An Amazing Adventurous Adventure 4: Darkflame

By: Braydon Chen

Fear.

So. Much. Fear.

“Violet!” Bob shouted. “What do we do?”

“Hold on. I’m going to try something. Just . . . try to hold them back!” Violet said, looking around at the thousands of soldiers surrounding them. They looked dangerous: swords strapped to their backs, daggers sheathed on their chests, and throwing stars attached to their studded boots. Their glowing purple eyes under black hoods completed the effect.

“Um, okay. Do what you need to do but I don’t think I’ll be able to stop them!” Bob held up his empty hands.”

Their dad laughed, the cold sound echoing around the room. “This is your test, my children. You will fight, or you will perish. Remember what’s on the line.” He snapped his fingers and a projected hologram of their mother trapped in a tall cylindrical prison appeared in front of the siblings. Violet and Bob didn’t know what to say, since they weren’t able to form words around the lumps in their throats. They knew their dad was playing with them, trying to scare them into cooperating.

But they wouldn’t. They would fight back.

Violet closed her eyes, imagining that her hands were sweeping around her, gathering the purple substances that she could suddenly sense. It was something abstract, a force in the air, pulling for her and waiting for her to take command. A weapon.

Violet swirled her hands in a circle as if she were collecting the purple glow, and when she felt warm energy prickling across her fingers. She opened her eyes in shock, seeing a purple glowing sphere in her hands. Bob’s eyes widened.

“Your eyes . . . they’re glowing purple! And so are your hands!”

Violet looked down at her fingers, and sure enough, they were bathed in a purple glow.

There was only one thing to do now. Violet didn’t know how she knew, but it felt like a memory had been triggered, bringing in an entire flood of knowledge. She felt in control of the purple substance and could feel so much power inside it.

She thrust the ball out.

It grew bigger, bigger, bigger, until it encased her in a ball of glowing light. Rays of glowing purple shot out of Violet’s torso, mixing with blinding white light. The last thing Violet saw was her dad’s purple eyes widen under his hood . . . and then the light blasted out in rings of glowing violet. Rows and rows of soldiers tumbled in the wake of the expanding light.

“WOOHOO!” Bob yelled, pumping his fist in the air.

But their victory was short-lived.

“That was weak,” a new voice said, a female’s. All the purple glow that Violet had shot out turned into purple ropes, shooting towards the new woman’s opened palms. Her eyes and fingers glowed purple just like Violet’s had.

“Ah . . . yes, Livvy, good timing.”

“Good timing indeed.” Livvy chuckled in a raspy, dark tone.

“What other secrets are you hiding!” Bob yelled.

“I could ask the same to your sister,” Their dad said calmly. “Her control of the darkflame is extraordinary! Though compared to Livvy’s power, you are no match whatsoever. It seems that one of you has passed the test. Which . . . will be enough, considering you two are inseparable.” His tone dripped with malice. “Now, since you have shown your ability and have passed the test, I’m going to offer to recruit you. If you agree, you’ll have your mother back. Refuse and she will be gone . . . forever.”

“YOU MONSTER!” Violet screamed.

“Such child’s play. Tsk tsk tsk, make your choice now. I’ll give you thirty seconds starting . . . now.”

“You make it sound like we actually want to work with you! What is your goal? Why are you holding our mother hostage? Who even are you?” Bob asked.

“Those questions nagging your little brain will only be answered after you agree to work with me. You see, I am in control.”

“But you promised to tell us what you wanted! Remember all the ‘you’ll want your legacy when you hear all about it’ thing?” Bob growled.

Their dad’s hands clenched into fists. “You don’t have the authority to challenge me. And if you don’t work with me, I will have Livvy unleash her power on you. Trust me, you won’t like it.”

Violet shrugged. “I’m not working with you, no matter how you threaten me.”

Their dad growled. “Fine.” He looked at Livvy.

She used jets of the purple glow–Violet assumed it was called darkflame, since her father had mentioned it earlier–and levitated in the air. Her hands swirled around her, meeting at her core, where a sphere of darkflame formed. It took Violet a second to figure out what was happening before electric bolts of darkflame shot out from Livvy’s hands.

Violet braced for pain. But nothing could prepare her for the agony that followed.

The darkflame wrapped around her in burning strands, lifting her in the air, electrocuting her, biting into her skin. She screamed. And screamed. And screamed. And the entire world went dark.