AHHHHHHH, i hope you enjoy this chapter!! <3333 happy reading!

—caly

"Essa's dumb," Kaylessa clenched her teeth on the onslaught of anger that came with Essa's name. Why does she think working with the Black Swan is okay? Kaylessa sighed through her nose and stomped into Spritistar where the Neverseen were currently preparing for the attack.

Kaylessa shoved daggers, throwing stars, and melders in her cloak in all the hidden pockets when she reached the training room. She slammed her feet into combat boots and muttered obscenities the entire time about Essa.

"Little prick," she muttered as she slipped off her hood to tie her hair back. How dare she accuse me of murder? She stormed past multiple Neverseen members who carefully ignored her to avoid her temper. At some point, she passed Ruy who opened his mouth to say something but when he saw her storm by he shut his mouth.

Kaylessa silently stewed as she headed towards the Meeting Room for the third time. She skidded to a stop in the dark corner and leaned against the wall and crossed her arms to wait for the others. Gethen got there first, but skillfully avoided her.

Raven got there second and glanced at her, but let her be. Ruy got there last and dutifully headed towards Raven instead of asking Kaylessa about her problem. Gisela noticed the extra tension but thankfully she started talking.

"Good, you're all here. Here's a leaping crystal to Alluveterre," Gisela rolled a large purple crystal towards them across the table she sat at. "Be careful." Gisela smiled and gave a knowing look as she leaned back in her chair and caught Kaylessa's eye.

Ruy took the crystal in his hand and held it up to the skylight. Raven gripped his left hand and Gethen reached for his right. Kaylessa rolled her eyes but took Raven's free hand. The light guided them towards the secluded treehouse and Kaylessa had to concentrate on herself during the ride because her anger was getting her dangerously close to fading. And she can't fade until she gets revenge.

When all her particles reformed, Kaylessa let go of Raven's hand quickly to keep from burning her from her overheating body temperature. She stalked towards a large boulder and the others quickly followed. They stood there in silence scanning the perimeter for the Black Swan.

After a while, they heard the soft whispers of another group. Gethen shook his head at Ruy who was starting to leave the safety of the rock. They waited for a few more minutes for the whispering to get louder.

When Kaylessa peered over the top of the boulder, she saw a group of brightly dressed people, so much in contrast to the Neverseen black cloaks. A group of four were heading towards the center building in between the two treehouses.

Ruy made a move to move again but this time, Gethen didn't try to stop them. Kaylessa remembered what she told them before she went to meet with Essa. Don't hurt her. Raven, Ruy, and Gethen had no idea who she was talking about, but they promised not to hurt or kill any of the Black Swan members. Just disarm and stuff.

The promise seemed stupid. How do you catch someone without hurting them?

Ruy stepped out of the shadow of the large rock and crossed his arms. Raven followed him and stood next to him. Gethen emerged next and changed his stance with his feet apart as if preparing for a fight.

Kaylessa stepped out behind the rock last and made sure the Black Swan saw some fire in her stance. The Black Swan stopped in their tracks at the four Neverseen members in their way.

"How did—" the large, fat man started. He narrowed his eyes at the Neverseen. Kaylessa and the line of Neverseen members stepped forward, warning the Black Swan that they were about to pounce.

"Gethen," the Moonlark sneered. She palmed two throwing daggers. Like she could ever use them.

Gethen grinned at the Moonlark, "Nice to see you too, Little Moonlark."

"Don't talk to Miss Foster like that," Mr. Forkle growled. Raven huffed a laugh and rolled a metal sphere on her hand. Ruy chuckled when he saw Raven take out a silver rod.

"Let's blow this place up," Raven laughed as she tossed the ball up and down. Two Black Swan members started backing up. Filthy Cowards.

Ruy created a force field around them, but goody-goody-two-shoes Essa had to do the same around the Black Swan.

"This is pathetic," Kaylessa muttered as she signaled for Ruy to take the shield away. She let her anger from her argument with Essa fuel her power as she ignited her fire.

Kaylessa watched the golden fire dance on her palms as she saw the Moonlark's face drain of color. Kaylessa smirked and doubled the size of her fireball.

"I'd like to know something. Why do you hate us?" she asked, directing the question towards the Moonlark. "Why?"

"You killed innocents, like Alina and Alden," Sophie Foster replied, her eyes glinting with tears in the moonlight.

"Who says we did? Essa?" Kaylessa hissed. Mr. Forkle turned towards the girl standing near him. "Because I was on Vacker property?" Her fire grew with her unleashed anger.

"Yes," Mr. Forkle said, his voice not trembling. "Why were you there, anyway?" Raven and Ruy exchanged a look.

"You guys killed Alvar," Kaylessa growled. "You guys murdered him. He's gone. Or close to death." Ruy's hands clenched under his sleeves, and that extra anger put a new burst of heat to her flames.

"I hate you." The Neverseen stepped forward, the Black Swan subtly backing away. Essa enforced her shield, but one toss from one of Raven's spheres had the entire thing exploding. Essa realized that the Black Swan was exposed and created another flashing dome.

"Shields won't help you," Ruy snarled. Raven grinned while tossing another metal ball at them.

"I could do this all day," Raven sang while palming five more balls. "I have more." The Moonlark tried to inflict upon them, but Ruy already had a shield up.

"I got this," Tam Song said as he stepped from the line of Black Swan members. He created a shadow arrow and aimed for the center of the forcefield, but before he could unleash it, Ruy already dropped the shield.

Tam snarled in annoyance. Kaylessa let her ball of flames grow brighter, hoping the heat singed the Black Swan. Kaylessa grinned when the Black Swan had no more moves. She still had her fire and Gethen hasn't even done anything. Not to mention the weapons they were all armed to the teeth with.

"Give up," Raven snapped when she destroyed another force field. "I hate pointless battles and this is a good example of one."

"Never!" Mr. Forkle shot back. Raven let her silver rod shimmer in the moonlight before striking it out towards the other group. A whip unfurled from the rod and snapped against the air.

"Wouldn't want this hurting your precious Moonlark, would you?" Raven taunted. The whip cracked once again. "Enforced with heat-seeking technology, I can wrap it around you in seconds." The Moonlark started backing away, afraid for her friends when Essa stepped forward.

"Stop! Don't hurt anyone! We just came here to find out who killed Alden!" Essa shouted.

Kaylessa rolled her eyes. Raven found the declaration as a challenge and cracked the whip towards her. The rope twined itself around Essa's body, holding her firmly in place.

"No!" someone said as she hurtled towards Essa. Kaylessa slowly realized Biana was there and had been invisible the entire time.

"No one here killed Alden, smarty," Kaylessa sniped at Essa.

"Stop talking about my dad like that!" Biana screamed. "How would you feel if one of your family members died?" Kaylessa's very fire reached to strangle the ungrateful wretch.

"My mom died because of the council!" Kaylessa aimed her fireball at Biana's head. How dare she!?

"Good, you know how it feels then!" Biana snapped back, trying to remove the rope coiled over Essa's body. Kaylessa felt her rage simmer dangerously, her blood screaming to kill, hurt, or maim anyone. No one, no one, can talk about her mom.

"I swear I'll kill her," Kaylessa growled to herself, her fire was begging to be released, and without any training, Kaylessa didn't know how to control the desire. She hurled the growing fireball at the large treehouses and watched them catch fire. The satisfaction of throwing the fireball roared in Kaylessa's ears.

"Watch how you speak about the dead," Raven snapped at Biana, watching the burning buildings. She released Essa from her whip and cracked it towards Biana's face. Kaylessa watched in horror as the whip struck true and drew blood.

"No! Biana!" Essa screamed. The sound so loud Kaylessa thought her ears would shatter. The scream gave Kaylessa an eerie feeling.

Kaylessa watched with no small amount of sick pleasure as Biana screamed. She wished she didn't feel that way, like a monster, but after what she said about Islaria . . .

Tam growled and aimed a spear of darkness at Raven's hands. The shadows hit their mark and the sound Raven made after it hit was pure agony. Ruy's look turned murderous as he whipped out a dagger intended for Tam's heart.

Kaylessa stood there watching blood slide down Biana's face. Essa was hovering over her trying to wrap her cheek with her ripped cape. Tam was just about to get impaled by the blade, but he quickly raised himself in the air, the dagger striking him in the ankle instead.

Ruy roared with anger and prepared another throwing weapon. She took one look at Biana on the ground, Tam in the air dripping blood, and Essa crying and screamed for them to stop. Sophie looked like she was getting ready to inflict, so Kaylessa sent out a warning flash of fire.

"STOP THE FIGHTING!" Kaylessa had her fire surround everyone in a large dome, making sure everyone knew she could turn them all to ashes with a few flicks of her wrist. "STOP!"

"If anyone does anything, I will k-kill them," Kaylessa screamed, stumbling over the word 'kill'. She watched as everyone stilled in their position. "Good."

"No more hurting people," she clarified. "I hate this fighting. It's stupid. I'm officially resigning from the Neverseen." Kaylessa registered what she just said. Raven stared at her in open shock. Ruy's chest heaved.

"Sorry, Raven," she whispered.

"You're right," Essa said quietly. "I'm l-leaving the Black Swan." Kaylessa whipped her head towards Essa and saw her hands rise up in surrender.

Kaylessa examined the former Black Swan member, and in that helpless position, she looked so much like someone Kaylessa knew.

"Goodbye, Flare," Raven said, sniffling into her cloak. Ruy wrapped an arm around her shoulders in comfort.

"I always loved you like a sister, Raven," she said, feeling tears slide down her cheeks. Raven buried her face into Ruy's shoulder. Gethen stood there awkwardly waving his hand goodbye.

"Bye, Biana. Hopefully, the Black Swan can heal you," Essa told Biana and stared at the ground. Kaylessa saw the Moonlark give Essa a death glare.

"Good, you're gone. Biana doesn't need your pity," Sophie growled. She linked hands with the remaining Black Swan members and leaped away from the scene, but not before she gave them a vulgar gesture.

Kaylessa locked hands with Essa and took out her home crystal from her pocket, avoiding the pendant and bracelet that seemed to glow with heat. Essa's eyes widened, but Kaylessa dragged them into the light.