[Selina's POV]

I looked in every direction, every corner I could see for an answer but found none. I looked down only to see my trembling hands. Everyone was gazing at me with hope, one which they wished would come true but I-

Time was slipping out of my grasp with every second I took to think. But the more I thought, the more lost I got.

Nothing came in my mind expect the self doubt which was consuming me whole. Can I get us out? Will my powers be enough? What if it doesn't work?....what if it becomes unstable like....

"Didi... please...help us.." A girl tugged onto my clothes; her eyes silently pleading me to take them out. But what if my powers harms them..

The footsteps could be heard crystal clear throughout the labyrinth, so loud I figured where they might be. It would maybe only take a turn till they find us; to torture all these children.

I looked into the palm of my hand with hesitation but at last I made a decision. We had to move and I can't back down at this moment. Not when we are so close to get out, not when these kids are so close to their freedom.

Either I manipulate the shadows to escape or take everyone in that dungeon to go through hell everyday in the hands of various people. The former one sounds much better so self doubt can wait a while.

"Everyone, can you all close your eyes for a moment?" I requested as I streched my hands around. I hope my magic is still there after my transmigration.

"Close our eyes? How will that get us out of here?" Mia questioned sharply, both curious and suspicious of what I was planning.

"Since you have trusted me all this while, please do it now too." I requested while looking out at the far distance for reassurance. Mia glanced at the other kids while Amirah kept her gaze of concern on me, even so she ended up sighing.

"I trust you. Do what you want." Amirah firmly spoke before she closed her eyes. Mia stared at me for a heartbeat before she too closed her eyes, which the other kids followed and did the same. I could proceed now.

I took a last glance at my hands which were still shaking before I shut them into fists. Everyone's trust and hope was solely upon me, I can't break that...I don't want to break that. I silently pleaded in my mind to whichever god that might exist.

I took a deep breath before my eyes shut down themselves as I raised my fists up till midway in the air. The winds started blowing which made my hair flow, I started feeling the awakening of power inside me and a warm blanket of dark energy wrapped itself around me.

I was waiting patiently for the power to rise fully as the dark energy started to wrap me tighter. Within a few seconds it came upto my throat, making me unable to breathe.

I wanted to opened my eyes and dismiss everything but I didn't, otherwise this same energy will bring chaos as it's revenge of my resistance.

Then I heard something snap inside my heart. Like a thread just cut off, a entity breaking down a seal and escaping free. I slowly opened my fists and bleams of flames shot out from my palm.

My eyes remained shut but I could see everything that was going on through an invisible fabric. How those black flames of mine surrounded the kids and Amirah. How those shadows swooped them off their feets and before I knew it, a portal made of shadows was formed and pulled all of us into it.

📜🥀✒️

In a flash my eyes were opened and darted around every place visible in front of me. I glanced at my hands and there wasn't anything on them, no lines of ink or blood spilling out of any wounds newly made.

That's strange enough, everything I used my powers before there would be a various of things present on my arms to palms. Be it wounds, ink, burnt marks or soreness. However this time, I felt absolutely nothing.

Suddenly realisation hit my nerves and brought me back from my wondering, making me look around. Where are the children? Where is Amirah? Don't tell me they are...

I shook off all the negative thoughts entering my brain and took some steps forward. According to the current surroundings, I must be at some town or city but where are the rest?

I walked through some small houses made of brick and fibers before entering a fork between two main streets. There I saw Amirah, lying on the ground covered in dirt.

I immediately ran over to her and picked her up from the ground. I grabbed her arms and made her lean against a wall as I spoke "Amirah?" But I got no response.

This time I gently slapped her cheeks to help her regain conscious and called out "Amirah, wake up." I felt her eyes twitching.
I called out for her a few more times before she finally opened her eyes and gazed at me with a frown "Selina?"

She took a glance at the surroundings before she sat up straight with the support of the wall. She placed her hands on her chest and took a deep breath before she questioned "Selina, where are we?"

I sighed heavily before replying "My powers teleported us to somewhere. I don't where this place is but it's surely a town or city"

She looked at me in confusion as she asked "What about the others? Where did they go?" The thought stabbed me in the back. I don't know where my power sent them at, there are more than thousands of places they could be at but I knew none. What if I sent them back at-

Amirah grabbed my shoulders and shook my body which snapped me back to reality. I looked at her in guilt and fear. I couldn't bring myself to say anything so I merely shook my head.

Amirah gripped my shoulders tightly as she raised my hanging head up "Selina, it's not your fault. You atleast tried. They must be somewhere safe-"

Before she could complete her words, among the buzzing of people we heard a group of shouts. It was the voices of those people we escaped from.

How the hell did they get here? Does the end of the labyrinth led to this town? Doesn't that mean the kids should be near?

Maybe if we search through the town, we could find them. They must be here somewhere but far enough from these people. I should look for them.

"Selina! Snap out of it! We have to run!" Amirah yelled at me but I shook my head in denial as I stood up.

"No Amirah...I have to look for them. They must be here" I replied. I was about to turn back and walk out of the alley before she grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

"Selina, to look for them we must be safe first. Let's go!" She said firmly and dragged me out of the alley from the other side to another fork between the houses.

🗝️♣️🪭

[Rihaan's  POV]

I gripped onto the noble's neck tighter, making his hands holding onto mine to remove them but I remained firm. He hit my arms to free herself, struggling to get out of grasp but I continued to choke him.

"You really are a fool to think that would affect me" I chuckled, shaking my head at his stupidity while I held the elixir in my free hand.

"That e-elixir b-belongs...to the...n-noble community. Y-you... can't take it...a-away" He stuttered out muffled words as he tried to move his legs but my white light threads wrapped around his legs, cuffing them together like a rope.

Seeing him so desparate, I tried hard to control my laugh. It has always been so entertaining to see these idiots plead and struggle to live. Especially when I am reminded of the fact how they treated my clan when they had their downfall.

"That's where you got wrong. I will take whatever I want." I offered him a sly grin "Afterall, isn't that what villains do?"

"You are just a bastard of the dragon clan! How dare you threaten the emperor's minister?!" He yelled with his trembling voice. How pathetic, he can't even insult properly.

I burst out into laughter as my grip on his neck tightens to the point he couldn't breathe, I made sure of that "Only bastard? I was expecting a more interesting insult dude"

I glanced down for a second before laughing out loud "Looks like your brain is the same size as your lower part"

His cheeks turned red which is probably due to anger (or maybe something else) as he spated out "You will pay for this. The emperor won't let you live"

I smiled and all the daggers present in the room raised up and pointed at him. My smile turned into a wicked smirk as I said "I will be waiting then"

The moment those words left from my lips, all the daggers stabbed him in the most vital points at the same time. I stepped back, removing my grip from his neck as I watched him scream out in agony. I swayed my finger which made the daggers pull themselves out before stabbing him right back in the same spot.

Blood spilled everywhere in the room but I remained unfazed. I lost count of how many times I did this, playing with mind of my prey and making them my puppet. However I rarely get to do that since such treatment is only reserved for my vip preys.

So I tried to make it enjoyable but today, I was too busy to have fun out here at the brothel. I lifted my finger and pointed it at his heart where all the daggers stabbed him for last.

I put down my hand as the daggers fall down on the floor, I took a glance at my reflection in the mirror present in the chamber. My outfit and hands were utterly clean, well then we are good to go.

I opened the door of the chamber after putting a illusion on it so that no evidence is found. Getting caught is too troublesome, I don't have time to pass by messing with the knights or else I would make the scene more horrifying.

I stepped out and shut the door close and the chamber vanished into air. Like it never had a existence before. Atleast that's what will be shown in the eyes of others till I send Vishal to clean up the mess that fool forced me to make.

I opened the palm of my right hand, only to reveal a glittering purple elixir in a small bottle which emitted a faint white glow. Finally...I found it...

I found the elixir of purity, the elixir which will give me everything I am lacking. I have been looking for it for over a decade and now...at last I have in it my grasp. The elixir is the key to the future of the dragon clan.

Once I drink it, not only will my power become the holiest among all but...I will also become a dragon entirely. I will gain every single ability my ancestors had. Nobody will ever be able to shame me...nobody will degrade me. All I have to do...is drink the elixir..

I opened the lid of the bottle, tossing it away I raised the bottle to my lips. The glowing elixir flowed out of it little by little. Just a little close. My lips parted as the elixir was about to flow into my-

Someone collided against me and knocked me down to the floor. Before I even have the time to react, all I felt was a pair of soft lips onto mine, locking together.

The time around me paused as I froze in my place, turning as stiff as a rock. I gazed into the eyes of the person who was on top of me, they were a light shade of brown as if it was honey itself. I couldn't bear to take off my eyes as if I had been hypnotised.

However those eyes seemed to widen in shock the moment the it came to know what happened. My eyes roamed around their face, examining every small detail that I got to know it was a girl.

Our lips were still pressed against each other as both of us didn't dare to move in the slightest. I extended my hand and curled a stand of her hair with my fingers while staring at her.

Her eyes wondered to my hand which was nearly playing with her hair, shock still evident in her expression. I don't know what was happening with me, I just knew I wanted to stare at those eyes forever.

But then suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her off me. Feeling upset at the lost of her warmth, I still laid on the floor mesmerized. Unable to think of anything.

I took a look at her face. She had a heart shape face with beautiful almond eyes which had a tiny mole nearby, her nose was slightly round at the end and her pair of lips were the most plump and pinkish ones I have ever seen.

However that someone who held her from behind opened a portal and pulled her along. Both of them disappeared as if they didn't even come here.

Wait a second....what did just happen?...what the fuck was that? Who was that girl and why did her lips feel so-

And that was the moment reality hit me, hard enough to put me in temporary trauma. That girl....she just...kissed me. She....stole my elixir I sought for a decade... and...my first kiss...

𝙏𝙤 𝘽𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚𝙙....