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"MOMMY, WHERE are you going?" Reina asked. Iona stilled, swallowing thickly as she spared a glance back at her daughter- something about her seemed different; robotic, even. Just like Alie. "I thought we were supposed to spend the day together."
Iona hesitated. This girl, despite not truly existing in the outside world, was so... precious. She'd already stolen Iona's jet black heart, and she hated the idea of ever harming in her in any way; still, she hesitated.
The girl wasn't real.
"I'm going out for a run," Iona murmured after a short moment of silence. Reina's eyes flashed- something that Iona didn't fail to notice- and her eyes narrowed the slightest bit.
It was obvious that something was wrong about the image. Not only was Iona talking to someone that didn't truly exist- but she'd also mostly gotten past that part- but Reina was acting strange.
The child was usually bouncing off the walls, happiness radiating off of her. She'd always smile and run up to hug Iona. Now, however, her energy was lacking.
It was as if someone completely different was standing in front of her, merely in the shape of her daughter and it had Iona eying the girl suspiciously. It didn't take a genius to understand what was happening- no, it clicked rather fast.
Alie was watching.
Iona scoffed. Glancing around the room, she watched as the image in front of her began to shift. It was a sensation that Iona was yet to get used to, always making her stomach churn in uncomfortable knots.
At first, she'd been in awe of the different scenes- at what Alie could do with a simple thought. It was cool, really; but that changed once Alie started purposefully ripping her away from her peaceful, perfect- far too perfect- life.
Now, it merely disgusted her.
Iona was slightly shocked to find herself at the foot of the summit, staring up at the tall tower with a raised brow.
"It's time for you to hold up your end of the bargain," Alie's voice spoke from behind her. Iona quickly turned, coming face-to-face with the woman, slightly alarmed at their sudden proximity. The woman made her uncomfortable.
"Why would I do that?" Iona gestured around, "You want my help so bad, just make me. It's not like I'm in control anyways."
Alie hesitated, like something was on her tongue, yet she was afraid to let it slip.
Truth is, Iona had been fighting. She wasn't aware that she was fighting Alie's control, but she was. Every time the idea flickered into Iona's head that this wasn't real and everything was merely an illusion, Alie momentarily lost control of the woman.
Her body would shut down right then and there, forcing her to collapse to the ground. Because of this, Alie had sent her into a somewhat permanent meditation mode- similar to that of a coma- as she tried to find some way to regain her power.
Iona had submitted to the chip, so why was it still so hard to control her?
"Yes, well, I can't allow you to do anything crazy, now can I?" Alie said with a sly smile, hesitation long gone. "If I give you control of your body, you might just do something rash-" Her grin turned downright evil, "and we don't want that, do we?"
Iona's eyes widened as Reina appeared behind the woman, screaming profusely as she was dragged by a pair of hooded soldiers.
Iona tried to step forward but was met by some sort of invisible wall. She banged on the transparent material angrily, her eyes flashing dangerously as Reina was dragged through a muddy field.
"Let her go!" Iona cried, hateful tears springing to her eyes as she weakly hit her fist against the glass.
"She will be freed," Alie peered at Iona through the barrier, raising a perfectly manicured brow as she took in her appearance from head to toe, "if, and only if, you stop fighting."
Iona stilled. Fighting? What was she fighting?
"What?" Iona meekly spoke, confused.
Alie tilted her head. Afraid she might've revealed far too much information- information that could help Iona in the long run- she hesitated briefly. Still, she knew she was in control of the situation.
She was twisting Iona's heart with every move she made, and all she had to do was twist it just right and she'd have the woman wrapped around her finger, regardless of what she did or did not want.
"The chip, Iona," Alie clarified, unblinking. "Stop fighting the chip."
Iona was lost for a moment, staring at Alie blankly as she tried to process what was actually happening in her head.
Then, another scream rang out, and Iona's eyes once again found her child as a dagger was held to the base of her throat. She looked desperately towards her mother, making the woman clench her fists angrily, but look at Alie with anger.
"Fine," She said, her voice quiet but strong, "just- just let her go."
Alie waited another moment, allowing the blade to cut just barely into Reina's neck- she was trying to get a point across, and it was working- and drawing blood. The child wept before Iona was suddenly freed.
She darted towards the girl as the soldiers disappeared, Alie with them.
Bringing Reina into her arms, she held her close, kissing the top of her head in a poor attempt to silence her cries, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."
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YOU ARE READING
GRIM REAPER¹, bellamy blake
Fanfiction❝are you afraid of me?❞ ❝of you? no. of what you can do? definitely.❞ ❝you should be afraid of all of me, sky boy.❞ A Trikru commander, Iona Valana, is spun into a new world when her sister dies by a Sky People massacre, and it leads to an unlikely...
