Ch 23: Not Even a Minute

                                    

                                          
Robin POV
How did we get to this point? 
Leticia and Elizabeth lay dying behind me while Clarissa is desperately trying to save them. The female leads preparing to strike at full force with nothing but rage in their faces. And Grace is in front of me, being the sole cause of all this mayhem.
In this moment of frozen time, only me and Grace are able to move. 
Robin: "Why are you doing this?!" I yell at Grace.
Inside of this room where upside down is right side up and left is right, where normal logic doesn't apply and reality is being distorted, Grace floats before me with purple demonic energy surrounding her like electricity.
She begins to laugh maniacally as the lightning begins to move erratically.
Grace: "This has always been our fate, just accept it! Don't you see Robin?! In this story I am the Villainess and you are the hero!" She yells.
She's still on about that.
Robin: "A story like ours isn't pre-written, we can still choose our fate. It doesn't need to be like this!" I yell, trying to get through to her.
Grace: "Oh but Robin, it does." She giggles. "You say our story isn't pre-written? Well it is! Everything I've done, everything that you have done, it has all been leading up to this moment! I've made sure of it!" She shouts, sending a bolt of lighting towards the frozen girls behind me.
My eyes dart to the frozen Clarissa who had tears running down her face as she desperately uses her magic to keep Elizabeth and Leticia alive. Then they dart to the bolt of dark lightning that's immune to my [Mana Interference]
I use Scarfy to intercept the bolt just in time and the electricity runs through it and zaps me.
The pain is excruciating, but I manage grit my teeth and keep my eyes on Grace.
Grace: "You see Robin? This is why you are the hero in this story, you're so selfless, always ready to help others. Isn't the contrast between us just perfect for the story?" She asks with her undying sweet smile that hides her fangs.
Robin: "Stop this Grace! I don't want to hurt you!" I yell, hearing the desperation in my voice.
Grace: "Poor little servant, of course you don't want to hurt me, you're too kind after all." She smiles, stopping in place for a moment. "But I want you to hurt me!" She yells as several bolts for lightning hurdle towards the frozen girls again.
And just as before, I manage to block it all with Scarfy and suffer the consequences. I somehow manage to bite my lip and hold back a scream.
Robin: "Please Grace, is this really what you want?" I ask her as I taste blood in my mouth and smell my burned flesh.
Grace just looks at me for a moment with an inscrutable face, then she begins to frown and her eyes glisten.
Grace: "This isn't me, save me Robin, I beg you, please save us." She pleads as a tear rolls down her eye.
My words were getting to her! I take a step forward with my hands out as to not alarm her-
And I'm immediately hit directly in the chest by a bolt of lightning. Being unprepared, the strike is powerful enough to knock me on my back and send me sliding back towards the frozen girls.
Grace: "Ahahahaha! Did you really think it would be that simple Robin? You're more naive than I thought." She grins devilishly.
I get back on my feet and clutch at my chest feeling Scarfy's armour. She burnt the clothes on my chest with that strike.