?Hound’s Duty?
⚡️Volume 2: The Badlands⚡️
?Written by Crownway Amef?
⚡️Episode 20⚡️
~School~
Floral removed her glass and smiled at them as they excused from the principal’s office.
She stretched forth the mountain ash in a gift bag but they all keep staring at the ash since none of them are safe to carry it.
“Kira, you can carry it for them. You’re least supernatural” Floral said.
“Haha I said it” Jeff exclaimed.
Kira rolled her eyes and they shot him a glare. Carefully, Kira step forward to get the ash from Floral and when the soft bottom of the gift bag touched her palm, it didn’t do her any harm. She chuckled and wrapped her hands around it.
“Wow that’s solved” Haliah said.
Just then, Floral body started fizzing and smoke started coming out of her ear. She switched to her robotic state and her artificial skin burned down on the spot.
Erik gasped and Haliah stepped back in fear. She saw a shadow of Ferya behind Floral before she shut down automatically and disappeared.
“How is this possible?” they asked puzzled.
Jeff and Kira exchange glances panicking when the Principal enter to check on them.
“Your guardian is gone already? I didn’t see her leave though” The principal mumbled in confusion.
Erik and the rest stood dumbfounded, their systems unable to register what just happened to Floral.
The principal’s voice jerk them to reality “Well then move your butts and get to class!” he yelled.
Haliah and Erik snapped their head towards the voice picked by their ears before they spun on their heels.
“Someone should explain what happened in there just now please” Kira said.
“Is it some kind of new exiting code?” Jeff raised a question.
“We will know when we get home but I’m sure Floral looked like she was in trouble back there” Erik said.
“If only we can get to Susan to Call the professor!” Erik added.
While they were all discussing and rubbing minds, Haliah didn’t interfere. She continued walking with them so lost in thought that she didn’t realise she has fallen behind.
Jeff noticed how far Haliah has long fell out of line with them and he stopped.
“What’s wrong Haliah? Are you that shocked? We’ll be fine” Jeff said.
She lessened her footfalls and her face drooped. Her friends went back to meet her instead.
“Hey” Erik said.
“I’m so sorry guys… All these is happening because of me” she said and her eyes are filled with tears waiting to trickle down with the slightest blink she proposes.
“What do you mean Haliah? How is this your fault?” Kira questioned.
“I know what took Floral and I fear she wouldn’t have prey on dad too… There’s no way she can prey on machines I’m sure Dad is… Gone too?!” she broke into a cry.
“What are you talking about for goodness sake?” Erik demanded.
“Ferya is on earth” she said.
“Freya? Goddess of war?” Kira asked.
“No. Ferya… Lady of wills” she said.
There was no reaction for a few seconds as they were trying to process the name and when it dawned on them, they yelled in unison “Oh no!”
“This is insane. How is this possible? She’s not easy to summon and its been decades anyone last heard of her” Kira said.
“I’ll tell you everything later,for now we should get to class. We can’t keep Susan in the dark too” Haliah said.
They each went to their respective classes but with heavy heart.
No one was in the right frame of mind, not to mention proceeding with Anthony’s plan.
LUNCH BREAK
It’s Lunch period and they didn’t waste extra seconds before they met in the hallway heading to the cafeteria to discuss more.
On their way, they saw Freddy talking with the gifted from Grey Orbit. At first, they thought he was being bullied but Lady in Black pat his shoulder and uttered some words to the gifted before leaving with a smile.
Erik wanted to approach them but Jeff pulled his shirt back. It was then he saw the smile on Fred’s face. He’s not being bullied, it’s more like he became friends with them.
He opened his locker to drop his textbooks but his face still on Freds and the gifted. He’s so worried about him.
“I’m sure they must be up to something bad… Bad enough to involve this innocent boy” Kira said.
“If we like it or not, mother will attack us today. We need to stick to the plan until we know what’s going on” Haliah said then slam the door of her locker.
After they were all done, they fell in line and start to walk towards the Cafetaria when Fred and Ciara stopped them with a flyer on their faces.
“You all are respectably invited to my house party tomorrow night” she said with a smile.
“It’s going to be cool guys, it’s my first time in 5 years ever since I got here. Someone finally thinks I’m cool enough to roll with them” Fred squealed.
“They will roll and dice you into pieces” Kira mumbled but they didn’t hear her.
Since Fred would be going, even if Erik and friends ain’t interested in their death party, now they have to care and attend.
“I can’t allow him to be used by them. I wonder what they are up to” Erik thought.
He snatched the flyer from their hand and they left them on the spot.
“Dont tell me you’re really going to attend?” Kira questioned.
“I’m sure it’s not for fun Kira” Jeff affirmed.
“But it’s a death trap! Who knows of they did this to lure us?!” She added in a protest.
“Fred is going to be there, they must be up to something “ Erik announced.
“That something is what we don’t have time for right now. How do we talk to Anthony with this mountain ash?” Haliah asked.
They turned to face her at the same time.
“I think you’re trying to avoid something Haliah” Jeff said.
“You can start by telling us about this strange lady of wills” Erik stated.
Haliah felt the stares boring her everywhere and she’s feeling hot all over all of a sudden.
The fact that they are demanding an explanation for her is hurting her body weirdly but she fought through by finally saying a word.
“I had a dream about her! She’s very dangerous “ Haliah said in an uneasy tone.
“We know how dangerous she is Haliah and showing up around this period of time is so negative for us. Please talk to us, what happened in your dream?” Erik asked.
She sniffles her secret tears that nobody saw coming “You should know she feeds on wills of strong minded immortal and of wills of humans. In my dream, she… She hurt me so bad” she cries… Her voice breaking.
“She fed on my wills of not being on the bad side. She wanted to bring out the evil side of me… A demon!” she said and rolled down her turtle neck to reveal the hot glowing mark on her neck.
They gasped to the ugly sight of claw marks on her neck and felt for her.
“ I didn’t want to be a demon and that has always been my prayer, not to lose myself but she got attracted to the scent of it” Haliah explained.
“We… We can fix this. Who could have summoned such a dangerous thing?!” Jeff groaned in anger.
Erik moved closer to Haliah and pull her in for a hug allowing her to cry her heart out.
“You are all missing the whole point here… Everyone she feeds are trapped with Hades forever. For humans, they become weak minded, have suicidal thoughts and have no believe In what they can do. They lose all hopes even when a light is visible for help.” she said and disengage from the hug.
“But for we immortals, we disappear straight to Hades. This is why she’s the most destructive demon that Hades would ever have. Even he doesn’t get to summon her at will” Haliah said.
“No we won’t allow that happen to you. Are you telling me you’re going to disappear like Floral back there?” Kira asked and when Haliah replied with a headnod, she shook her head dreading the worse to come.
“I don’t know how much time I have left so let’s carry on with Anthony” Haliah said.
Their limbs felt weak and their eyes heavy. Things are happening out of nowhere and all in a day.
“Is there no way we can send her back to hell?” Kira asked.
“There is but no one has ever found the secret… They say the power to get rid of the lady of wills lies with a non supernatural with strong mind set. Someone she was preying on but escaped her predation…” her voice trailed off.
“ I wasn’t strong enough cause she got me…” she sniffles a cry.
“Hey Calm down okay? Please. We will figure everything out” Kira assured.
Staring at their faces one after the other, she thought in her mind;
They all have a purpose in life. Erik is just a teen boy that got dragged into the world of supernatural against his will but he’s got someone to live for, his grandma. He even inherited the family sword essence. Jeff is naturally a gifted that was created to bring the world to order, likewise Kira. Every gifted is with a purpose even though mother killed their guardians. Mother did! But me? I was originally created to be a demon. I have nowhere to return to nor someone to live for. I can’t ruin any of their lives.
If there indeed is a way to send Ferya back, it will he better to disappear together since we are bonded together. And if they could not, I will end everything with mother on my own.
“Are you there?” Erik’s voice sounded far from her hearing but she soon snap out of her Subconscious state.
“Yes I am” she said calmly.
“Let’s go eat and find a way to call Susan before closing hour. They will come for us and we can’t act without knowing how things are at home” Erik said.
“Every normal teenager has a phone but we don’t “ Jeff said looking around as he ruffles his curls all to a side bit few strands crosding his face.
“I think I know Susan’s workplace number. I saw it on the flyer she brought home, it’s used to place orders I think.” Kira said.
“Smart. We can just request to talk to her” Erik said.
“Now where do we get to make the call?” Haliah asked.
“The principal is a great catch” Jeff said grinning.
“Are you suggesting we steal a phone? The principal’s phone?” Kira protested.
“BORROW’ it’s called borrowing if we are returning it back” Jeff corrected.
“This might not work. Haliah do you remember when you compelled a taxi driver to leave without getting his money? The day Susan and I got attacked.” he said.
“Uh… Yes I do” she replied.
“Do you think we can try that on the principal?”
“Uh…It should work” she answered despite knowing the complication of using her powers. The more she uses the powers bestowed on her as a demon, the more she agrees to belonging to the family.
But she doesn’t care if everything is to save her friends and solve the mess caused by her mother.
“Let’s go get the phone” Haliah said.
They followed her to keep watch in case anyone happens to be coming at the wrong time.
When she got to the Principal’s office, she knocked politely before a voice responded to her.
Inside, she was offered a seat while the principal was on call.
After few minutes, the long call was over.
“I’m so sorry Miss Hanson so how may I help you?” he asked.
She’s still using the Hanson surname because it’s her first school just that her guardian changed since the school fee is being borne by a different person.
“Theres something I have invariably wish to tell you “ she started with a fake cry.
