Cursed Blood

There was a sudden surge of power before the image of Rebecca flickered. Something shifted in the air, and she disappeared.

What?

An illusion?

My eyes widened and I whipped my head around.

No...

No, I...

They're...

Lying lifeless in a pool of blood was the three warriors, all of them face down in the dirt. Kyra was chained to the ground, her side patched up. Someone had put me in an illusion, meaning I was distracted when they finally got the chance to take out my three escorts.

It's my fault they're dead.

My heart shattered, the betrayal, pain and guilt flooding my systems. I heard myself cry out, my wings flaring as the same black magic from before exploded into my hands. Without even having to think, I uprooted an entire hut and threw it at the Darkbloods around me. There was enough force that it drove into them and continued to skid for another ten meters. No one could even get close to me as I seethed, tears streaming down my face.

"You were supposed to help me make peace!" I screamed, directing the words at Sven. I stared him down as my wonderous magic responded to my anger. The ground itself cracked as I dashed forward, meeting five Darkbloods head on. Their torsos were severed in half when I stopped, my claws dripping with their blood.

"We were allies!" I continued. "But you just had to kill them, huh?!"

Along with my voice, a blast of kinetic power came from inside me, blasting everyone in a certain radius onto their asses. Someone tried to shoot me, but the arrow began to dissolve milimeters away from my skin. Swords became nothing as I grabbed them with my hands, the blade disintegrating with whatever power coated my skin.

"You had no right," I snarled. Sven looked appropriately afraid, lifting his strange weapons. "You had no right to choose whether or not I was ruling over you! Whether or not the Lightbloods got taken out, because I am the Cursedblood. I will choose!"

My anger dissipated as my chest heaved, tears itchy on my cheeks. With one last wave of fury-fueled power, the Darkbloods around me were hit with a force that made every last bone in their body crack.

It was only Sven and I, the real Rebecca nowhere to be seen.

"Where is she?"

The leader of the camp crossed his arms. "She didn't want us to betray you, so..."

He shrugged.

"I killed her."

There it was again. A burning betrayal and pain that fueled whatever magic I had. However, I didn't use that power. I used my bare, clawed hands to rip into Sven, moving so quickly it was like I had teleported.

When there was no one left to destroy my feelings, I fell to my knees in front of the three unmoving bodies.

"I'm so, so sorry..," I choked, my tears splashing in the pool of red beneath them. The camp was in ruins by now, with bodies splattered everywhere.

It had taken less than an hour to waste so many lives. It had taken more time for me to put the pieces together of who I was than it took for me to kill more people than I cared to count.

And it had taken less than an hour for me to lose four people.

Your brother will not be the last.

"But why did they have to die?!" I screamed, my voice causing birds to jump from the safety of the trees. My voice went rough, unable to keep up with the immense pain in my chest. Rebecca had been the person I was going to name my best friend, and she had been trying to protect me. Hell, she had a little sister to think of, and he just killed her. Sven tricked me into thinking I was watching him kill her just to kill three simple escorts who'd been loyal warriors to everyone.

Just so that some petty Darkbloods could start the Gray War.

I should kill them all. Make them pay.

Cloud.

I flinched, my eyes passing to Kyra. She was pinned to the ground, but not in critical condition.

I know you're in pain, the dragon told me, but you need to warn the Queen. Please, at least protect my master.

Elijah, I thought. She wants him to survive.

"I will do my best," I promised. The dragon sighed, slumping onto the ground.

I will regain my strength and break free soon, she reassured me. Hurry.

"Their bodies..," I murmured, making sure to slip my hand over their eyes and close them.

I will collect them. Go.

"Thank you," I whispered weakly, wings flaring. My feet left the ground and I soared, climbing higher as I shot toward the castle. Below me, in the Valley, I could see multiple battles. Villagers and warriors alike doing their best to fight back against waves of Darkbloods.

You must wait for revenge, I reminded myself, turning a blind eye to the war going on. I zipped into the castle, the doors already propped open as soldiers ran in and out. They ducked as I flew in, skidding along the floor. The Queen and her advisors were standing on the stairs, discussing strategy.

"There's pockets of fighting all over the Valley," I interrupted. "As far as I know, every camp around us has joined together. They don't plan on taking prisoners. They plan on wiping out every Lightblood alive."

The four ex-legendary warrior advisors and their Queen looked disturbed as they took in my appearance. I was dripping with blood, panting, and my clothing was torn. To add to that, I had every Darkblood feature out, and there was still gray magic hovering in the air around me.

"What do we do?" Jason, one of the advisors, groaned. "We don't have the power to fight them back all at once. We're stuck."

"We should evacuate the royal family," Lillian offered. "Get them to a stronger kingdom."

"I am the best asset this kingdom has," the Queen snapped. "I'm a healer, after all."

"Actually..."

The six of us focused on the approaching figure. He wore light metal armor, a sword swinging at his hip. A certain one-winged dragon strode behind him, hovering behind the Crown Prince.

"Cloud is the best asset this kingdom has," Elijah corrected. "And she may have the power to wipe them all out. But... we have to keep in mind, they are her blood."

I gritted my teeth together.

"I will never associate with the monsters out there. They killed Travis, Andrew, Shade and Rebecca.

"I want revenge."

The Lightbloods paled at the mention of the dead, and I swore there were tears in the Prince's eyes. He cleared his throat, glancing at me.

"So, what can you do?"

I looked down at my hands, staring at the hints of swirling magic.

"I'll kill as many as possible, as quickly as possible."

"Kill?" Elijah echoed. "Are you ready for that?"

I fixed him with a deadly glare. "I just wiped out an entire camp in a fit of rage. Don't underestimate me, Princeling."

"Don't overestimate yourself."

This time, seven of us and a dragon flinched. I whirled around, my eyes widening.

The red eyed major god stood behind me, his arms crossed.

"Angel," he said, his expression unreadable. "You have found yourself, at least a little."

"We're in the middle of a war right now," I snapped, "can I help you?"

"I came to warn you," he confessed. His eyes were gentle now, his expression warmer. There seemed to be some sort of connection between us, one that didn't belong to me specifically.

"About..?"

"Your fate," he clarified.

The god stepped toward me, his hand gently laying on my shoulder.

"This ends in two ways, Cursedblood. Your fate is tied with the curse of being a hybrid. You, just like dear Angel, cannot survive this happily."

"Just tell me your prediction," I snapped, "so that I can protect who I have left."

A sad smile graced his face. "If you wish. You, love, will die today, and your soul will pass on with your power returning to Angel."

"You said I had two possible fates," I countered. His lips turned downward into a displeased frown.

"The only other option..."

I found myself holding my breath as he gently caressed my hair, acting rather fatherly.

"Is to kill them all -- Light and Dark."