When The Stars Align

chapter twenty three | fighting f̶i̶r̶e̶ magic with f̶i̶r̶e̶ magic

I stared at it, shocked. Not because of what it was and what it held and what it meant, but because of something completely unrelated. The amulet was supposed to be indestructible, yet the faintest crack ran through the middle of it.

"Jazlyn also said it was the real thing, but the crack worried me, too," Atticus explained. He handed it to me. It gave off the same energy it did when I held the amulet of Coronam, a sudden rush filling my veins.

"She and Lysander couldn't hold it, right?"

"Please, Lysander couldn't even go near it. It was too strong for him."

And the sound of footsteps told me that we probably should have moved away before we started talking. Anywhere would have been better than where we were right now, right in the open.

Ansen held his hand out. "Vera, love, give me the amulet and we can go home and be a family again."

I noticed the two glowing objects underneath his shirt suddenly, dimming and brightening in sync to the pulse of a heartbeat. That's what it did when you wore it, didn't it? The amulet and the magic in it became a part of you. It allows the energy to flow through anyone's veins, if they can handle it.

The while jewel in my hand glowed to the same beat as the gold and the blue ones. I couldn't let Ansen get his hands on another one. He was going to get too powerful. I couldn't let that happen. Not so close to the date. Not when the stars in the sky were almost in position.

I put up my fists. "Atticus, go. I can take him on." I knew I couldn't, but at least dying wasn't an answer, right? Ansen could break every bone in my body, cut up every part of me, but in the end, I won't be dead, now will I?

"Are you crazy?" he asked, not leaving. I wanted to swear, because I needed him to cooperate with me. I fought him before. He ran away and got shot in the leg. I can't let that happen again. Or anything else. Olivia would kill me.

"Yes, I am."

And that's when the first blast came. A mix of blue and gold light together, headed straight towards me. It's been centuries since the last time magic was used in a battle. For each kingdom, the citizens had their own set of powers - when magic existed, with Noatra having a mixture of all.

My immediate instinct is to raise hands up, and thank god I did. From my fingers flowed out white light, blinding me. I had to squint, only knowing that Ansen was in front of me, Atticus was behind.

A wall of ice appeared in front of me. Of course: Auxillium had the powers of snow and ice, being in the snowy and icy place they inhabited. I held the white amulet, so it was the snow and ice powers that ran through my veins now.

All three colours of light disappeared. The barrier of ice disappear just as fast as it appeared. Ansen stares at me, horror and fear - or something close to it - on his face. Or maybe it was confusion that ran across his face. Because how could one amulet be able to deflect the power of two.

I panted. I was really in the middle of this - a battle of magic. Atticus stood beside me now, a sword made of ice in his grip, leaning against the ground as he rested - waiting for the next attack. I realise that the amulet now hangs around my neck, but I'm not sure how it got there.

Atticus looks to me. He has a plan. I have a plan.

I nod. We go for it.

He runs towards Ansen, swinging the blade at his side, going for the first attack. Ansen dodges it easily, smirking at the fact that he went straight for him, without anything tactical. He raises a hand, ready to strike.

I get to him first, raising my hand and hoping something happens. In truth, I had no idea what I was doing. I had no idea what I had access to. I just had to hope for the best.

The best gave me a gust of cold wind, knocking him off his feet. He was quick to get up. I shot something else at his direction - icicles darted towards him. I was slowly losing my breath. This magic was eating up a lot of my energy.

Atticus goes for the leg - if he couldn't move, we would have a better chance, right? But some invisible force knocked Att down, which made him lose his grip on the sword, which landed right in front of Ansen.

He picked it up, admiring the blade. Fed up with the magic, I ran up to Ansen and kicked his back, hard. It wasn't enough to knock the weapon out of his hand. And I realise, again, that I've made a mistake. Because right now, Ansen Gray was an arm's reach away from a third amulet.

I dodged as he tried to grab the necklace, taking the opportunity to give him a hard kick, followed by a hard punch in the face.

"Aren't you supposed to have an injured wrist?" Ansen asked. Wow, he cared. Or, he knew that the injury he gave me was supposed to last at least a while. Maybe a week. It's barely been a couple days.

I remember that, yes, I was supposed to have an injured wrist. It completely flew over my head, that maybe fighting with my fists wasn't the best idea. But my wrists felt fine. I felt great. I guess I healed, if that was possible that quickly.

And I thought: yeah, that probably was possible. If I'm immortal, then it is definitely possible. And it's probably true for all the heirs.

Atticus got back on his feet but was quickly knocked back down by Ansen. He grabbed Att by the throat, threatening to squeeze.

Like I said, if he had the opportunity to injure someone that I cared about, then he would a hundred percent take that opportunity. And he's doing that right now as I grasp the jewel around my neck tightly.

"Give me the amulet and I'll let him go," Ansen breathed out. Of course that was the deal. There would be no other option, not when there was only one thing he wanted.

My brain said no. Atticus' eyes said no. But my heart said give it to him. We could still find the other three, and then we'll be even. But that was a risk - I know it's a risk. But my hand tries to find the clasp of the necklace.

Ansen smirks, letting go of Att. His first mistake. Atticus grabs his hands and pushes them away before kneeing him. The two go into a hand to hand battle, throwing punches and kicks at each other. It was almost like Ansen forgot he was in possession of two amulets.

Almost.

Because when I try to position myself, ready to send one last blast in Ansen's direction to find enough time to get Lysander and run out of here. But just as I get ready, Ansen suddenly stops what he's doing and has a palm facing right towards me.

All I remember was the blinding lights and then the blinding darkness.