Chapter 59 THE CORRUPTED COUNCIL
CHAPTER 059: THE CORRUPTED COUNCIL
"Run," Mom says quietly. "Now."
But we're surrounded. Thirteen Council members with glowing red eyes form a circle around us. Behind them, academy students watch from windows with terrified faces.
"There's nowhere to run," the Council leader says. She's tall with silver hair pulled back so tight it looks painful. "We've been waiting for you Thalira. For both of you."
"Who are you?" Luna demands.
"I am Magistrate Selene. Head of the Council. Or rather, I was before the Hollow King honored me with his presence."
"He's possessing you," I say. Blood drips from my wounds.
"Possessing? No child. This is partnership. He offered us power beyond measure and we accepted."
Kieran sets me down gently but keeps himself between me and the Council. The other boys stand out, creating a protective wall.
"You're blocking our view," another Council member says. Male, ancient looking. "Move aside and we'll make this quick."
"Not happening," Kieran growls.
The ancient one sighs. "So predictable. The protective mate bond. How tedious."
He waves his hand and Kieran flies backward, slamming into the academy wall hard enough to crack stone.
"Kieran!" I scream.
Alaric, Cassian and Zev attack simultaneously. Fire, speed and dream magic all directed at the Council.
It does nothing.
The attacks hit an invisible barrier and dissipate.
"Did you really think that would work?" Selene asks. "We've had centuries to prepare for you Phoenix twins. Every defense, every counter, every possibility has been planned for."
Mom steps forward, her hands glowing with power. "Then you didn't plan on me."
She releases a blast of energy, that it almost blind everyone.
When I can see again, three Council members are on the ground.
"Impressive," Selene says. "The mother fights for her daughters. How touching and utterly pointless."
More Council members raise their hands and dark energy gathers.
"Shield!" Morgana shouts.
Her shadows expand, creating a dome over us just as the dark energy hits. The impact drives her to her knees.
"I can't hold this long," she gasps.
"You don't have to," Sofia says. She's digging through her bag frantically. "I've got something that might work."
"Might?" Zev asks.
"Well I've never tested it on possessed Council members before so might is the best I can offer."
She pulls out a small vial filled with glowing liquid. "Everyone get ready to run."
She throws the vial at the barrier.
It explodes.
Light floods everything. The Council members shriek and stumble back.
"Now!" Sofia shouts.
We run for the academy doors. Students scatter as we burst through.
"Where are we going?" Luna pants. She's supporting my weight on one side while Cassian has the other.
"The artifact vault," Mom says. "It has protections the Council can't breach."
"How do you know that?" Alaric asks.
"Because I helped build them."
We race through corridors. Behind us I hear the Council recovering, their footsteps echoing.
"They're coming," Kira warns. She and her scouts bring up the rear.
We reach a massive door covered in runes. Mom presses her palm against it.
"Please still recognize me," she mutters.
The door glows and swings open.
“Ohh…thank goodness.” She muttered.
We rushed in. Mom slams it shut behind us.
"Will that hold them?" I ask.
"For a few minutes. Maybe."
The vault is enormous. Shelves stretch up into darkness, all filled with artifacts.
"What is this place?" Sofia breathes.
"Where the Council stores dangerous magical items," Mom explains. "Things too powerful to destroy but too risky to use."
"Perfect place for a last stand then," Kieran says. He's limping but upright. Blood runs down his face from where his head hit the wall.
"This isn't a last stand," I say. "We're going to find something here that can help us."
"Like what?" Zev asks. "An anti-possession spell? A Hollow King repellent?"
"I don't know yet but there has to be something."
Mom moves deeper into the vault. "There is actually. The Splintering Blade. It was forged specifically to cut ties between possessed and possessor."
"Where is it?" Luna asks.
"Somewhere in here. The Council kept moving it because they were afraid of it."
"Afraid of a blade?" Cassian asks.
"Afraid of what it represents. Freedom from control."
A massive force hits the door. The runes shook.
"They're trying to break through," Morgana says.
"Everyone search," I order. "Find that blade."
We scatter through the vault. I can barely walk so Luna stays with me while the others fan out.
"How are you feeling?" she asks quietly.
"Like I got stabbed multiple times and then ran for my life."
"So normal for us lately."
Despite everything I almost laugh.
Another force hits the door. This one cracks the runes.
"We're running out of time," Kira calls.
"I found something," Sofia shouts. She's holding a book. "It's a journal. From the previous Headmaster."
"What does it say?" I ask.
She flips through pages rapidly. "He knew. About the Hollow King. About the possession. He tried to warn the Council but they killed him for it."
"When?" Mom demands.
"Thirty years ago. Right before Corvus took over." Sofia's eyes widen. "Wait. Caius said he'd been posing as Corvus for thirty years."
"It's all connected," Zev says. "The Hollow King has been infiltrating the Council for decades."
"How do we fight something that patient?" Luna whispers.
"We don't fight it," I say. "We cut it off at the source."
"The Hollow King himself," Alaric says. "But he's still trapped between dimensions."
"Is he though?" I ask. "He possessed thirteen Council members. That takes massive power. What if he's already breaking through?"
The door breaks down with full force.
The council members walk through. Their eyes burning brighter now, like crimson.
"Found you," Selene says.
"Did you find the blade?" I ask Mom desperately.
"Not yet. Keep looking."
The boys move to intercept the Council. Kieran shifts, his wolf form massive in the confined space. Alaric's fangs extend. Cassian's hands ignite the Phoenix flames.
"We'll hold them off," Kieran says. "Find that blade."
"There's too many," I protest.
"Then you better hurry."
They charge.
The Council members move with inhuman coordination. It's not thirteen individuals fighting but one consciousness controlling thirteen bodies.
Kieran tears into a Council member's leg. The man doesn't even flinch, he just grabs Kieran's throat.
Alaric rescues him, moving so fast he's a blur.
Cassian's fire washes over three Council members. They walk through it like it's nothing.
"They're not stopping," Zev shouts. He's trying dream magic but their shared consciousness makes them immune.
Mom grabs my arm. "I found it. Come on."
We move deeper into the vault. On a pedestal at the very back sits a blade.
It's not impressive. It's a plain steel input with simple handle. But it hums with power.
"That's it?" Luna asks.
"Don't judge on appearances," Mom says. "This blade can sever any connection. Including the one between the Hollow King and his hosts."
"How does it work?" I ask.
"You stab the possessed. The blade does the rest."
"That seems too easy."
"It's not. The blade requires a sacrifice."
"What kind of sacrifice?"
Mom's expression goes dark. "The wielder's life force. Every use drains you. Use it thirteen times and you die."
"Thirteen Council members," Luna breathes.
"Exactly."
Behind us the fighting intensifies. Someone screams. I think it's Sofia.
"We don't have a choice," I say, reaching for the blade.
Mom stops me. "Wait. There might be another way."
"What way?"
"If we can find the original host, the one the Hollow King possessed first, severing that connection might break all of them."
"Who's the original host?"
"I don't know. But it has to be someone with immense power. Someone close to the barriers between dimensions."
"The Headmaster," Zev says, appearing beside us. He's bleeding from a cut over his eye. "Caius said he'd been posing as Headmaster Corvus. What if Corvus was the first?"
"But Caius is dead," Luna says.
"His body is. But if the Hollow King was possessing him, where did that piece of the Hollow King go when Caius died?"
We all turn to look at the vault entrance.
Standing there, covered in blood, is Headmaster Corvus.
The real one.
Or what's left of him.
His eyes burn brighter than any of the others. His eyes is almost black.
"Hello children," he says with the Hollow King's voice. "I've been waiting for you to figure it out. Took you long enough."
"You're the original host," I breathe.
"I'm the first vessel, yes. The strongest. The one who invited the Hollow King in willingly thirty years ago."
"Why?" Mom demands. "Why would you do that?"
"Because I saw what's coming. The wars between supernatural factions. The humans discovering us. The end of everything we've built. The Hollow King offered peace through power."
"That's not peace," I say. "That's tyranny."
"Semantics."
He raises his hand and the boys fly backward, slamming into shelves. Artifacts rain down around them.
"Now then," Corvus says, walking toward us. "Let's discuss terms. Give me the blade and I'll let your friends live. Refuse and I kill them one by one while you watch."
"You'll kill them anyway," Luna says.
"True. But I'll make it quick if you cooperate."
Mom raises the blade. "Stay back."
"Or what? You'll stab me? That blade requires thirteen uses to kill me. You'll die after the first."
"Then I die."
"No," I say, grabbing her wrist. "I'll do it."
"Thalira you're already dying from your wounds. One use of that blade will kill you."
"Then I better make it count."
I take the blade from her hand.
Corvus smiles. "How noble. The daughter sacrificing herself. The Hollow King will enjoy consuming your essence personally."
"He'll have to catch me first."
I lunge.
The blade sinks into Corvus's chest.
He gasps.
Light break out from the wound. Not the dark energy of the Hollow King but white light.
The connection severs.
I feel it through the blade. The Hollow King's presence ripping away from Corvus, screaming as it's forced back between dimensions.
But I was wrong.
It doesn't stop at Corvus.
The severing spreads to every possessed Council member. All thirteen connections breaking at once.
The blade is taking it all from me.
My life force drains away so fast the world goes gray.
"Thalira!" Luna screams.
I collapse, the blade clattering from my hand.
Around me the Council members fall to the ground, dead. Corvus falls to his knees, eyes fading from red to their normal brown.
The Hollow King's voice echoes through the vault one last time.
"This isn't over Phoenix Soul. I'll find another way through. And when I do you'll wish you let me take you."
Someone's holding me. Kieran maybe. His voice sounds far away.
"Stay with us. Please stay with us."
"Did we win?" I whisper.
"You won. Now don't you dare die."
"I'll try."
My eyes close gently.
Through the fading bond with the boys I feel their panic. Their desperation.
Then nothing.
Just darkness and the distant sound of someone crying my name.
When I open my eyes again I'm not in the vault anymore.
I'm standing in a white space that extends forever in all directions.
And standing in front of me, smiling, is my mother.
"Hello baby girl," she says. "We need to talk about what comes next.”