Bound By Blood

Prologue

Six Months Ago

Amber’s POV:

Seeing the four standing side by side irks me to no end, especially since I can now see the moonstone blue cord connecting the four of them when it shines around them, making them appear as though they are indestructible. It's a pain concerning my plan because I know they would be able to destroy me if I let them get close enough.

"Are you okay, Amb?" Kali's tone is sharp, but I can't tell if that's from running or because she's strained for another reason, perhaps due to her power drawing from an unsteady source. The way she uses her power taps into more volatile places and means of survival. "Amb? Are you okay?" She tries to talk to me again, but I can tell she's not angry. For the first time, I can sense her fear, although I'm uncertain about the cause. "Amb?"

"I'm okay," I respond as we keep running, with the power cast by the four still licking at our backs like flames in a furnace. "I'm okay, Kal. It didn't hit me." Looking around, I can see that she has managed to gather as many of our group as possible but had to leave the hostages behind. It frustrates me because I know that when the others find us, having chased us as far away as possible, they will free the hostages, rendering my investigation pointless.

"We can start again, Amb. It's not over." Kali's tone is firm, and I see her streaking by me as a dark blur while we run so fast that we become indistinguishable from the dense, dark woodland surrounding us, where we had hoped to find safety. Before my idiotic and braindead half-sister's friends found her and the others when I kidnapped them, it should have been a flawless plan. "It doesn't matter if we lost the people we had trapped before. They were just a means to an end, Amb. We can do it again. We can take as few or as many people as you want, just say the word."

I smirk at her, noticing that she has observed my expression shifting away from a lethal madness. "I will. I just need to know that we're okay." I look around at the woodland racing past us at breakneck speed, with dark blurs representing our friends and foes traveling with us. "I just hate that we had to move away from where we were. It was a good place, Kal, and I don't think we'll find somewhere like it again." I growl in frustration, and Kali stops for a second, her eyes fixed on mine as I stare at her. "What?"

"You're mad," her tone sounds surprised, and I snort sarcastically, rolling my eyes at the same time. "No, that's good. Because if you're mad, Amb, you'll be able to finish what we started without compromising your morals." Kali keeps her eyes on me, but I don't respond for a few seconds until she realizes that I won't. "It's okay to be mad and feel, Amb, just don't let it compromise your morals or your ability to do what you have to do to make them suffer."

I snort again and start running when I see that Kali has said all she wanted to for now. "What says I even have morals, Kal?" I joke, noticing how her expression darkens with a savage pleasure that I love to see and relish feeling coursing through my veins. "What's to say I care or can feel at all? How do you know I'm not just fabricating it to get a reaction out of you or anyone else, for that matter? How do you know I even have a heart?"

"Because if you didn't, you would have…" Kali stops herself when she realizes what I said, taking off running when she realizes that if I don't slow down, I'll leave her behind. "Clever one there, Amb. Nice stall tactics," she starts running again when another wave of that moonstone blue power washes over the land, undoing whatever we had managed to do to reverse the natural balance in favor of what we were doing.

"Guess I had a good teacher or something," I shrug, seeing her eyes light up with something faintly resembling maternal affection since she raised me for over ten years. "Either that or I'm just that good." I shrug and hear her laughter as it envelops me. I pushed off and ran faster than she could, leaving her behind now that I was stronger. "Or maybe I was just better than you gave me credit for?"

Kali smiles and easily catches up to me, with a ghost of her former smile on her face, although the expression changes to a pained grimace mixed with a scowl when another wave of that blue power hits us. We keep running, and it only licks our backs. Well, almost all of us, as a few people had trippedand fallen behind. We slow down to help them up, not wanting to leave anyone behind. As we regroup, Kali looks at me with determination in her eyes.

"We need to find a way to neutralize their power," she says, her voice filled with urgency. "We can't keep running forever. We need to strike back."

I nod in agreement, scanning our surroundings for any sign of a possible advantage. "There has to be a weakness we can exploit," I reply, my mind racing with possibilities. "We just need to figure out what it is."

As we continue running, a thought crosses my mind. "Kali, remember when we were studying ancient texts together? There was mention of a hidden artifact that supposedly had the power to negate any magic or supernatural abilities."

Kali's eyes widen with realization. "The Amulet of Nullification! I remember now. It was said to be lost centuries ago, but if we can find it, it might be our key to defeating them."

Excitement fills our hearts as we formulate a plan. We decide to reach out to our contacts in the underground world, seeking information about the possible whereabouts of the Amulet. We know it won't be easy, but we're willing to do whatever it takes to acquire it.

Days turn into weeks as we delve deeper into our search. We encounter dangerous situations, face powerful adversaries, and make sacrifices along the way. But we never lose sight of our goal.

Finally, our perseverance pays off. We receive a lead on the Amulet's location—an ancient temple hidden deep within an impenetrable forest. With renewed determination, we gather our allies and set off on our journey.

Navigating through treacherous terrain and battling fierce guardians, we make our way to the heart of the temple. There, we find a hidden chamber filled with ancient relics and artifacts. And among them, we spot a glimmering amulet, emanating a faint aura of power.

As I reach out to grab the Amulet of Nullification, a surge of energy courses through me. I can feel its power resonating within, as if it recognizes the purpose for which it was sought.

With the Amulet in our possession, we prepare for the final confrontation. Our enemies have grown arrogant, relying on their powers to dominate. But little do they know, we hold the key to their downfall.

The day of reckoning arrives, and we face our adversaries once again. This time, however, we are armed with the Amulet's power, which nullifies their abilities. They are caught off guard as their magic fails them, and we seize the opportunity to strike back.

In a fierce battle, we fight with everything we have. Our determination, combined with the Amulet's power, proves to be an unstoppable force. One by one, our enemies fall, their powers rendered useless.

As the dust settles, we stand victorious. The four who once seemed invincible now lie defeated before us. Our journey, filled with pain, sacrifice, and madness, has led us to this moment of triumph.

But even in victory, we remain wary. We understand that power can corrupt, and we must be vigilant to ensure that we don't succumb to the same darkness that consumed our enemies.

And so, with the Amulet of Nullification in our possession, we embark on a new path— one where we use our newfound power to protect, heal, and restore balance to the world. The madness of the past may haunt us, but together, we will forge a future free from its grip.