"Demons, step away from the door, and nobody will get hurt," the king said in a calm, measured voice. His death-sharp arrow was still pointed straight at her heart. He and Blood regarded each other for a long moment. Then, Blood threw back her head and laughed. Her laugh reverberated eerily through the hallway, and the Shatelite soldiers shifted uneasily.
"Demons, you call us. That's hilarious," Blood sneered, "when it is you who shove us into the margins, not giving a care for the world that you harm. You bee-brained fools, not seeing two steps in front of you. You're greed will be your demise." Cedar said nothing, his arrow still taut in its bow. It quivered slightly, waiting to be released.
If one had blinked in that exact second, they would have missed what had happened. But, Tempest was just so lucky to see the scene unfold like a moving picture before her.
On Blood's twitch of a muscle, Cedar released the arrow, and it shot forward with so much speed and power that, if Blood hadn't ducked in that split second, it would've ripped through her chest. Instead, it zipped right over her head and embedded itself into a fire Storm's knee cap. She howled in agony, collapsing, and thus letting loose a spurt of rage-empowered flames.
The battle began again, this time the focus directed toward the hordes of Shatelites who came storming up the stairs. Blood was furious. She didn't even seem to care that Avalanche was on the floor, dead. Tempest didn't have time to process what was happening, what had happened. She had to focus on the fight, focus on pushing back the ignorant mud-veins down the stairs. This was their moment to wrest away control over Tundira.
But Spark fell to her knees, cradling, Indigo's head in her arms. He must've been injured. This is no time to be weak!
She saw Avalanche lying on the floor, his eyes wide and mouth shaped like an 'o', the same it was when the arrow tore through him. He had been encased in ice and frost. Blood will replace him, hopefully.
"You stay away from my parents!" A voice was nearly drowned out by the din of the fight. A boy who looked close to Tempest's age emerged from the stairway, holding a sickly sharpened sword in his hand, long and sharp.
"For the King!" He shouted.
"For the King!" The Shatelites answered. The black-haired boy charged forward, skewering Storms before they could react.
"Push back! Don't let them get through!" Inferno hissed. It was a massacre of bodies and metal and fire and ice. Tempest felt herself drown in the confusion, trying not to get trampled in the crowded hallway. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Borealis, Taiga, and Polaris sneaking out of the window. Tempest hesitated. Someone else would surely have noticed. But no, they had slipped out of sight, and not a single person had done anything to stop them.
Before she could stop herself, she bolted after them, leaping out the window and pillowing her fall with a rush of warm wind from inside. Taiga's eyes widened, then hardened into cold, blue slits. She reached for Tempest's hair, then yanked- hard. Tempest's eyes watered, and she tore away, leaving a curl of blue behind as she fell to the icy ground.
"They're getting away!" She yelled, hoping Blood or someone else would hear. Storms leapt from the window, tackling the royals to the ground. Blood knocked Borealis out with a deft punch to the head. Polaris was slammed to the wall by Cyclone and a few water-veins. Taiga was held firmly to the ground by Tempest, with the help of Spark and another earth-vein who she didn't know.
Cedar shot arrows from the window, dispatching several Storms. But, Inferno shot a blast of fire at him, and, even as North made a grab to save him, he fell from the window, crumpling over Tempest. Tempest collapsed under him, trying to get out.
Like a snake, Cedar furiously stabbed an arrowhead into Tempest's shoulder, lifting it again as she cried out in pain and anger. Her shoulder burned with unbearable pain. She rolled out of the way. Cedar nocked his bow so quickly and released. The arrow exploded into Tempest's same arm with so much force that her entire body was sent into a shocked state, not able to move yet in searing pain. She tried to stand up, but there was no feeling in her limbs at all, just buzzing. Cedar kicked her in the face.
"You demons have no sense of honor. Who else wants to face me?" He snarled to the crowd of Storms. But Tempest could see that it was an act. His legs were shaking; he was the only Shatelite down here to defend against hundreds of Storms who were in pain and out for revenge.
Tempest lunged before she could fully put a plan into action, trying to ignore the excruciating pain in her shoulder and arm. Her fist landed right in the crook of his knee, the exact spot that would bring him toppling over. She ripped the arrow out of her shoulder with a scream and plunged it into his neck. It was the most outlandish, roguish way of killing one's enemy, with their own weapon, with a weapon at all! As a Storm or even just a chromavein in general, it was only honorable to kill using one's own power and the elements surrounding.
Yet, here Tempest was, burrowing the arrowhead deeper and deeper into the man's flesh.
"He's dead," Beacon said quietly, then raised his voice, "He's dead! Now get the-" (he then proceeded to say a very rude word) "-out of here before we run you through!"
"He's really dead," said a commanding-looking man. "Retreat!"
"But my dad, my sister-" the black-haired boy protested.
"Look, boy, when I say retreat, you'd better obey. It's not a safe place for you either," the commander said. "Protect Prince North!" The hordes of soldiers disappeared in a frenzy, sweeping the boy along with them, and the Storms reclaimed the palace.
"This isn't over," North said, and his dull blue gaze fixed on Tempest, full of hatred. Then, he was whisked away.
"There are still some people rebelling on the northernmost parts," Hurricane reported.
"Then stamp them out," growled Blood. She turned to Tempest, who was wiping the blood from her hands onto the king's white cape, "I suppose I underestimated you, girl. I pronounce you a true Storm of the Emerald Stormlet." Tempest closed her eyes and lowered her head. She felt searing pain zigzag across her forehead. When she opened her eyes, Blood was already turned away, returning her Branding stone to the chain around her neck. Tempest's forehead stung, but she felt new pride rippling through her. She was a true Storm now.
"Thank you," Tempest said in a soft voice, standing straighter. She had killed someone. I have actually killed someone. She didn't know quite how to feel about that. She mostly felt exhausted, numb in her heart, and in excruciating pain.
Gritting her teeth, she tore off strips of the Emperor's white cape and worked them through her hair like ribbons as spoils of war. Her left arm screamed with every movement.
People looked at her with new respect- and fear. She couldn't let them see how much agony she was really in.
The Storms whooped with victory, tying the royals up with vines that they'd carried here.
"Tempest," Spark sobbed.
"What?" Tempest said in a faraway voice. She felt hollow, ruthless. Is this what Blood feels like?
"It's Indigo. He's hurt," she said, looking too heartbroken to be ignored. Tempest followed her. She looked around and picked out Permafrost from the crowd of celebrating Storms. Of course, he was with a group of ice-veins, standing straight and proud, not daring to smile once. He's the closest person that I've had to family. He was her only family here, for the rest of them had refused to join Blood.
"This is your destiny," Lynx had said before Tempest and Permafrost had left, nearly half a year ago. "My destiny is to stay with Flood and Aquilo and Wolf, to look out for them, you know? I don't belong out there, killing and fighting." Tempest had understood, but that didn't make the goodbye any less dreary.
"Lynx would be proud of me," she said quietly to herself. She just wished Permafrost would be proud of her too, but he ignored her as if he hadn't known her his whole life. Well, that's fine with me. It's not like I just felled the Emperor, the most powerful man on the continent.
He's just jealous, another voice inside of her said.
"Look," Spark said. Indigo was on his side, moaning in pain. His hindpaw seemed to have gotten worse, turning black with infection. The fur around it was matted with blood. On top of that, he had new wounds from today: a slash across his pelt and a patch of missing fur at his nape. The slash was raw, the shiny white of his ribs visible one part. Tempest knelt, reaching her hand out. Indigo lashed out viciously, rolling over to protect his wound. His eyes were watery, glazed in agony.
"You have to help him," Spark said.
"And how exactly am I supposed to do that? I'm a Storm, remember?" Tempest said a little more sharply than she'd meant. Spark flinched.
"I know, but-"
"I destroy, not fix. That's just what I'm meant to do. We are Storms now. So, you're just gonna have to suck it up and move on,," Tempest said again, trying to crush down the feeling of panic and guilt.
"Well," Spark said, her gaze hardening to anger and determination. She ripped the bed sheets off the royal bed and laid them onto Indigo. "At least I'm gonna try my best to find a healer. I'm gonna go down to the City and find someone who cares. Because, I'm not a stuck-up coward who thinks she's so cool just because she stabbed a person to death." With that, she stomped away.
Tempest turned back to look at the leopard. It writhed feverishly. She could feel the heat emanating from it, even from here. Maybe Spark was right...
"I must be strong now," she told herself. This was no time to show weakness, especially now when she had finally gotten on Blood's good side.
"Tempest," Blood barked, calling her over. Tempest walked over quickly, hoping she'd not done something wrong. Blood shooed away the other Alphas and Betas.
"So, you've proven yourself worthy, despite your being a wind-vein," Blood said. Tempest bristled at the insult. She took a breath to calm herself. We're on the same side, now. She's complimenting me.
"You could rise ever higher, Tempest," Blood continued. "How would you like to be the Emerald Alpha?"
Emerald Alpha? Me? I never even dreamed this could happen!
"I would!" Tempest said.
"But, of course, everything comes with a price," Blood said.
"Of course," Tempest said warily. "Nothing free is worth it."
"Well," said Blood. "We have the inconvenience of already having an Emerald Alpha. He's been rather annoying lately. Hmm... Oh! I have a novel idea." Tempest's heart sunk as she saw where this was going. Blood clapped her hands together as if this idea had just occurred to her, "Why don't you kill him, prove your worthiness, get rid of that awful headache, and claim the spot as Wind Alpha. We'll be equals."
"What, killing the Emperor of the entire continent wasn't enough for you?" Tempest asked, stepping away. She was using her.
"You're not afraid of Cyclone, are you?" Blood asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I'm not afraid of anyone!" Tempest snapped.
"Then do it," Blood sneered. "What are you waiting for?" Well, this went downhill fast.
"I will," Tempest said, then whipped around. Cyclone was standing beside Hurricane and a few waters-veins, boasting and showing off. As she stepped forward, the air around her began to darken and become stormy. It slowly became silent, and everyone looked at her.
"Cyclone," she said loud and clear, "I challenge you for your position as Alpha." Cyclone stood up, towering over her. His acid green eyes were narrow with amusement. Other Storms laughed. Blood watched, leaning against the wall in relaxation. Tempest's face felt warm. Blood wants me to lose. And, it's too late to turn around now.
Well, then I won't lose.
*Author's Note*
OH MY STARS THIS TOOK SO LONG TO EDIT. So sorry for another really long chapter :/. I have to remember for next NaNoWriMo to not make my chapters SO FRIGGIN LONG. I might end up cutting this chapter in half depending on what happens in the next chapter from Ash's PoV.
Wow, this turned out a lot more violent than I remembered writing O_o. That's a little disturbing. But, I think the first song perfectly describes how Tempest is feeling.
I hope you guys liked it anyway :(.
I tried out the new multimedia thing, so let me know how it works out.
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-Starry
P.S. I am going to cut this chapter, because the next chapter is also extremely long. So, be prepared if you see something that already happened in this chapter happen again.