Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Tortuous Vendetta, Part 1
Rena sat in Storm's room that evening, the two silent. Rena had been silent for a few hours, thinking. They had already moved her father's corpse and the crowd outside the courtyard had dispersed. Celeste retired to her room the moment she was able to, after forcing the public to leave the courtyard. The guards had stood watch over the doors and such, and the earlier incident was treated like a public execution. Nanao, Naisyn, Nixanya and Angel had gone to their rooms, not daring to make any contact with Celeste.
Rena sighed softly.
"I'm leaving," she said, standing up.
She didn't look her best, at all. The girl looked exhausted and depressed.
"Leaving where, Rena? Where exactly can you even go?" he asked, the girl looking at him, shaking her head.
"Not home. I'm leaving this place. This dimension. I'm going to where you're from. Plain and simple," she said blatantly.
Storm stood up, in surprise.
"Okay, wait. You do realize, that we know nothing about where I'm from, right? I want to be able to see you. We're friends. The hell am I supposed to do then?" he replied, Rena looking at him.
"Remember when you left for three years, to train or whatever? Why can you leave but I can't?" she said to him, reminding him of those events from years ago.
"That's...look. Celeste won't notice if you go now, then. We could meet up sometime-" he said, pondering to himself.
"Storm," she said as she placed her hands on his shoulders.
"Huh? What?" he quickly asked, as he still wasn't used to a serious-acting Rena.
"Come with me," she said to him, full on serious.
"Huuuuuh!?" he yelled in confusion and surprise. "Nononono. Wait. Hold on. Pause that shit. How do we get back if we want to come back?" he asked her, attempting to get her back into sense.
"Storm. This place is fucked, alright? She killed my dad. Outright, no reason. I'm not sticking around to be next. My dad always told me if anything happened to him, to take that ring. I dunno why, but I'm going to get it and I'm going to leave. I'll give you a few hours to reconsider. Call me if you do change your mind," she said to him as he stared in shock.
"You're actually serious-" he said, shaking his head a bit.
"You don't need to come. I'd be asking you to choose between a friend and family. That's not a choice that I'd put on you. I just-I can't be here anymore, so I'm leaving. I'm going to take a crystal, and I'm not coming back," she said to him, opening his window, prepared to leave.
"I'll be going to the eastern port, by the way, if you do decide to show up. Go to the gift shop near the port, alright?" she said to him.
"Wait, Rena. Let me-let me help you." he said to her.
"Ah-if you could get a crystal for me, that'd be great. Meet up with me by the front doors," she said to him. Storm nodded and left through his door, while Rena jumped out the window.
~
Storm was quiet about taking the crystal. He was taking from Celeste, and she already wasn't in her best mood.
"Just like the cake-just like the cake-" Storm kept muttering to himself, but he was nervous.
Going into the empty throne room, Storm began to sneak across the large silent room. He quickly glanced around then kneeled, pushing on the back of the throne and pushing up a small compartment opening. A small box appeared behind the throne. Storm took this, the crystal glowing purple and red, energy flowing through it. As a child he saw her do this once and she removed a crystal. Luckily enough for him, it worked.
"Damn-" Storm said softly, attempting to close the hole, but he saw a notebook.
He was right in front of it and decided to take a look. Putting the crystal down beside him, he opened the small notebook. The cover page had the name "Celeste" written in calligraphy. Storm began to read the first few words but then stopped.
"I probably shouldn't-" he thought to himself.
He returned the notebook in its rightful place, resetting the compartment. He clutched the crystal tightly, standing up, as he had everything he needed. As he turned to leave, he saw Celeste at the throne room door, standing silently. A powerful energy emanated from her, and Storm got chills from her mere presence. Celeste clutched her hands tightly, a hazy blue violet aura covering her body.
"Doom," she whispered under her breath. "You've come again? I thought I told you your presence wasn't welcome," she spoke. Storm quickly replied to her.
"Wait, Celeste, hold on. I don't know what you're talking about. Just hang on a sec--" he spoke, but the woman refused to listen.
"None of your foolishness will get to me this time. You almost cost me a dear friend, so mimicking the boy won't lower my guard!" she yelled and began running towards him.
"Shit-!" Storm thought.
He bolted to his side and lightning began to spark, but Celeste perceived this and had already moved in the same direction. Storm couldn't go anywhere. She was too fast. He decided to take a leap of faith and go back and forth, jumping in all sorts of directions around the room, jumping from the wall, to the floor, to the ceiling, to the wall again and again.
He did this as fast as he could, speeding up the more he did so. Celeste didn't move as he did this. She closed her eyes and concentrated on where he was. Storm then jumped from a wall towards a stained-glass window near the ceiling.
Bracing himself, he attempted to burst through the window headfirst, only to fail. Celeste saw the direction he was going to fly and jumped into the air, grabbing him by the neck, and he dropped the crystal. Celeste fell with him, smashing him into the ground, Storm gritting his teeth in pain.
Celeste clenched the boy's throat, leaving him unable to breathe.
He struggled, Celeste's grip not letting up. He began to lose consciousness; however, he heard a noise nearby the throne. Celeste's grip loosened as she paid attention to whatever was making noise. Storm gasped for air, inhaling and exhaling rapidly, looking for what caused her to stop.
Celeste stood, watching the room for any movement. A figure dropped from the ceiling and ran by, breaking one of the throne room doors. Celeste chased it to the next room. Storm saw that the figure had green hair. Rena.
"Damn it!" Rena yelled, jumping midair, turning to see Celeste right in front of her.
Rena clenched her fists, yelling, "BETA!"
Suddenly, a giant shield appeared above Rena and took the blow from Celeste's attacks. As Celeste's fist hit the shield, it cracked. However, it quickly absorbed energy and sent Celeste back with the same force. Taken by surprise, she was launched through her throne room to the back of her castle. Storm stood up in pain, rubbing his neck, still recovering from the blow Celeste dealt him.
He limped to the throne doors and saw Rena's "Beta" dissipate. Rena briefly made eye contact with Storm the boy nodding once. She quickly broke eye contact and ran off, not saying a word. He grinned, pleased with himself as he had helped his friend escape. Suddenly, Storm was hit in the back of the head and blacked out.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone