I managed to update in under a month and I'm super proud of myself for it.

Thanks to JayDogg187 and Address Unknown for the follows and favs!

Sixty seconds.

That's how long it took. That's how long it took for . . . Blue Jay—their last hope, a dying flame, a star in a spiralling universe—to be taken down.

Her mind replayed the explosion—she'd seen Blue Jay smashing through the windows. She'd watch as frost crept along the heater and bore witness as the building blew up in a blast of glass and ice.

It had been like a blizzard had punched through those windows. Smoke and ice rushed out like water. Glass and steel showered down and deafening alarms erupted. They rung so loud in her mind that her head began pounding. The wind was so strong that she was nearly knocked over.

Her eyes searched for Helga—transformed or not—walking out uninjured and cursing Serec out. But, as the smoke cleared, Nel couldn't find any signs of moving figures or a black uniform. Her vision filled with hot tears; moments ago, a girl had walked those streets, desperate to prove herself. And now . . . blood slid down crumbling walls.

No. Please, not another.

She heard each of her breaths, rasping like she had the flu, and felt them as they hit her paws. Her blood was like cold water and she felt herself trembling. Something sparked inside of her, like a cluster of plugs in her abdomen, and she broke out of the shadowed alley.

She tore for the building across the street, unsure of what she was even looking for. She didn't know if the body would even resemble Helga anymore. She couldn't rid herself of the image her mind painted—broken bones, body glistening with ice and a deep blue. Would she recognise her? Did she even want to?

Please—please, not another—

Then she felt it.

A warm that spread across her body. It was a peculiar sensation that started from the back of her head and radiated to her paws. But it was one she was familiar with—the presence of her charge.

Blue Jay!

Her mind was screaming before she was even aware of it. Her paws stopped and she hid behind a flipped car. Serec—the barbarian—was much too wrapped up in his gloating to the people to notice a tiny cat.

Blue Jay.

The presence was there—burning so bright in her mind—but there was no reply. Her limbs were still moving like someone else was controlling them.

Helga, please!

Darkness.

Silence.

Pain shooting through my abdomen,

And then there's the ringing, chiming so loud that it shook the ground. I realised that the darkness was from my eyes being shut and fought to open them. But my eyelids . . . they were so heavy and I—

Fuck—the pain was hot. It was like my insides were contracting into little knots. My ears pulsated so loud I thought I'd gone deaf. There was nothing but ringing . . .

. . . a . . . he . . . el . . .

Someone was calling my name.

But . . . where? It came from all around me. I wanted to find the voice. I wanted to shout back at them, but I couldn't see them. Where was I?

Flashes of pain broke through the darkness. It slashed across my skin and warm water spread underneath me. It rushed through my body like fire and tore me apart like acid.

The darkness around me shattered and my eyes flew open. My vision was blotched with colours that moved and merged without pattern or design. My stomach felt scalded—like I was being burnt—and overshadowed everything.

Fuck, why was it so hard to breathe? My fingers curled against the pavement as my senses came back.

. . . ga . . . Hel . . . GA! HEGA! GET UP, PLEASE!

"N–Nel?" My voice was so heavy, I barely recognised it.

I pushed myself up and my eyes flew open—I hadn't realised they'd slipped shut—blinking rapidly as liquid ran down my lashes. My mind was spinning as I made it to my knees and slid my hands against the pavement.

Nel, I called out.

Helga, thank goodness! Her tone was so panicked yet relieved. It was strange, I almost didn't believe it was her.

My body shook from the chill that snuck underneath my clothes. My head was pounding and I touched my forehead. But my fingers came away smeared with blood. The metallic scent permeated my senses and my eyes snapped open.

What happened?

I looked around at the ice that curled around the crumbling walls in spiralling patterns. I realised there was small droplets of blood drippling down those patterns. Frowning, I looked down at the blood that swirled along marks on the frozen ground.

Serec, was all that Nel said.

And that was all she needed.

Because that name—the one that sent shivers down my spine—was all I needed to remember everything. I remembered the Mutants, remembered the explosions and the ice that spread across my skin.

Blood dribbled from my abdomen and I curled my fingers around it. Shit, it was so painful. I'd been fighting for so long without allowing myself a rest. But . . . that explosion was powerful. How had I survived?

The ground swayed beneath me as I pulled myself to my feet. My fingers were painfully raw against my gloves and my bones clattered. The temperature must've dropped thirty degrees at least.

My legs were weak, and my knees threatened to give in. I leaned against one of the splintered beams and gulped down the damp air. My chest was tight like I'd been underwater.

Smashed glass lay along the ground as moonlight tore through the gaping windows. Craning my neck, I spotted the crowd watching with wide eyes as Serec swung his arms out, firing proclamations at them. Someone must've said something because he turned back to the build with his hand on his chest.

I slunk back into the shadows and out of his sight.

Helga, are you okay? Nel demanded. I spotted her across the road, crouched behind a red SUV, eyes burning. I'm coming over there—

No, say there, I told her. Rubbing the liquid from my eyes, I look down at my blood stained hand. "I'm going to fucking kill him."

Lila watched with burning eyes.

Icy smoke rose like clouds out the windows as shrill alarms shattered her ear drums. It looked like someone had taken a large bite from the side of the building. Lila hadn't seen what had caused the explosion, but she'd seen the ice that'd crept over the entrance.

The smoke was thick, but she knew that Serec's target had been hit. The damage was much too large, even for her.

Blue Jay was dead.

A vacuum formed in her chest, it crushed her from the inside out. It hurt so bad that she could barely breathe.

A wave of emotion swept over the crowd; she watched as some shed tears and cuddled their loved ones. Her knees buckled and she turned to bury her head into Gerald's shoulder. He was warm and wrapped an arm around her, but she could feel his shakiness.

She felt Arnold's hand grasp her shoulder and looked up to salty tears dripping down his cracked lips. He clamped his mouth shut and scowled at the reason everyone was crying.

The man—Blue Jay had called him Serec—stood with his back to them. One hand was on his hip and the other cradled his chin as he scanned the building. Disgust heaved in Lila's stomach, he looked like he was reviewing art.

"Pity . . ." he shrugged, turning back to face them. The cops stiffened and held up their weapons again, but Lila could see the fear that danced across their faces. It was greater then before, when they'd had Blue Jay. Now, they were truly alone. Serec laughed when he heard their guns clicking. "You're still gonna attempt that? I see where my lady got her wits from."

Something flared in Lila's chest. He had taunted then buried Blue Jay under piles of rubble and still had the nerve to call her his lady?

"Haven't you figured that there's nothing you can do to stop me?" Serec continued in a voice that reminded Lila of metal. It sounded smooth, flawless even, but struck her as cold. "You saw what happened, you've seen how powerful I am." He held out his arms like he was waiting for an applause. "But, of course, if you still insist, I urge you to fire first. I'm sure I'll be caught off guard this time."

Silence swelled as the cops exchanged alarmed looks. Was it smart taking Serec up on his challenge? Lila didn't know the answer. The last time they had, Serec fired back on everyone like they'd been caught in a blizzard.

But they'd had Blue Jay then. Lila's heart fell like a stone into her stomach. Blue Jay, she was . . .

Who would protect them now?

The left side of Serec's face tugged up into a grin like he'd been listening to her thoughts. Her insides curdled like milk mixed with lemon. "No? Smart move. Maybe there's some semblance of hope for this race," he said, rising a hand in their direction. A wisp of blue light struck from his fingers and fizzled out into the air. The same light wrapped around the cops' guns and, with a flick of his wrist, Lila watched as Serec magically thrusted them from the cops' hands. The guns flew over the barricades and landed in loud clatters behind Serec.

Lila felt her fists shaking when Serec laughed. "And now that you're unarmed, I would appreciate some respond." The smile was suddenly replaced with an impatient scowl. "Now kneel."

Everyone exchanged helpless looks, silently asking what they could do. The silence was so chilling and tore straight into Lila's mind. Arnold turned to her and Gerald, looking at them with such helpless, red eyes.

The tears had stopped but her heart bled for him. She couldn't tell if he was more upset at the situation or how powerless he was. Arnold had always been a doer, eager to help people. He had a good heart and never hesitated to jump to the aid of someone else.

And here he was, brought down to their level. Stuck in a position where he was powerless to help people, one where he was as pathetic as they were.

And slowly everyone sank to their knees.

Lila felt her jaw drop as people kneeled to the ground, bowing their heads so far their chins touched their collarbones. Even the police were amongst them, including a very reluctant chief, knowing they too were powerless.

But it was when her friends joined then that Lila felt herself truly burning with anger. She looked down on them with betrayal but only Gerald met her gaze. Arnold was much too ashamed and kept his eyes down. Helplessly, Gerald tugged on her hand and pleaded with his eyes for her not to do someone stupid, for her to join them.

But she refused.

"Oh?" She heard Serec's voice direct itself at her. Looking up, ice sunk deep into her soul and nestled in her heart. She wanted to look away, but she remembered Blue Jay. She remembered how hard she'd fought against this man, fought for them, and resisted that urge. "Looks like we have a rebel in our midst. How comical."

All gazes snapped toward her.

The way they gaped at her, like she was insane, only made the anger burn brighter. How was she in the wrong? She refused to bow to this . . . creature. She didn't know what he intended to do, but she knew it wasn't good. In fact, she suspected that their demise was a guarantee if he won. Lila was afraid to die, as most were, but she refused to go out cowering. Her mother raised her better than that.

A droplet landed on her cheek and, for a moment, she thought she'd been crying. But another one landed on her shoulder, then her hand, and she looked up to find rain falling from the sky. Dark clouds with glowing edges moved across the sky but the moon still pierced through like fire.

Lila turned her attention back to the grinning man who had began crossing down the street. The way Serec smiled at her, the way he looked at her—like she was just his entertainment—only made her angrier.

Gerald tugged on her hand again, this time harder, and managed to make her stumble. "Lila," he whispered through gritted teeth, eyes still on Serec. "What're you do-?"

Frustration bloomed in her chest and she snatched her hand from his. She saw the hurt that twisted in his eyes as he looked up at her but she was much too irritated to care. "What you should be doing," she hissed. She turned back to the fox-like man, who had stopped to watch the show with amusement. "And I will never kneel to pigs like you."

She felt Gerald and Arnold freeze beside her. They turned up to give her panicked looks but she kept her gazes on Serec, pouring all her hate through her eyes.

His eyes suddenly lit up and the grin stretched further across his sharp lips. "Ah, that alluring look—in your eyes—it reminds me of my lady . . ." he mused and placed a hand to his heart.

To her astonishment, he turned to gaze at the moon with a look of a man in love. The way the beams shone down on him, tangling in his hair and flashing from his teeth, he looked how she'd pictured Romeo when serenating Juliet.

"Of course, that's not what she'd say," he said and slid his gaze back to her. She noticed how his smile slightly shrank. "She'd say something like—"

"Eat pig shit?" asked a voice.

One that didn't belong to Lila.

It was a good feeling.

The way he stared at me like I were a figment of his imagination. One that had managed to escape the confines of his mind and step out into the real world. As horror twisted on Serec's face, the crowd behind him gasped and turned to one another to whisper their astonishment. I noticed Lila amongst them, still red from her encounter, watching me with eyes frozen open.

Her hair brandished in the silver light, like dancing fire, and contrasted with her emerald jacket. She stood above everyone else, even above Arnold, which surprised me.

"Of course," I continued, stepping forward. My hands pressed into my blood–soaked uniform, but adrenaline coursed through my veins, I could barely feel the hurt. "I prefer how she worded it."

The wind licked the strands from my face and caressed the gash above my eyebrow.

"H–How—" the way Serec stuttered made me proud. He looked like he'd just seen a ghost, which, in a way, he technically had. "How did you—"

"I told you," I smirked, stepping forward again. "I'm Hillwood's Guardian. And I'll always be here to defend it from stupid assholes like you."

He pressed his lips together s the shock in his eyes turned to irritation. He opened his mouth to fire back when he suddenly paused. His eyes sank from my face and ran down my legs to my feet.

A grin lit up his face.

I frowned, following his line of sight and—

Shit.

As I'd been walking forward, I hadn't taken notice of the shallow pool of water I now stood in. Spurts of water had formed from the broken hydrant and formed a large lake that covered the road. Moonbeams hit the ripples, which tore through the area.

Serec's hand pulsated with a crisp light and he snapped his fingers. The water around became thick layers of frost that encrusted both the roads and cars. It cackled bitterly as it curled around my leg, encasing me in an icy fortress.

The cold chilled me into a clumsy numbness as I tried yanking myself free. The iciness seeped into my toes and flowered through my thigh. The wind wrapped around me like a shawl and my teeth chattered.

"Defend them, you say?" Serec chuckled and clenched his fist. The frost climbed up higher, wrapping around my thigh. "Let's test your little claim, shall we?'

His words were like tiny claws tearing into my skin. I fought to keep my features neutral, to hide the wave of panic that grasped my heart.

Serec flung his arms into the air and a blast of blue flew from his hands, forming into icy daggers. They gleamed white in the light and shot through the air like bullets. My heart clenched when I realised where they were headed for.

Sharp screams rose as the ice soared for the crowd. I made a noise from the back of my throat and tried yanking my leg out of the ice. As everyone leapt up, Gerald pulled Lila to his chest and traded looks with Arnold. Looks that belonged to children who couldn't find their mother's.

Another frustrated cry ripped from my chest. Criminy—it was hard to breathe. Like the air was made from poison. My throat felt swollen, my lungs too heavy. Serec's laughter rung in my ears. I wanted to claw through the ice, but my gloves wouldn't let me.

Then Arnold looked at me. Silvery tears glimmered in his wide eyes as sweat glistened from his skin. He looked like he wanted to scream, but was too stunned to make a noise.

"No!"

My vision blurred as a barrier suddenly popped up around the crowd. It flashed blue, shimmering, and protected them from the ice. The people gasped as the shards merely made the barrier ripple before disappearing in tiny bursts of white.

The wind whistled in my ears as tears bit through my mask, gliding down my face.

The barrier dissipated and all eyes turned in my direction. My heart thudded painfully against my ribs and I looked down at my shaking fingers. They were coated in a blue light that sizzled against the dark. A wave of bumps popped up on my arms and I realised the buzz that flowed through my veins.

My powers were back.

Serec turned to stare at my hands.

They were back . . .

Something bubbled in my gut; it was powerful and warm. It thrived like adrenaline, but it was lighter—powerful.

. . . and here to stay.

I squeezed my hands into fists and the ice around my body shattered as blue slithered up my legs. Sharp wind crossed my face and my hair pulled free from its braid and danced around my shoulders. My blood was boiling, and I glared up at Serec, throwing down my glowing fists. "You—" I wet my lips "—you shouldn't have done that."

His face darkened, eyes boring into mine like lava, and he gritted his teeth together. Another icy dagger materialised next to him and shot into the air for me. It travelled at the speed of sound and I yelped, holding up my hands defensively.

Shit, what had I done? How had I summoned that shield? I conjured an image of that Mutant, the one from a week ago, that had attacked me with its vine–like arms. My body twitched with the urge to run but Arnold, Lila and even Gerald—they flashed through my mind.

I shut my eyes.

It felt like a balloon was being pulled from my skin and was being blown up bigger and bigger. Something like hundreds of knives were thrown toward my bubble and a thunderous pulse shook my bones but nothing happened.

I opened my eyes.

The barrier was transparent, but bright—it seared my retinas. It almost looked like water as ripples spread across the surface from where the ice struck it.

Serec glowered then stretched out his open hand into the air. My stomach dropped in horror, I hadn't realised the rain that had been pelting down on us. The tiny droplets suddenly froze and hardened into tiny needles. My barrier winked out of existence as Serec threw his hand forward, ice flying at me.

I heard Nel shout something from behind and I just barely managed to bring up another barrier in time to meet the blows. It felt like my skeleton was vibrating in my body and my teeth clacked together. The force was so strong that my concentration was thrown off and my shield disappeared.

Shit.

Serec smirked and thrusted his hands forward. A wave of tingles ran down my spin and I shuddered. A metallic screech came from behind and water droplets sprayed over me. Nel's voice wasn't the only one shouting at me, everyone in the crowd cupped their mouths to yell words I couldn't distinguish.

I turned around to a cloud of gushing water that had burst from the fire hydrants and rose into the air. Deep blue waves galloped for me, larger then any Mutant I'd seen, and spat beads onto my face. The ground shook and rumbled beneath my feet.

I yanked up my hands and a forcefield wrapped around me like a globe. The water crashed down with a force that knocked me to my knees. The pounding in my head intensified as little beads of sweat rolled down my forehead. It felt like someone had thrown weights onto my arms, it was getting hard to keep them up. The sapphire glow from my forcefield flickered against the water and I clamped down on my tongue, shutting my eyes.

I needed to concentrate—I needed to block everything out. I needed to forget people watching, forget where I was and push every ounce of strength into the flashing at my fingertips.

Then, it was gone.

Coldness slithered underneath my uniform and nibbled on my arms. I heard a rush of wind and ice crackling from all around me.

I opened my eyes and gasped—the water had frozen around my forcefield. My breath came out in tiny puffs as I scanned the ice that had formed around me in a C–shape. Heart hammering, the forcefield zapped from existence and I rolled out from underneath the ice.

I couldn't stop the sense of victory—I'd done it. My forcefields were back and I . . . I finally was no longer alone.

Still crouched down, I looked up to give Serec a teasing smirk, but it disappeared when I realised how excited he looked.

"Finally, milady!" he shouted with a twisted smile. "We're getting started!"

He snapped his fingers and heat rose in white vapour from the frozen ground. It floated and curled and tangled in my throat. He smirk and twisted his fingers and a surge of ice flew from his tips.

A swirling storm of silver roared in my ears, charging for me. It was a blizzard, one that erased the street from behind Serec. Everyone's screams were swallowed by the howling wind.

I struck out my hand and shot out another wire to the top of the building across from me. Ice pellets hit my shoulders and I ran forward, my hand still up and connected to the wire holding onto the building. I jumped onto the hood of a car and kicked off onto the surface of the building behind it. I didn't slow my momentum and ran across the wall, ignoring the cold that slid down my back.

The avalanche behind me bit my heels and ice spread like fire across the windows. The ice burst into loud explosions and glass fell over my shoulders. I kicked off from the wall and soared through the air like lightning to the opposite building,

Gritting my teeth, I planted my feet under where the wire was connected and watched from a safe distance as the snowstorm fired away. Flakes swirled in unseen currents and fountains of glass shards flew across as windows exploded from the ice. Biting my lip, I watched Serec who laughed as the storm raged on.

I spotted the people behind the dividers, watching with panic, and unsure of what to do. Thankfully, they were behind Serec, so the blizzard hadn't touched them.

Suddenly, Serec snapped his arms down by his side and the blizzard vanished in an eruption of white smoke. The ice melted back into water which joined the rain in hitting the pavement, washing away the frozen patterns.

Rain ran down my face and soaked my hair. I felt myself shivering from beneath my uniform. Serec didn't see me hanging from the building and smirked, scanning the abandoned area with self–approval.

"Is that all you've got, Elsa?!" I couldn't resist shouting at him. His smirk faded and he whipped up to look in my direction. His jaw went slack when his eyes found me hidden away from his attack.

I watched as my words hit him and confusion crossed his face. "Elsa?"

"You better tie those shoes extra tight because our waltz has just become a tango!" I continued and shot out my other hand where another projectile shot from my wrist. The silver wire connected with the building opposite me and on Serec's left. "Ladies first, of course!"

I didn't give him enough time to react. Kicking off from the window, the night air soared past me as I flew across the street. I watched him from the corner of my eyes, he rose a glowing hand, and, for a moment, I thought he was going to freeze my wire again. But he paused then lowered his hand, smirking. "Things have finally become interesting, milady!" he said.

Reaching the roof, I gripped onto the edge as rain hailed down onto my body. Everything felt slippery as I heaved myself up onto the roof. Little water droplets drenched my hair, which slapped across my face, and thunder rolled across the sky. Coldness seeped through my soaked sleeves and chilled my skin. I looked around for anything, but it was empty up here. I could only spot a bright red door on the far end, one that would take me inside. But I decided against this, it would only mean more property damage and possibly a dead end.

Criminy, would I have to fight him again? I'd barely escaped before. And my powers were shaky, I still had my injuries—I pressed a hand to my abdomen and the burning made me grit my teeth—whatever happens, it would have to be quick and away from everyone.

"I was beginning to think you didn't want to be found."

I looked over my shoulder at him, he floated in the air like an angel. His hands were in his pockets and his hair moved like he was underwater. Frost spidered across his boots, which must've been keeping him afloat, and a proud smirk danced across his face.

Pushing myself to my feet, I turned to him with an air of confidence. "Oh, but how could I refuse thou's charms?" I asked slowly, hoping my clenched fists would hide my shaking.

Thunder reverberated as lightning flashed across the malevolent skies. Serec smirked with amusement and swung his hands, sending a massive blast for me. Biting my teeth, I leapt out of the way. He sent another blast which I ducked to avoid, ignoring the ice that sunk into my shoulder.

He struck again, ice bursting from his palms, and I didn't even think as I rose my hand in the air. But it was wrapped in a bright blue orb. The blast crept closer and I struck down and watched as my glowing hand tore through the ice like tissue paper.

Serec looked over at me with—approval?

"Ah, I think I'm beginning to like this new side of you!" he remarked, landing delicately onto the roof's edge as the ice melted from his boots. His palms spewed silvery vapour that formed into another chain. His ringlets trembled and a midnight white smile lit up his face. "But let's see if you can handle my favourite toy."

He swung it out like a whip, and I spun around to escape when I felt is iciness burning my neck. I threw myself onto my stomach to avoid it and felt it whizz over my head so close that I expected my hair to turn to ice.

"Oh, don't run away!" I heard him laugh as he swung again for me. I rolled out of the way as the chain struck where I once lay. Dust sprung up and irritated my lungs. Hacking into my fists, I looked up again and found myself staring at the door.

And suddenly I knew what to do.

Leaping up, I ran again for the closed door and Serec overdramatically sighed. "You know," he quipped in an offended tone, "it's awfully rude to leave a party early."

I head the clankiness as the chain tore though the air and headed for me. Gritting my teeth, my vision went blurry as I manipulated forcefields to wrap around my legs. The distance between the chain and I widened as I manoeuvred the forcefields to move faster. Giddiness bubbled in my chest and I leapt up and kicked off the door. Blue sparks shot from my feet as I twisted elaborately into the air and missed the chain that flew beneath my shoulder.

Landing on my feet, my hands shimmered as I grabbed onto the chain which wrapped around the door handle. Before it could explode, a growl ripped from my throat as fire rushed through my veins. I heard Serec's breath hitch as the silver iciness of the chain suddenly burnt blue. I looked up to meet his flashing gaze before I tugged on the chain which sent Serec flying for me.

I ran for him and sunk my glowing fist into his cheek. Blood exploded from his mouth and he was knocked onto the ground, rolling to the edge. The chain disappeared from my hands and the forcefields melted into the night.

Rain trickled down my body, washing away the blood and sweat caught in my uniform. Serec's chest rose and sank with every shallow breath he drew in. my blood hummed in my veins as a fire took over and I marched forward.

"As I've said before, Serec, I am Blue Jay, Defender of Earth and Guardian of Hillwood," I recounted and felt my wet fists shaking. "And fuck you for threatening so much in one night." I paused and placed a hand on my hip when the struggling man stirred. "You may not believe it, but I will always protect me people."

Serec's arms shook as he pushed himself up from the ground. His clothes stuck close to his body as sheets of rain slid down him. I could see the outline in his tight shoulder muscles as he faced his back to me. He spat out a mouthful of blood, but I spotted a red tooth that joined the puddle.

I wouldn't lie, seeing him in this state—weak and vulnerable—it made me feel good.

"I will always be there to preserve its safety," I said and continued moving forward until I was in front of him. Serec looked up in time for my magic infused boot to knock right into his nose. He howled as his head knocked back to the ground, another bloody burst spluttering from his lips.

"Especially—" I pressed my boot into his cheek "—from disgusting, misogynistic pigs like you."

The suffering on his face was too much for me. I leaned in closer so that my lips were against his ear. He shivered when my breath hit his face. "Still find the look in my eyes to be alluring?"

His lips pulled back in a snarl and I smiled. I stepped away and the magic died from my boot, which allowed him to finally turn up to glare at me. But it only amused me.

He opened his mouth but didn't speak when something seemingly occurred to him.

Serec looked to the side, over the edge, and his face lit up with a shadowed smirk. My stomach sank into iciness—what was he thinking?

He turned back to me and plastered on a grin that didn't reach his eyes. Blood dribbled down his nose and got caught between his teeth. "Unfortunately, milady . . ." he held up his hands in a surrendering pose. "Lying underneath your boot is not nearly as exciting as I'd hoped for."

I quirked a brow.

He fired a silver surge for my face. I reeled back but it managed to cut across my cheek. I yelped and slapped a hand to my cheek, blood slipping between my fingers.

Shit.

"Damn it—" Looking down, I wasn't surprised to find the place he once lay was now empty. Rain ran down my neck and I stopped to consider his last words. "Lying underneath my boot . . . what does—"

Then, I noticed that, down in the streets, stood a girl with red hair and an emerald jacket. My heart jumped into my throat—Lila.

Her hand was pressed to her long skirt as she bent down to pick something up from the ground. Squinting, I realised that it was my knife—criminy, I hadn't even noticed I'd dropped it. Moonlight shone from the blade and into my eyes. I hissed and shielded my face, turning to the people behind the barriers screaming out for her.

I could see Arnold and Gerald fighting to get to her but hands from both the police and civilians held them back. I frowned in confusion, those who weren't holding back the boys were crying out in hoarse voices and pointing above her.

I looked to where they pointed, and gasped—he stood in the shadows. The whiteness of his form was a brilliant shock against the black. A grin was spread over his face, wide and open, that showed his beaming teeth. He shoved a hand out and a flash of blue from my peripherals caught my attention.

I looked to the right where a large blast, bigger then anything I'd seen, charging straight for Lila. It was a wave of ice which spit sharp icicles and thick pellets of snow. A roar echoed from between the buildings and the wind hissed across Lila, who looked up at the dashing blizzard.

Terror overtook her and she screamed, cradling the knife.

My mind was blank as I shot out my wire and swung down beside her. She yelped when I shoved her behind me and raised my hands above. A blast of blue flared from my fingers and stretched over our bodies. It shimmered and buzzed with a warm pulse.

Pure white snow cracked against the stormy blanket of blue with a thunderous boom. The ice shimmered like water and seeped over the dome, searching for an entrance, but failed. But the force was getting too heavy, I gritted my teeth and looked up—I could spy a crack forming across the forcefield.

Fuck!

I wrapped an arm around Lila's waist and pulled her against my hip. She squealed but wrapped her arms around my shoulders. One of my hands was still in the air as blue sparked at my boots. Keeping my shield up, I stumbled forward and leapt into the air.

It was like slow motion—my heartbeat jammed itself into my wind pipe. We both ploughed through the air, but the snow swallowed both our screams. Cold air wrapped around our bodies, but I could only feel my own breath.

A glint from the corner of my eye caught my attention against the raging white. I snatched the knife from Lila's hands and flung it through the air. I didn't know if it landed my target, it was much too cloudy to tell.

I felt the forcefield around us break and quickly wrapped myself around Lila. Everything shook around us, but I could feel our bodies getting closer and closer back to the ground. Pulling back my lips, I encased us in another barrier just in time.

The concrete cracked against the forcefield, which vanished when we safely made our landing. A spluttering of dirt and gravel rained onto our bodies and tickled my throat.

A dull ache gnawed from between my eyebrows and I groaned. Sitting up, I looked down at Lila, who hacked up the filth, and scanned her for any injuries. Her face was sweat and flushed red, but she seemed okay.

Still, I decided to ask anyway.

"You okay, Lila?" I croaked in a hoarse voice. The fight was wearing down on my body. Exhaustion laid thick on my muscles and sunk through to my bones.

She looked up with wide eyes and opened her mouth—

When a loud, cracked scream split the sky.

I looked up and, through the wall of mist that swirled around, spotted Serec's outline. It was dark and popped against the white vapour. He clutched his hand which bubbled blood from the knife that sunk through it.

The knife suddenly snapped from his flesh, earning another hoarse cry, and tore straight through the smoke. It travelled like lightning into my fingers. Pushing Lila behind me, I stood to my feet and watched as the mist cleared. He glared at me with shadowed eyes as he clutched his seeping palm.

The way he watched me, with red dripping down his face and his sharp, fierce eyes, I realised how much his appearance was aligning itself with who he really was—a madman.

I swung the knife around in a defensive stance and threw up another shield over my arm. "It's over, Serec!" I yelled.

He threw back his head and droplets of salvia burst from his open mouth. And he laughed, an awful gurgling cackle that had more salvia running down his jaw. Moonlight streamed from behind his figure. "Over?!" He fired back and bent over as he cackled some more. "Oh, milady, we're far from over!"

He held up his hand and blood flowed thickly down his wrist. "We're only just beginning!"

A strong burst of wind hurled around him, one so strong that I had to raise my hand to shield my eyes. The air stung my face, numb with coldness, and tousled my wet hair. There was a whoosh! and the wind abruptly stopped.

Blinking, I looked up, but Serec was no longer there.

And, with him, the wind, the ice and mist all disappeared—leaving the trashed streets of Hillwood doused with rain.

Sighing, I let my shield disappear and tucked my knife back into my boot. Turning around, I faced Lila who was still on the ground, watching where Serec once stood. "Lila," I said softly, holding out my hand. She looked up, startled. "You oka—?"

A gun clicked.

"FREEZE!"

I looked up into the angry eyes of the moustached cop—he held up his gun in shaky hands. His fellow officers watched him ludicrously, but some reluctantly followed his actions and pointed their guns at me.

"Are you fucking serious?"

The voice, it came from behind me. And sounded suspiciously like . . .

Lila marched forward and placed her body between me and the guns, holding out her arms. I noticed the moustached cop—I suspected the chief—growling at this. "Lila," he said, "get out—"

"She saved us!" Lila exclaimed, eyes flashing with anger. "And you're rewarding her by pointing guns at her?!"

The crowd behind the cops roared in agreement and began demanding they put their guns down.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY, LILA!" The chief yelled, his eyes trained on me. "She's dangerous, you don't know what she's capable of!"

I noticed Lila's fists shaking by her side. "I know that she's the only one capable of fighting that man!" She fired back. "I know that she can push herself much further beyond our abilities! I know that she can walk out of an explosion to protect us!"

She released a breath and shut her eyes. I traced my eyes from her shaking fists up to her shoulders and noticed how wound up she really was. When she opened her eyes again, they were different. They had always been so bubbly and deep, but now . . . it was like looking at fire doused in water. "I know," her voice was quieter, but still held as much venom, "that she's capable of doing a better job then you are."

I felt my jaw drop and Lila turned to give me a smile over her shoulder. "And I know," she continued, "that she's here to save us."

"Lila . . ." I mumbled.

The smile shrank when she turned back around to face the cops again. "Killing or arresting her would be going against your duty to protect us!" She insisted. "She's our only hope—if you get rid of her . . . you're signing all our death warrants!"

Her words burned in my mind. This was . . . a whole new side to Lila I hadn't witnessed before. She was always so kind and demure. She was the peacemaker, armed with love and patience, and always sought to understand and calm both sides. Never once had I seen her snap at someone. She wasn't apathetic but refined. But now . . .

Apparently, I wasn't the only one taken back by her outburst. Gerald and Arnold, no longer restrained, exchanged bemused looks with gaping mouths. So, this wasn't something that I wasn't understanding, this truly was out of character for Lila.

But . . . it wasn't the cops Lila was shouting at. No, she was specifically yelling at the chief. Her venomous words were directed at him. I turned to him and saw how torn he looked—he couldn't shoot without hitting Lila. His face twitched as his lips drew back into a stressed snarl. It was his job to protect the citizens, like it was mine.

It felt someone had slipped ice down my neck. I stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on Lila's shoulder. "Lila—"

"Keep your hands off her!"

The guns were trained back onto me and I jolted my hands upwards. Lila rolled her eyes and turned around to look at me questioningly.

My head was still pounding, and my tongue felt swollen. I released a cool breath and looked into her eyes. Hardened sapphires stared back. "Lila," I hesitated. "I . . . thank you."

And I wasn't just thanking her for tonight. I was thanking her for everything. For all the times she was kind to me even when I didn't give her a reason to be. Everyone viewed Helga like a bug stuck to their shoe, but she . . . she spoke to me like I was still Blue Jay.

She grinned at me. "I feel like I should be the one saying that."

The way she smiled reminded me of the spring. It was so bold and homely, warm and strong. Her smile was the season of inner calm and kindly stoicism etched in joy.

I surprised myself by smiling back before turning back to the police. A sea of faces stared back of me—some glaring, some watching with curiosity, others armed with guns and cameras. A muscle twitched from the corner of my right eye and my mouth formed into a grimace. "Okay—listen up!" I said and stepped forward. "I'm not your god damn messiah!"

There was a pause as confusion settled into the faces staring at me. I noticed the screen over my shoulder lighting up with my image again. My bright, blonde hair framed my face, a stark contrast to the dark mask that kept my features hidden. But my blue eyes burned bright, even from the dried blood that cacked the side of my face.

I cleared my throat, turning back to the crowd, and continued. "Nor am I your wonder woman! You reporters either write me like an infallible creature or an idiot kid who has no idea what she's fucking doing!" I barked a bitter laugh. "Well, here's a reality check—I'm neither! I'm an individual perfectly liable of making mistakes! Next time there's an attack—which there will be—your common sense has to be turned up three notches!

"You need to put your stupid phones down and get the fuck out of there! If you see any kids then get them out too! I need to protect you from shit like tonight, but guess what? Its really hard when people insist on sitting down to watch the fucking show!" I paused to take a deep, calming breath. I was still being recorded and there were surely kids in the crowd, I needed to tune down the cursing if I wanted them to listen. "I'm only one girl—an inexperienced one, but . . . I'm all you have! I'm the only one who knows just who the hell Serec is and how to fight him! Face it, I may not be great, but I'm all you have! Treating me like the enemy isn't helping anyone!"

Serec's laughter was still in my head when I turned to look where he once stood. The pale moon illuminated the freckled sky that moved with dim, grey clouds. The storm . . . for now, it was over. Coolness grazed my cheek and my eyes burned.

"Serec, he . . ." I took a shaky breath, "he's completely insane, but he—he's right about one thing!" I spun around to face the crowd again. "So, please stop treating me like a blockbuster movie and take this for what it is—attacks. If you see a Mutant, you should strive to get yourself and anyone else out . . . and don't villainise the cops."

I turned to meet the chief's bewildered eyes. "Because no matter what they're doing, or saying about me," I said, frowning, "remember that . . . it's all because they care about you."

This man seemed to wear his heart on his sleeve because I could see the thoughts that ran across his features. I'm sure, given my powers and general mystery, authorities were reluctant to work with me, unless it involved experiments. And clearly this man held no affection for me, but . . . we were still on the same side.

He clamped his mouth shut with a gruff look but moved his head in a stiff nod. The tips of my mouth twitched up as I nodded back at him, before turning back to the crowd. "And more then anything, remember this—I will never put my shields down."

I didn't look back at Lila as I shot out my wires high into the night. "For I am Blue Jay! Defender of Earth and Guardian of Hillwood! And I swear on anything and everything I hold dear—" my eyes met Arnold's "—that I will protect you all!"

The blue and red lights were little more then smudgy illuminations caught in the rain. A smile twisted my lips as Lila leapt straight into Gerald's arms. Arnold laughed and threw his arms around them both. Journalists were trying to get statements from her but the cops forced them back.

The Chief took off his hat, revealing his balding head, and approached her with a grim expression. Thunder rolled by but I couldn't stop the joy that shook in my gut—they were fine.

Thin, whispery air twisted through the jagged glass shards of the window and wrapped around my shivering arms.

They were safe.

The door behind me suddenly ripped open. I spun around with my heart in my throat.

"Helga?!"

Fluorescent lights flooded in through the doorway and shaped the tiny body looking up at me. I released a breath, "Oh, hi, Nel, I—oof!"

Before I knew it, Nel had leapt into my arms. "Helga, you complete half-witted imbecile!" She exclaimed, shoving her forehead into my shoulder. "You almost died!"

I wasn't sure how to respond. This wasn't the Nel I'd grown used to over the past week—she wasn't calm, cool and collected (yet secretly stupid). Now, she was a blubbering mess.

My mouth curved into a smile.

"Oh, c'mon, Nel, don't tell me you were—" I faked a gasp "—worried about dumb ol' Helga, were you?"

Nel pulled back to look up at me with wide eyes. It was an expression I'd never thought I'd witness on her face, I was half tempted to take a photo with my phone. Then her brows snapped together and the moment was lost. "No, I was simply concerned with how foolish you were to get yourself terminated," she snapped. "Because then I'd have to find another Guardian, which I haven't exactly yet, then I'd have to go through the tedious process of explaining to them why I can speak and then—"

I laid a hand on Nel's scalp, cutting her off. She paused and looked up at me as I rubbed between her ears. "Missed you too, numb nuts," I grinned.

She blinked then the corners of her mouth turned up into a smile. "It's good to have you back."

Holding out my hand, a small, glowing orb burst from my fingers, painting the shadows blue. "It's good to be back," I remarked.

Nel smiled at the orb in my hand, blue light dancing across her face and beaming in her eyes. She turned back to me with a hopeful, content look. "Let's go home, Helga."

A warmth spread in my chest. It was unlike the magic that powered my veins. It was softer and made the room swell with heat. The orb died in my hands and I made strides for the broken window—the one I'd crashed through with Eugene.

"Nel," I said, grinning, "I full heartedly agree with your statement."

The grin disappeared from her face as she looked between the window and the door I was explicitly not heading for. "Um, Helga," she blinked, "the door is that wa–AAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!"

Shooting out the wires, I leapt into the yawning night with Nel wrapped tightly in my arms. I heard gasps from below and cameras flashing as I passed over the crowd. Nel's claws sunk into my shoulders as we swung from building to building, night air tangling in my hair. But I didn't cry from the pain, instead I laughed.

"For someone who trained the great Blue Jay," I yelled over the whistling wind, "you are a baby, Nel!"

"HELGA!"

My eyes opened.

Air moved like cold water, reaching and curling in my bones. Black walls cried as shadows rolled like blankets of ashy clouds. Graffiti was sprawled across those walls. Squinting, I read their messages—

Those who seek forgiveness

Become those who judge misdoings,

Fire burns until it won't,

Love is felt until it stops,

Mercy becomes her hand,

Her sword cuts in both directions,

Two arms bless and protect,

Upon her shoulders rests the sky,

She becomes the hand who separates,

Those who have sinned against the mother,

Will find relief in their punishment,

She will stand by, counting,

Through her light, we shall find glory,

When the time is right, she will shine,

Truth will wait for your arrival

Footsteps echoed in my mind. I wanted to move, to run, but something held me back. A force was wrapped around my arms and legs, one I couldn't see. I looked down and recognised my uniform—I was Blue Jay, no longer Helga.

A sleek giggle pierced the dark air and I looked up. A figure stood a few feet from me, dressed head to toe in white. A large hood was pulled over her face, concealing her features, but stopped above her bright red lips. Golden waterfalls ran down her shoulders and covered her breasts.

She stood lower then me and I realised why—I was on a platform. A stage. I was her entertainment.

She raised a gloved finger and snapped.

My blood became acid and burned my innards like boiling water. I fell to my knees and tried screaming, but only whimpers managed to escape.

Her red lips smirked.

"The games have begun."

Yayyy, her powers are back! And Lila got her own section! Hopefully, y'all enjoyed this chappie! It wasn't as long as usual, but honestly I'm totally fine with that.

Guest: Thank you so much, dear! Hopefulyl this chappie was good!

dvd123: Same, i love him too! Helga shall be getting her new guardian friends very soon, my friend!

Anywhooties, I'm going to start on my next chapter, please let me know how you felt about this one guys! And reminder that, if you have questions or suggestions or anything, you can just check out my tumblr (linked on my profile). I get back to people much quicker then with reviews! Anyway Seeya next time!