One week had passed. Owen was wrestling with the uncomfortable idea that Kurumu now considered him her "destined one." It unsettled him. Tsukune and Kurumu had history together, and despite Kurumu's assurances that her relationship with Tsukune was over, Owen couldn't shake the feeling he was treading on someone else's territory. Not that Kurumu was property—just that this situation felt wrong to him.
Carter, however, was furious. This whole ordeal only proved his worst fears about monsters and humans coexisting. He saw it as manipulation—monsters bending whatever rules they could to prove their point or get what they wanted. His time at Yokai Academy had been anything but ordinary, and his patience was running thin. Every fiber of his being wanted to fight, to destroy, but his loyalty to Owen held him back. The only reason he remained at this godforsaken school was because Owen still believed in the fragile hope that monsters and humans could coexist peacefully. But Carter knew better. Aliens and humans were one thing, but monsters? That was an entirely different, more dangerous, game.
Now, Owen was stuck in this relationship—whether he liked it or not.
_______________________________________________________________________
In the hallway, Carter and Owen were putting their books away at their lockers.
Carter, voice low but firm: "Listen, I know you had no idea about Tsukune's plan. I'm not mad at you. So stop beating yourself up. You're my brother, not my enemy."
Owen, sighing, glancing at his brother: "I know, it's just... it all happened so fast. And the whole thing with Succubi law? It's real. Which means even if I wanted to end things with Kurumu, I can't. There's nobody stronger than me to challenge her. So now... I've got no choice but to be in this relationship."
Carter, snarling quietly: "There's one way out of this..."
Owen, shooting Carter a warning look: "Don't even think about it, Carter. Killing her is just going to make things worse."
Carter, shrugging nonchalantly but with a dangerous glint in his eye: "Yeah, yeah... just a thought."
Owen, rolling his eyes with a dull expression: "That's exactly how it starts."
Before Carter could reply, Kurumu came bounding out of class, spotting Owen. Her face lit up.
Kurumu, practically shouting: "OWEN!" She ran to him, arms wide, before scooping him up and twirling him around effortlessly. "I missed you so much! I couldn't stop thinking about you during class!"
Owen, awkwardly: "Really? Golly, you're really into making this work, huh?"
Kurumu, beaming: "I do. Even though your grumpy older brother over there isn't thrilled about it." She shot Carter a smug look.
Carter, crossing his arms, his voice dripping with sarcasm: "Oh, believe me, I've got opinions. If Owen wasn't here, you wouldn't even glance his way. You'd still be drooling over your so-called 'harem king', trying—and failing—to get his attention."
Kurumu, snarling in response, her playful demeanor shifting: "Say what you want, but I've moved on from Tsukune. Owen is my destined one now. At least I don't have to beg for his affection."
Carter, stepping closer, his tone sharp: "What did you really think was going to happen with Tsukune? That he'd suddenly notice you? Please. You were a side act at best. That's why he pawned you off on my little brother—"
Kurumu, voice rising, defensive: "It was my idea! I want to learn to love Owen! What do you know about love anyway?"
There was a moment of silence as Carter's eyes darkened, his expression dangerous.
Carter, voice low and venomous: "...What the fuck did you just say?"
Owen, quickly stepping in: "Carter—"
Carter, cutting him off, his voice rising, fury boiling over: "What do I know about love? I know what it's like to fucking lose it!" His voice trembled with rage as he continued. "While you were running after Tsukune, playing your childish games, I was out there in the real fight. I lost the love of my life—on prom night! My friends, my classmates, my teachers—all dead because you idiots thought it was a good idea to tear down the barrier that kept us separated for a reason! Do you really think humans and monsters can coexist? You think that the lie you're living is better than the truth? When humans and monsters come together, they create wars that'll make your little vampire kingdom war look like a fucking playground."
His words hit like a sledgehammer, leaving Kurumu stunned.
Kurumu, quietly, her voice shaking: "...I-I didn't know..."
Owen, putting a hand on Kurumu's shoulder, softly: "It's okay. I'll tell you about it later. Maybe then you'll understand why Carter's like this. Why doesn't he believe in all this coexistence stuff."
Carter, without another word, turned on his heel and stormed off, his anger radiating in every step.
_______________________________________________________________________
Later that day, Owen and Kurumu sat beneath a cherry blossom tree, the air filled with the delicate scent of the petals that floated lazily to the ground. The vibrant pink blossoms provided a stark contrast to the somber mood settling between them. Kurumu had packed lunch for the two of them, and while they ate in silence, Owen's mind was elsewhere—lost in the past.
After a few minutes of quiet, Owen spoke, his voice soft but filled with an unseen weight. "Before we came here...my brother was a superhero. He called himself Kid Lightning. He's been Kid Lightning since he was twelve. He fought warlords, criminals, anyone threatening the west side of the world...not just Alexsville." Owen paused, a small smile touching his lips. "Back then, Carter wasn't...like this. He wasn't so cynical. I looked up to him, you know? He was my hero. Everyone's hero."
Kurumu could see the nostalgia in his eyes, but also the sadness that followed. "So...what changed him?" she asked, her voice gentle.
Owen's smile faded. "When Carter turned fifteen, he started high school at Alexsville Junior High. That's where he met Maria. She was...everything to him. Older by a year, stayed back a grade, but they didn't care. They were in love. And Maria...she was a metahuman too. She could keep up with him, even with his powers. She supported him in ways no one else could. He was happy. Really happy."
Kurumu listened closely, her expression softening. "That's sweet..."
Owen's tone darkened as he continued. "They had plans. Big ones. Prom night...they were going to skip high school, get their GEDs, get married. Carter was going to work with our dad at his mechanic shop. They'd already talked about starting a family... But that night..." Owen stopped, his fists clenching slightly, knuckles turning white. "They were on the dance floor. They were about to kiss, and then...she pushed him. Took the hit meant for him. A vampire attacked, and Maria...her chest exploded right in front of him."
Kurumu gasped, covering her mouth. "Oh my god..."
Owen nodded grimly. "The vampires attacked the school. It was a massacre. They bit Carter during the fight, and that...turned him. He's a vampire now. Or rather...a vampire hybrid. Part vampire, part Oshuan, part human."
Kurumu stared, processing the revelation. "Carter is...a vampire?"
Owen looked away, his expression distant. "Yeah. It took him a while to accept it. But that wasn't even the worst part. After everything that happened, he found out that it wasn't just a random attack. Humans had made deals with the vampires. Politicians, selling lives for power. Maria, and all those other kids—they were just pawns. Sacrifices. That's when Carter changed. His lightning, which had always been this hopeful blue...turned black. Black as vengeance."
The cherry blossom petals fell around them, and Kurumu felt a shiver down her spine. Owen's words were heavy with history and pain she couldn't begin to imagine.
"I...I didn't know," Kurumu whispered, her voice thick with guilt. "I thought he was just...angry all the time."
Owen shook his head. "He's angry, yeah. But he's not just angry at the monsters. It's the whole system—humans and monsters alike. Every time we tried to protect people, there was always someone willing to sacrifice others for power. We fought vampires, ghouls and monsters of all kinds. We even found out the government had let them in on purpose. Carter lost faith in everything. And when he lost that faith, his anger...his hatred grew."
Kurumu hugged her knees, feeling the weight of it all. "So...he fights not just because he hates monsters. He fights because he wants to protect people, even if they don't deserve it."
Owen nodded. "Exactly. By the time I was Eleven, I was fighting beside him. We tried to keep our part of the world safe, but there was always someone—human or monster—who would betray the rest of us for a little more power. Every battle we won felt like we lost something else."
Kurumu bit her lip, struggling with the enormity of it all. "And Tsukune...he never went through anything like that."
"No," Owen replied softly. "Tsukune and the others, they don't get it. They've never lost someone like Carter did. That's why Carter is the way he is. He doesn't believe in coexistence because he's seen what happens when people—and monsters—get greedy. They'll sell out everyone for a little more power."
She looked at him, tears welling in her eyes. "I didn't realize...how much this war affected him."
Owen's expression softened. "It's not just the war. It's the betrayal. The lies. Every time Carter tried to protect someone, they were already making deals behind his back. And now, when he sees people preaching coexistence, he knows what that could cost. He knows someone's family could die because someone else made a deal for more power. And you, Kurumu—you and the others—you don't really understand that."
Kurumu's voice wavered. "I...I don't know what to say."
Owen reached out and took her hand, his grip firm but gentle. "I'm not mad at you. But I wish people understood. This isn't some fantasy world. People—humans, monsters—they'll betray each other for power. Coexistence isn't some perfect idea where everyone holds hands and sings songs. It's risky. And Carter knows that better than anyone."
Kurumu squeezed his hand. "But you're not like him. You're not bitter."
Owen smiled softly. "Because I believe in the good in people. I believe that, despite everything, people can choose to do the right thing. Carter wants to believe that too—he just doesn't think it's possible anymore. But deep down, he wants coexistence to work. He just knows it'll come at a cost. And if no one acknowledges that, a lot of people will suffer."
Kurumu wiped her eyes, feeling a strange sense of both understanding and sadness. "You really think he'll come around?"
Owen smiled, looking up at the falling cherry blossoms. "I do. He's tough, but he's not heartless. He just needs to see that people can change. That they can choose not to betray each other for power. If he sees that...he'll fight for it. Just like he always has."
They sat in silence for a moment, the wind carrying the cherry blossoms around them, creating a serene yet bittersweet atmosphere.
Kurumu, finally breaking the silence, whispered, "I'm sorry. I didn't understand before. But now...I want to help."
Owen turned to her, his smile warm. "You already are."
Kurumu leaned her head on Owen's shoulder, and they sat together under the tree, sharing both the pain of the past and the fragile hope of a better future. Though the road ahead was uncertain, they were both willing to fight for the possibility of something better—for coexistence, for peace, and for a future where people and monsters didn't have to live in fear.
_____________________________________________________________________
Later that day, Carter sat cross-legged on a rocky outcrop overlooking the forest, his eyes closed in deep meditation. The breeze ruffled his dark hair, but his expression remained calm, his breathing steady. The world around him seemed to disappear as he focused inward, trying to find some semblance of peace amidst the chaos in his mind. Black sparks of lightning flickered around his clenched fists, pulsing with restrained energy.
Suddenly, a cold draft swept across the clearing, and the temperature dropped noticeably. Carter's eyes snapped open just as a thin mist of ice crystals formed in the air, followed by the soft crunch of footsteps on the frozen grass.
"You know, for someone who's supposed to be meditating, you don't seem at peace very much," Mizore's voice drifted through the frosty air, as she stepped out from behind a nearby tree, her arms folded across her chest. Her violet eyes glinted with quiet observation, a small smile playing at her lips as the cold followed her every move.
Carter's gaze darkened as he recognized her presence. "What do you want, snow girl?" he growled, barely masking his irritation.
Mizore leaned against the tree, a smirk tugging at her lips. "I came to check on you. It's obvious that you're harboring a lot of hatred," she said softly, ice forming on the leaves around her. "But I see through it. I know why you don't believe in humans and monsters coexisting."
Carter scoffed, looking away from her and back at the horizon. "You don't know a damn thing about me," he muttered, his voice sharp as black lightning crackled at his fingertips. "And even if you did, why would it matter? Were you sent by Tsukune to try and 'fix' me?"
Mizore shook her head, her icy demeanor unwavering. "No one sent me. I came because I was curious. You're not like the others here, Carter. And I think that's why you keep pushing everyone away."
Carter's jaw tightened. "Let me guess—you're here to talk me into some fantasy of coexistence? Or maybe you think if you dig deep enough, you'll find some tragic reason why I don't believe in all that bullshit," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
When Mizore remained silent, Carter stood up and dusted off his clothes, his eyes cold and unyielding. "I'm not interested in becoming a love interest for another man's leftovers, Mizore," he said bluntly. "I'm not Owen."
The words struck Mizore like a slap, her eyes flashing with anger as she clenched her fists. "What did you just say?" she asked, her voice sharp as ice formed in the air around her.
Carter turned to face her, his expression hard. "You heard me. You, Kurumu, Yukari—you're all just hanging around, waiting for Tsukune to throw you scraps. But he doesn't love any of you. His heart belongs to Moka. It always has. You're all fooling yourselves if you think otherwise."
Mizore's face flushed with anger, but before she could lash out, Carter's next words caught her off guard. "You're wasting your time, Mizore. A beautiful woman like you should have found someone better by now. Someone who actually sees you."
Her eyes widened slightly, taken aback by his sudden change in tone. "What...what are you talking about?"
Carter's voice lowered, almost wistful. "You and those other girls... you're living in some delusion, thinking that Tsukune loves you all equally. But he doesn't. His heart is chained to a vampire—a girl he's been through hell with. No one else stands a chance, and you know it."
Mizore's breath caught in her throat. She opened her mouth to argue, but Carter continued, his gaze distant. "You remind me of someone...someone I lost a long time ago. Maria."
At the mention of her name, Mizore saw a flicker of vulnerability in Carter's otherwise hardened demeanor. She stepped closer, her anger softening into curiosity. "Maria...who was she?"
Carter's expression tightened again as he turned away from her, his fists clenching. "None of your damn business," he snapped. "Just...buzz off and leave me alone."
Mizore felt a small smile tug at her lips. For a moment, she had seen something in Carter—something real, something raw beneath all the bitterness. "Maybe," she said softly, "the person I've found, who's better than Tsukune, just needs to believe again."
Carter's head snapped back to her, a snarl forming on his lips as black lightning flared briefly around him. "Don't push it, snow woman," he warned, his voice low and dangerous.
But Mizore didn't flinch. She simply watched him with that same calm, knowing smile, before turning to leave. As she disappeared back into the mist, her voice lingered in the cold air. "I'll be around, Carter. Whether you like it or not."
Carter stood there, watching her vanish into the distance, his expression unreadable. But for the first time in a long while, there was something beneath the surface. Something stirring in the void where his anger and hatred once resided.
And he hated it.
_______________________________________________________________________
That night, Carter and Owen were found in their dorms sleeping away. Owen slept in a funny fashion while Carter just...Slept normally. Around the 10th hour, Owen and Carter shot up from their beds. They looked at each other before nodding and used their lightning powers to race back over to the west side. When they arrived, they saw that not only the barrier was brought down, but the screams of people could be heard in Towersville, Alexsville, and other neighboring cities and communities! "Carter, you take the left side and I'll take the right!" Carter nodded, following his younger brother's instructions.
Carter landed amidst the chaos of Towersville, his presence a storm in itself. Buildings burned, and the scent of blood and ash hung thick in the air. As he surveyed the destruction, the screams of the dying reverberated through his mind, fueling the rage deep within. His vampire instincts sharpened everything—the smell of fear, the frantic heartbeats, the metallic tang of spilled blood. A woman stumbled toward him, eyes wide in terror. She barely had time to utter a plea before collapsing at his feet, blood seeping from her abdomen.
Carter's fangs extended reflexively, a primal reaction to the bloodshed around him. His mind fought to keep control, pushing back the insidious hunger that came with his vampire nature. But the rage—oh, the rage he let burn bright. His eyes, a mixture of Oshuan lightning-black and the red glow of his vampiric bloodline, blazed as he scanned the area.
"Well, well... look what we've got here, girls. Fresh meat," a guttural voice taunted.
Kuvore, a hulking goblin with skin like cracked stone, emerged from the shadows. His horde followed, a ragtag group of male and female goblins covered in armor pieced together from the remains of their victims. Kuvore's bloodshot eyes glinted with a mix of greed and malice.
Carter's lip curled into a snarl, his enhanced senses locking onto Kuvore like a predator eyeing its prey. "You've made a mistake coming here," he growled, his voice low and menacing, the vampire edge in his tone unmistakable.
Kuvore chuckled, clearly unfazed. "And what are you going to do, bloodsucker? Watch while we tear this place apart? These humans are just cattle. We've been waiting for this day for centuries."
Carter's response was swift, the air crackling with energy as his Oshuan lightning powers surged to life around him. His body became a blur of motion, faster than any goblin could comprehend. One moment, he was standing still, the next he was tearing through the goblin ranks like a force of nature. The combined strength of his alien bloodline and his vampiric speed made him a nightmare to face.
As he ripped through the goblins, Kuvore barked out commands, trying to rally his forces. "Take him down! He's just one! Overwhelm him!" But it was futile. Carter was more than just one. He was human, Oshuan, and vampire—a deadly fusion that made him nearly unstoppable.
Amid the carnage, Kuvore locked eyes with Carter, finally realizing the mistake he had made. Carter's smirk was feral, his vampiric hunger flickering in his gaze. "You should've stayed in the shadows where you belong."
In one fluid motion, Carter's lightning-imbued fist met Kuvore's face, sending him crashing into the ground, the stone cracking beneath him. Carter loomed over him, fangs visible as he snarled. "Now, you're going to watch as I send your entire horde to hell."
_______________________________________________________________________
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Owen moved like a streak of lightning, racing against time. The destruction around him was catastrophic—homes crumbled as fires spread, set ablaze by the fire-breathing dragon humanoids swarming the area. These hulking creatures were relentless, their molten scales shimmering in the firelight as they unleashed torrents of flame upon everything in sight.
Owen's focus was on the family ahead of him, a mother clutching her two children while the father limped behind, their eyes wide with terror as one of the dragon humanoids swooped down, flames ready to incinerate them.
"Stay down!" Owen shouted, darting in front of them, summoning his electrical power. His body surged with raw energy, lightning flickering across his skin. He threw up a shield of crackling electricity just as a wall of fire descended upon them. The flames collided with the shield and scattered in all directions, sparing the family from a gruesome fate.
"Get to the safe zone, now!" Owen commanded, gesturing toward a clear path. The family didn't hesitate, rushing toward safety. Owen's eyes scanned the skies, and that's when he saw her—the one behind the chaos.
Queen Dragkina, the matriarch of the dragon humanoid race, hovered in the sky above Alexsville, her enormous wings casting an ominous shadow over the city. Her scales glowed a deep, fiery red, and her eyes burned with the heat of a thousand suns. Dragkina was no ordinary foe—she was a conqueror, with a long history of laying waste to civilizations before taking them as her own.
"Is this how you lead your people, Dragkina?" Owen yelled up at her, fury in his voice. "By burning everything to the ground?"
Dragkina's eyes locked onto Owen, and a wicked smile spread across her face. Her voice boomed with a mixture of arrogance and amusement. "I lead by strength, human. The strong survive, and the weak... perish. Alexsville will be reduced to ash, and from its ruins, a new kingdom will rise—one where my kind rule."
Owen clenched his fists, the electricity around him sparking more intensely. "Not if I have anything to say about it."
Without warning, three dragon humanoids swooped down toward Owen, their mouths glowing as they prepared to unleash streams of fire. Owen reacted instantly, moving with inhuman speed as bolts of lightning shot from his hands, striking the dragons in mid-air. The creatures screeched in pain, spiraling to the ground as Owen leapt into the air, meeting them head-on. He spun mid-flight, sending arcs of electricity in all directions, neutralizing their fire with his raw power.
"You fight with honor, boy," Dragkina mused from above, her wings keeping her aloft as she watched Owen take down her soldiers. "But it will not be enough. My fire will consume you, and your precious city."
Owen shot a glance at her, his eyes filled with defiance. "You won't touch this city. I won't let you."
Suddenly, Dragkina's wings flared wide, and she swooped down toward Owen, her massive form casting a wave of heat. Owen braced himself as she unleashed a torrent of fire, the intensity enough to melt stone. But Owen stood his ground, his lightning powers creating a barrier of pure energy. The flames licked the barrier but couldn't penetrate it.
"This ends now!" Owen shouted, charging up his lightning. In one swift movement, he summoned all the power within him and unleashed a devastating blast of electrical energy directly at Dragkina.
The queen shrieked in surprise, her massive body convulsing as the electricity coursed through her, but she wasn't easily defeated. "You think you can take down a queen so easily?" she sneered, her wings beating the air as she pushed through the shockwave.
Owen's face tightened in concentration, pushing his powers further than ever before. He could hear the city in the background—more families in danger, more lives at stake. He couldn't let her continue. "If I have to burn out to stop you, I will," Owen muttered under his breath, summoning every last ounce of his strength for one final blow.
"DON'T." Owen froze as his brother's voice cut through the chaos. Carter, drenched in the blood of the goblins he'd just torn apart in Towersville, appeared before him. His eyes, wild with fury and exhaustion, locked onto the towering figure of Queen Dragkina. "I'll handle this."
Dragkina, amused by the sudden turn of events, tilted her head. "An S-Class monster?" she mused. "I'm surprised you're not fighting alongside us. This world belongs to us now. The barrier's collapse means our time has come. If it weren't so...that vampire war would have never set in stone our desires."
Carter's eyes narrowed. "I didn't ask to become this," he snarled, voice filled with venom. "Just like I didn't ask for you and your freaks to storm into my turf and destroy everything we've built!"
Without warning, Carter lunged at Dragkina, his speed blurring as he closed the distance. His punches came in a relentless barrage, each blow a manifestation of his pent-up rage and frustration. Years of sacrifice and failure boiled over, and with every punch, he felt the weight of his duty crushing down on him.
"WE'VE REBUILT SO MUCH! AND YOU—YOU COME HERE AND DESTROY IT ALL!" Carter slammed Dragkina into the ground, the force sending tremors through the earth. His fists hammered into her over and over again, fueled by the pain of countless failures. "WHY WON'T YOU MONSTERS LEAVE HUMANS ALONE? WHY CAN'T YOU KNOW YOUR PLACE? WHY?! WHY?! WHY?!"
"CARTER!" Owen shouted, appearing beside his brother and grabbing his wrist just as he raised his fist for another strike. "THAT'S ENOUGH! IT'S OVER!"
Carter froze, his chest heaving as he looked down at the Queen's bloodied and beaten face. Her once regal, fiery aura was reduced to pitiful gasps as her blood pooled beneath her. The sight jarred him, snapping him out of his violent trance. Trembling, he backed away, his fists still clenched.
"Owen..." Carter's voice was hoarse. "Why are you helping her?"
Owen knelt beside the fallen queen, his hands glowing softly as he used his abilities to heal her wounds. "Because we need to understand what's really happening," he said calmly. "Killing her won't give us the answers we need. It won't stop the cycle."
Carter's eyes narrowed, distrust etched into his features. "She's a monster, Owen. You can't trust her. They never change."
Ignoring his brother's anger, Owen turned his gaze to Dragkina. "Queen Dragkina," he addressed her softly, "this onslaught—it doesn't seem like something a ruler like you would condone. Why?"
Dragkina coughed, her voice weak but defiant. "The Witch..." she began, her breath labored. "She promised us...promised that this world would be ours. We couldn't conquer the Monster Realm in Asia, not with the Vampires and their clans ruling over it. We sought a new home, but the humans...they struck blood first. They captured one of my kin and twisted him...into a weapon. A freak."
Carter's fury reignited, his voice a growl. "And you expect us to believe that?! You dragons, the goblins—you've always loved war! There was never a moment when you wanted peace or a home. This was always about conquest!"
Dragkina shook her head weakly, her eyes filled with genuine pain. "I'm not like those who came before me," she whispered. "All I wanted was a place for my people. My ancestors—they reveled in the blood of humans. But I didn't. I swore I'd be different. I wanted to show the world that monsters and humans could coexist. But...humans...monsters...we see each other as tools, as enemies, as experiments." Tears welled in Dragkina's eyes as she locked eyes with Owen. "Please, young warrior...believe me. This destruction, this chaos—it was never my wish. The Witch...and the humans who unleashed a bio-weapon on my people...they are to blame for this. For everything."
Carter's patience snapped. "YOU'RE LYING!" he roared, stepping forward, but Owen blocked him with a hand.
"She's not lying, Carter." Owen's voice was firm, steady. "I can feel it. She speaks the truth."
Carter's expression faltered. "What...? But... how? You can't just—"
"The Witch brought the goblins to Towersville, yes," Owen explained, his gaze shifting between Dragkina and his brother. "But Dragkina...she tried to reason with the people of Alexsville. They were the ones who unleashed the bio-weapon—using the remains of one of her kin. It set her and her soldiers off."
Carter clenched his fists, his mind spinning with the implications. "Why?" he muttered under his breath. "Why would the humans provoke them like this? What possible reason could they have for risking the lives of innocent people?"
Owen sighed, standing up and facing his brother. "That's the bigger question. There's something else at play here. Something darker. And we're not going to figure it out by slaughtering every monster we come across. We need to understand what's really going on. Who's pulling the strings."
"So, what?" Carter asked, his voice bitter. "We let her live? Let her go back to her people and pretend none of this happened?"
Owen shook his head. "No. But we don't kill her, either. We need her alive to find out who's behind all this. The Witch...the bio-weapons...none of this is a coincidence. Someone wants to plunge the world into chaos, and we need Dragkina's knowledge to stop them."
Dragkina, still weak but alive, looked up at Owen with gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you..." she whispered. "For seeing past my rage. For seeing...the truth."
Carter turned away, his fists still trembling with pent-up anger. "I hope you're right, Owen. Because if you're wrong, more people will die. And their blood will be on our hands."
Owen nodded solemnly. "We won't let that happen. Not again."
As they prepared to leave, Dragkina's final words hung in the air like a dark prophecy. "Beware...the Witch. She is the harbinger of what's to come. And her plans...are only beginning."