Chapter 16 - Determination
~Annabelle's POV ~
I got myself prepared for school today. All of the Representatives, including me, had the chance to have an excused absence due to this emergency. Principal Delphine was able to tell all of our teachers the news.
I got my staff, locked it and placed it in my waist holster.
I looked at myself in the mirror and took a breath, "Calm down, Annabelle...you already trained. Everyone will be fighting alongside you."
I clenched my fists, "You have to stay calm..." I took another breath as I looked at the photo that had Stephen and I smiling together.
I smiled and left my bedroom.
"No need for my bag," I said as I left the house.
I closed the door behind me and found Master, raking the leaves from the front of the house. He noticed me and walked towards me, "Annabelle...are you sure you're going to be alright?"
I smiled to reassure him, "Don't worry...I'm not alone. It's scary...but," I placed a hand on my staff, "I have to save him. He can't fight without me."
My eyes shined with determination.
Master Troy scratched his head with a smile, "You have truly grown. Is this from Stephen's influence?"
I laughed, "Well part of it is from his influence, the rest....is from my friends. They helped me get this far and helped me train. It's about time that I don't take no for an answer."
"Atta girl. You should go on now before you're late for school."
I nodded and bowed to show respect, "Thank you, Master."
"Bring him back home!"
"I'll do my best!", I yelled as I ran away and ran towards Magic Academy.
—
At Magic Academy...
All the Representatives were already waiting for me. President Jessica found me and waved, "Annabelle!"
"Hey! Am I late?", I replied.
She shook her head, "No. You're just in time. Do you have your earphones?"
I nodded, "Yeah I do."
"Good. Well then, we're all set. Junichi."
Junichi nodded, "Understood." He turned towards everyone else, "Is everyone ready?"
Everyone nodded.
"Alright. Whenever you're ready Annabelle..", Junichi stood next to me as everyone stood behind us.
"LET'S GO!", I yelled as we all ran out of the campus.
From a window from the main building, Principal Delphine stood and smiled with pride as she watched us leave the campus.
—
~ Stephen's POV ~
I closed my eyes, trying to sense the area. Trying to see who is outside of my room and outside of this building...
Trying to see how many enemies are around.
I opened my eyes, exhaling.
I looked at the clock that happened to be at the wall and waited for the first guard to come inside.
Right at that moment, a silhouette of a guard appeared in front of my door. The guard opened the door as I stood up, pulled him in, and hit his stomach with my knee. I flipped him over onto the floor and punched his face so he can get knocked out cold.
I smiled with satisfaction, "It worked."
I got his guns as well and looked back and forth from my door. To my left there was another guard that was walking away. I took the opportunity to run towards him and wrapped my arm around his neck to bring into a choke hold.
He tried to resist but couldn't and stopped moving.
I let him fall to the ground and kept on moving forward cautiously.
—
~ Annabelle's POV ~
Everyone else and I kept on running and running, following the GPS on my phone towards the area where Stephen was being held.
I was determined to find where Stephen was and was ready to take the one who killed our parents.
It was their time to pay for what he has done to our family, as well as Junichi's family.
I ran, feeling a new power develop inside me. It was a power that was like Stephen and I's feelings were being connected in some way.
My eyes glowed as if it was sending a message to him.
—
~ Stephen's POV ~
As I hid behind a wall, where a guard was coming towards me, my eyes glowed all of a sudden and I felt a strange power well up in me.
Then, I felt Annabelle's aura, as if she was calling out to me. I placed a hand on my heart and smiled, "You're so reckless...", I muttered.
My eyes returned to normal as the guard appeared before me and I kicked him in the stomach, punched him in the face, and made him fall on the floor.
"I have to find the Silvers!", I yelled as I ran through a hallway.
Meanwhile...in the main room where all the Silvers are...
Videos were being displayed as the Silver brothers and their father watched Stephen defeat guards and continue moving through hallways.
The father clenched his teeth and stood abruptly from his chair. He glared at the two guards in his room, "GET MORE BACKUP NOW! HE MUST RETURN TO HIS ROOM! GET MOVING!"
"YES SIR!", the two guards replied as they ran out of the room.
"Is there something we should do, Father?", Bryan asked for himself and Victor.
"Take care of the entrance, I don't want anymore intruders."
"Understood," the brothers spoke in unison as they bowed in respect towards him.
They both stood straight as they ran towards the entrance.
Victor stole a glance of Bryan and looked forward again as he knew what he must do.
—
~ Annabelle's POV ~
From the GPS, we reached the location. We all stopped running and looked at the building before us.
I placed my phone away as I looked at with awe.
"This is the place, Annabelle?", Junichi asked.
I nodded, legs trembling a little, "Y-Yeah...it is..."
Jessica stood between us and placed a hand on one of our shoulders, "We're right behind you."
We walked all together onto the front of the building as Bryan Silver and Victor Silver walked out and crossed their arms.
"Well, look at what we have here," Bryan Silver spoke with an evil smile. "The little sister is here to save her big brother! How sweet."
I took a step forward, "Tell me! Where is my brother?!"
"Why should I tell you? You would have to do a lot more to make me tell you."
"How about me we force the answer of you? Will that work?", Junichi drew his gun out with a glare.
"And who are you?"
"Junichi. Junichi Luther. You have my family!"
"Ahh...a Luther...you're too late. As of this moment, we are about to take your family's powers one by one."
"No!"
Bryan smiled as Junichi fell to his knees with shock, "No.."
I bent down and placed a hand on his back, "Junichi! Calm down! The only way to save them is to fight! We can't be shocked now, there's still time!"
I stood and took out my staff, unlocked it and got into a fighting stance, "Get out of our way!"
"Not if you go through us first!", Bryan yelled.
Guards appeared from behind the brothers as they got into a fighting stance, ready to fight.
VIctor looked to the side at Bryan and looked at us.
I held my rod tightly taking a breath as Bryan ran towards me and everyone ran towards the guards and started to fight with them.
Bryan held onto my rod as I tried to shake him off.
I stuck my rod into the ground, hung onto it, jumped to my feet and kicked him in the stomach.
He backed away as I took my rod out and swung it towards him. He dodged my attack as he took out a sword he had in his waist holster and we both held on.
"A sword? Really? What is this? It's the 21st century, just in case you didn't know!", I spoke out.
He became pissed off as he pushed forward, causing me to stepped backwards.
"You have no right to say anything!", Bryan yelled.
"Ugh!", I yelled as I did a backflip avoiding his swing attack. I landed on the ground as he got ready to attack.
His sword was not just a normal sword. The sword started to glow in a blue color.
I backed away, "No..."
Bryan smiled as I swung the sword and a blue blade came towards me.
Just in time, a shadow appeared in front of me. A finger made a certain drawing, that was meant to create a powerful, magic shield.
The shield protect me and him from the attack which made Bryan so shocked.
Once the shield was removed, my eyes widened.
VIctor turned around and asked, "Are you alright?"
"Victor?"
"Why you! YOU TRAITOR!", Bryan yelled as he took his sword and was about to swing it towards him.
He made another shield to protect himself, causing Bryan to be pushed back and fall to the ground.
"Annabelle! Hurry and find Stephen along with Junichi! Let your friends defeat the guards!", Victor yelled as he walked towards Bryan.
"WHy are you doing this?", I asked.
"All explanations will come later," he turned and looked at me, "What I can say is that what we are doing is just not right."
I stood surprised, unable to move.
"Let your friends defeat the guards, I'll take care of Bryan. Once you're done, go to the 5th floor. There you will find the main room. I'm sure Stephen will be there already along with Junichi's family."
I looked at him as he kept walking towards Bryan.
I smiled, "Thank you, Victor!"
"Go!"
I ran towards the entrance and yelled, "Junichi!"
"Right!", he yelled as he finished a guard off and we ran into the building.
"JUNICHI! ANNABELLE! WE'LL MEET YOU THERE! BE CAREFUL!", Jessica yelled as we disappeared from her line of sight.