Author Note:
Thank you so much for taking the time to read the Legend of the Firewalker on Wattpad! Thank you so much for your support and for voting!
More information is available at www.legendofthefirewalker.com or through Facebook at facebook.com/stevebevilwriting.
————————————-
Chapter 21.4
Nathan struggled to free his hands, but couldn't.
Lauren held out her hand and Pius gave her the dagger. She violently pulled Leah by the hair and brought her face close to hers.
Leah screamed.
"And then," continued Lauren hysterically, while waving the blade in Leah's face, "because of all your whining you got yourself put in a mental hospital!"
"Let go of her, Amanda!" shouted Nathan angrily. He looked down and noticed that his hands were a bright red.
Lauren stopped to look at him, but she looked confused.
"Lauren, Amanda — whatever your name is — I said let go of her!"
She dramatically released Leah's hair and then headed towards Nathan. "My name is not Amanda!" she yelled. She gave the vial of blood to Pius and pointed the dagger at Nathan's throat. "I'm not done with you yet," she said. She glanced over at Steve and then gave Nathan a devilish smile. "I am going to have so much fun with you."
She laughed and looked up as if remembering something. "I've been called so many things over the years," she said. "The superfluous humans of Ancient Rome used to worship me as Volupia. I hated that name!" She playfully fluttered her eyes and waved the dagger carelessly in her hand. "Because I've found my love, I prefer Lauren now. Lucas and Lauren. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
She smiled, stepped back and then slapped Nathan in the face. Nathan toppled to the ground and his entire head rang. It felt like a million little stings had landed on his face. He could taste the blood pooling in his mouth.
"Now quiet!" she shouted, her voice echoing around the plaza.
Nathan looked up from the plaza floor. His head continued to throb and his vision was fuzzy. He squinted, trying to make out the shapes in front of him, but then he heard Leah scream. "I can't believe this is happening," he protested to himself. He heard Leah scream again and chills shot down his back. "I have to save her!"
He was angry, but he could feel something else building inside of him. In the pit of his stomach, something burned. Nathan continued to work at the rope around his wrists and gritted his teeth in frustration. He blinked furiously, trying to restore his vision. Slowly, he was able to see again, and for a brief second he thought he saw a small dark shape dart behind a tomb on the second level.
"I should drain you dry of blood before I get rid of you," Lauren shouted, severing Leah's ropes and raising the dagger in the air.
She grabbed Leah by the wrist, and Leah closed her eyes before turning away. Quickly, Lauren plunged the silver blade into her arm. Leah screamed in agony.
"No!" Nathan yelled. Instantly his hands stopped trembling, and the burning sensation in his hands now spread throughout his body. Nathan was enraged, but the energy intensifying inside of him felt peaceful. He gave in to the feeling, to the energy, as it consumed every inch of him. He thought he was going to explode; he felt like he was on fire.
The rope around Nathan's wrists sizzled, and it was consumed in a blue flame. Nathan looked down at the ashes from the rope and stood up. Without hesitating, he opened his palm and cast an energy ball at Lauren, followed by another.
The first energy ball hit Lauren in the back, causing her to falter. She spun around and knocked the second energy ball away with her hand. She grabbed Leah and tossed her to the ground.
One of the Shadow Guards who were now encircling them reached down and took Leah by the neck, bringing her to her feet. The Shadow Guard drew his long double-edged sword and Angela screamed.
Nathan felt the burn again throughout his entire body. He exhaled deeply as he glowered at Lauren, then at the priests, and then at the Shadow Guards.
"How did you do that?" protested Lauren, staring at the bits of rope and ash beneath his feet. "How did you get through your bonds?"
"Like this!" shouted Nathan and he released the energy that was burning inside of him.
Out of his hand emerged a blue flame and he aimed it at the Shadow Guard. The guard screeched in gut-wrenching pain until he dissolved into a fine sprinkle of white ash. His sword hit the ground and so did Leah.
Lauren gasped. "That's impossible!"
Nathan took a hold of the rope around Jonas's wrist and watched as it burned a bright blue, eventually turning into ash.
"Lookout behind you!" Jonas yelled.
Nathan turned around just in time to release an energy ball directly into Steve's chest, hurling him into one of the archway pillars and knocking him unconscious. He turned back around to find Jonas smiling at him.
"Do what you can," Nathan said, patting Jonas on the back. "And try to release the others."
"Nathan!" screamed Angela. He spun around to find two Shadow Guards, swords drawn, closing in on him. Nathan ducked as one of them took a swipe at his head. He kept an eye on Jonas as two of the priests tried to subdue him. Nathan raised his hand to throw an energy ball at them, but suddenly, he was off his feet and dangling in the air.
"You!" screeched Lauren, while holding him up by his shirt. Her menacing face quickly melted into deadly resolve. "I've had enough of you. Your life ends here!"
She tossed him into the air like a rag doll. Nathan hit the ground hard, landing in the graveyard below. His head throbbed again, as he opened his eyes to a clear view of the stone steps that led up to the memorial plaza. Blood trickled down from the crest of his head and he tried to wipe it from his eyes with his hand. The two Shadow Guards that had attacked him stared at him from atop the stairs, and on the staircase and approaching fast was the Scarlet Priest with the crescent-shaped medallion.
Nathan felt a sense of déjà vu and tried to get up, but fell back to the ground. He was dizzy and couldn't gain his balance. He remembered what happened next in his dream and started to panic. Any second he expected Lafonda to appear, followed by the Shadow Guards with their swords. "I have to try and prevent this," he mumbled.
Nathan's mind was racing. He rolled to his side, and in a last-ditch effort, cast an energy ball at the approaching priest. Pius smirked as the energy ball passed him by several inches. The medallion around Pius's neck glowed.
Nathan tried to get to his feet again, and that's when he saw her. She emerged from behind the same tomb where he thought he'd seen a small black shape earlier.
"No!" he yelled, reaching out frantically, trying to wave her away.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a series of blue energy balls hurling towards him. Quickly, Lafonda dove to the ground and tried to move him. When she realized it was too late, she shielded him with her body.
Lafonda rolled over, and Nathan had a clear view of the pink-and-gray sneakers on her feet and the shiny gold locket around her neck. He also caught a glimpse of the dissipating purple energy shield that surrounded them. Lafonda attempted to help Nathan to his feet. She looked amazed.
"Did that come from me?" she asked.
Nathan quickly looked around, and just like in his dream, Pius lay slumped against the staircase, knocked down by a rebounded energy ball. Nathan gasped. He looked up towards the plaza and the two Shadow Guards were gone. "Lafonda!" he yelled, while trying to push her out of the way. "You have to get out of here!"
Lafonda looked confused, but continued to help him. Behind her, a Shadow Guard appeared, revealing his long silver sword. Nathan was able to force her out of the way but then another one appeared. The two guards raised their swords, and in a blue blur they were gone, nothing left but their swords, smoke, and ashes.
"Are you two okay?" asked a familiar voice.
———————————————————
Thanks again for reading!
And I would definitely appreciate your vote! :)