Tinted Windows

Chapter Fourteen

Everyone split up, trying to help in any way they could. After seeing everything over here was covered, for the most part, I decided to help Diane wherever I could. I was deep in thought when I heard a large explosion and watched Diane catch Hawk and Elizabeth. Elizabeth wasn't looking too good but Hawk got her away from the battle that was about to take place. I grabbed a random sword off the ground and prepared myself to fight. I had one hand on the short sword and another on my bleeding side. All of the sins started attacks but they all proved to be useless. Hendrickson hit Ban away from the battle, sending him into a wall.

If I don't help, we have no chance of winning this. I held my sword so tightly my knuckles were white. I closed my eyes and focused on my magical power. I opened my eyes to see all of the purple flames were contained to the sword. I limped over towards Hendrickson, still holding on to my injured side.

"Selene, darling. Do you think you could hurt me? Even after all of the sins' failed attempts? Oh, I know! You think you're strong. Strong enough to hurt me. Sorry, but you will always be the weakling and the disappointment." I stopped right in front of Hendrickson and stood there. All of my magic left my sword and flowed back into me. He looked down at me smirking thinking he got to me. He did, but instead of losing motivation, my anger skyrocketed. No one around me seemed to notice.

"Selene! Get out of there! He's going to kill you." Meliodas yelled at me from the side.

"Are you really that weak you will let your enemy get to you in a fight? Ha! Your father always told me what a disappointment you were but you're even worse than I thought! Good thing he's dead or he would have to see the failure you have become." He let out an evil laugh. "Now if you don't mind me, I am going to kill the sins, the Holy Knights, and everyone else in the kingdom."

"No, you're not." I gripped my sword tightly.

"What was that? What are you gonna do to stop me?" With that, I let my sword erupt in purple flames as I sliced him across his torso. He smirked but then instantly coughed up blood realizing it was taking him longer to heal than usual. Out of anger, he hit me across the face, sending me flying from his strength. My head hit a wall and I blacked out.

~~~

I woke up to Diane holding me in her hand looking down at me worriedly. I sat up in a rush and looked up at her.

"Diane where is everyone? We have to stop him!" I started to feel light-headed so I laid back down into her hand.

"Selene, you need to rest. They are down in a cave right now. I'm keeping watch. You need to stay out of trouble. You're already injured enough." I was about to argue but Diane cut me off. "Don't say you're fine. You died, then came back, and then you got thrown into a wall. Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"I need to help you guys. I doubted you guys for so many years, I owe it to you."

"None of us blame you for that. So stop putting your life on the line to make it up to us!" I wanted to argue but I felt a strong magical power appear all of a sudden from below us. Diane felt it too and put me down. "Selene, run. Now is not the time to argue. Go." I listened to Diane and ran as fast as I could away from the battle. It wasn't very fast because every part of my body was in excruciating pain. I ran towards the collapsed castle, trying to get away from the battlefield. Dead bodies littered the ground around me and it was stained red with their blood. I slowed to a walk, looking at all of the destruction in horror. I placed a hand over my gaping mouth. I kept going until I saw the blonde hair of someone who was practically a brother to me.

"Howzer!" I ran towards him. He looked up at me and smiled slightly but it only lasted for a second. Tears were streaming down his face and he had a large hole in his torso. "No, this can't be happening. Howzer! Just keep breathing, someone will come to help. You're going to be okay." He shook his head slightly and more tears streamed down his face.

"Selene. You're here." I held his hand.

"Yes, I'm here. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay."

"Don't lie to me, Selene. I know it's bad."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I should have trusted you. If I did, everything would have been different. Gilthunder might not have died and you might not have gotten hurt." Pain filled his eyes.

"Gilthunder is... dead?"

"Well he was and now he's not. Listen, it's a long story, I'll explain later." He nodded but then had a coughing fit. Blood streamed from his mouth. I stared at him completely shocked. I placed my hands on his chest and tried to recreate what I did earlier with Gil. When nothing was happening, I closed my eyes, focusing harder.

"S-Selene, what are you doing?" I ignored him and kept focusing. This needed to work. And it needed to work fast. Anger welled up inside of me as nothing happened.

"Why isn't it working? I need this to work!" I closed my eyes and focused harder. "This isn't working! Nothing's happening!"

"Selene, stop. You're hurting yourself." He said motioning to the trail of blood running from my nose. I quickly wiped it but looked back at Howzer.

There was nothing I could do. I had no way of helping him. He was going to die. I was too weak to stop any of this. I couldn't help the people I love or save the kingdom. Anger continued to grow inside of me. Anger in Hendrickson, anger in the situation, but mostly in myself. I was too weak to stop this and too naive to have prevented it.

"Selene, I'm glad I had you in my life. I will see you on the other side." Those words were enough to send my anger boiling over, causing me to blackout.

~~~

Selene sat next to Howzer's dying body but she was no longer herself. Her usual green eyes changed to a dark purple that took up the entirety of her eye. Dark marks wrapped around her body, healing her wounds. With the marks, she sprouted a wing, taking off towards the battlefield, leaving Howzer by himself while he was taking what could have been his final breaths.

Selene flew over towards the battle that was practically over. The sins and Holy Knights littered the ground after dropping like flies to Hendrickson's power. A few people surrounded Hawk's charred carcass. Selene landed right in front of Hendrickson. Everyone around her could tell she wasn't there. Yes, she stood in front of them, but mentally, she was nowhere in sight. Her pink hair swayed in the wind and her dark purple eyes were empty of emotion. The dark markings that were once her wing, wrapped themselves around her torso.

"...Selene?" Gilthunder looked at his sister, terrified of what was happening to her. Even with her brother calling out to her and all of the cries around her, she didn't react in the slightest. Instead, she slammed her fist against Hendrickson's face, sending him flying. Selene turned around slowly looking over the fallen soldiers. Gilthunder got up and tried to make his way over to her. Selene raised her fist ready to hit Gilthunder while everyone around her screamed for her to stop.

"Gilthunder, get away from her. Selene's not in there!" Meliodas yelled a warning but it was too late. Selene had already started her attack.