Joshua:
Everything had shattered for . I was sitting on the road holding my friend’s dead body. He was gone. My mate was gone. I sat there feeling useless. I could not do anything for them.
Then I saw the curly hair Clentine. The crusader who not only saved herself and her squad mates but everyone she had ever been surrounded with. I began to wonder if I was ever going to be better than her.
It struck when I watched Yorick, Haiden, and Troy step out of the subway station. It hit hard, but I realized they had Oriana with them. Since she was not with them now, I suspected she was hiding in the subway. The Alphas seed like they were back in their bodies. Their emotions looked raw.
I already carried Jack by then, and I slipped away from their sight. Once Mira and the others started to scream that I was gone, I went back into the subway station and locked the door from inside.
However, when I looked around, I did not see Oriana. She was supposed to be here.
"Oriana," I shouted, clenching my jaw.
"Co out. I will not hurt you. I need your help," I told her, taking deep breaths.
"Listen, I am not one of those, I just wanted power," I explained, but she was nowhere around.
Then I realized that if she was not here, she must have gone ahead in the subway because I had not seen her walk out. I began to carry Jack’s body again and followed the empty area, moving as fast as I could. His body had beco stiff, cold, and heavy.
After about ten minutes, I reached the end. When I reached the door, I saw it was locked from inside.
So where was Oriana? Had she co out? Had they left her here? Had they killed her? What had those three Alphas done to her?
These questions burned inside until I heard blood‑curdling screams from the other side of the door, and I realized it was Oriana. They had locked her out.
Without thinking twice, without even considering what I might find on the other side or what kind of creature had terrified her enough to scream like that, I put Jack down and opened the door.
As soon as I stepped out, I saw strange winged creatures dropping from above and attacking her. They were only scratching her for now, but they had hollow eyes and long beaks, almost like bats but human‑sized.
"Get away from her!" I yelled, pulling out a knife as I rushed toward them, slashing at them and making them squeal. As they did, they flew away.
I looked around briefly and noticed the area was far darker than the north we knew. This side of the north looked burned down. Everything was charcoal black, or maybe it was just the effect of the night. There were no lights, nothing. This part looked like a place struck by disaster, unlike the other part.
"Joshua, please untie . Please. It is unfair how they left here tied to this pole," she cried. She was scratched up and bleeding, and patches of her hair were missing from her scalp.
I took a deep breath, looked around anxiously, and then moved toward her. I untied her, and the mont I did, she collapsed to her knees.
"Take away from here. This place is real hell. This is the real north they talked about," she sobbed. Her words began to unsettle .
"Co on, co with ," I urged, but she shook her head.
"I cannot. They have bitten my feet," she cried. I noticed that parts of the flesh on her feet were gone. Those things had chewed into them and eaten the skin.
I turned around and offered my hands so she could climb onto my back. While I ran, I saw the creatures coming out, chittering and moving with quick, skipping steps. As they sprinted toward us, I reached the subway station just in ti and slamd the door shut.
Once the door closed, they began to squeal and scream. Oriana dropped to the ground, crying.
"The fact that we were once friends, yet they did this to ," she whispered with a small whimper.
I had a response for her. I could have reminded her that what she did was not very friendly either, but I held myself back. I did not care about what she had done to the Alphas.
"Wait. What is this? Is Jack dead?" she asked when she saw Jack’s body lying to the side. She began to gag.
"That is why I need your help," I told her as I crouched in front of her. She imdiately looked at . She frowned and pointed at herself as if asking how anyone could want her help.
"I am just a useless piece of shit. I could not even do anything with such a big power in my hands," she replied, insulting herself under the weight of guilt.
"Exactly. That is because you were not careful enough. If you take to that shadow thing, I can get power, and then we both can use it." As soon as I said that, her eyes brightened.
"And this ti, I will ask for Clentine’s death," she remarked.
The mont she said it, my muscles tightened. I did not know why. I had not expected that reaction.
"Yeah, definitely," I replied, but the first reaction my body gave drew my attention. Maybe it was because Clentine had beco such a well‑known na that the thought of her dying sounded like major news.
"But I cannot take you this ti. I cannot walk and everyone’s eyes are on us," she murmured. I began to think about it, and she was not wrong. If I went ahead now and stayed away from the others for too long, they would suspect we did sothing, because Clentine was already one step ahead of us and knew I had taken a lot of interest in the magical thing.
"You are right. Let’s take you back to safety," I told her, and the mont I held her hand to help her stand, she shook her head. I noticed how badly shaken she was.
"No, they will kill ," she pleaded, asking not to take her back.
"Then what, do you want to stay here?" I asked, and she shook her head again. I realized she was frightened.
"Do not worry. I will keep you safe. You have my word," I reassured her. The mont I said it, I saw her eyes relax.
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