The two immortals, Akilang and Medusa, like wind rush toward each other, releasing flame from their bodies. While Medusa releases white flame from her body, Akilang released deep black smoke.
“Why are you so desperate to take me down? Do you want to be recognized so badly?” Akilang asked as he stretched his palms forward which made green wood sprout from it.
“No, I just want to see your end,” Medusa answered, hurriedly created ice that the wood got stuck in and then turn it into ashes.
Akilang smirked darkly, raised its hands, and with his energy, he lifted Medusa with his dark flames and then threw her roughly against the barrier.
“Did you get weaker, Tiger spirit?” He jested.
Medusa got right up, moved her hands closer to each other, leaving a few inches of space, and began to form white flames while Akilang watched sarcastically.
Akilang’s smirk began to wane slowly as he saw the flame the lion spirit gathered begin to turn dark.
Did she learn new spells?
After Medusa had turned the white flame to black, she turned around swiftly and then, poured it on the floor which made the whole barrier turn black.
Outside the barrier, everyone who was watching what was happening inside the barrier couldn’t see anything except black.
“What’s wrong? What’s happening in there?” Zoey queried, scared.
Meanwhile…
Brightness entered the barrier slowly which made the two opponent sees each other.
“What trick was that?” Akilang raised his brows, spread his palms forward, and prepared to let wood grow from it.
However, to his utmost surprise, he was unable to do that.
“What did you just do?” He queried rather fearfully.
“Why? Your woods did not show up?” Medusa smirked darkly, dipped her hand into her clothes, and removed the dagger slowly from it.
Akilang glanced at the dagger fearfully, and then looked at Medusa.
He felt his energy leaving his body since Medusa had filled the barrier with dark flames.
He needed to feed on human energy as soon as he can.
“It’s time to get out of that body. You’ve stayed there for eighteen long years,” Medusa swung the dagger in between her index finger and middle finger stylishly.
“No, this is not my end. I’ll not allow that” he growled loudly and tried to break down the barrier.
“What to do? How territory is outside the barrier,” Medusa covered her mouth with her palm sarcastically.
“Medusa, you wench!” Akilang screamed, hurried towards Medusa, and was ready to attack with his claws.
Medusa, seeing this, bent hurriedly, ran past her, and then stab Tiffany on the rib swiftly which made the lady scream out horrifically.
“H… How dare you? Tiffany cursed through gritted teeth.
Medusa didn’t give it a rest before she turned around to face her, covered the space between them like wind, and then thrust the dagger into her chest immediately.
Akilang growled loudly as his flames began to enter the dagger slowly.
“I… I will return and put the end to you! I will ruin every human and make the world mine. I will destroy everyone!” Akilang screamed as his demonic side starts to come out of Tiffany.
Medusa screamed as the force Akilang uses to enter the Dagger drains her energy. Akilang and Medusa screamed in unison and the barrier broke down, their territory disappearing.
“You think you won? No, you didn’t. I will come back stronger! I will come back bigger and I’ll destroy every single person that comes my way, if not, I cease to be Akilang!” With the final vow, Akilang entered the dagger.
Medusa pulled the dagger out of Tiffany’s chest, and the lady fall to the ground immediately.
“Anny!” Aiden screamed and then prepared to rush towards her.
“Stay back!” Medusa commanded intimidatingly which made the guy stop on his track.
“Mountain guardian, Lion spirit,” Medusa beckoned to them and they moved closer hurriedly.
“Let’s put an end to Akilang, once and for all,” she said and then put the dagger in front of them and made it stand on its own in the air and the three guardians watched it shook vigorously.
“With the power vested in me as the…”
“Guardian of Sabalem mountain,”
“Guardian of Lions,”
“Guardians of Tigers,”
Benroy, Chephirah, and Medusa chanted in unison.
“I hereby destroy the dagger that the formal guardian of Sabalem, Akila, now a demon, Akilang is trapped in,” the three of them chorused and then pointed their palm at it.
While white flames from Medusa are directed at the dagger, golden flames from Chephirah directed to the dagger, and green flames from Benroy directs at the dagger.
The dagger vanished immediately and with that, the three guardians disappeared without another word.
“Anny!” Aiden dashed towards Tiffany who lay on the ground almost lifelessly.
He carried her up and then rush to drop her on the three-sitter couch.
“Tiffany!” Lawrence called out with a shaky voice.
There was no way his daughter has dîed, right?
Of course, everyone saw the dagger pierce into her chest.
No one could survive that.
“Hey, check her breathing, is she okay?” Zoey tapped Aiden who hurriedly checked her pulse.
“I… I can’t feel a pulse,” Aiden stuttered.
“She’s okay. I’m very sure of that. You all know how strong Tiffany is, right?” Declan reassured everyone.
“Are you sure?” Marlie sulked.
“Don’t you think we should take her to the hospital? We can’t just keep watching her like this,” Senator Han panicked.
“Hospital? Do you think that should be where we should go?” Aiden asked, rubbing her palm against his.
“Then what should we do? Keep watching her this way?” Zoey asked.
“Then, let’s take her to the hospital,” Aiden said.
“No, how about we call our doctor? Call, call the family doctor. We should not take her out,” Marlie suggested.
“That’s better,” Lawrence nods his head and looked around for his phone.
“I think I dropped it in my study,” he exhaled and then hurried away.
“Hang in there, Anny,” Aiden whispered, rubbing his palm against hers.
==
Tang’s Domain.
Xyler had just settled on the couch in the sitting room with a plate of scrambled eggs and toast when the door creaked open and Skyler entered.
After the fight they had the previous day, Skyler had left the house and was just returning.
Xyler glanced at him and then resumed eating his food, while Skyler walked awkwardly towards the stairs.
After he had ascended the stairs halfway, he turned around, descended the stairs, and then walked towards Xyler.
Xyler pretended as if he didn’t see his twin m brother till the guy knelt in front of him and he looked up.
“What are you going?” He frowned amidst a mouthful of toast.
“I am sorry,” Skyler bowed and picked on his fingers.
“What?” Xyler raised his brows.
“I admit everything that I did. I indeed knew about how Luna dîed. It is true that I turned her in instead of paying the debts I owed. I know that there’s no amount of apologies that can rectify my mistakes but I’d love to apologize. You are my only family. After our parents’ death, leaving their properties and all to us, it has just been you, me, and Luna till she wrongfully died because of me. I swear, I thought she was only going to lose the baby. I didn’t mean to kîll our sister, I am sorry,” Skyler pleaded as he allowed the drop of tears to fall from his eyes freely.
“So?” Xyler frowned.
“I will go turn myself into the police. I’ll tell them the truth about how our sister dîed and received my punishment. But, please, forgive me. I know you probably hàte me now, and each time you see yourself in the mirror, I know you think of me and the bad things that I did, but please, forgive me. Remember, we are brothers by heart, friends by choice, and family by blood. Please… Xyler, forgive me,” he bowed deeply.
After a few seconds of silence and Xyler didn’t say a word, Skyler stood up slowly and then returned to ascend the stairs. After Xyler was sure Skyler had left, he burst into fresh tears and covered his face with his palm.
==
Han’s residence.
“How is she? Is she okay?” Lawrence rushed at the Doctor as soon as he finished checking on Tiffany.
“I am sorry, but…”
“Hold on,” Aiden interrupted the doctor who already had a disappointed look on her face.
“It’s nothing serious, right?” Aiden asked.
“She’s no more. The cause of death is not known so, I think it would be okay if you bring her to the hospital for an autop…”
“Stop it,” Lawrence interrupted with a hand raised.
“Sir…”
“Just leave. I’ll call for another doctor, I don’t think you want to be my doctor anymore,” Lawrence said.
“Mr. Sena…”
“See yourself out, please,” he cut him short again.
The doctor exhaled and shook his head. He walked towards his tools, packed them in his box, and then exited the room.
After a few minutes of watching Tiffany lay on the bed, Zoey walked slowly towards her and then knelt beside her on the floor.
“It’s not true… Right? Tiffy, it’s not true, right?” She sobbed gently.
Marlie, already dripping tears from her eyes profusely, walked to the other side of the bed and settled on the bed beside Tiffany.
“Do you have any idea how happy I was when I realized you were my sister? No, I bet you have no idea. I have just finished writing my bucket list and here you are laying like a log of wood. Do you know, while growing up, I’ve always wanted a sister to comb my hair, my brother has only pulled it.”
“Sis, I thought I was going to have more fun with you, so why? Why…?”
“Hey, get off if you know that’s the shit you’re going to keep saying. She’s only taking a long nap, so why do you keep talking as if you’ll never see her again? Tiffany, I want you to get the fûck up and come fight me again. Do you remember the fight we had? I want an official match. You can’t be the winner. So, stand up, and let’s duel properly… Now that we’ve gotten rid of the demon,” Declan said shakily beside Aiden, tears falling unconsciously from his eyes.
“Anny…” Aiden had only started but words failed him and he burst into fresh tears instead.
After a few minutes of crying, and consoling each other, each refusing to believe Tiffany was gone, Zoey grabbed Tiffany by her hand and resumed talking to her.
“Tiffy, do you remember when we first met? You said you were going to beat me if I kept talking to you or something,” she chuckles softly.
“At first, I thought you were just bluffing and acting strong till I see the way you handled Declan and others. Gosh, girl, you were so strong,” Zoey chuckled and cried again.
“Wait… Shouldn’t you confirm someone dead before you start to cry?” came the ever faint voice of Tiffany which was almost inaudible to the ear.
“Tiffany,” Zoey and Marlie widened their eyes.
“I saw heaven from afar and returned,” she smiled faintly and closed her eyes again.
Zoey and Marlie covered her with their bodies instantly, hugging every bit of her as much as they can.
On the other hand, Aiden widened his eyes hurriedly and pulled Lawrence that had already fallen to the ground up.
“Now, you’re going to send me to heaven for real,” she coughed gently.
Aiden couldn’t stop his tears and resumed crying again.
There were tears of joy, and only God knows how grateful and happy he was at the moment.
TBC…