(Amaia)

I yank my sword out, cleaning it on its fur. The blood pooling out of him soaks the ground below.

"You are so awesome," Alnitak praises me through the mindlink.

Stepping towards him I pat Zevran’s head. He nuzzles me with eyes closed.

"We need to keep moving," Kacir quietly says through the mindlink.

We resume our journey, leaving the creature behind.

I can’t shake the feeling that Yeti was sent on purpose and it somehow relates to the fact that I call Saiph a Yeti.

They know things about me that I haven’t told anyone.

How? My mind keeps spiralling thinking about that.

Clinging to Zelen, I let him take me forward through this blistering storm. Even with his fur and body heat I am trembling. The cold is pervading through me.

We need to find the door quickly, or it will be difficult for me to survive in these harsh conditions for so long.

The winds are so harsh that it has turned into a blizzard, making visibility closer to zero. We have not the slightest clue where we are headed or where the last door must be.

My companions force themselves forward.

Suddenly, they all halt, they have perceived something I haven’t.

"Be careful, someone is approaching," Alnitak’s voice comes through the mindlink.

Amidst the storm walk forward four figures, wearing blue uniforms.

Team Istrale.

Why am I not surprised?

What baffles me is how they are wearing blue coats on top of their uniform. We don’t have such coats to protect ourselves from the harsh weather.

We remain on high alert. One of their members has his hands spread out, and the cold wind and blizzard seem to be forming on the top of his hands, freezing the air all around us.

He has to be the one causing this terrible weather.

"Ah, you guys made it this far. I am not surprised at all. I knew you had potential," Meissa says with that plastered smile on her face. She almost appears meek, with her hands folded in front.

She stands in the centre with one of her teammates on her left and one on the right with the fourth one lingering at the back.

I get down from Zelen and halt in front of her, holding my weapon and Mintaka’s too. The battle is inevitable with them and this one is going to be bloody, I can sense that in my bone marrow.

"What do you guys want?" I ask while Zevran lets out a menacing growl, staying on my right and Zelen on my left like two protective guardians.

Kacir and Rahria are just behind us.

"We want to end you, just like we did Team Saratopia and those vampires. We want to be the only team to cross over," one of them says.

A chill runs through my already quivering body. My lips tremble from the cold of this place and the words of the boy standing next to Meissa. So they are the ones who killed them. That power he is exuding, it must have frozen them over.

"We are going to transform. Kacir, Rahria you guys should stay in your hound and wolf forms. We will take help from our incubuses," Mintaka informs through the mindlink. We plan as we talk.

"Yes, it looks like they are out for blood. We won’t be going easy on them," Kacir answers.

My mates transform right beside me, grabbing their weapons. They will be at an advantage in their human forms. They can easily merge with their incubi. Plus they can channel their powers into their weapons and use them.

"If that’s how it’s going to be. Then we are ready," I answer in revulsion. My cold and numb fingers try to tighten against the centre of my two-edged sword.

"We won’t trouble you too much. It will be over quickly," Meissa says and I understand she is going to use her mind control powers to put us under and turn us into puppets.

Without taking off my pendant, I can’t form my protective shield and without the shield, it’s not going to be easy to protect my companions. None of the others can form a shield.

"Focus on my voice, don’t listen to what she has to say," I warn my companions. Alnilam has guided us that one of the effective ways to avoid falling under her spell is to keep speaking in the mindlink. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

I hope that will work.

"Yes, with your head rolling on the snow," Alnitak threatens. He doesn’t waste a second and merges with Erebus. Mintaka does the same. Their wings sprout and horns grow.

"Fascinating, I had only heard about your incubi forms but today I am witnessing them too," Meissa’s eyes appear genuinely fascinated with my mates’ changed forms.

I don’t understand her obsession with them, even when they are supposed to be enemies.

"We will show you," Mintaka’s dark self snickers. What a sight he is with all his tattoos, ruins and wings.

His weapon glows in his hand as he transfers his power into it and shoots out small snowballs, hurling them towards the enemy. They move like bullets.

"Meissa, focus," the boy on the left tells her. His hands and arms elongate, creating these fiery whips, which he uses to dodge Mintaka’s attack.

Alnitak lets his deadly mist flow out towards the enemy, like a hazardous wave, hitting the girl who has moved forward.

She coughs once, and a shield of pure blue plasma shoots out of her, covering her companions. Before she can completely cover them, I swing my sword, the electricity dazzles on the tip as I send the lightning strikes their way.

The boy with the blizzard power, tries to dodge but is hit straight in the chest. A shock travels through him, making his mouth gape open and his body spasm as he heaps on the ground.

Kacir and Rahria have also sprung into action. Both of them move at blinding speed, attacking the enemy. Trying to get past the shield, dodging the boy with fiery whips.

"Meissa, what are you waiting for?" The boy almost screams at her as if pulling her out of some trance.

"Oh, yes. Right," she sweetly says from behind the plasma shield which is thickest in front of her so our attacks won’t reach her.

Mintaka and Alnitak have taken flight, fighting from the air, using their powers and weapons, trying to break the shield.

I speak through the mindlink. "Keep your ears on my voice guys."

And then I hear the sweetest of voices. Dipped in honey, coated in sugar, so sweet that one wants to melt.

The kind which has the melody that will make you swoon and dance with joy. To make you want to fulfil whatever the voice demands.

"Turn against each other," she softly whispers, like a command.

I don’t move, my body tries but my mind shuts out the voice, focusing on my team.

"Don’t listen to her...listen to me..." I frantically say through the mindlink but I am only met with silence.

To my utmost horror, I watch my companions, my mates go into a dazed state. They turn on each other just like she had commanded. Their eyes take on this fierce red glow as if they are under a spell.

Rahria and Kacir tackle each other, with fierce growls escaping and claws scratching.

Both Mintaka and Alnitak stop attacking the enemy. Their weapons are kept drawn, but their faces go blank of any and every emotion. They literally turn into zombies, hurling their deadly powers at one another.

"Stop, please, stop..." I frantically scream through the mindlink but it’s of no use.

Like a defeated spectacle I watch my teammates trying to kill each other while the enemy watches from behind the protective shield.

My knuckles have bleached against my weapon. I channel every ounce of the power I can muster and hurl it towards the snickering enemy in rage. A vein ticks in my temple.

The plasma shield absorbs it.

Meissa has a forced smile as she watches Min and Alnitak, battling it out. Alnitak tries to choke Min with his deadly mist. Mintaka dodges and hurls several icicles at Alnitak. He is unable to dive sideways in the air and quite a few pierce his uniform and skin.

"No! Nooo!" I uncontrollably scream.

Everything happens in slow motion for me after Alnitak is hit.

The enemy’s cruel laughter.

Alnitak’s bloodcurdling cries.

The immense pain he experiences before tumbling towards the ground, falling with a slow thud in the snow. The pain erupts in my chest and spreads to my whole body, seeing my mate getting hurt in this fashion.

"Minnnn! Stop! Stoppp!" I agitatedly shout until my throat aches.

I’m running towards Alnitak, but my legs seem to be going at a snail’s pace.

"Let’s make them kill each other. One twin kills the other and then they can finish their mate. It will be so poetic," the boy with two long side braids and whips for arms casually suggests to Meissa.

I collect Alnitak in my arms, his eyes closed, and the numerous wounds on his body have blood seeping out. Mintaka hovers over him without a single emotion or remorse on his face.

"No, Min. Please, snap out of this," I plead with my mate but his eyes are so dead. He is already getting ready for the next attack.

This is it, they have hurt my mate. They have turned one brother against the other. I no longer care who finds out I am a Fae, I am going to kill all of them.

I yank off my necklace while keeping my arms around Alnitak. A combination of my powers shoots out of me like a hurricane. I don’t even have to think. Alnilam and Saiph have been training me and I can control almost all elements now.

My protective shield forms around my companions, to keep them safe and away from each other.

The combination of the elements gives birth to a cyclone of air, fire and electricity, aimed to break the plasma shield and kill the bastards who have dare hurt the brightest light in my life.

Alnitak is our sunshine, the ever-smiling, the most positive among us and they have made his twin hurt him.

With only hate in my eyes, I turn my head towards the enemy and whisper.

"Die."