💫Fantastic Family 💫

𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 29 : 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘌𝘨𝘰𝘴

᪥᪥᪥᪥

Azar shrieked, a sound unlike any Alicia had ever heard – the wail of a powerful being extinguished. As the echo faded, the monstrous form before her flickered and dissolved. In its place stood a crazed man, his skin a sickly gray, shivering uncontrollably. A thin layer of ice crackled across his exposed flesh, a chilling testament to the power of Alicia's spell.

Exhaustion crashed over Alicia like a tidal wave. Her vision swam, the taste of blood metallic on her tongue. With a groan that escaped her parched lips, she slumped against the rough brick wall, the world tilting precariously around her. Yet, a sliver of defiance, a spark of the very magic she'd unleashed, kept her from succumbing entirely.

Through blurred eyes, she watched the shivering man curse the air, his voice a pathetic croak compared to his earlier inferno-like roar. He cursed her for extinguishing his flames, for ruining his desire to return the world to an "unkind inferno." His words, laced with a bitter hatred, only solidified Alicia's resolve.

She loved this world, the world of bustling streets and warm sunlight, a world far removed from the icy prison she'd just glimpsed within Azar. More importantly, she loved her family, their faces a beacon of warmth in the encroaching darkness. This fight, this desperate struggle, had been for them.

A surge of warmth, a sensation entirely separate from her feverish body, bloomed within Alicia. It wasn't the heat of exertion, but the steady, comforting glow of newfound purpose. The world of the supernatural, once a realm of whispered stories and dismissed fairytales, was now a harsh reality. But within that reality, she had discovered a strength she never knew she possessed.

A faint, ethereal light emanated from Alicia's chest, a soft counterpoint to the icy remnants of Azar's power. It was a beacon, a promise whispered on the wind. The promise that she would protect this world, her world, from the shadows that lurked beyond the veil. The promise that she was no longer just Alicia, a teenage girl, but something more – a protector, a witch, a guardian bathed in the soft glow of her own burgeoning power.

When the light died down, Alicia was able to opened her eyes and she gasped as she looked at herself in the mirror.

When the light dimmed, a wave of relief washed over Alicia. The pressure behind her eyes eased, the throbbing in her ears faded. Though exhausted, a strange sense of renewal bloomed within her. She felt different, stronger somehow.

Curiosity tugged at her, pulling her eyelids open. Her gaze drifted towards a shard of shattered mirror lying amidst the debris. With a gasp, she lurched forward, bracing herself against the wall. The reflection staring back was no longer the girl she recognized.

Her eyes, once an innocent blue, now held a mesmerizing depth. The pupils had transformed into intricate four-pointed flowers, glowing faintly with the same ethereal blue that had emanated from her chest. Her hair, once held with a simple black hair band, had straightened and darkened to the color of a moonless night. A rebellious streak of electric blue peeked out from beneath, a reminder of the magic she wielded and decorated with a little top hat.

Gone were the familiar clothes ofthat she put on this morning. In their place, a stunning outfit had materialized. Navy blue fabric, sleek and elegant, hugged her frame, morphing into a snow white flowing skirt that reached her mid-thigh. The high boots that encased her legs were a work of art themselves – black leather adorned with tongues of flickering blue flame that danced silently around the ankles.

The reflection was a vision of a gothic princess, reborn through a baptism of magic. A single tear rolled down Alicia's cheek, a mixture of exhaustion, wonder, and a dawning sense of power.