The Gift of Good and Evil

The Tower

Dovey, Sophie, Anemone, and your ever half all stood back to back, creating a forcefield that extended outward to protect as many students as you could. At the same time, your never half, Pollux, Espada, Tedros, and Hester were stationed at the perimeter, eliminating as many shadow monsters as possible.

"Bet you feel like an idiot now," Hester grunted as she stabbed a shadow monster, watching it dissolve into smoke before her eyes.

Tedros, who was standing near her, sliced a shadow monster in half and shot her a look of annoyance. "Now is definitely not the time Hester."

She laughed, engaging with another monster. "What's wrong everboy? Can't fight and converse at the same time?"

"Both of you shut up and focus!" Pollux yelled from behind Hester. "You can argue with one another when we survive this."

"If we survive this!" Beatrix spat as she moved to join them. She looked around at those who were fighting at the edges of the shield and those holding it up. "Where's Lady Lesso?"

"She said she had an idea and ran off," Tedros called to her, as he swiped his sword upward, cutting off the arm of a shadow beast.

"Yeah, but that was a while ago!" Hester called back.

Yeah, it was... You thought to yourself as you overheard their conversation.

Hey, are you alright?  You asked her, as you connected to her mind. But you were met with silence.

Lesso?  You asked again. Again no answer.

You ducked as a shadow monster swung at you before throwing an underhanded blast at it, sending it backwards into a group of other beasts, eliminating the lot of them.

Go. Your ever half said in your mind.

Your never half looked back to her through the luminescent shield. She nodded.

I've got this. Go.

You instantly began sprinting toward the entrance to the castle, sending shadow beasts left and right as you passed. Your ever half summoned the majority of her magic, pushing the limits of the shield, allowing Sophie to replace your never half on the perimeter.

You burst through the castle doors and were instantly met with chaos. Dark clouds had coalesced above the castle and heavy rains, thunder, and lightning were berating the outer structures. Shadows were swirling around the castle's exterior as well, pushing their way through any crack they could. You quickly closed the entrance doors, not wanting to give them any added opportunities to enter.

As you made your way out of the castle and towards the tower, you had expected to be met with at least some resistance; but to your surprise, you made it to the tower completely unscathed.

The rain was lighter here, and from this distance, no one would know students were fighting for their lives inside the Castle for Good. The screeches and screams had gone silent, and the only thing that could be heard was the thunder and lightning of the storm. You felt guilty about leaving them to find Lesso. But deep in your gut you had a feeling something was wrong, and you weren't about to lose her now.

"Lesso?" You called, as you pushed open the doors to the tower, rain dripping from your cloak. The tower was quiet except for the soft scribbling of Storian.

"Where are you?" You called again, as you stepped further inside, looking around.

After a few moments, Lesso stepped around the corner of a bookshelf, her nose enveloped in a book.

"Lesso! Thank the gods you're alright! I was worried!" You ran to her, placing your hands on her arms as you spoke.

However, she didn't respond to you. She didn't even lower the book she was reading.