Jeremiah just looked utterly confused like me. But seeing Ryland screaming kneeling on the ground clutching at his chest, broke something within me. What was going on? Could they not see me?

"Ryland!" I yelled out. I could see Jeremiah glance behind him, his hand reaching for his dagger. But no one else reacted.

"Jeremiah!" I tried desperately and he jumped saying something that got everyone's attention except for Ryland. I could hear him howling in pain. Was he hurt? Why was no one helping him? I needed to get back up there, I needed to do something to help. 

"Help me! I'm down here!" I screamed out my heart was beating wildly in my chest.

"Please! Someone!" I screamed raising a shaky hand to my head.

"They can't hear you." I jumped and looked behind me. There it was, on an alter in the middle of the room was a dagger. It seemed to be made out of obsidian and some type of metal. It had ancient, intricate carvings throughout it. I've never seen anything like it. I was pulled out of my thoughts when Cade walked into my view.

"Such a beautiful thing isn't it." He spoke. "Such a small, dangerous thing." His crazed, white, glowing eyes never leaving mine.

"Let me out." I snapped at him. "You will not win this." My nerves were through the roof, but I would never let him see. Never allow myself to give him that satisfaction.

"I can't feel my cousin. Be cautious."

Cade began walking closer to me. I immediately unsheathed one of my daggers and raised it in front of me. He charged at me at an inhumane pace and sliced through the air with one of his own daggers, aiming for me.

He kicked at me, but I quickly dodged, remembering my training. I shoved at him, letting him use up his energy on the offensive. I kept blocking his attacks and dodging them, which only seemed to make him more vicious. He was getting sloppy. I quickly swiped for his legs knocking him off balance. He tried to block me, but he wasn't quick enough. I sliced my dagger along his forearms causing him to wince and jump back. I went to attack again when I felt a searing pain in my stomach. I glanced down quickly in horror seeing the hilt of his dagger embedded into my stomach. I cried out but couldn't pay attention to it.

I quickly dodged his punch and hurried towards the alter. I had to end this. I gripped the hilt feeling power course through me. Cade looked furious as he threw his dagger towards me. It hit the hilt of the obsidian dagger before I could move, knocking it out of my grip. I ran for it as he lunged after me. I fell to the ground with him on top of me. I reached for the dagger, but he quickly pinned my arm down, reaching for it himself. His fingers were about to grasp it, when I pulled the dagger from my abdomen and sliced at his stomach. He screamed out falling off of me. I plunged the dagger into his chest. I quickly scrambled towards the obsidian one. I was losing blood too quickly. Black blood staining the floor around us. I held onto the hilt as the power erupted through my fingertips. I walked towards Cade with it in my hands. I was about to slam it into his chest when I was sent flying back. Oh, come on.

I saw something crack within the walls, revealing a dark blue, almost black portal opening. It was pulling at both of us. I tried to reach onto something, but it was too hard. Cade's body got pulled through almost immediately. I tried holding onto the alter, my fingers turning an unsettling shade of white as I gripped onto it like my life depended on it. I screamed out when I was pulled away from it, my body hit the ground hard before I began spiraling into the portal.