Elizabeth's REIGN

Chapter Fourteen: New Beginnings

The townspeople glared at the fox and me, baring their teeth. The women shielded their children, but their innocent eyes gazed at us with curiousity.

I kept swallowing as I stood in broad daylight. My hands began trembling as I struggled to push the magic back to its constraints. With my heart racing, I grew weary of my powers as the townspeople stalked toward us, giving off icy stares.

"I..I can't stop it..!", I balled my hands into fists as felt beads of sweating roll down my forehead.

Noticing my discomfort, the fox swung his arm in front of us and cast a wall of blue fire. I sighed in relief as the townspeople jumped back.

"URK..!"

My eyes widened as the fox clutched his chest and doubled over.

I kneeled beside him and laid my hand on his back, "What's wrong?!"

Clenching his jaw, the fox grimaced from the pain, "I'm reaching my limit..!"

The wall of fire slowly diminished from our sight, leaving no barrier between the townspeople and us. Squinting, I noticed a figure emerging from the crowd. A blur of red sent my heart racing.

"She's a monster!! Look at what she did to me!!", Raising her hand up in the air, Laila displayed her burnt wrists, scarred from my earlier accident.

I bit my lip as I watched the anger wash over the people's faces. They stared back at me with veins pulsing from their heads, looks of horror and guns in hand as they charged toward me. As Laila disappeared into the crowd, she smiled devilishly at me before winking. 

"...You have...to run...go, I'll...find you..!", the fox coughed as he tried to haul himself off the ground.

I pressed my hands against his back and frowned, "I'll be damned if you think I'm leaving your side", I smirked.

With widened eyes, the fox watched as I raised my hand and let a ball of magic crackle to life. Instead of shooting it into the crowd, I aimed it toward the sky. Once exploded, the purple beams of light streamed toward us on the ground, expanding into a forcefield.

I lowered my gaze and the inside corners of my eyebrows slanted upward as the sounds of the angry mob filled my ears.

A wave of sorrow overcame me as I listened to the townspeople's hurtful words. Witch!! Monster!! Demon!! Killer!! Monster!!! Monster!!!! The shouting became so unbearable that I slammed my hands against my ears and doubled over grimacing.

As I glanced up, I felt tears stream down my cheeks. My eyes widened as a face stood out from the crowd. Suddenly, the cries of anger faded as I stood up to my feet and come face-to-face with the person I loved.

"...Mom..?"

My mother's face was wet with tears. Her beautiful, charcoal hair was in a messy bun. She had black circled around her eyes. A ghost of a smile spread across my face as I tapped at the spot of the forcefield that she stood behind. She slipped inside before the forcefield closed on her. 

"My baby!!", Her hands reached out and pressed my body against hers. I clung to her and nestled my face into her shoulder.

"Mom!! I'm so sorry!! I didn't mean for any of this to happen!!"

Bringing her face up to mine, my mother frowned, "Listen to me... I don't know how you got these...these... abilities! But don't you forget that our family NEVER apologizes for who we are!", her hands cupped my face as she stared back at me.

"Wipe those tears, baby..! I don't care what these idiots are blabbering about, you saved us..!", my mother shoved me back into a hug and I greedily breathed in her scent, fearing I might forget it.