I looked at my friends, standing there like statues. "What is happening?" I asked and ran to my friends, but the witch caught my hand and stopped me from reaching them. I cried and thrashed in her arms to set myself free."Why did you bring my friends here?" I repeated myself, trying to keep my voice steady."I see that you are happy meeting your friends." The King said, sarcastically. His words made me angry, and my palm caught fire unintentionally in rage."Now if you try anything with your powers, you know what will happen," he warned, looking at me with a threatening gaze. The king's threat scared me, but I refused to back down. I wouldn't show any signs of weakness in front of him."I was not planning to do anything. Since the day I was brought here, I have done everything you asked for. Why are you doing this?" I asked again. The King ignored my question and turned to Linda."Lock them up until I get what I want from her." She just nods and walks past me, and my friends just follow her like robots without any emotion. My heart sank as I watched my friends leave the room without even looking back at me. I called out their names, but they didn't respond. It was as if they were under some sort of spell. " I felt confused, Why is Linda helping the king?"Now let's talk." The King started, and my breath quickened. I stared at him with a deadly glare."I know that your powers came back and that you are in full control over them." I want you to put them to use and serve your purpose. "He said, looking at me. I froze.My heart raced so fast that I felt it in my throat. The King's intense stare felt like it pierced right through me. His usual smirk only made me more uneasy, and I could feel sweat starting to bead on my forehead. "What do you mean?" I asked, trying to sound calm even though panic was rising inside me.The King stood up from his throne and walked toward me, stopping just inches away. I could feel his hot breath on my face, and his fierce eyes locked onto mine, making me want to tremble."The Forks' land has been found, and I want you to fight with me in the war against those filthy witches," he said, his voice sending shivers down my spine."I need you to use your powers with my witches to open a portal to their realm. Once it's open, you will fight alongside them and bring me the Queen's head. Is that clear?" My body shook in fear as he gripped my chin tightly. His cold fingers felt like a vice, and his intense gaze made it hard to breathe. I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened. The thought of being forced to use my powers for his dark plans made me feel sick."I don't know if I can do that," I stuttered, my voice barely above a whisper."You don't have a choice," he spat, his grip on my chin loosening slightly. "You are mine to command, and if you refuse to comply, I will make sure that your little friends suffer for your disobedience."My heart sank at his words, and I felt a wave of helplessness wash over me. I knew that I had to do something, but I didn't know what."No, why should I go to war against my own kind?" I screamed, feeling a surge of anger and betrayal. I couldn't believe he was asking me to fight against my own people, especially the Queen, who holds all the answers to my existence."No," he asked, then chuckled under his breath, almost like he already knew I would refuse. I glared at him, my heart racing with fear and defiance."You know that you are in no place to refuse me, right?" he said, his voice low and menacing as he grabbed my arm tightly. I winced at the pain but refused to show him any weakness."One wrong answer and your friends die one by one, slowly and painfully, and you know how." He said it and smiled wickedly. My heart sank as he spoke of my friends' lives being in danger. I couldn't bear the thought of them suffering because of me."Please leave my friends alone." Tears streamed down my face as I pleaded with him to leave them alone."Their lives are in your hands, my love." "You are smart, and all you have to do is say yes." He said and took my hand in his. "As long as you are by my side, nothing will happen to them. You have my word." He stood close to my ears and whispered in them. I felt a sense of dread wash over me. His proximity made me feel trapped and vulnerable, like prey in the hands of a predator. His words were like a knife to my heart, twisting and turning, making me feel helpless and alone."What do you say?" He asked and sniffed my neck. I tried to move away from him, but he held me in place. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. I knew I had no choice but to agree to his demands if I wanted to save my friends. But the thought of betraying my own kind made me sick to my stomach. He studied my expression with suspicion and I could tell he was wondering what I was thinking. With a heavy heart, I looked up at him, "Yes, I will do as you say." He smiled cruelly, and I knew that I had made a terrible mistake. But what choice did I have? My friends' lives was in his hands."Now, that's a good decision, my love." We shall be departing tomorrow early in the morning. "You must rest well." He says and nods at the witch who manhandled me."Remember, one wrong move, and your friends die." He whispers in my ear before pushing me toward her."Her chambers should always be guarded, and no one should get near her," the King told the witch. Just as he dismissed me, a rough hand grabbed my arm and pulled me away. I stumbled, trying to keep my balance, and saw it was the witch who had manhandled me earlier. I wiped my tears and followed her back to my room.My heart felt like it was being crushed. The weight of helplessness pressed down on me like a heavy stone. My dreams of escaping this nightmare and reuniting with Stanley felt so far away. I knew there was no way to escape without getting hurt and still save my friends. It felt like everything was over. I was just a pawn in the King's twisted game, a weapon to be used against my own kind to protect my human friends. The thought made me feel sick, and tears streamed down my cheeks.When we reached my room, the witch pushed me inside and locked the door behind me. I sank to the floor, tears flowing freely as I thought about my friends, alone and scared, at the mercy of the King's minions. It was a terrible feeling, and I didn't know how I would make it through the night.I heard footsteps from the witches in the hall, and when I saw a white light similar to mine glowing around the door, I took several steps back. They were sealing my room with magic. Anger boiled inside me, and I grabbed the nearest lamp and threw it at the door. My heart raced. I needed to know if Linda was part of this or if she was still on my side.I reached out to Peter in my head. There was no response for a few minutes, and when I finally assumed they were all part of the king's plan, he answered me."Kristen. I know what happened. mother told me. Your friends are safe for now. "We are coming for you." He says and shuts off his mind.His voice brought a little relief to my doubts. I must wait for them. I kept repeating what the king said in my mind. How am I supposed to escape this place? What will Stanley do if he sees me fight beside them? Will he hate me? He has stopped talking in my head for a while now. Does he already know I will go to war against them? Did he abandon me? I paced the room back and forth, clutching my head."Kristen." A voice spoke in my head, and I almost mistook it for Peter."Kristen. It's me." The voice spoke again. "Stanley?" I asked a bit unsure."Yes," he replied.Oh, my god. Stanley, where were you all this time? Why didn't you talk to me? I need your help. I have so much to tell you. "Please help me," I said in my head. My eyes were burning with tears. "Kristen. Slow down. You know right, I can only speak with you when you think about me, and you have not thought about me for a while. "I tried to find a way to communicate, but your powers stopped me," he said."What? How?" I asked, but a sudden feeling of guilt consumed me. He is right. I forgot about him amidst all the things happening around me."I am sorry." So many things happened. I am really sorry," I said as tears started to well up in my eyes."Kristen. You don't have to explain. I know what you have been through, and it's time. " He said."What?" "How do you know what is happening here?" I asked."Linda. She is your guardian, and she is one of us. "She will help you." He said."I am sorry for all the things that have happened to you. I will make them pay for hurting you.""I don't want to stay here any longer. The king captured my friends and threatened to make me fight in the war. He wants me to kill the queen. "Please help me." I sobbed."Kristen, please stop crying." "We have a plan, your friends will be safe. I will not let you be there any longer; tonight we shall meet; I am coming for you." He said it in a confident voice."Okay," I replied, smiling."I miss you so much, Kristen." "You have no idea how much it hurts me to see you suffer." His tone broke, and I really felt it.Linda opened the door to my room and walked in along with Peter and John. I felt both relieved and scared looking at them. They shouldn't be together. If the king or his men see this, it will be a problem."How did you get in?" I asked, looking at the guards who were still standing at my door and didn't seem bothered by them."Dear, these people cannot stop me." " They are under spell, so don't worry," Linda says, sealing the room after she entered."Kristen," Linda said urgently, grabbing my attention again. "Listen, we're in a tough spot." She paused, her eyes locked on mine. "We need to get you out of here. The King is getting more impatient."A wave of dread washed over me as I pieced it all together. "My friends are hostages," I said through clenched teeth. Linda's face turned serious. "Yes, and the King won't hesitate to hurt them if you don't agree to fight in the war."Rage bubbled inside me, but I forced it down. I couldn't risk making a reckless move that could endanger my loved ones. "I won't be a pawn in their war," I said, my voice shaking with emotion."Why does he want to fight the witches?""He wants to use your powers to destroy them as revenge because he thinks the Queen killed his wife," Linda said, her voice filled with sadness. "Tomorrow, they're planning for war. If you refuse to join, the King will take matters into his own hands, and it won't end well for anyone. He's ruthless and won't stop until he gets what he wants."My heart sank at her words. Linda's eyes softened as she reached out to comfort me. "I won't let anything happen to you or your friends. I have a plan," she said confidently. I knew I couldn't do anything foolish."I won't go against my own kind," I said firmly."Don't worry; I won't let that happen. I have a plan." "You know about the powers you got from your parents right," she asked.I nodded. "Land, water, and fire," I replied proudly.Linda thought to herself, "I know what other powers you have, but no one needs to know right now." She saw Kristen as a gift from nature. Kristen was born when war broke out and magic was fading. Before being sent to the humans, she absorbed the powers of dead witches who wanted to protect her. They believed she was special and would one day stand with the Queen to fight. She was blessed by the goddess. Only the Queen of Witches and Linda knew this—not even Kristen's birth parents."Is everything okay?" I asked Linda as her eyes glazed over, lost in a vision. She snapped back to reality when I spoke."Those were the powers of the vampire queen too," she said, and the pendant around my neck warmed against my chest like the queen agrees to what Linda said."The King believes you have the same powers," Linda explained. "He's planning to amplify your dark magic for the war." Peter and John, who were nearby, shared my shocked expression. I felt their worried eyes on Linda, silently urging her for a solution.Peter stepped forward, looking serious. "What can we do? We need to protect Kristen and get her out of here before the war starts." John nodded. "But how?" he asked, glancing at Peter.Linda looked at me with hope. "I have a plan, but we need to move fast.""He knows about the witches' land, but only you can find its exact location," she said, focusing on me."Me?" I was surprised."Yes. The Forks' land is protected by the Queen, and his witches aren't strong enough to find it." She smiled, trying to reassure me."But the King says he has the location and wants me to go with the witches," I replied, unsure."We need to make him think the witches can find it. I can make that work, but it won't be the exact location." She added, "We arranged for you and your friends to go to Forks Land.""What about you guys?" I asked."Someone has to stay and hold off the witches," Linda said firmly. "I'll take care of it.""What? You're joking, right?" I asked, but she just smiled at me."I won't let you do that, Aunt Linda," I said, my voice shaking with emotion. "You're my only family left, and I won't let you sacrifice yourself for me." My anger surged, and I felt my hands tremble with intensity.Peter and John exchanged looks of admiration. They knew how much Linda meant to me. John put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "We'll help you however we can," Peter added. "We're with you, Kristen."Linda's eyes filled with tears. She gently touched my cheek. "You called me Aunt.""Do you want me to call you Linda?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood. She smiled softly."John, there has to be a way to keep everyone safe. What should we do?" I asked him.Peter frowned, worry etched on his face. "There are too many guards and witches watching us. We need a distraction to escape."John spoke up. "There's a secret passage William showed me once. Only the two of us know it. We can use that route; it's small, so if we get caught, not many can attack us at once.""I can create a diversion to draw their attention away from the passage," Peter said, feeling determined.Linda looked at him with pride. "Are you sure you want to do this? It's dangerous.""We have to try," Peter said firmly. "We can't just wait for them to come for us.""Where's William?" I asked, realising I hadn't seen him since his attack."He's locked up because of bloodlust. We do not have to worry about him right now." "You will be out of here before they come for you." I nodded."At 2 p.m., I will bring your friends to the hidden passage," Peter said. There are a bunch of witches in their room, and it is sealed from the outside."I will go with you," John says to Peter. "The witches alone wouldn't be watching them; there will be vampires too.""Kristen, be ready and try not to look suspicious. I will remove the spell from the door once we leave. They will come to check on you. I have to be with the king until the last minute to make him believe I am with them. Soon the witches here will be replaced with vampire guards. You must create an illusion of yourself here on the bed and then leave the room. The vampires are terrified of you and wouldn't dare come inside the room." Linda said. "Once you're out, go left, and at the end of the corridor, you'll find a door behind the King's painting," John explained. "Go inside, and it'll lead you to the basement. I'll leave the door open, so you can walk straight ahead. You'll find the secret passage covered in rocks. We'll take a different route and meet you there. We need to do all of this in 10 minutes to escape before they notice us." I focused on his every word."I talked to the Queen; she'll open the portal and wait for you. Once you leave, she'll handle the rest," Linda added."Aunt Linda, I'm serious," I said, my voice firm. "If this plan works, I want all of you to be safe with me. I won't let anyone sacrifice themselves. Is that clear?" She nodded.They gave me one last look filled with determination before leaving the room.I sighed and climbed onto my bed, pretending to rest. Soon, a witch walked in with a tray of food and set it on the bedside table."You need to eat; you'll need a lot of energy for tomorrow," she said."What's your name?" I asked, sitting up."Amera," she replied."Can I ask you something?" I said, trying to look innocent. She nodded."Why does the King want to go to war against the witches? Why are you fighting against your own kind?" I asked.She sighed. "We served Queen Amanda our whole lives. She was killed by her own kind after being turned. Isn't that a betrayal?""We're doing what's right," she said before leaving the room.I was speechless. I couldn't believe what she said. Maybe there was more to the story, but deep down, I knew the King just wanted power and to wipe out the witches. It was hard to believe someone who used to be kind could turn so evil.The witches guarding my room peeked in often, making sure I wasn't planning to escape. I lay back on the bed, my mind racing. As the clock struck 1 a.m., my palms got sweaty. Just one more hour to go. I closed my eyes and focused on the spell Linda had taught me, trying to push away my doubts.At 1:45 a.m., my heart pounding, I climbed out of bed and tiptoed to the door, hoping to make a run for it. Suddenly, I heard a male voice. I froze and pressed my ear against the door to listen."Amera, we're ordered to guard Ms. Kristen," a man said firmly. "You all need to meet Linda in the front yard to prepare."My heart sank. My escape plan was slipping away. I could feel Amera watching me closely, and fear gripped me."The girl needs protection at all costs," Amera warned. "Don't take your eyes off her. She's a witch.""I'll handle it," the man replied. I quickly moved away from the door and climbed onto the bed.Then, three vampires walked in."What do you want?" I asked, pretending to wake up from a deep sleep."We're here to guard you, Ms. Kristen. You can sleep; we'll stay until the King summons you," the man said. My heart raced. If they stayed, I couldn't do my spell or escape."I don't trust you, and I want to be alone. Your king has my friends as hostages, and I can't do anything about it. If you want to guard me, stay outside," I said dramatically, lying back on the bed."Ms. Kristen, we can't do that; we have orders," he insisted. Anger boiled inside me. I stood up abruptly, my eyes turning red. They stepped back."Don't test me. I've done everything your king asked, and I just want my last hours alone. Get out, or I'll turn you to ashes," I threatened, holding a small fireball in my hand. They looked terrified.The other two vampires stepped out, but the man stared at me, trying to read my mind. I had opened my mind earlier to seem vulnerable. I needed to convince him I was scared to fight alongside the King to save my friends.He sighed. "I'll be right outside your door. One wrong move won't end well for you or your friends." He left, locking the door behind him.I climbed back on the bed and cried. I knew they'd be listening. The clock showed 2:55 a.m. I had only five minutes left to escape.I sat up on my bed and focused on my powers. If I spoke the spell aloud, the vampires would hear me. I grabbed an incense stick, lit it with my fire, and whispered a soundproof spell to keep my escape quiet. I pulled open the drawer loudly, hoping to distract them, but thankfully, they didn't come in. I felt a spark of happiness.Next, I chanted an illusion spell and walked to the bathroom. I created a copy of myself on the bed, covered it with a blanket, and hid in the bathroom as I heard the door open. My heart raced as I pressed my ear against the door."She is asleep," I heard the man say.I held my breath, waiting for Peter's voice in my head. "Kristen, in exactly two minutes, get out of the room. John will create a distraction for you," he urged. Panic shot through me, but I had to trust Peter's plan. I took a deep breath, quickly changed into jeans and a top, and tied my hair back.When the clock ticked down, I waited for a loud noise from downstairs, and when I heard it, the vampires rushed to check. That was my chance. I stepped out, locked the door behind me, and hid behind a pillar. They saw my replica sleeping and stood guard at the door.I took a deep breath and cast an invisible spell on myself to stay hidden. My heart raced as I carefully moved a picture frame, trying to stay silent. When it screeched against the wall, I froze, and the vampires turned their heads. For a moment, I thought I was caught, but they turned back.With shaking hands, I moved the frame and slipped into the open door, locking it behind me. My adrenaline surged as I ran toward the secret passage. My legs felt heavy, and I focused on my breathing, stumbling a few times as I raced for freedom."I can do this," I whispered, taking deep breaths. I stepped out of the narrow passage and found the stone door John mentioned. Frustration bubbled inside me when I saw no one around. I paced nervously, waiting for my friends."Come on, where are you?" I muttered under my breath.Just then, I heard footsteps. My heart raced as I turned to see Linda and my friends approaching. I jumped into a hug with all of them, and they looked shocked."Kristen?! Is that really you? Thank goodness you're here!" Emma cried, tears streaming down her face. "We thought we were going to die here."Jacob, looking serious, asked, "How did you even get here?""Listen, there's no time to explain," I said, my voice trembling. "We need to get out fast."Lucy nodded eagerly, her eyes pleading for help. They all exchanged looks before agreeing. Jacob took my hand protectively. "I don't know what's happening, but I'll protect you," he said, squeezing my hand.I felt tears in my eyes, relieved to see they were safe. Just then, John stepped out of the passage and hugged me tightly. "Are you okay? I was worried sick," he said, looking concerned."I'm safe now," I replied, smiling at him. But his expression changed as he strained to listen, his eyes darting behind us."The guards are coming! We must hurry!" John urged, quickly pushing aside a rock to reveal a door with a passcode. He punched it in, and the door began to open.Yelling filled the air, and I felt panic rise in my friends. Linda stepped in front of us, chanting a spell to create an invisible barrier. When the door opened fully, I urged my friends to go first. "Keep running and don't look back! I'll follow," I insisted.Jacob grabbed my hand, refusing to leave. "No, I have to save you all! Stay inside and don't come out, okay?" I raised my voice, and they gasped. "Kristen, your eyes!" Emma exclaimed.Suddenly, a loud thump rang out as a vampire guard jumped on John. He quickly pulled out his sword and stabbed the guard. More guards emerged, and chaos erupted.John clashed swords with a guard, skillfully blocking attacks. Just as one vampire aimed for me, John struck, beheading him. I picked up the fallen sword, ready to help.More guards charged at us, but John fought like a pro, his movements fast and precise. I watched in awe as he took them down one by one until the last guard fell.But then, a silver-eyed witch appeared, breaking Linda's spell. My heart raced as she glared at me, approaching like a predator.Breathless, John urged, "Hurry and get inside."The silver-eyed witch glared at me. "You picked the wrong side, and your friends will pay for it.""Stay back!" Linda shouted as vampires lunged at her. With a flick of her finger, she threw four of them aside. She attacked the witch with magic; the witch dodged initially but was eventually hit and slammed against the wall, falling limp.I thrust my sword at an approaching guard, but he dodged. Adrenaline surged as I fought back, swinging my sword. When he slashed at me, I dodged and punched him, making him stumble.John had already taken down nearly twenty vampires, but more kept coming. He swung his sword skillfully, taking out several at once. A guard lunged at me, slicing my arm. Pain shot through me, but I fought on."Kristen!" Peter rushed to my side as I backed away, blood staining my weapon. He pulled out his sword and struck the guard down."Are you okay?" he asked, positioning himself protectively in front of me. Jacob tried to step out of the tunnel, but I sealed it with a spell, preventing him from coming out.John was still battling, but some vampires landed heavy blows on him. A guard taunted, "It's too bad for you to switch sides; now you will die."My hands shook with anger as I summoned my powers. "How dare you hurt my friends?" I shouted, pushing John aside and standing in front of him. Flames erupted from my hands, incinerating the guards in front of me.I turned to see my friends backing away, fear in their eyes. It hurt to see them scared, but I had to protect them."Kristen, take your friends and leave! The king is coming!" Linda urged, ready to fight alongside Peter. John stood up, wiping blood from his face."No," I said, grabbing Linda's and Peter's hands and pushing them toward the escape route. "I won't leave anyone behind.""Kristen, there's no time! You need to be safe!" Linda insisted, pulling me with her. But I couldn't let John get hurt."You're no match for the King, and your powers might not work around him," she warned, holding my arm tightly.Just then, John fell to his knees after taking a hard hit."John!" I screamed, trying to break free from Linda. My heart raced as I watched John struggle to stand, clearly in pain.I saw a look in John's eyes I had never seen before as he smiled at me. My heart sank. "No, John, don't do it!" I cried, but it was too late. "You're my precious little human. I will always love you," he said, his voice barely a whisper. Tears mixed with blood on his cheeks, showing how much he cared."John!" I begged, trying to reach him. He crawled toward his weapon as more vampires closed in. The door began to close, and suddenly a dead vampire fell in between, an arrow in his back. I struggled against Linda's grip, but she held tight, tears in her eyes for John's sacrifice.I saw Lyn shooting arrows, taking down two vampires at once, her own clothes stained with blood. That sight gave me strength, and I pulled my hand free from Linda's hold, making her stumble back. But just as I stepped forward, my legs froze. Linda was casting a spell on me, numbing my powers."Linda, let me go! I can't leave without John and Lyn!" I pleaded, desperation clawing at my heart. She looked fearful, her eyes wide as she saw the flames forming around me."Kristen, we don't have time!" she said, backing away as I burned with rage. My friends cowered behind her, afraid of my anger."John. Now!" Linda shouted. I turned to see John nodding at her, determination in his eyes, with Lyn beside him."We love you, Kristen," Lyn said before the door slammed shut, separating me from my friends forever. I collapsed in tears, feeling helpless. John and Lyn had sacrificed their lives for me, and the pain of losing them was overwhelming.Suddenly, I heard William's furious voice: "How dare you betray me, John?" I closed my eyes, using my magic to see what was happening on the other side. I watched in horror as William grabbed John's neck, lifting him off the ground. John's eyes filled with fear as William ripped out his heart, discarding his lifeless body like trash.William turned to Lyn, moving toward her with a predator's confidence. She stood frozen in terror, and I felt helpless as Linda pulled me away from the door, the sound of it locking echoing in my ears."It's my fault. I killed my friends," I sobbed, my anger rising toward Linda for not saving them. "You could have saved them!" I screamed, my body igniting in white flames."Kristen, please calm down," Linda pleaded, sadness in her voice. "Your friends chose to sacrifice themselves. They knew you would try to protect them, but sometimes, sacrifices must be made. We need to act quickly."Seeing the pain on her face made me realise she was hurting too. I didn't want to harm her, so I let the flames fade. Linda chanted a spell, creating a ball of fire and shooting it into the sky as a signal.Despite my anger and grief, I understood we had to set aside our feelings and focus on escaping this place.I shut my eyes tight, trying to stay calm. Suddenly, the door exploded, and William stormed in with guards. My heart raced with fear and anger.Linda stepped in front of my friends and Peter, ready to fight. I took a deep breath and prepared to stand with them, determined to protect everyone I loved."Kristen, come to me," I heard William's voice. "You belong to me!" As I faced William, I felt my heart race. He looked at me with anger, but I refused to back down. My first instinct was to kill him, but I hesitated. He wasn't always evil, and part of me couldn't bring myself to take his life—at least not yet.Instead, I threw a ball of fire at him, making him stumble back. He fell to his knees, gasping, as the blue flames held him in place."How dare you?" I hissed. Linda moved to help, but I stopped her. "Protect my friends, no matter what," I said firmly. She nodded, understanding this was my fight.William stepped forward, calm but filled with rage. "What are you doing, love?" The King asked, eyeing the sword in my hand. "This isn't what we agreed on." He chuckled, mocking me. Anger boiled inside me, but I stayed strong. I wouldn't let him win this time."Don't come near me," I warned, stepping back. In a flash, he lunged at me, punching me hard in the stomach. I flew backward, hitting the ground painfully and gasping for breath. Blood trickled from my mouth as I tried to use my magic, but he stepped on my hand, making me cry out.He loomed over me, grinning cruelly. "You should know better than to defy me," he taunted, pressing down harder on my hand. His sadistic pleasure was clear as I struggled beneath him. "You belong to me.""I should end this now," he muttered, lifting me off the ground. I tried to summon my power, but nothing happened. His grip tightened around my neck, and I thought I was done for.Suddenly, a blinding light appeared behind us, making us shield our eyes. A portal opened, and a powerful figure stepped out. He held out his hand, shooting a spark at the King's back. The King stumbled forward, releasing me, and I fell to the ground, gasping for air. The magic from this person was incredible, shaking the ground beneath me."How dare you touch her!" A familiar voice growled, making the ground shake. I strained my eyes to see the person. The light from the portal made it hard to see, and the air swirled around us. The King tried to resist, but it was useless. A powerful magic began to build, and suddenly, mud rose like a sandstorm, engulfing him.As the figure stepped forward, I got the familiar feeling. His eyes glowed with fury. "You will pay for what you've done," he said to the king in a powerful deep voice which I will never fail to recognise.The King screamed in pain and attempted to attack, but the swirling mud blinded him and held him in place. He cursed angrily, sinking deeper into the mud with every struggle.I watched as he moved through the chaos and reached for me, pulling me to my feet. When the fog cleared, I gasped in disbelief. Our eyes met, and relief washed over me."Kristen." His voice was music to my ears. Tears streamed down my cheeks as he wiped one away and pulled me into his arms. I cried, hugging him tightly."Please be real," I repeated, burying my face in his chest."It's real. I am here," he said, holding me close. "You are safe now." My eyes began to feel heavy from using my powers too much.I saw my friends walking into the portal with Linda and Peter. Just as I collapsed in his arms, I felt his strong hands lift me up bridal style, carrying me through the portal. Relief filled my heart before I fell into darkness. I hoped this wasn't a dream...................I am sorry about the longest chapter. Once I started writing it I couldn't find a place to stop. I will try my best to not make lengthy chapters. Thank you for reading. If you like my book please show me your support by voting and sharing. Love you all.