The Inferno

Chapter 12 The End

I spend a few more minutes thawing out, Javier’s light being enough to help me stand again.

Lou, Javier and Alexis all speak amongst themselves whilst I use the reflection of the microwave door to fix my makeup.

A sliver of shadow seems to be hanging around me and I shiver in remembrance of the place I never want to enter again.

“Red alert: floor one. Red alert: floor two. Red alert: floor three. Red—”

“What the fuck is going on now?” Javier yells. The alerts continue through the comms, all the way up to floor six and back in an endless loop.

“A technical issue?” Alexis queries, looking towards us all for confirmation.

“It makes comms useless,” Lou states, pulling out her earpiece and chucking it onto the table.

The numbness of the Dark Realm seemingly dulled my senses because when the alerts begin their next cycle, I finally realise there’s a new presence on this floor.

More than one.

“We need to get—”

My words are cut off by a loud explosion which plummets us all into the nearest wall.

The impact should have knocked us unconscious, possibly caused head injuries and broken bones, but I felt the moment Alexis threw up a barrier to cushion the collision.

I wince, my body aching from the sudden brunt force of being flung from the ground.

A piercing ringing fills my ears as I try to survey the room which is swallowed by dust. With blurry vision, I see shadows of movement through a half-shattered wall, people running, crawling, some just lying on the ground.

There are more blurry figures, so many, covered in darkness and dust.

I start coughing, my throat gritty and raw, and barley hear the sound. Everything is muted except the incessant ringing.

Although my body is struggling, my power has fully awoken and has already begun its search for my loved ones.

My fingers claw and grip the wall we flew into. I drag myself up, barely managing to stand, sharp pangs of pain intensifying with every sluggish movement.

“Alexis?” I croak, coughing again.

My hindered vision starts to see clearer outlines and details now. The thick clouds of dust settling and covering the ground. I gasp, seeing through the gaping hole in the wall and into the scene that lies beyond.

Bodies. People bleeding. Screaming, running— missing limbs. Fire… more bodies, lifeless, scattered on the ground.

“Jas?”

I blink away the images and look down, Javier is leaning against the wall, his markings blaring brightly. Blood and dust coat his skin and he winces in pain. I quickly bend down and slowly scoop his arm around my neck, urging him to try and stand with me.

“Alexis?” he splutters as I use my power to drag him onto his feet.

“I’m searching.” My eyes bleed out and power blooms. Urgently seeking out her presence. “There.”

I lead him with me, wincing as we go, avoiding large chunks of cement and rubble, to Alexis.

Small, tiny Alexis whose body is partially covered in debris and lies so still.

Javier lunges towards her, limping but ignoring his own pain as he frees her from the rubble and scoops her into his arms, against his chest. The light which suddenly emanates from his markings blinds me.

I shield my eyes between bloody fingers until it settles again and my power wraps around them both, barricading them from anything that may appear. It feeds from Javier’s terror, the feeling so strong it numbs any aches I previously had.

“She’s just unconscious.” His hushed voice brings instant relief. He stares down at Alexis’ face and gently wipes away the blood travelling down her cheek. “She shielded us but didn’t shield herself. Stupid, reckless woman!” He continues muttering in Faeish as he pulls her body tightly to his.

His light engulfs them both and sends a sudden burst of warmth towards me. I step closer and place a careful hand upon his shoulder.

He’s so scared. My fingers shake from the intensity of it. I’d never felt this emotion from him. Even when they found me. I drag it into me.

“Get out of here, take her with you,” I urge, my fingers digging into his tense muscle. I begin to feel the twist in his emotions, the bitter anger rising and twisting his fear. “I’ll take care of this. You take care of her.”

He’s shaking his head, white markings creating a beacon which makes us a clear target for anyone looking. My power swirls and forms into a black mist around us, blocking his light from outside our bubble.

“Do it, Javier,” I order, a dark tinge to my voice which causes his white eyes to meet mine. “Keep her safe while I find the fuckers who did this.”

Our eyes lock, light and dark, fighting for dominance. Until his close.

He slowly rises with Alexis held so tightly to his chest, her arms dangling down. I carefully drape them up and over her chest just as I feel Lou’s presence rise behind us.

“Alexis? No, what happened? Is she...” Her voice is raspy and breathless but filled with panic.

“She’ll be fine.” When I face Lou, she startles and steps back. I realise she hasn’t seen me like this before and I attempt a reassuring expression that I hope appears pleasant. “We need to find the others and whoever did this.”

One stern nod is Lou’s response. Splatters of brown and red cover one side of her face but otherwise, she’s uninjured. Her blue gaze continues taking me in for another moment, pausing on my eyes, then she pushes the curls from her face and straightens her stance.

“Was this them, the enforcers?” she asks sternly, her teeth gritted as she glances at Javier and Alexis’ unconscious body.

I slowly shake my head, encouraging my power to seek out the presence I’d previously felt... but it no longer exists. “No, it was something else.”

She responds with another sharp nod. “Lewis was by the bar, we find him and Ferne, then we deal with this.”

Louise nudges her head towards Javier who still hasn’t moved. He’s too busy watching Alexis’ chest slowly rise and fall.

“Go Javier, I’ll find you after,” I say, gently this time, forcing my eyes to regain some of their usual colour .

If I had to, I’d make him. I’d do whatever it took to keep them all safe. Even if it meant using that part of me.

He doesn’t look at me but he murmurs something, before finally moving.

Louise and I quickly make our way through the most stable route, the back corridor where the walls are still intact but the door has been blown off its hinges.

When we step into the main area of the club, a massacre greets us.

I hadn’t realized the extent of the damage; being in the back room must have shielded us from most of the impact. Here, I see that the main room of level six is completely destroyed. No familiar feature remains; everything has fallen. Fire fills the space, thick plumes of smoke cover the ceiling, and poisons the air.

The sprinklers haven’t activated and I see Lewis desperately focused, trying to control the largest of the fires.

We run towards him, careful to avoid the dead and injured on the floor. Louise maintains her hard facade until she sees a man with half his face missing, screaming in agony, a healer desperately trying to soothe him.

“What is this,” she whispers, terror evident in her voice.

Lewis manages to tame the fire and turns to us, ash covers half his face, the other is lined with blood and a long, deep gash.

“Thank the Goddess, you’re both OK.” His amber eyes quickly assess us then the space behind, a flare of panic rising. “The others?”

“Javier is with Alexis, she’s unconscious… but she’ll be fine,” I quickly reply, seeing the panic turn to anger. “Ferne?”

He wipes the sweat from his brow, smudging the ash and blood, and casts a look to his left. After a few seconds, his narrowed gaze softens and he points. “There, she’s with the queen. She’s been freaking out about all of this. When the explosion hit, we were near the queen and her team shielded her, and consequently us, but Ferne was screaming about ‘The Order’. I think she hit her head or something...”

“There’s just been an explosion, people are dead, and you expect her to be calm?” Lou berates her brother, her expression stern.

“You don’t get it.” He scowls at her. “She was all over the place, crying, said ‘this is just the beginning’, that ‘there’s more to come’, that they’ll—”

This time, I’m ready .

I feel the build-up of power before it emits and I cast out my darkness as far as it can reach. It covers Lewis and Louise easily, it’s a stretch for Ferne but I force it, feeling the deep ache in my chest from the exertion. The queen is already covered by her own power and mine becomes a thin veil over it.

This one act happens in seconds, just before the second and third explosion erupt.

Under my protection, we watch the chaos erupt around us. The thick glass walls—used as a way to peer down onto the lower levels—shatters. Giant shards pierce the air like spears. I try to force the pieces to return with the flick of my hand but there’s too many to stop them all.

Louise tries her best to create her own barriers, thick walls of water around the guests I couldn’t reach. But there’s only so much she can do and we watch as shrapnel slips through our protective covers and hear the painful screams which follow.

The third explosion happens behind us, I hear the heavy thud and screeching but I don’t dare look.

Lewis stares behind in terror, desperate to help but unable to in this offensive role. When I turn, I seek out Ferne, vines and branches from decorative plants have formed before her in a complicated mass. It fairs better than Louise’s barrier but it still isn’t able to stop everything.

Her eyes seek out mine, wide, filled with tears and fear.

Then it’s over.

I’m wary to drop my barrier but I need to be prepared. Slowly, I call it back.

“Are you both OK?” I ask and realise I’m struggling to catch my breath.

Lou and Lew glance at one another, mirror images as they search one another before turning to me. Their faces now filled with another emotion: anger.

“We’re good,” Lewis speaks for them both.

I nod and prepare to send out orders when I feel it again, the presence from before.

Shadows emerge from the remnants of chaos.

The smoke and dust parting as they enter. Their bodies are clad in heavy green cloaks that obscure their faces. My power flares, pulsing through my veins in a hidden warning, urging caution as they draw nearer .

A few more figures appear. Amongst the screaming and utter carnage, they are an image of calm. One figure is slouched as it kicks a stray piece of rubble across the floor.

I can make out four, four figures in the green robes who seem to be the orchestrators of this chaos. But behind them is what terrifies me more.

A large mob, moving like a swarm, yelping and snarling as they try to break away from their formation. They emit nothing. No power. No aura.

They look and feel... human, but sound nothing like it.

“What is this? Who are they?” Lewis whispers beside me but I don’t dare look away.

My body tingles in preparation. My power burns. I flex my hands and steady my stance as the air thickens with tension.

“Find and take the ones we need. Kill the rest,” the hooded man, stood at the centre, commands. Instantly, the swarm surges forwards.

Walls of vibrant flames hit into the front line of humans. Agonised screeches and the smell of burning flesh permeates the air. Lewis’ flames build and build, spreading quickly, ensuring no one else will enter this way— but that’s only one entry.

Louise stands beside her brother, one hand resting upon his arm. She ensures he doesn’t overheat by providing a constant flow of cool water around his body and vital organs. Together, they make a remarkable team. Their eyes glowing brightly in the dark, light hair blowing in the steam they create.

When she sees me, she nods, knowing what the next priority is and where I need to be. Ferne and the queen.

Bright golden light bursts from the corner I last saw the queen in, followed by dark figures flying across the room. Others, too stunned from the light, simply collapse to the floor.

The queen’s markings, like Javier’s, are intense and blinding but not constant.

They surge and fall every time someone gets too close whilst her security team frantically battle with the countless hordes directly targeting her. As I rush towards her, I throw a few out of the way, my power coiling and pulsing quickly. The sound of bodies hit the ground like bags of sand. I send more cascading through the air, smashing into what’s left of the walls, frantically hurling aside anyone who gets in my path until I finally reach them.

Ferne is desperately fighting alongside the security team, using vines to trap, strangle and fling. When she sees me, she quickly wraps a vine around my waist and brings me to her.

“Jasmine, I was so worried, thank the Goddess you’re safe, I—”

“Don’t thank her just yet!” the queen interrupts, her angelic voice hard and clipped as she shouts over the carnage. Her bright gaze quickly assesses me before fixating upon the enemies again. “When we get out of here, we’ll have a feast in the Goddess’ honour! But now, I need everyone to stay focused. Get that barrier down and portal up so we can go home!”

A barrier?

“What can I do?” I ask, yelling over the sound of someone screaming.

Her golden eyes lock with mine. Calm, controlled, yet a flicker of fear licks across my skin. I quickly take it and alter it. Courage, determination, that’s what we needed now. Not fear.

Fear led to mistakes.

“Take out one of the green robes, I’ll tell you which one!” she orders, flinging out an arm and casting a large ray of light which blinds three more humanoid creatures.

“Your highness, we cannot trust her.” A male fae, dressed in a less impressive version of Hugo’s uniform, steps forward. Black smoke makes it hard to distinguish any defining features except a slash running through his lip.

I instantly dislike him.

“Oh, be quiet, Jacques!” she scolds, “How about you focus on your job, protecting me, and getting that fucking portal open!” Jacques stares at the queen, possibly in shock, but then submissively nods.

“Where is Hugo?” I ask by her ear, still needing to shout.

“That is a fantastic question!” she bellows, light pulsing from her arms so suddenly I flinch away from the heat. “One I would love an answer to, but not right now!”

My power instinctively hums at the feeling of someone approaching, I don’t even turn around as it seeps out, sinks into them, and sends them careening along the floor .

I focus all my attention back on the queen as she sends another impressive flare of light outwards, guillotining the thick darkness in a wide slash.

“That one!” She points, and through the thickening mass of smoke, I catch a glimpse of a jade green cloak: my target.

Her words are all I need, my power bursts out so quickly it’s almost painful. We begin our descent and I feel the queen move closer, the lengths of her arms touching the tops of mine, her warm power grazing me.

The second my power reaches the target, it locks in, and an intense burning begins. I grit my teeth and harden my stance, digging my feet into the ground as I snap my fingers in and form a tight fist.

The green cloak suddenly stops, becoming unstable on his feet, then he turns in recognition.

Through the dark, I see nothing but his outline but then, his hand rises and an intense purple light blooms around his hand.

A slicing sensation begins in the pit of my stomach. It stings, but I know I can fight through it. I make a point of tightening my power’s grip on the man, pulling my arm in and watching as he stumbles slightly towards me.

His shoulders begin to droop, his other hand now urgently wrapping around his throat, the place where my power has taken hold. But this man is powerful, his strength surges through me and causes the slicing to dig deeper.

“That’s it,” the queen murmurs in assurance, her power pushing into me and easing the slicing which continues to deepen. “He’s the warlock blocking the portals, just keep a hold of him. We stop him, we can all get out of here!”

I nod tersely, desperately fighting the pain which is building, whilst trying to ignore the warmth of blood forming from my mark and trailing down my spine.

At that moment, the queen moves slightly and I feel the portal beginning to form. The intense heat, one which always emits from the circling light, now caresses my cheek as the queen works quickly to open it fully.

The burning light brightens and I wince, my foot slides and the pain flares. I groan at the intense burn and the queen instantly pushes herself closer to me .

When I refocus, the man wrapped in my power is no longer crouching on the floor. There’s someone beside him, leaning into him. They’re across the other side of the room and barely visible, but we lock gazes and my power jolts. A strange reaction, one that has me leaning into the queen even more.

“It’s a healer!” I shout, feeling the renewed strength I’m trying to battle with. “He’s being healed, and fast, you need to get in the portal— now!”

The queen begins muttering in Faeish as I feel Ferne move to my other side. I feel something cold and soft placed upon my back and the sensation renews my power slightly, it spikes and I attempt to tighten my grip again, focus my gaze, breathe in deep and hold.

This is it.

This will work.

Thi—

A terrifying noise breaks my concentration.

A scream.

One which somehow pierces through all the other cries and shrieks of horror.

A scream I had never heard before but instinctively recognise.

Louise.

But she isn’t screaming for herself.

I force myself to keep hold of the man before me, but I search out the siblings and the sight changes something in me. My stomach becomes a pit, my arm begins to fall as I stare.

Louise is cradling Lewis in her arms. There’s blood, everywhere… covering her chest and hands as she holds Lewis’ face, blood on her fingers as she shakes him and screams again.

No.

No.

He can’t be.

Everything freezes.

Something snaps.

I close my eyes. Inhale.

There’s a feeling of release, like a thorn had been embedded somewhere, tugging at my skin, and had finally been plucked out. There’s a rushing sound that accompanies wind but there’s no breeze, not here... then… calm .

Open.

Movement resumes.

The pain in my stomach and spine disintegrates into a simple numbness.

The man I had fought to hold onto, the one who was now using the healer as a crutch during my distraction, feels like a helpless fly trapped in my web.

I take hold again, barely needing to raise a hand to direct it.

“Down,” I command.

I know he can’t hear it but he follows my instruction perfectly, falling to his knees like a doll.

The healer beside him desperately tries to pull him up, my darkness reaches into her too, sinks into her bones, her blood, her soul, her mind.

Now she’s on the floor too, twitching.

“I’ve got it, let’s go!”

I barely recognise that voice. I turn to seek it out.

The queen. An aura of gold waves surround her and my mouth waters.

She stares at me, an expression I’m not sure how to take. I tilt my head to watch her, she takes a step back. I frown.

“Jasmine, you’re—”

That scream again.

I find them instantly. I devour Louise’s guilt, grief, regret and quickly sink into Lewis.

He isn’t dead but he’s barely breathing.

I raise my other arm and place a dark barrier around the two, blocking any further creatures from even daring to enter. When they get too close, spikes of blue crackle and ignite.

“Your highness, we must go.” The feeble man from before is here again, a distraction, insignificant.

My skin burns in irritation but a sudden warmth wraps around my wrist. I indulge in the sensation but when I gaze at queen’s fingers holding me, I notice the tips of my own instead, now resembling the colour of ash, like they’d been dipped in ink.

The sight shocks me for a moment but when I try to pull away to inspect them, the queen tugs them back.

“Come with me, now,” she urges, her glowing eyes are wide as she searches my face, tracing something I am yet to see… genuine fear from a creature this powerful makes me feel … excited . “I can help you, but we need to—”

I see her lips move, feel her staring at me— into me— but I’m barely here any more.

Louise is screaming my name; that’s all I can hear.

I take a final look at the queen and recognition dawns upon her face instantly. She feels it, just before I flick my fingers, and I send her flying backwards into the portal she opened. The action is so unexpected, her security team urgently rush to follow through.

When I look down and see Ferne staring up at me, a fearful expression etched into her deep brown eyes, I flick my wrist and send her into the portal too. I watch the golden spiral swirl and collapse inwards the second she’s slipped through.

Now they’re safe, I move.

Trails of darkness sweep out before and behind me, whipping outwards and hurtling aside anyone near until I finally reach Louise and Lewis.

“Give him to me.” I stare down at my two loved ones, they’re mine and they’re suffering.

Suffering I can take away. That’s what I’m made for.

Louise stares up at me, her watery gaze cracking her hard exterior. Smears of blood and ash covering her beautiful face.

She can’t see me, not truly, not when she’s in this haze of grief. But I see everything . I feel everything.

I carefully ease my thick coils of power around her, prying her grip away from Lewis as I edge her aside. I lower myself and take her place on the ground, pulling Lewis’ heavy, still form over my legs,

The moment our skin touches, his pain explodes into me. It’s everywhere.

My darkness spreads over him in numerous physical coils, searching for the source and finding several.

“W—what, what are you doing?” Louise’s voice is a fragment of the woman I know. I want to ease her pain and panic but I need to stay focused.

“I’m going to take his pain away.”

There. Three puncture wounds which have sunk into his lungs, filling then with blood, suffocating him .

Lewis gasps when I begin the process, my coils tighten and pulse, nipping and slicing as we take his pain into us. My jaw tightens when the burning at my back begins again, like hot coals sinking deeper and deeper with each pull.

Cold droplets of water land upon my arms, arms which are no longer pale but smothered in a gradient of blackish greys. I force myself to ignore it and peer up at Louise as more water falls.

She’s desperately creating an additional barrier around my own, because, as I heal Lewis, mine is disintegrating. And I know it will completely disappear if I keep healing him, but he’s not stable enough, not yet.

I’ve been so fixated upon Lewis, I’d ignored the hungry mob now surrounding the three of us. The anarchists cloaked in black are striking at both our barriers with bloody fists.

I hiss as the next wave of Lewis’ pain floods into me but, finally, his amber eyes flicker.

My barrier shakes and water sprays us, again.

“I can’t keep this up, Jasmine!” Louise cries, her voice is pained, desperate, and I feel her anger, anger that she isn’t strong enough.

She isn’t. And currently, neither am I.

I search around us, noting how my dark barricade is nothing more than a thin veil of grey now. But I feel the renewed thud of Lewis’ heartbeat, I feel the flow of blood regulate, no longer haemorrhaging, and his chest begins to rise and fall more naturally. He isn’t healed fully, but it’s enough for him to be moved.

I concentrate on my barrier and reform the strongest parts into a small tunnel, one that’s strong enough to hold for the next few minutes, that’s all I need.

“Take him and go.”

Louise’s eyes race to mine and then her brother. I feel her instant relief but the fear quickly returns, then her eyes are trailing all over me.

“Jasmine, you… what are—”

“No time, take him and I will deal with this.” This voice is barley mine, layered and far away, but I know these people are mine. I need to protect them and that’s what I will do.

She wets her lips, begins to mentally assess the situation, but there’s just no time .

I grip Lewis tightly and stand, Louise quickly moves towards him and together we place him over her shoulders. He’s too heavy for her to carry alone, my dark coils slither under his arms and chest to support some of his weight.

More of my barrier bleeds away and my mark burns.

“Go. Now. I can’t hold this for much longer.” My words are strained as I struggle to maintain my barrier and Lewis’ weight.

If I had the strength, I’d force her to go, crawl into her mind and...but I need time to recuperate. I healed him so quickly...I need to keep going, for them.

Louise sees my physical struggle and that seems to be enough.

“I’ll come back.” She shifts her brother’s weight and adds water to my dark coils. “I’ll get him out and then I’ll come back, I’ll come back for you!”

She’s shouting as she enters the small tunnel I’ve created. She believes in every single word she says and I manage a small smile at the sentiment.

I’ve already made peace with my decision.

I’m not getting out of here alive.

I turn towards the masses of black surrounding me. I watch as they stumble over one another in a desperate attempt to reach me, their eyes wild and savage as they hit the thin wisp of my veil and pummel it repeatedly.

When I see Louise has made it halfway through the tunnel, a well of sadness forms in my stomach.

She can’t see me, but I see her, I feel her.

Her emotions which she often keeps so deep and hidden, terrified to share that part of herself, are spiralling to the surface in a flurry. How could I ever question the true intent of these people, who cared and loved me for so many years?

It’s clear I meant something to them. To Louise at least.

She’s almost there now.

More bodies hit my barrier, demanding entrance.

Even if it was only five years, I cherish every moment.

A crack in the structure.

It was five years of friendship, warmth and love.

Another.

I wouldn’t have traded it for the world .

Tears begin to fall as I stare down the tunnel at Louise and Lewis for the final time.

Then I close it.

She won’t be coming back.

I won’t let her.

The barricade crumbles around me. I feel the darkest part of me rise and buzz in anticipation of what’s to come. Fuelled by the memories of my family, I strengthen my stance and wipe the tears from my face.

If this is the end, we will take them to hell with us .

The barrier cracks again, the fractures widen, spread and finally, it disperses.

It’s just me and them.

They all halt in disbelief for a moment, then it begins.

An abrupt wave of darkness bursts from my chest into the awaiting mob, instantly wiping them out and sending bodies flying. Some plummet off the edge of the floor where the glass wall once stood, dropping six floors down.

My power sinks into the remaining bodies and feeds, taking in their essence, building my power more and more. But they keep coming, more than I remember, spawning from the never-ending abyss.

And I keep feeding.

I’m insatiable; now delving into their souls and ripping, tearing, devouring every minute essence of life.

I feel unstoppable.

Immortal.

It’s too much.

My chest begins to tighten. My heart thuds under the strain. I stare down at my hands, now entirely black... they’re shaking.

The pain in my back suddenly explodes, as if ripping away my skin and leaving my muscles raw.

I scream in agony.

The sound causes my darkness to react and it instinctively emits another pulse, this one sweeps over the entire floor and the sound of dropping bodies echoes around me.

I fall to the ground.

I’m gasping for air in painful pants.

I’m surrounded by countless bodies, but I’m alone.

I can’t move .

The immense power running through my veins is overwhelming, heavy. The lives I’ve taken and consumed, gorged on, are now paralysing my body. But my power, the darkness, continues to feed.

I can’t even scream.

I lay there, waiting for it to end as my power feeds and feeds.

My vision begins to fade around the edges, the colours begin to bleed away, and the once blooming fires barely resemble an ember.

I’m numb.

Fading; falling.

This is it.

The end.

“I’m dying.”

Unaware if I say the words aloud or not, I close my eyes. I try to think of their faces as I go.

Then I succumb to the dark.