Glass shattered from next to me. A scream filled the lit hall. Windows broke all over the building, and shadowed figures flooded in through the open windows. Chaos ensued. The crowds rushed to the doorways, trying to get out of the building. Women and children hid and ran, the men hissed and bared their fangs. Silver bombs exploded in the center of the room, causing a few people to fall to the ground, clutching their eyes.
The marks of Osiris flashed on the hands of those who invaded — the hunters were here. The new initiates were dazed, not in peak condition to fight. They were unused to their powers and new bodies. They looked around the room, their fangs bared at the oncoming attackers. Hunters and vampires clashed everywhere. Blood and chaos reigned.
I immediately kicked off my high heels, gripping the bottom of my skirt as I tore it to free my legs. I ran toward the raised dais, weaving my way through clashing vampires and hunters. A hunter jumped at me from the shadows. I ducked, reaching for my daggers in their sheaths on my thighs as I dragged my hands upwards in a crossing motion, slashing his neck.
I continued my way forward, parrying and stabbing at hunters who got into my path. My fangs were out. My body felt ethereal light, weightless, speed was unmatched, my strength multiplied by what it was before. I grabbed a hunter's throat and ripped it out. I felt like the wind, spinning and stabbing another hunter in the chest.
Ares was on his knees on the dais as I raced towards him. He clutched at the stake sticking out of his throat, his face in a grim line, and he pulled it out. Throwing it to the floor. He coughed and fell forward on hands and knees. Blood dripped onto the stone floor. A hunter was walking up behind him. I rushed in that direction. The hunter gripped his strawberry blonde hair, yanked his head back, and spat in his face. I yelled in frustration. Another two hunters jumped in front of me. They each carried long swords. I used my speed to dart behind them, slashing at the back of the neck of one man. The second I spun, I plunged the dagger through the back of the second. He grunted and dropped to the floor.
It was too late. The man on the dais had a sword at Ares' throat. A sinister grin lit his face. He whispered something to the Ares. Ares turned his head toward me, mouthing "It must be you." Before they drew the blade across his throat. His severed head dropped to the floor.
I cried out, my screams echoing off the rafters. The motion ceased. A golden light burst forth from Ares' body and consumed the body of the hunter commander. The hunter threw his head back, opening his eyes to a burst of gold, gold light poured from his mouth and pores. He floated a few feet into the air. Then he came crashing back down. He was still for a few moments before he raised his head. A sly grin crossing his face. Ares' body slumped to the floor.
I took in the surrounding room. Hunters were slowly overwhelming the vampires as more and more forces continued to pour in from outside. Young, newly turned vampires were disoriented, and it locked the experienced vampires in attendance in battle. It also locked the Olympians in battle. I saw Athena wielding a long silver spear, skewering the hearts of hunters before her. She raised her arms, her overwhelming power lifting one of the doric column pieces that had collapsed and tossing it into a group of hunters. Hades, surrounded by shadow hounds, sicked them on approaching hunters.
I made my way toward the raised dais, once step at a time I raised myself on to the stage. I dropped to my knees before the mangled body of my father. Tears poured from my eyes. My eyes crept up to the rising figure of the hunter who absorbed his power. I saw the young vampires being escorted out of the building. The warriors remained, battling to the very last.
Anger consumed me, fury permeated my pores. I clenched my fists, and the scream that echoed from the rafters filled the room. My hair began lifting around me, flowing as if some invisible wind lifted it. My eyes flashed, taking in the sinister smirk on the face of the hunter commander. An electricity crackled around me, fire consumed my blood, worked its way through my body. I saw red; the heat kept climbing and climbing until it exploded from my body.
Red fire burst forth from me at every angle. It exploded in a mushroom cloud that permeated the entire room. Flames engulfed all the mahogany walls, and tapestries turned to ash. Hunters screamed in pain, flames consuming their bodies and they fell to the ground, their horrified cries echoing in the night.
The fire burned around me. I felt soothed by its comfort and warmth. It snaked its way over my skin, slithering but not burning. It felt as if I was underwater, separated from the room and the goings on. I saw the vampires and Olympians scrambling to get out of the building, dodging the flames that singed their clothes, coughing and sputtering from the smoke. The power consumed me. It was so hot; it was only a matter of time before the flame consumed me.
Strongly muscled arms crashed into me, wrapping around me and throwing me to the ground. The weight on top of me knocked the wind out of me. I snapped out of my reverie. The flames flickered angrily, snapping at the figure that grabbed me. The flames parted around the face in front of me, tanned skin, a broken nose. Piercing sapphire eyes and hair the colour that blended with the flames.
"Elysia, stop! That's enough." His voice gritted out. He gripped my arms, his fingers digging in to my skin. I slowly came to awareness. The flames slowly died. His thick leather jacket was singed, his face red from the heat of the flames. Burns lined his hands that clung to me. I slowly looked into his eyes.
"What happened?" I gasped. He shook his head. He scanned the surrounding room.
"We have to get out of here. Now. They can't get you." He said. He gripped my arm and helped me stand. The flames continued to eat away at the building. Support beams fell from the ceiling. The hunter commander was nowhere to be seen.
We made our way outside of the building. I fell to my knees on the lawn and coughed. My limbs were shaking. My energy felt like someone had completely sapped it. Evan placed his arm against my back, avoiding his hands that were singed.
"Are you okay?" He asked. I nodded slowly, taking in deep gulps of air. Slowly, I sat back on my heels.
"I'm so confused." I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Evan nodded, his face in a grim line.
"We have to move. You can't stay here." He said, and I nodded slowly, but I didn't move. The entire building was in flames behind us. Smoke billowed into the night sky. I saw vampires scattered around the lawn. It looked as if the hunters had retreated — for now. Close by I saw Anita, one of the senior figures of the Atheneides family. She looked at me and hissed, baring her fangs.
"You caused this!" she spat at me and stormed off. My jaw dropped, my hand fluttered to my heart. All of this, because of me?
"It's not your fault." Evan said from beside me. I stayed silent.
Footsteps pounded on the grass behind us, and I spun in place, baring my fangs. Familiar silver eyes greeted me. He ran up to us and stood in front of me, baring his fangs at Evan.
"Down boy, I'm actually helping this time." Evan said, raising his hands in front of him.
"Your people did this!" Alec spat, gripping his daggers in his hands. I placed a hand on Alec's back.
"Stop. He got me out of there." I said. Alec paused, he looked between Evan and I. Finally, he lowered his daggers. They both looked at me, then they gasped.
"What?" I asked, raising a brow and crossing my arms. What's was wrong? Alec leaned in close, staring into my eyes.
"Your eyes, they're gold."