Devils | ONC 2023 SHORTLISTER

fourteen

Everything erupted into chaos.

It was hard for Elena and Kaz to fight together because their powers fought against each other, making it harder for them to process their powers. So, she started to retreat towards a tall rack where she had seen Maverick and Nella duck behind. Elena was fine; Kaz was fine. The strange man was fine too. Then who was shot?

There was blood on the floor; dark crimson against the dull grey of the cement. But whose was it? Elena didn't want to think about possibilities.

"Elena," Kaz called, starting to let his shadows fade. "Make a barrier."

She nodded once, spreading her hands wide. Now that there was no counterforce, her powers spread like a bubble around the four of them, a shimmering surface that absorbed the damage the bullets caused.

She quickly ducked behind the rack along with the other three as their captor started to shout orders hysterically.

There was blood on the floor.

It was Nella's.

Her trembling hands were catching at her abdomen where dark crimson was spreading fast, painting everything red. Maverick's hands were already wet with blood as he tried to heal the wound desperately.

Elena felt guilty about the small pang of relief that shot through her upon seeing Maverick was unharmed. Yes, Nella had tried to kill them multiple times but still, she was a comrade.

"I can heal her," Elena extended her hand, shuffling forward.

"Don't," Nella croaked. "Don't waste your power on me, girl. You'll need all the energy you got."

"But—"She started to protest only to be cut off by Nella again.

"You have the ring now. The statue is somewhere here," She coughed, blood appearing on her lips. "P—Probably upstairs. Go. L—Let this be my legacy."

Her dark eyes were fluttering close, her chest rising and falling in an irregular rhythm. Elena looked at Maverick who had turned pale like a ghost, his bloody hands trembling. She put her hand on his arm.

"Go," He turned towards her. "This is your only chance." He looked from Elena to Kaz.

Kaz nodded grimly and put a hand on Nella's trembling one. "Goodbye, Nella Alden. I'll see you on the other side."

Nella gave a weak smile. "Hopefully, not too soon, Kazimir."

Elena didn't trust herself to talk, So, she gave a gentle squeeze to her hand and rose from her crouch.

"Come on, Kaz. This is ending tonight."

Elena didn't even realize that everything had gone silent. But they started to shoot again once the two of them came into their view. The man was barking orders, running around like a madman, screaming at his men.

"We are gonna run, okay?" Kaz said. "Drop your shield and leave the rest to me."

Elena raised her hands a little, like she was going to surrender, then just as the shooting seemed to cease, she shouted, "Now!" dropping the shield and running straight at the now vacant staircase.

She could feel the temperature dropping as the shadows shifted. Someone cried out, followed by a choked gurgle. Kaz was not to be messed with.

Bullets whizzed past them as they sprinted upstairs, the men trying to follow them through the shadows that were choking them. They made it there safely—a bit out of breath but unscratched—appearing in a dark corridor that seemed to lead nowhere.

"Where the hell are we?" Kaz muttered.

"Let's go ahead and see," Elena suggested, not seeing any other option.