Before long, all of the giants in the forest were dead. It became deadly silent and all you could hear was the heaving breaths and yells of everyone.
I looked around, only seeing a handful of us dead while thousands of giants lay lifeless at our feet.
I heard a squeal of excitement which quickly transformed into cheers and screams of joy that filled the entire area.
I turned to see Esat pumping her fist in the air in excitement, smiling at her excitement. This battle was a success, ending much quicker than I would have expected. I turned heel, flying back to camp with everyone else before landing on the ground.
"It's over," a voice yelled, squeezing her arms around me tightly. I laughed, draping an arm over Star.
"Stop," Zion said, causing us all to quiet down. I looked at him in concern, following his gaze back to the forest. I focused my sight, looking far past the sea of dead giants. That's when I saw them. Thousands more approaching. Stepping over the limp bodies of their comrades and making their way through.
"It's not done," I said in horror.
"What do you mean? We killed them all," Esat argued.
The cheers were quickly replaced by screams as the first few giants emerged from the fallen forest.
"Fuck," Tom said, his mouth dropping open.
"Go," I yelled to Bonnie, motioning towards Esat. Esat climbed onto her back quickly as they took off into the air.
"Go, I'm staying on the ground," I said nodding to Tom who was waiting for me.
"You don't have to stay down here for me. I can take care of myself," Zion said.
"I know you can. There are already too many in the air and I can use my Earth magic better on the ground," I explained.
I spun around, catching a knife that was headed my way. I locked eyes with the giant who threw it who was grinning evilly at me.
I looked at Zion, sharing a look of encouragement before speeding towards the giants. I waved my hands, breaking his neck and the other two beside him before releasing my bow and arrow and aiming sinking it in each ones heart in seconds.
I spotted a giant a couple feet away, pick up a student. The student struggled under the giants grip, gasping for air. I snarled as I ran forward, transforming in motion as I shifted into my werewolf form. I leaped up into the air aiming for the giants hand as I sunk my teeth in its wrist, scraping the bone. The giant howled before releasing the student. I let go of my grip on its wrist as I saw it's other hand nearing me in attempt to whack me off it. I jumped back to the ground, growling before I jumped up again and opened my mouth as wide as I could as I used my vampire speed to speed up. I sunk my teeth into the giant's chest, ripping its heart out of its chest cavity with my teeth before spitting it out onto the ground. The giant crumbled to the ground.
I yelped as I felt my body being carried up into the air. I let my dark magic seep out of my fur and I felt myself drop as I was released. I looked up to find the giant shaking his hand in an attempt to wiggle off the hold of the dark magic. I shifted back into my body quickly and took out an arrow, aiming at at the giants heart. The giant swatted away the arrow like a fly as it stomped towards me, angrily.
"You can't kill me," it's hollow, monotonous voice rang out.
"I think I can," I said as I flew up into the air. I outstretched my hand, curling my fingers into my palm as I pulled the oxygen, choking him. He cleared at his throat as he struggled to make out a few words.
"You...will...die...evil...one"
"What?" I said, perplexed as he dropped to the ground. I walked over to his body, hesitating for a second before taking out a knife and sinking it into his heart. His last words echoed in my mind as I walked away.
The battle went on for hours. The giants were being killed much quicker but our numbers were also plummeting. I used my dark magic and Earth magic to weaken as many as I could to save lives but I could feel it was taking more and more out of me everytime I used it in mass. But I pushed harder, not willing to let anyone die.
I scanned our surroundings, there were only about a thousand or so left. I sunk to the ground, touching the ground and focusing on my mental map of the giants. I reached out with my Earth magic, attempting to open up the Earth. I could feel my blood flow slow as the immense amounts of magic was slowing my body down. I didn't care. I focused and watched as the ground beneath the giants all started to open up as they fell. I could see them all falling as the students took advantage of their desperation to stay on the ground to sink weapons in them. The killing started to quicken as the giants focused on staying above the ground and the students used that distraction.
I held on as long as I could, removing my hand once I felt less than 50 giants still breathing. It was over in minutes. They were all dead. My heart strings tightened at the sights of the dismembered bodies of our people scattered about. The giants outnumbered our casualties but it didn't make it any easier to see. I didn't know what was worse about war. Fighting a seemingly invincible enemy or seeing the lives of your friends taken away and their lifeless bodies scattered about. I should be used to blood and death by now but everytime I saw it, I could feel it breaking my heart more and more. I gulped down my feelings, scanning around to see if anyone was hurt.
I went around, lending a hand and helping to heal all the ones I could like everyone else. I could feel my energy being depleted with each person I healed.
"Saron!" I heard my voice being screamed. I turned around, not taking my hand off of the girl who I was healing.
"You need to come now," Esat said when she finally caught up to where I was.
"Why?"
"NOW!" She yelled, her face unreadable. I finished up before going away with Star.
"What is it? Why won't you tell me?" I asked but she continued walking in silence.
That's when I saw the others. Star, Joel, Bonnie, Zion and Tom. They were all huddled, covering something. I walked faster, pushing them apart to see what they were hiding. I gasped when I saw who it was. Jeremy laid there, a knife through his heart and his body unmoving.
"No, no, no, no, no," I said, grabbing his body and placing my hand on his chest. I tried to heal him but I could feel it. There was nothing I could do. His heart had been pierced and it was no longer beating. There was nothing left to heal. He was gone. My tears streamed down my face like rivers. I stood up, backing away as I felt my already shattered heart break into even more smaller pieces.
Bonnie was sobbing into Star's arms as Star consoled her. Joel had his face in his hands and I could see the tears escape the opening between his fingers. Zion stood there, his eyes glossy with tears and sadness evident in his eyes. Tom's face was stone colds with anger, his face wet with tears. Esat gripped my arm tightly as shook violently.
"Students, get some rest. It won't be long till they're back!" I heard Meda's voice echo out across camp.
We all stood there, mourning for Jeremy in silence. All that could be heard was our cries and shuddering breaths. Sleep was the last thing on our minds.
"We should bury him," Bonnie choked out between sobs.
Star nodded in agreement, her eyes bloodshot and her bags heavy.
"Where?" I asked softly, looking at Bonnie.
"Here," she said, pointing at the ground we were standing on.
I nodded, crouching down and placing my hand on the Earth. My tears fell onto the ground as well and the ground beneath us opened into a perfect rectangle, fit for Jeremy.
I stood up slowly and wiped my face.
Bonnie stepped aside, allowing Tom and Joel to step forward and grab Jeremy's body before placing it in the hole.
I hovered my palm above the ground, allowing flowers to stem out and grow up to my palm. I grabbed a few, stepping aside as everyone each walked over and grabbed some flowers.
Bonnie looked down, her tears falling into the ground into Jeremy's body.
"I wish I had met you sooner. We didn't have enough time. You'll always be the love of my life. I'll love you forever," she managed to say before she started sobbing again. She dropped the flowers into the hole and Tom placed his arm around her and she sobbed into his chest.
We each went around saying a few words.
"You were an idiot. But you were also my best friends. I'm gonna miss you buddy," Joel said, dropping the flowers.
"I'm gonna miss your corny jokes and shady comebacks. You deserved better," Tom said, dropping his flowers next.
"I didn't know you as long as everyone else but you always made me feel welcome. I'll miss you," Esat said, stepping forward and dropping the flowers.
"You didn't deserve to die like this. But at least you got to experience love with Bonnie before you did. We'll take care of her," Star said, reaching out and grabbing Bonnie's hand and squeezing it before releasing her flowers.
"Well never forget you, Jer. Your death won't be in vain. We're going to win this war for you," I said before dropping my flowers.
We all turned to Zion who was left. He stepped forward, looking down at Jeremy.
"I've never had friends before. I'm glad I was able to call you one of them. You all grew on me and we're a family now. We're all gonna miss you man. Rest In Peace," he said, dropping the flowers.
The Earth closed up on its own as if it could sense we had said our goodbyes. We saw the Earth close up, watched as Jeremy disappeared into the Earth.
"I'll take first watch," Bonnie offered, nodding to us.
"I'll stay with-," Star started.
"No," Bonnie said.
Star's eyes widened, taken aback by how quickly she'd shut it down.
"Sorry. I just want to be alone for a bit," she said, giving a weak smile before sitting down onto the ground with her back turned to us.
Star looked to Joel reluctantly, who shook his head at her. She nodded, understanding Bonnie needed to be alone. I couldn't imagine the crippling pain she was experiencing. My heart went out to her. The thought of losing Zion was a thought worse than death itself. I'd die a thousand times over to avoid that kind of pain.
We all laid down, settling down to go to sleep. I shut my eyes, but sleep didn't come. To be honest, I didn't want it to. I had lost another one close to me. My heart was so sore from all the pain and loss, it was unbearable. I knew I couldn't afford to be distracted at war but how could I not? Jeremy wasn't just a friend to us, he was family. From the moment we adopted him into our friend group he became one of us. We grew fond of his incessant teasing and witty jokes quickly. It warmed my heart to see him fall in love with Bonnie and become just as lovesick as the rest of us. And now he was gone. Just like that. Dead at the hands of the giants, just like Edward.I felt my anger start to bubble up inside of me as I focused all my anger and directed it towards the giants. I didn't care what it took. I was going to kill them. Every last one of them.