Blood Bender

Epilogue

I felt the world around me spinning. Nothing even seemed real anymore. My heart was racing and all I could focus on was the blood rushing through my ears. I knew I was panting, my breathing coming in quick and heavy. More black dots danced in my vison but this time was more because of what I was seeing, not from using so much of my powers. I still couldn't move my body. If I could, I would have pinched myself to see if what was happening was actually real or not.

"I'm going to let you go Coventina but any wrong move and I'll control you again." My father spoke to me. I thought I would have recognised his voice in some way, but I didn't. He was a complete stranger to me. I felt the hold on me loosen as I stumbled forward trying not to lose my balance. I looked between my father and Mrs. Darya, eyes wide.

"Wha..." I tried to form a sentence but I couldn't. My father used blood bending on me.

"Njord? You're alive?" Mr. Peters looked as shocked as I felt.

"Not nice being lied to, is it?" I managed to quip out. Mr. Peters completely ignored me, eyes focus on my father.

"Yes, Lyndon, I am still alive." My father looked emotionless. Like none of this had any effect on him in anyway.

"Wha- How?" Mr. Peters was able to form questions that I couldn't but I needed answers too. My father and Mrs. Darya stepped closer to us. My mouth went dry when I looked at them both. My brain was completely blank, forgetting everything that had happened.

"Contrary to what you might think, I didn't die in that car crash, nor fake my own death. I walked away unscathed. I received a message and had to promptly leave. I never had time to tell you that I was okay. I know you were expecting me back here but I had important business I had to attend to." My fathers voice was flat. It was just as expressionless as his face, giving nothing away. Was he really always like this? "My wife knew I was never really gone, she just let you all think that way. It was easier I suppose." He motioned his head to Mrs. Darya. My eyes widened.

WIFE?!

"Wife?" I whispered out loud, unlike the voice in my head that was screaming. Mrs. Darya looked at me and smiled with sympathy, nodding her head.

None of this made any sense.

"You couldn't find the time to tell me in four years?" Mr. Peters voice rose, frustration radiating off of him. I stayed silent, just watching the scene unfold in front of me.

"No. I couldn't be distracted from what I was doing, I needed to focus and get down to the bottom of it and it was just easier if you thought I was dead for now."

"And what were you doing exactly?" Everyone around us was silent. All listening to the conversation in front of us.

"Getting answers. I had to find a way to stop him. But it looks like I was too late." My fathers eyes turned to look at me. Mrs. Darya and Mr. Peters looked at me as well. I stepped back, worried about what was going to happen next.

"Why are you all looking at me?" I asked, my body shaking as I took another step back.

"Just before Mars died, he sent a special attack out into the world. I only know about it from my grandfathers journals, but the attack released some of his soul to stay here on this plane." I felt a tingling throughout my body. Like a thousand spiders crawling along my skin. "Mars didn't fully die that day, some of him still resides here and he's spent over a hundred years trying to get back." I felt my stomach flip. I thought I was going to be sick. In the back of my mind, I noticed Phoenix push his way to the front of the teachers and stand near Mr. Peters.

"Wha-What are you saying?" I breathed out. I was worried if I opened my mouth too much, I was going to throw up.

"When I was a student here, I saw the painting of Mars down the corridor. After that he was in my head for months. I noticed some changes to my personality, small at first but then it got worse. I tried to stop it and it worked for a while. When I was teaching here, I looked at it again and he was back in my head but worse." I fell to my knees as my father was explaining all this. My body suddenly felt incredibly weak.

"When Mars left the royal family, he went to Norway where he discovered things about elemental powers. Things that were kept secret for a reason. I left to go find out exactly what it was. Mars found a way to leave his soul here to posses someone and then eventually make a full return." I felt a sharp pain shoot through my head. I squeezed my eyes shut, everything suddenly hurting.

"Coventina, did you look at the painting?" My father asked. His voice was calm. Where was the rage when he was shouting with my mother? Or was that all just Mars from when he looked at the painting?

"She did." I heard Phoenix's voice. I felt a tear start to stream down my face. "But so did I!" He shouted a the end.

"No, no, no" I started chanting, shaking my head.

"Yes, but you don't seem to be effected. Tell me, when did Mars leave your head?" My father asked Phoenix ever so calmly. Phoenix was quiet for a while, trying to think back, probably.

"Around about the time we were all training and Coventina nearly drowned some of us in a giant water attack." Phoenix voice was weak.

"As soon as I figured out what Mars' plan was, I came back here. Only... It looks like I was too late. Mars probably tried to get in your head, but then Coventina came along and she had an easier mind to manipulate. She does have his blood running through her veins after all." There were gasps from all around us at that last statement and for the first time since being here, I heard an emotion in my fathers voice. It was one of sadness.

"No, no, you're wrong." I wrapped my arms around my stomach as more pain shot through my body.

"Coventina, I believe Mars has started to possess you. Was there a time after you saw the painting where you started to become weak and tired? Your body felt a fatigue like no other? Have you had times in the recent past where you felt detached from your body? From the world around you?" My father stated matter-of-factly.

"Liar!" I shouted at him, straightening up, sending an ice blast in his direction. My father raised his hand, controlling my attack to miss him completely. I slowly started to stand up on shaky legs, feeling almost like my body wasn't mine anymore.

"How do we stop it? We all thought Coventina was the one. The one who... How do we stop this?" Mr. Peters asked, looking between me and my father.

"We can't." Mrs. Darya whispered, looking at me with the most broken face I've ever seen on anyone.

"What? What are you saying?" Phoenix raised his voice, stepping forward. He was clearly panicked, that was evident just from his voice alone. I glanced at him and almost fainted with worry. He looked so pale. So sad. So... Heartbroken.

"Oh, Phoenix," Mrs, Darya looked at him as a tear rolled down her cheek. "We're too late. Once it's happened, the only way to stop it is..."

"Death." My father finished, bluntly, raising a hand in my direction.