Chapter 92 Rooted

Chapter 92 Rooted
Chapter 92: Scarlett

Axel grabbed my arm, trying to pull me away from whatever danger was coming for us through the door.

My heart was practically hitting the ground with fear and I didn't mind what he did. But there was really nothing we could do.

We were already exposed and with the injuries on him, it was close to impossible to escape fast enough.

But relief hit me hard as the first person walked into the room.

"Bee!" I screamed, tears running down my eyes.

I was so relieved to be seeing his face, my knees buckled and I couldn't even pull myself up anymore.

"Scarlett!" Bee echoed running towards us. "I have found them!" He called whoever was behind him.

Eager to see who else was there, I strained my neck and my tears only increased as I laid my eyes on Fiona and my aunt Emily.

"Oh fucking goddess!" Aunt Emily cried as she rushed to us. "My sweet little Scarlett... I am so sorry. I should have been here fucking sooner..."

Tears spilled out of her eyes and I found myself smiling. I never thought I could live to see the day my aunt Emily actually cried.

She pulled the rest of me out of the tunnel and wrapped me in her warm hands.

My heart melted in her embrace not even caring that her hands were soaked in thick black blood.

As much as I had prayed to the goddess to protect my brother and I from Willow, it was starting to seem like an impossible mission. Until they came.

I hugged her even tighter, letting my own tears fall. "Oh aunt, I am so happy to see you..."

"Axel! Oh fuck!" She shrieked as her eyes suddenly fell on my brother's weak form behind me.

She practically jumped to her feet, passing me to the closest person to her as she rushed to his side.

"Help me fucking get him out of there!" She hissed, already pulling his body on her own.

Bee joined her and together they helped get Axel out of there.

"Hold still, let me cut this fucking chains," She hissed, her eyes already blazing at the silver.

I gulped down my breath, not out of fear. I knew how good she was with the sword. My father taught her himself, so of course she was going to be perfect.

I held my chained hands to her and took the best stance that I could, while Bee and Fiona helped Axel hold his.

Then in a sharp movement, aunt Emily swung her silver sword, cutting down the chains in one heavy blow.

The metal burned like fire when it finally broke open, and dropped to the ground in a very noisy manner that made all of us hold our breath.

The sound echoed around the room, bouncing against the walls in the most unnatural manner I have ever heard.

"That... Will definitely draw them in," Bee pointed out what we all refused to say out loud.

The words were barely out of his mouth when cold air seeped through my spine...

"Fuck, they are coming!" Aunt Emily hissed. "We need to move!"

She rushed to the door, carefully watching the advance of the shadows before throwing her head back in.

"Scarlett, can you move?" She asked and with my heart in my throat, I quickly nodded.

"Yes— but Axel is going to need help—"

"I will help him," Bee quickly cut in before I could even finish.

He went to Axel's side but Axel let out a pained groan. "I am not that helpless... I can fucking move," he hissed.

But we all knew it was just his ego talking. He was too battered to walk on his own.

And Bee understood the assignment. Without complaining, he diligently helped my brother to his feet, carrying more than half of his weight.

"Good." Aunt Emily mumbled, nodding as she studied all of us one after the other. Satisfied, she turned back to the door. "Let's go..." she said.

But her words were drowned by the deafening roar of shadows that thundered through the room. 

They poured in like black smoke desperate to satisfy their mistress. But Aunt Emily was just as desperate to get us to safety.

As the first broke into the room, she let out a snarl that barely sounded like hers and then she launched at them.

Her sword cut clean through the beast, just as another came in.

They screeched and dissipated into black mist, only to be replaced by others.

"You can't hold them off alone!" Axel croaked, trying to move but his open wounds made him fold as he leaned more into Bee to catch his breath.

But Aunt Emily didn't budge.

Rather, she fought fiercely. Her movements were sharp and precise as she cut down more and more of the shadows.

Panic surged through me as I started looking around the room. We couldn't keep waiting for more of them to come in. We had to find a way out.

"Fiona!" I called, moving closer to her.

She had moved to a corner, working as fast as her fingers could hold on something I couldn't see.

"I need a weapon!" I yelled.

Her eyes shot at me as if I had blasphemed. "No, you need to stay alive princess!"

Fear, pain and frustration shot through me and I felt my eyes begin to water once more.

"Aunt Emily can't hold them off forever! We need to help her! Or find a way out of here!"

"That's what I am trying to do princess! Stay with your brothers!" She mumbled back.

The slip in her statement barely even registered as she threw whatever she was making to the wall. And instantly it exploded, creating an opening for us to move.

“Good job, Fiona!" Aunt Emily exclaimed, still focused on the shadows pouring through the door. "Now Go! I’ll hold them!” she roared.

My heart instantly sliced into two and I shook my head. 

But Fiona didn't even give me the chance to speak as she dragged me along with Axel and Bee out of there.

"No!" I yelled, "she can't hold them off alone!"

I stumbled on my feet as my head kept turning back to look at my aunt. There was no way she could push them off all alone.

"Fiona, we need to go back! She can't hold them off— Aunty!" I screamed, snatching my hand out of Fiona's grip.

I started running back to Aunt Emily but Fiona was faster. Before I could get back to the hole on the wall, she made a magical barrier that stopped me from moving forward.

"Princess! Are you trying to kill yourself!" She hissed but the words barely made any sense as my attention was solemnly on my aunt.

"Aunt Emily! Get out of there!" I yelled, watching with panic as she fought with the shadows. "You can't hold them off!"

My heart was already tearing with panic and fear for her life as some of the shadows were already managing to cut through her.

"Fiona, do something!" I yelled, hysterically hitting the transparent magical film that prevented me from going forward. "Aunty!"

My eyes almost dropped from my sockets as I watched one of the shadows tear through her right arm.

"No! No!" I screamed, hitting the transparent film even harder. "Aunty! No!"

"Princess we need to go!" Fiona was saying behind me.

But my world was thrown into chaos.

Time slowed before my eyes and I watched as Aunt Emily positioned herself by the door, so that her own body could be used as a barrier to stop the shadows from getting through.

"No..." I muttered but it came out in slow motion. Because at that moment, she was struck and her second arm also broke off.

Her head turned to me and she smiled...

My body was thrown into panic as I didn't know how to react. It was almost like she was telling me goodbye... but I refused to understand.

—Until one of the shadows pierced through her chest, pulling out her heart.

"No!" I screamed as a horrific pain shot through me. Not my aunty!

Not the only parent figure we had in our lives. Not my crazy Aunt Emily!

No, she couldn't die!

"Princess, we need to move! Now!" Fiona yelled beside me but my body was hit with shock.

My eyes couldn't leave my aunt Emily's. Her smile was still on her face, never fading even in death.

"Damn it! Bee!" Fiona yelled, her voice distant.

I was losing focus. It felt like a large mountain was placed in my chest and I couldn't handle the weight.

I was rooted there, barely in sync with my own body.

"We need to move her out of here!" Fiona was saying... But I couldn't snap.

I felt my body being transported outside. I saw the distance between my aunt's body and I got farther...

And then it dawned on me.

My aunt Emily sacrificed herself to protect us... She was dead.

It was then my tears started.