Thud.

Even from here, they had made such a commanding noise against the concrete.

They'd rolled. Nearer to the crowd but not quite off the stage. The pale, lifeless, heads of the two leaders; their eyes were losing the lustre of their remaining colour, the end of their lives dimming.

I still couldn't muster up the courage, couldn't find the strength to move from my current spot. My feet were glued to the ground as I was forced to watch on in horror. The blood that splattered across the stage was all I could focus on.

Watching the heavy drops of blood drip from the blades the two leaders were looking at intently. Only looking up to take turns at leering down at the panic-stricken crowd. Even though the crowd was semi-illusioned, they were determined to keep them that way; just awake enough to understand the threat was real but sedated enough not to fight against it.

The crowd had mostly gone silent, staring up at the stage with confused bewilderment seeming to be the general tone. I don't think I'd hear them anyway, all I could process was a faint buzzing as the world turned itself into blurred light, the images of life nothing more than glimmers and flashing pictures.

The only real sound I could hear was a guttural screech that came directly from Marianna's core; she'd made her way through most of the crowd, face covered in mascara and tears, barely passing me by. The crowd around her was hesitant to move; both from the sheer panic of the situation, but also, a sense of loyalty to her - everyone here knew what would happen if she made it up there.

When she passes by I find myself lunging forward and gathering her up in my arms, the vibration in her body passing through my arms as she continues to heave out aggressive screams. I pulled her to the ground with ease, she'd gone completely limp as soon as we'd made contact.

My own heart was heavy but I couldn't be weak. I needed to be strong for her, or she would never survive this, "Marie," I lull in her ear, holding her head near mine as she shakes, "I need you to stop screaming."

She'd shaken her head violently, the noise still escaping from her mouth and penetrating my ears harshly. I swallow back my emotion because despite how badly watching this was breaking my heart, I didn't have the time to let it get to me.

"Marie" I repeat, tightening my arms around her chest, "There's nothing you can do for him right now, he's gone. If you go up there right now they'll kill you too, and I won't allow that. I won't lose you both in one day."

The scream had stopped suddenly, the sound hitching in the back of her throat as she'd choked on it. The pause had given her time to contemplate, taking a deep, uninterrupted breath. I do the same, focusing on the top of her head to steady myself, before continuing to whisper, "It'll break me apart. I'll have to go up there and tear so many people apart I won't have any soul left,"

"No," She'd said softly but quickly, shivering against my arms as her head had shaken heavily once again. That was an instinctive response; a genuine reaction to the very idea of me returning to my old self. I couldn't blame her for that; she was often the one that pulled me back to sanity after drowning in the depths of a broken soul for too long.

I allow myself one subtle smile as I murmur in her ear as lightly as I could, "Then calm, Marie."

She calms down, breathing heavily against me, but she's no longer screaming, just crying quietly.

I say calmed down...

She'd barely managed to do that, each breath coming out a heave, choking on each one as the tears swallowed her up.

At least the screaming had stopped, being replaced by silent crying, a river of tears pouring from her eyes like an unmitigated typhoon. I had to allow this for now, if this was her outlet of emotion everyone could count themselves lucky. I had wholly expected her to rush the stage and kill those two with a minute of thought, but it had dawned on me that it would've been Rudhairi's response to someone hurting Marianna. Her response was always going to be different; a whole different level of emotion that I couldn't comprehend.

I wasn't given time to think about that response. She was shivering in my arms, most likely due to the sight of Aubrey and Malka taking centre stage, the daggers they were holding gripped firmly at their side. Malka had rolled her head around to motion at Aubrey, who'd taken a slight step forward and knelt down in rhythm with her movements.

"I am sure you are all confused," Aubrey had begun to speak, her voice projecting throughout the zone. Marianna had flinched as she spoke, that once friendly voice now being used in a way neither of us had heard before, "There is no need to continue this merciless fight; for now, anyway."

"I'm sure most of you are aware at this stage that a revolution has been brewing in our Eternity for quite some time. It had found Aubrey and me quite early on. We'd understood it..."

"Our fellow leaders, on the other hand, did not," Aubrey had looked down towards their heads once again, a lump in my throat forming, "As the surviving human leader I am imploring all of you to accept our decision."

"Humanity needs to take another step further than we did previously and embrace the supernatural completely. Humanity, as a whole, should accept the change completely."

Aubrey had extended a hand towards the doors of the main building, which had opened as soon as she turned. The two leaders had beamed brightly as, from what I could tell, a vampire and werewolf heaved themselves out of the door clutching two screeching humans by their arms and yanking them along.

Two absolutely petrified souls who were trying so hard to free themselves from their grips they were drawing blood from the skin with every move.

"To show you what I, the human leader, mean. I have two gifts to the supernatural amongst us. Two fine, yet misguided youths, who are going to show us the correct way from now on," Aubrey had said proudly, before dragging her hand over their faces.

It was happening before anyone in the crowd could react correctly; the humans being forced to their knees in front of everyone. Marianna had attempted to get up in the midst of it, and I had forced my hand against her chest, planting her where she was.

The golden-locked female vampire had allowed her fangs to emerge, crouching down beside the male human who was in a deep crying state, eyes closed, pleading for someone to save him. That plea had gone unanswered as the vampire sunk his teeth into his neck as her wrist had come around to his mouth, already cut and covered in blood.

As she'd brought her head up, face covered in his blood, a hollow feeling filled my stomach. The gentle features of a woman I had met several times, but had expected nothing of. That was definitely Imogen up there, forcing a human boy to go through the change to serve her 'better purpose' - she'd managed to climb so high with her revolutionary ideas she'd breached the two female leaders and convinced them to join this absurd cause.

I clenched my eyes closed tightly and listened for the noises in the zone - which, I was surprised, hadn't amounted to much.

The only reaction from the crowd was a young woman screaming in protest, being held back by a variety of souls who could do nothing but watch on. Whatever spell this crowd was under was doing an incredible job; the only emotion that was breaking through was from loved ones.

The werewolf had taken their lead promptly, taking a grip of the woman's neck to raise her up; the girl had sunk down against the concrete, head tight against the ground in an attempt to save her neck. That hadn't deterred him, however, as he'd bitten deeply into the nape of the woman; easy access in her position, and where a change is most effective.

The two had risen, leaving their human victims writhing on the ground and screaming from the pain - that is, the boy was writhing in pain, and the girl simply curled up silently as her teeth bit into her knee.

Their bodies were unprepared for the havoc of a change and they were now paying the price; unfathomable pain flowing through them. Malka and Aubrey watch on until the writhing stops, not making a single noise; allowing those screams to be the only thing we hear.

I thought that would be the declaration that turned the world to ash. That display would be enough to turn those not on their side, fear-bound onto it. If they were willing to go this far in a spur-of-the-moment anger-induced decision, there was no telling what they'd do to any further traitors.

Mariana had gripped onto my arm desperately, her nails digging into my skin as she struggled to breathe. Everything she stood for and loved was being broken down in a five-minute window, which left me to pick up so many pieces. This would take months to recover from. I'd presumed she'd gripped my arm in fear, in bewilderment and terror. I had presumed wrongly.

If I'd looked behind the two leaders, standing smugly, completely engrossed in their display, I would have seen a hope-filled sight. A group of guards, being led by two people I hadn't had the chance to meet. A man dressed in what was once an official outfit, but had now been torn and ripped to the point it was barely recognisable - he was completely dishevelled, and the only 'together' part about him was his flexed arms that looked as though they were fighting the urge to hit something.

He was joined by a smaller woman who was blessed with a dark complexion and dark hair, catching everyone's eyes as she ran by him. I couldn't help but notice that though aggressively glaring down at those around her, she was almost weak seeming; like all of her energy had been sapped away recently. It didn't help her case that her yellow daisy dress was completely caked in dirt and mud, reminiscent of the red soot that littered the floor of the cells within Central.

The two outsiders had taken a tight grip around the leaders; they clearly outmatched them on a power front; which was surprising considering the female seemed to have lost most of her strength - a pale complexion and trembling hand enough to tell me that. Their heads had turned towards the wide-opening doors of the main building, eyes shining with hope as three people emerged, slowly creeping out of the lobby.

Malka and Aubrey were squirming against their grip, almost pleading with the crowd to offer them some kind of assistance. Not a single person in the crowd had stepped forward. I imagined seeing the forced changing of two humans in front of their very eyes had set an enlightening fire in the back of their heads - this wasn't what they wanted.

When I considered what people had said in relation to a revolution, the words that always seemed to come to mind, no matter who the speaker was, ended up being 'free' - and removing someone else's choice to be free was not a fair price in return.

As the three figures came into the light I realised I knew exactly who the figures were; a stronger-looking Valentyna standing tall in the middle of the three; Alexander sheepishly walking by her side - and the grandmother I had met earlier on her other side, gently rubbing her shoulder as they leave the safety of the doorway.

The twins had left their grandmother quickly, rushing towards the others. They had shared a look between them before taking one another's hands. I had to heave a sigh of relief; I could trust those two to rectify the situation, after all, they'd been through, a little spell couldn't be any trouble.

"Terram dicimus spiritu vestro. A causa enim quaerere est catitatis," The twins had begun to chant, focusing all of their energy towards the two women who had begun to scream at the top of their lungs, struggling with all their might against the two holding them tightly. I had to credit their willpower, they were barely budging, even against the werewolf leader, who was infamous for her strength.

The spell had begun to work before they'd finished the chant; their skin turning a crisp grey colour long beforehand; but that didn't stop the twins from finishing it with a bang, putting all of their energy into the final section, "Servo in meam. Captarent corporis. Captarent corporis."

As the spell finishes, a flash of blue emerges from the twins and swarms the leaders in moments. The crowd ducks instantly, avoiding the swarm of power that passes by their heads; even I had found myself ducking down, pushing Marianna's head down with me as she released a gasp.

When I had raised my head I was met by a sight I couldn't believe; Aubrey completely encased in stone, and Malka, with a fist-shaped hole in her chest, with the two people that had held them so tightly backed completely away and reassuring a collapsed pair of twins.

Marianna had broken free of my grasp, composed enough to walk towards the stage with slight haste. I was in no position to run after her, or mourn the loss of my friend with her - she needed that time alone. So I was left standing in the middle of the courtyard, staring at her back as she made her way to the stage, completely absorbed in her.

Until I hear it. A noise that manages to break through the fizzing that my hearing had become. I was barely registering any noise but it had broken through.

Clatter.

That's what it was. A subtly satisfying clattering against the concrete ground behind me. What I hadn't expected from that clatter, was a cold shiver running down my spine. It had rung familiar, a shift in weight that I recognised - just barely.

I had to swallow hard, unsure of who I expected to see when I turned.

Part of me was desperate to see an apologetic Kara. The other part wanted a glee-filled Rudhairi to be there, simply playing a hard-planned practical joke on me.

But neither of those was correct. I had turned to see Adrienne, gritting her teeth, clenching a stake that had been burned black at the end in her hand with a passionate amount of determination glimmering in her eyes. My face had fallen. I knew what a dagger-like that meant; unreturnable death - there wasn't a glimmer of hope for return.

But I wasn't fit to move. The relief that had flooded me when the twins arrived had swallowed up all of my ability to be strong, I was barely a shell of myself. So when she'd taken hurried steps towards me I hadn't raised a finger towards her, allowing her free access to plunge that stake into my chest without a shred of guilt on her face.

She stood for a long second, staring at the stake embedded in my chest before she removed her fingertips from it and watched me drop to my knees in front of her. That action alone hadn't killed me; it was the joyful smirk she had on her face as I collapsed.

The last image I'd ever see, was my old friend running from my dying body with a skip in her step before I surrendered to the final void of blackness. The last thought I would ever have was of Nora, and how I'd failed to get myself back to her.