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Okay, the next chapter is written! I hope the character aren’t too melodramatic…. Feel free to critique! Thanks everyone.

 

CHAPTER NINE:

The lush grass shimmered in sunlight. The gentle breeze tugged at her hair. From her window, she gazed upon the colorful flowers.

The door crashed open. She glanced over her shoulder, and rolled her eyes. Grandpa Phoenix danced into her room, draped in expensive black velvet. A macaw perched on his shoulder.

“There you are!” he bellowed. “I have a present, sweetie!”

Zoe spun on her heel, a smirk on her lips.

She shook her head, raising a hand to her brow. “Grandpa, do knock. Or one of these days, perhaps quite unfortunately, a dagger is bound to, well, end your life.”

“A pitiful ending!” Grandpa Phoenix burst in laughter. “For were I to die, I’d have failed to deliver my beautiful princess this utterly extravagant dagger!”

She snorted. That man was an idiot.

Grandpa Phoenix placed a golden dagger, embedded in glistening gems, upon her oaken desk. Zoe paused, striding forth upon the green floor. She raised the dagger into the air, stroking its delicate hilt. A broad smile cracked across her face.

“Lovely.” Her eyes fluttered. “I thank you for this generous gift. You know what a dagger freak I am, right?”

“Yes, yes, Zoe, I do know! I admire your freakish qualities!” Grandpa Phoenix smirked. “Last time I’d laid eyes upon your delicate face, you were attempting to strike down a dragon… and with a dagger, weren’t you?”

Her shoulders tensed. She glanced at the walls, painted in poinsettias. Closing her eyes, she clenched her teeth.

“Yes, I suppose that is correct.” She jutted out her chin. “I would have killed the horrid thing. But that ridiculous, dimwitted sister of mine stole all the glory. It was quite selfish of her.”

Grandpa Phoenix shrugged, glancing at his macaw. “Well, mustn’t dwell on past mistakes, you know! This next tournament shall be much different, I must say… So, do prepare for this marvelous challenge.”

“Oh, I have prepared,” Zoe hissed, snarling her lips. “This time, I shall win. I swear. I don’t care what traps are in that stupid tournament.”

He smiled a little too cheerfully. Performing a random, clever dance out of her room, he bowed a ridiculous bow.

“Alright, then. Do make me proud,” he purred. “Good day, Zoe! Enjoy that dagger!”

“Good day,” she spoke rather dully, “and thanks.”

He smirked that infamous Nicholas-like smirk. A dramatic flourish of his fingers. A wicked glint in his eyes. He flung the door shut! Zoe cringed.

How dare he barge into her room like that.

But, despite her disgust, she was rather thankful for the exquisite gift. She snatched the dagger off her desk. Peering at it closely, her eyes twinkled in vengeance. She slid her drawer open, sunlight bouncing off glinting blades.

“Aaaah, my dagger collection.” She lay the dagger into her drawer. “I shall name that one Goldblood. A quite fitting name indeed.”

She paused and glanced upon a dagger of sparkling emeralds.

“Smokedeath.” She caressed its ancient blade. “Quite a hideous name. I do love it!”

She smirked smugly, taking notice of a sleek, wicked blade. The title she bestowed upon that dagger was Frostbite. That name suited well its blade of white, azure, and silver.

Rows upon rows of daggers gleamed beneath her eyes. But a peculiar, strange dagger in particular snatched her attention. Its dark blade was wickedly curved. Its vibrant hilt resembled the face of a thieving raven.

“Skyclown,” she whispered its bizarre, lovely name. “Oh, oh, so much lives have I slain with this blade. But I dare say, there is a blade I have slain more lives with…”

She chuckled and revealed her utmost favorite of daggers.

Vampire.

Its blade glinted like blood. Elegant and devilish. A chill rushed down her spine. She shuddered with a gulp. Her smile vanished.

That eerie night of blood…

It remained a terrible memory ingrained in her mind. That haunted night, she was utterly isolated. Her one valuable possession was a precious scarlet crystal―well, actually, a half of a crystal. Nevertheless, that single crystal suffocated her in painful memories of her past.

The crystal was no other than Chloe’s precious gift. A reminder of their dear relationship.

Each day, each night, each moment―in great hope, she rushed to her window. But her sister never returned. Days passed by and by. She even attempted running away, but, to escape such a place was impossible. However, one sunny morning she received an anonymous letter.

In the letter it spoke concerning her sister. If the message were true, Chloe’s perfect little life in Eldymartt, was fantastic and wonderful. Kind and loving foster parents, great friends, everything she lacked. In all her comfort, Chloe never thought once in visiting her.

Her sister forgot about her.

In rage and fury, Zoe disposed of that tiny, mocking crystal. Grandpa Phoenix, then, wrapped up another present for her: a splendid, scarlet-bladed dagger! Her favorite dagger!

Nonetheless, that horrid, unpredictable night terrified her. Shadows clung to her, whispering into her ears. She shivered. Nightmares. Malicious, cruel nightmares.

A pale, soulless face grinned in the darkness. He bared nasty fangs, eyes empty and black. He was dressed in a rich suit, his dark hair greasy and long. Blood coated his mouth and hands.

A lone vampire.

She screamed. With a devilish cackle, the vampire charged and gripped her neck. Unsheathing her dagger, she jammed it through the foul monster’s abdomen.

The vampire gnashed his teeth, thrashing to the floor. His eyes flashed murderous and hateful. He became eerie and silent.

Drawing a final breath, the vampire was motionless.

Zoe crashed into her chair and screamed. She blinked at the dreaded memories. Rising to her feet, she let out a shaky breath and jutted out her chin. She was much older. She mustn’t allow a silly nightmare to frighten her.

She firmly gripped her dagger’s hilt.

“Vampire,” she whispered. “Quite an odd name indeed. But I do admit, it is rather symbolic.”

She spun on her heel to stand by the castle’s window. Where she beheld the beautiful land once more. She smirked darkly, arching an eyebrow. Her twin might have arisen as the victor of the dragon tournament…

Zoe straightened and folded her arms. But that wouldn’t happen again. She’d make sure of it.

Once she was announced crown winner, she’d be proclaimed the general of a grand army. Thousands of soldiers, horrendous beasts, legendary monsters. She was fearless and wondrous; she was not the worthless orphan like in the past.

The world was a cruel place. But a cruel place to be conquered, of course. Those criminals, those demons, those responsible for the pain in her life―each one of those, she’d command punished. Chloe, a disgraceful twin. Grandpa Phoenix, a mere sycophant. Nicholas, a traitor.

Nicholas, a murderer.

She locked her jaw. Her mother, her graceful and kind mother, was the only one who loved her. Now, there was no one who loved her. Her nostrils flared. She caressed Vampire’s blade. Once she won the tournaments, once she was general―oh, a glorious thing that’d be!

Zoe smirked deviously. She licked her teeth, a glint of steely vengeance in her eyes. There were much daggers to choose from. Daggers encrusted in bones. Daggers majestic and beautiful. Daggers flashing in each color. Daggers, daggers, daggers…

She must choose a dagger. She knew not which one. But nonetheless, she must, must choose a dagger. A brilliant, marvelous, wondrous dagger.

A dagger to penetrate Nicholas’s heart.

 

Chloe lay on her bed, staring dully at the ceiling.

Her mind burned with hundreds of thoughts. Burned with longing. She wiped at the tears in her eyes, choking on her sobs. What became of her foster parents, Allison and Dominic, she could not say. Eric must be dead. She lost her mother and father, she dared lose no more.

But what action was she to take?

She mustn’t stand about while Nicholas plotted his destructive schemes. She sucked in a breath, squeezing her palms. Swallowing hard, she staggered to her feet.

“Nicholas wishes to summon you.”

Startled, she spun on her heel. At her door stood the knight in dark armor. Grim and silent as ever.

“Then he shalt.” Chloe straightened, tightening her jaw. “I am flattered to be summoned by the King of Idiots himself.”

“Do not insult a Shadow Reaper.” The dark knight glowered. “Now follow me. I don’t want to hear a word out of your mouth. Understand?”

 

Nicholas slouched in a throne of gold.

He wore rich azure silk. A ridiculous, overly pointy wizard’s hat lay atop his annoying, little head. His beard and hair were a dozen times much lengthier than before. Adorable little kittens purred and nuzzled his elbow. Chloe paused and narrowed her eyes.

Aaah, he has taken the form of a wizard, she thought, without much surprise.

Nicholas smirked down upon her. She scowled in return.

“You are particularly silent today. Last time I met you, you were quite talkative and a little… dramatic.” He stroked an orange kitten purring atop his lap.

She observed the golden room about her. Chewing on her lip, she ignored the sadistic imbecile.

“It seems you don’t wish to speak. Well, be that the case, then I shall speak. A little chitchat is completely necessary… This orange fuzzy critter here,” Nicholas spoke, smirking at the kitten he was stroking, “is Spark. He’s a cute devil, now, isn’t he?”

Chloe stiffened and wrinkled her nose.

Nicholas scratched his wild beard tauntingly. “The black kitten is Twilight and the white kitten is Blizzard. Utterly adorable, aren’t they? Don’t you agree, little―?”

A fluffy, brown kitten meowed.

“Oh, don’t whine. You are always hungry,” Nicholas snapped. “That kitten is Dustin, girl. He’s a little demanding.”

Chloe shook a strand of hair out of her eyes, scowling. “I believe, Nicholas, there was a purpose you have summoned me. If that purpose be to taunt me using kittens, I have underestimated your stupidity.”

He scratched a gray-furred kitten nonchalantly behind its fluffy, soft ears.

“Oh, she speaks! Bravo, bravo, bravo! But I am afraid, the words spoken are incorrect. That is not the purpose, foolish girl.” Nicholas chuckled. “But as to introduce this last kitten here, her name is Arabella. Such a sweet little thing, she is…”

She clenched impatient fists. I really want to strangle you, Nicholas.

“I detect anger within you.” He cackled in glee. “Ah, how so amusing. You are like your sister in numerous ways. You are both incredibly reckless, possess such brilliant tempers, traumatized and all. You are peculiar twins, I do admit.”

“You know nothing about my sister,” Chloe snapped.

“Oh, I don’t? Child, I have known her for at least, let’s say, eight years.” Nicholas stroked his little white kitten. “Zoe has become obsessed with daggers. She’s a clever, and perhaps rather sadistic, girl. She wishes to be either an actress or assassin one day… she is not sure which. She is fond of dressing in disguises, exploring the dangerous unknown and all. In fact, she was in a costume at Creation’s Day―”

“Do say no more,” Chloe interrupted, her voice trembling. “I don’t want to hear a word out of your mouth again! You have torn this life of mine to mere pieces. I do not appreciate it.”

“Pitiful. So pitiful. I feel your ever burning pain,” his voice drooled in sarcasm. “Does your heart drown in sorrow? Worry not about your beloved sister. Grandpa Phoenix is a wonderful teacher, I assure you.”

A wonderful teacher? She pressed her lips into a thin line. I doubt that.

The brown kitten meowed and tugged at Nicholas’s beard.

“Ouch!” the wizard bellowed. “Do that again, Dustin, I shall lock you in a machine and order you diced to bits. Then I shall proceed to feeding you to the other kittens.”

Chloe let out a bitter laugh. “You deserved that, foul being.”

Nicholas shot her a glare. She shrunk back.

He extended a gnarled, threatening finger. “Do hold your tongue. I could have you shredded to human cheese and fed to the animals―I’m an evil animal lover for your information. But I shall refrain from the morbid shredding process. I won’t kill you. Not yet. If only you join me, you have the chance of a new life.”

“An empty life,” Chloe corrected, unimpressed. She then added, “Imbecile.”

Nicholas’s eyes sharpened. “Look, I have summoned your presence for a purpose. Not simply to amuse myself. Now, let us discuss a random topic: your surname. Little girl, ‘Chase’ isn’t your surname. Rather, to clarify, that is your foster parent’s surname. Your true surname is Juancarlos. Chloe Juancarlos. Has an strangely nice ring to it.”

Chloe cocked her head. “Really, is that so?”

“Yes,” Nicholas replied. “The Juancarlos family. Unfortunate traits amongst that family are temper tantrums and excessive patterns of recklessness. It explains your behavior perfectly. Now, there are rumors concerning the Juancarlos family. If the rumors are correct, the Juancarlos family remains the only people in the entire world to control the Monster Stone’s magical powers. You’d make a fabulous warrior.”

Chloe crinkled her brow. The Monster Stone? Yeah, this is kinda all makin’ sense.

The Monster King’s warning was true. Nicholas plotted to manipulate her―that is, if she were the chosen one. A sudden idea struck her.

Were she to be granted such power and magic, she’d take advantage of it and bring an end to Nicholas’s schemes. She bowed to no other than the King. Her purest desire was to help others, and once the Monster Stone was in her hands, she’d use its magic to direct people to the King, their true Creator. She finally discovered her destiny.

A grand destiny Stephany Juancarlos hadn’t the chance to finish…

Nicholas smirked, cracking his knuckles. “Join me and all shall be set right. There shall be no more pain or torture. You shall be a knight of loyalty to the Dark One. You shall be treated with utmost respect.” He leaned forth, gripping his curved, wooden staff. “You shall be free to wander this castle. You shall have servants of your own. This is an opportunity to mold your horrible life into the most desirable of dreams. You shall be privileged with a little kitten as well.”

“I am flattered. Honestly, I am truly flattered. But the answer is no. I shan’t join you. I don’t want a kitten either. I am not an evil animal lover,” Chloe spoke, biting her lip, “for your information.”

Nicholas froze, frowning in silence.

He then sneered. “Alright, very well. Die in the tournaments. Perish as a worthless weed. I don’t care. I shall make a deal with your sister. I bet she’ll listen. In appearance, she looks identical. But her heart isn’t identical to her twin’s heart. She is powerful, not a weakling such as you.”

She swallowed at the malice in his voice. Clenching her fists, she tightened her jaw.

Dustin purred, drooling on Mr. Grumpy’s lap.

“Eww!” Nicholas bellowed in disgust. “You shall never once more rest upon the lap of your master!”

He gripped the kitten’s fluffy neck. Chloe gasped. Nicholas tossed Dustin to the air.

Thump! Meow!

Silence.

Dead, eerie silence.

She clapped a hand over her mouth. Nicholas pounded his staff. His gnashed his teeth, his eyes bulging.

The dark knight rushed forth. “What be this urgent request, Your Majesty?”

“Take this wretch to her room. Feed her nothing at all. I’d like to see her shrivel to bones,” Nicholas commanded. “It was quite unwise of me to waste such valuable time on this foolish girl!”

“The deed shall be done, Your Majesty.” The dark knight cast her a hostile glare.

He seized her with an iron grip. She gasped in shock. Yanking her across the throne room, she thrashed in his grip as she was forced up the stairs.

“Let go of me!” she cried out in rage. “Let go of me, you dull wolf!”

“Shut it, filthy piglet,” the dark knight hissed through clenched teeth.

Chloe shot darting glances about the artistic, paint-plastered walls. She froze, taking in the dreaded sight of her awful room.

“You have arrived at your destination.” The dark knight chuckled, breathing on her neck. “Have fun, piglet…”

He sent her tumbling into the room. She sprung to her feet. He sneered, slamming the door in her face.

“Nicholas!” she screamed, crazed. “I am going to kill you! Don’t forget that!”

She pounded and struck the door. Fury surged through her veins. Squeezing her eyes shut, she raised a trembling hand to her temple.

“Hello there, sister.”

She froze, and glanced over her shoulder. Zoe stood near the door, dressed in violet and silver. She held a golden object of some kind in her palm.

Chloe couldn’t make out if it were a dagger or a key.

“You mustn’t be so tearful,” her twin spoke. “Trust me, I am a professional eavesdropper. That conversation I found rather exasperating. Do admit it. You hate Nicholas as much as I do.”

Chloe narrowed confused eyes.

“What?” Zoe folded her arms. “He assassinated our mother. Who couldn’t hate such an animal-obsessed demon?”

“Uh, n-nothing… it’s just…” She sucked in a shaky breath. “You have changed much.”

“Yes, I believe so. Dagger collecting as a brilliant hobby and all.” Zoe forced a fake laugh. She straightened out her shoulders. “Well, thought I’d stop by and say hello real quick. But I must be on my way. It was nice meeting you again.”

She turned to leave. Her lips twisted into a sly grin.

Chloe gripped her arm. “Don’t leave, sister.”

Zoe merely glanced over her shoulder. “Why?”

“Please,” she begged, “can you only stay a little longer?”

Zoe pulled her arm firmly out of Chloe’s grasp.

“No,” she answered. “I must be on my way. You are lucky I even visited you. Eight years locked up in a mansion in Welmjadin―and never, ever have you visited me once. You are quite lucky I don’t treat you with such disrespect. Do you hear me?”

Chloe stuttered, “B-but…”

“No buts.” She stepped out of the room. “We shall meet once more in the tournaments. Now, I must be on my way. Good day.”

Zoe shut the door and, of course, locked it.

Just. Like. That.

She slumped in despair. Her brow furrowed into a frown, eyes simmering in anger. This must be Nicholas’s fault. He poisoned her sister’s mind. She was in utter silence, glancing blankly about the dull room. Shuddering, she crossed her arms.

Nicholas was correct.

Temperamental. Reckless.

Such unfortunate traits amongst her family. She let out a shaky breath. Allison scolded her afore concerning her awful temper. And she was terribly reckless. Her greatest flaw of all.

She clenched her fists. Much was to be done. Tournaments to be won. A broken relationship to be repaired. A grand destiny to be fulfilled…

A wicked wizard to be slain.