Serene’s POV

So I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around him, hugging him close. His hands instantly slacked and his chokehold loosened, I could feel his stiff body relax under my touch. My heart thumped loudly and I took a deep breath, taking in as much oxygen as possible.

His hand went limp against my neck and finally fell to his side. His body began to collapse but I held onto him tightly. I could now see his eyes, they were not black anymore and were turning red, which was his usual colour.

"Arlo, are you ok?" I whispered to him as I lowered him to the ground but held him in my arms. His eyes locked onto mine as he whispered:

"Serene, did I hurt you?" His hand slid to my face and I could feel his cold fingers, they were quivering. I could discern how exhausted and drained he was. I used to get drained even after a few minutes of her mind control, how long has he been under hers?

"No, you didn’t. Don’t worry, you are safe now." I tried to reassure him. His darkness began to dissipate so I enveloped us both with my shield.

"Serene...she is coming here. She is going...to take over your...realm. You must...inform your father." He stammered before passing out, his eyes closed and his body completely went limp in my arms. His words sent shivers throughout me. I looked around frantically trying to spot a familiar face amidst the carnage. I spotted Zian fighting with a vampire.

"Zian," I shouted at the top of my lungs. He glanced around and his eyes found me, his expression horror-stricken. He instantly flew towards me and landed a few feet away. I extended my shield and covered him with it too.

"Zian, take him. Try to heal him, I need to do something important." I handed over the unconscious Arlo to him. He didn’t say anything, just nodded as he took him from me and flew away with him.

Once they were gone opening my wings I flew in the air and inspected the damage. The ground below was strewn with dead bodies of monsters, fae and vampires. The battle continued with more and more forces falling and succumbing to each other’s spells and wounds.

I knew this was the time I needed to use my power. I was fully charged as I had only used my shield for a few minutes. Focusing on all my people, including my father who was battling vampires, Kilamin and every other fae present, I let my shield loose.

My green energy coursed through me and spread out. It began to engulf every one of my people, spreading far and wide as far as I could see, hurdling over the enemies. It moved in waves and reached far and wide than ever, pulsating almost thumping like it was alive.

Kilamin stopped fighting as my shield covered him and glanced in my direction with a satisfied expression, understanding I was about to do something.

I descended to the ground and closed my wings, two vampires shot toward me but were impaled by Kilamin before they could reach me. I knew he would keep me safe so I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Steadying my heart I focused the rest of my energy in the center of my body, it coursed within me like wild waves, ready to let loose.

Flicking open my arms I let it go, it burst out like a tsunami and headed for the intruders. Hitting them head-on as they all began to collapse, monsters as well as vampires. It skipped the people I had covered with my shield while hitting and jolting backward the ones who were not.

The world around me seemed to have slowed down as the energy kept rippling through me, moving forward, forming waves and annihilating the enemy. The fighting stopped instantly, and the remaining foe realizing there was no way around my power began to retreat into the Dark Realm.

This didn’t stop me and I made another push my wings flicked open on their own lifting me in the air, the tidal wave of energy pulsated strong and spread wide and far, crossing the borders of the Dark Realm, wiping everything in its path.

My father tried to fly towards me but Kilamin stopped him and shook his head. Concern was written all over his face. Finally, I found my reserves emptying and I stopped focusing all my energy in the center, it began to dissipate and disperse, leaving me drained. I tumbled to the ground but Kilamin caught me in his safe arms.

"Well done, little sister." He whispered in my ear with a small smile tugging on the corner of his lips, as we landed and my father rushed toward me and took me in his arms. I could see a sense of relief and pride on his face.

"My girl, you have made us proud." He beamed at me, stroking my head.

"Father, we have to head to the castle. The enemy is planning to take over it." I told them in a hurry.

"How you know?" He inquired in a surprised tone.

"Arlo told me. We have to go now." Kilamin and father exchanged looks but nodded at me.

Kilamin gave instructions to our remaining troops, to swipe the area and kill any enemy they might find, and remain alert for another attack. Wounded were to be tended. He asked his second-in-command to take over for now so we could head back to the castle.

"Can you fly?" My father inquired holding me close.

"I can," we opened our wings and headed back to the castle. My heart was agitated as if sensing something ominous was about to happen. I couldn’t shake the feeling. The bodies of the enemy were strewn far and wide and I could even see some dead creatures fallen over trees. Did my power do this? I wondered.

The castle came into view and I gasped loudly. My father’s shield was down and smoke could be seen rising from various places. It had been plunged into utmost chaos as another battle ensued right before our eyes. I heard my father groan seeing the state of the castle, he slanted his body and dived, landing just outside the castle. Slicing the two vampires who were headed his way with a flick of his hands, he entered through the main door with us on his heels.

Dead bodies of our royal guards were strewn all over the castle grounds, some were still fighting. The sight tied knots in my stomach, seeing my home in shambles.

My father barged inside the castle, crossing the corridor we reached the main hall. The mess that awaited us made me shriek in horror.

My grandmother was fighting the grotesque figure from my nightmares, only that she was not looking bony or grotesque anymore. She had morphed into a beautiful young woman, gone were the torn clothes and skinless body, and was replaced by flawless porcelain skin. Even the rotten teeth had been replaced by pearly whites. The only feature that remained unchanged was her red slit-like eyes.

I could see that my grandmother was injured, still, her white magic was keeping the enemy at bay. There were gashes on her face and hands. Father quickly safeguarded her with his shield. Kilamin and I attacked her with our arrows. But she was extremely fast and dodged them effortlessly, her entourage of vampires and monsters shielded her from our attacks.

She laughed, her voice echoed through the hall as we battled it out with her. Father held up the shield to guard us against her mind control, his hands quivering at the effort for she pressed hard to bring it down. I launched an Arrow of Agony which hit one of the vampires who shielded her, he fell writhing in agony.

I saw my grandmother fall succumbing to her injuries. It felt like my whole world fell with her, my heart screamed seeing her in such a condition. She was bleeding from her nose and her eyes were closed.

"Father, take her to the Infirmary. We will handle the situation here." I yelled.

"You can’t deal with her mind control alone," Father replied between gritted teeth as he balanced my grandmother in one hand and kept the shield up in the other. A swarm of creatures made its way toward us and my father’s shield broke, he had exhausted his reserves, and standing against her mind control was no easy feat.

My energy was almost depleted, two guards were fighting alongside Kilamin and the odds were against us. We were about to be hit by her mind control, I tried to bring my shield up but all my energy was gone.

Kilamin threw a sword my way, catching it I stood in front of my father and grandmother, guarding them, slicing down whoever dared stepped our way. I felt her eyes on me and her mind control nagging at my brain.

Three vampires sped towards me, I was ready for their powers to hit me when they were blasted back and flew about 20 feet before being slammed into the opposite wall. I jerked my head to see who did that.