Chapter 112: Pranu

I couldn't believe any of this. I couldn't. I just couldn't. I didn't understand how they would just... I can't even talk about it. It was horrible. Just plain terrible. But we won. That's all that matters right? No, infact it was the opposite of right, if felt wrong. I wasn't sure what I was thinking. It just felt so... unbearable. I would start crying, if not everyone was so relieved that we won. But I could tell, some of them had the same type of anguish lingering in their eyes. I could see the sorrow. Now that we had Nick, we could go back to camp. But it didn't feel right, I still felt responsible for the deaths of... I felt sick.

We had completely forgot about Maria in the time that has passed. So we were completely unaware of her sneaking up behind Shirley and putting a knife to her throat.

Chapter 113: Bhavana

I whirled around. Shirley looked completely calm.

"Nobody move! Or she dies!" Maria screamed.

We were frozen in place.

"You would not dare lay a hand upon her." Raven said in a tone that sounded like she was stating a commonly, well known fact, "Nikita, your 'boss', wants her alive."

"Well Nikita is dead, thanks to you, so I can make the decisions here," Maria sneered.

"Nikita is still your superior. He would not have wished harm upon his little test subject." Raven guessed, or more like knew.

"One more word from you and-" Maria started.

"And what?" Raven challenged.

"And I will kill her!" Maria finished.

Raven just stared coldly at Maria.

"Remember..." Raven reminded her.

Maria opened her mouth, but then it closed. Her hand relaxed a bit, that's when I lost it and attacked her.

Maria

I had no idea what was coming. The dagger whizzed at my face, I quickly twisted away, but it gave my hostage enough time to escape my grip. Everyone realized that now I had nothing to keep them from attacking. It was... all of them against me.

Chapter 114: Tim

I just got healed by Raven, it was quick, but the earlier pain was still making my arm throb. Still, I couldn't believe what Maria just did. But I still didn't want to blame her. I didn't know what to think. Now that Charlie was on our side, he couldn't have controlled her. She also seemed completely normal. I remembered that when Bhavana attacked me, her eyes were different from what she was acting like. But Maria's eyes looked exactly like before.

Ruidi

I didn't want to fight Maria, after the incident a while ago, I felt terrible. Now all my friends were attacking her, I felt worse. But she did threaten us, and it didn't look like anyone was controlling her. I couldn't accept the fact that she would betray us though.

Raven

That girl Maria was quite annoying. She did not take my subtly implied threat seriously. I dislike it greatly when others don't take me seriously, or believe misguidedly that I'm joking, it's disturbing. So if it ever happened again, I would show her, I would show her that she should be afraid of me. Just because I wasn't prone to bouts of insanity and/or compulsions to destroy something like my father Kronos, I have not released my inherited bad side yet.

Chapter 115: Shirley

That was close. I must thank Raven and her threats, they have saved me. The others were dealing with Maria. I trusted them to fend for themselves, much has happened and it bothered me. I needed time to think. I felt bad for the others, and me not helping them, but there was nothing I could do. I wandered, deep in thought. My mind swirled with ideas and problems. New categories were made in my head as it sorted out various thoughts. My brain was a mess, a litter, of jumbled thoughts. It was overflowing with problems and solutions. It needed the time for organization.

I had no idea where I was going. I was basically stumbling around the arena. I easily avoided the cracks in the ground. I jumped over pools of green lava. But I was so deep in thought that I didn't see someone accidentally produce another crack with their sword. The crack extended to where I was standing. I split and I stumbled through, screaming.

Chapter 116:Charlie

I turned towards the sound of the scream. I saw her, whatever her name was, fall through. Raven had lunged to save her from across the stadium, but it was too late.

"NOOOOO!" Bhavana screamed, as she rushed over to the crack.

They had just finished dealing with Maria, who got lucky and managed to escape. The whole flock hurried to the hole. There was no sign of Shirley. We assumed that she died.

Shirley

Everything around me was green. Bubbles were a shade of light green, the waves showed themselves as a darkish sea foam green. It was surprisingly cold, the green lava surrounded me, it engulfed me in a blanket of lightness. The green lava was easy to see through. I drifted around, the currents were carrying me somewhere, I knew it. When the crack appeared, I had a feeling that someone had made it happen. Suddenly, the waves and bubbles disappeared. I popped onto something hard.

Bhavana

How could she be dead? It happened so fast, I didn't even have the time to react. Everyone had a shocked face, they were all stunned.

"She's not dead," Raven spoke.

"WHAT?" We all turned to look at Raven.

"Tell us everything, now," Ruidi commanded.

"Why should I?" Raven almost yawned.

Ruidi gritted his teeth, he hated when people said that.

"Just tell us, please," I begged.

Raven sighed and told us, "So the lava is..." she began, but then abruptly changed her mind and said, "I apologize, I cannot say, for the mere basics of it would cause your heads to detonate and splatter grey matter all over us. But just be content to know that your friend is alive."

"That helps," Ruidi snorted.

Raven glared at him.

"I don't believe you," Ruidi stated.

"I have not asked you to.

"I think she is alive too," Charlie spoke up.

"Why is that?" Pranu asked.

"Because, if I try, I can sort of... read her mind, but it's blocked, or shielded, by her. I don't know how or why, but I can't manage to get to the thoughts," he answered. "It's like a package deal, along with being able to control minds and talk telepathically with other people."

Everyone became silent.

Shirley

The room was colder than the lava. I slowly stood up from the old carpet. I glanced around. That's when I noticed the figure sitting in the corner, shadowed by a cloak.

"Why hello, we meet again, Shirley," Nikita's voice made me shiver.

"You're alive?" I tried not to show how scared I was.

"Why of course," He smiled evilly.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Well, you know how you don't have your darklecovia powers? What if I say I can help you get them?" He offered.

I studied the offer, I thought about it, I wanted it, but I knew it was bad, "What's the catch?" I questioned.

He smiled, but there was no happiness in this smile, "How do you know there's a catch?"

"When is there not?" I replied.

He nodded, "Well, if you sign this contract... then I will show you. He pulled out a sheet of paper and laid it on the small wooden table that stood between us. He slid it over smoothly.

I stared at it, "It's blank," I told him.

"I know," He answered.

"But," I was confused.

"Just sign it," He tossed me a pen.

I didn't want to. Not the least bit, but I wanted Darklecovia badly. Someone screamed in my head.

DON'T SIGN IT! IT'S A TRICK! The voice had told me.

WHO ARE YOU? I shouted, or thought back.

Charlie. He replied.

How do you know it's bad? I asked.

They... wait connection... breaking... NO!- His voice disappeared.

Another voice came; I was getting annoyed with all these voices.

Don't trust him, he's lying. I know that we've been bad in the past, but that's only because your flock is choosing the wrong side. We are not doing evil, we are trying to save the world. The new voice spoke.

Who are you? I asked.

That's not important right now. Your Darklecovia is important. Once you learn it, not even you will know what powers you have, but we know that they are useful in saving the world. The voice answered.

If the person said I'm powerful, then would I be able to escape later?

Your powers cannot be learned by yourself, Nikita will give you training. The voice continued.

That answered my question, I would sign it.

I will sign. I thought.

Wise decision. The voice sounded happy.

"Are you signing or not?" Nikita noticed my hesitation.

I lowered my pen.