Guardian

xxii. returned energy

Austin stares at the fallen body in complete and utter shock.

The others in the room are now aware of Austin's presence, but he's too lost in thought in what he just did. Izabel sprouts sharp icicles from her fingertips. The white-haired teenager blocks Austin from getting hit before she runs inside the room, forcefully throwing the ice at everyone she could see.

Something hits her side and Izabel doesn't give it much attention. She doesn't have the time to relapse as the ground suddenly rumbles.

Before anyone knows it, a purple haired figure is floating above them all in the room. Of course, it's Marie.

She gathers her energy and with closed a fist, she shoots fireballs to each of their chests. Each person drops to their knees screaming of agony and pain.

"Of course, there's another one..."

The venomous voice hits Austin so hard. It sounds so familiar. Almost too familiar. Austin draws another arrow on his bow and comes inside of the room, now knowing who the voice belonged to.

Annel.

This isn't the first time he's ran into Annel since they've dated. She had became one of the thieves and crooks in town, regardless of them spending their teen years arresting and penalizing them. Just a few months back, she was the reason Lian ran into Austin and Ally and he got to finally meet Marie.

Kim must've let all the prisoners go the day she tried to takeover the village. They're probably here to avenge her death.

"It's sad to see you end up like this," Austin snarls, glaring at her. "You were one of the good ones."

"It's sad to see your pregnant wife dying," she chuckles coldly with a smirk. That throws Austin off long enough for her draw an arrow on her crossbow as well, aiming it him. "We had a good run. Goodbye, Austin."

Life flashes before his eyes momentarily. He can see her releasing her bow. Maybe this was his karma for killing that person. Yeah, they were attacking Ally, but there could've been another way.

There's a familiar fwoosh and a whiff of air that Austin is thankful for. He looks to his left to see Zay holding Annel's arrow. The boy smirks.

Zay snaps the arrow in half and zips right over to the side of her. "Gotta be quicker than that," he growls, punching her straight in her throat. After she falls to the ground and is completely knocked out, Zay looks around the room and sees no one to fight. "What the hell happened?!"

"We don't know! We just got here!"

"Lian felt Ally was in distress, so we came as fast as we could," Marie says, setting herself down on the ground to go to Ally's still form. Her hair was red and the glow in her eyes were present. She was going to put up a fight if she hadn't gotten knocked out. "Goodness."

"Is she gonna be okay?" Izabel asks as she falls beside Ally.

Ally had bruises all around her face, arms, and legs. Blood was everywhere, but there was blood surrounded her specifically, so Marie knew she was intensely bleeding from somewhere. This wasn't good.

Marie sighs while picking her sister up. "I don't know. Our forms aren't as strong and powerful when we're pregnant. I'll try to heal her, though. You guys take care of anyone else here that are trying to attack. Hope and Lian are somewhere here."

Marie exits with Ally in her arms while the three of them stand the dining area, trying to make sense of what was happening.

Right when they're collectively about to leave the room, Nick runs in with determined eyes. "I want to help."