CHAPTER ELEVEN: GRIEF, LOSS, AND ANGER

 Loss, even if it is not death, is processed in many different ways. When a friend leaves your life, for whatever reason, you can still feel loss.

Loss to Johnathan Birch felt like anger, anger and sadness. Anger, that he had someone else had been pulled away from his life, and sadness, that he might never see her again.

Loss to Jonas Alfredo felt like sadness. Sadness that ran amuck through his friends, the sadness that she believed that she would never see them again.

Loss to Beckett Gaven felt like denial. Denial that she was gone, denial that she did it, denial that they weren't going to see her again, that they couldn't do something.

Loss to Evelyn Woodward felt like doubt. Doubt in her friend, this girl that she had known her whole life, causing her to question whether it was possible that she actually did it or not.

Loss to Austin Morgan felt numb. Numb to it all, the tears streaming down his face as he cried and mourned the loss of a friend who wasn't actually gone, numb to everything but yet nothing at the same time.

Loss to Amy Bentley felt like the storm brewing in her chest about to overflow. The tears falling freely from her eyes like raindrops as she thundered at the world, her words full of lightning hot rage.

As Nero Legend watched these six friends grief their loss, he soaked up their loss, his eyes glowing a bright red.

Nero looked down at the Witches and Dragons in the crowd, sensing an intense hatred brewing in their bones, and he grinded, teleporting down to the side of Pandora Pedersen.

"Rumor has it they died just like Jacob did," Nero whispered into her ear, and he chuckled as he took her anger, absorbing it into himself, growing more powerful, little by little.

"Who said that?" Pandora shouted, looking around her at her loyal Coven members. "Was it you, August?" Pandora took a step closer to the Witch, who was cowering in fear. Nero knew that it didn't matter how powerful you were, Pandora Pedersen was one to fear.

"August didn't say anything," Visha Candice interjected, causing Pandora to back away slowly, and Nero frowned.

As the Witches of the Ice Oak Coven began to leave the Inn, Nero made his way over to where Ramona Balfour stood, tears already threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Rumor has it they died just like Jacob did," Nero repeated, stoking the fires of her rage.

"Ramona, come on, we should get back, and you need to consult Ender about what we're going to do," Hazel Anistin said as she walked up to the dark haired girl. Ramona quickly nodded her head, wiping at her eyes and putting on a brave front.

What a lie, Nero thought as they walked away, impressive that she's been able to keep this up for so long.

"Nero, we should get out of the rain now," Alia Ainsworth said, and Nero was surprised that she was able to see him, after all, he was trying to stir up trouble, he didn't like being seen doing it, hence the invisibility.

"You're right of course," Nero agreed, following after Alia, into the Inn. Dawn was upon Merfeu, and so that made it nearly impossible to see the red flare that rippled through the barrier, making it impossible to leave.

"Nero, were you just standing out there, all on your own?" the Innkeeper, Dorothy Byers asked, and Nero nodded his head sheepishly. "Well, why don't you get a cup of tea, and I'll bring you a blanket, you must be soaked."

"Thank you," Nero replied, walking into the sitting room, avoiding the eyes of the six friends who sat around one of the coffee tables, following behind Alia, who sat down at one of the tables, besides Bowie Bond.

"Nero, did you see it?" Alia asked, and Nero shook his head. "It was a Dragon and Witch, no good for anyone if you ask me, I mean, none of us needed any of this." Nero nodded his head, and smiled and thanked Dorthy as she walked in with his blanket.

As Alia began to fill Rosemary in as she sat down at their table, he grinned, his eyes flashing red.

All of this panic and chaos, just like he intended when he founded Merfeu, a fact too long forgotten by it's ungrateful inhabitants.

But no longer.

story gif made by: skaikrurogers

AUTHOR'S RAMBLINGS:

Hey everybody! If you guys liked the chapter I'd love it if you would vote, but I would love it even more if you guys were to comment your thoughts!!

For some reason this chapter did not go anything as planned, like, I'm not sure what I had in mind but it definitely wasn't this lol. That being said, I hope you guys liked it, and are super excited for act two because that's coming up soon (sooner than you would think!) and I'm super excited to start writing it, and hopefully I'll have enough pre-written that I'll be able to maintain updating while I'm in school!

As for the chapter, I'd love to hear your theories about the book so far, any feedback you have for me, and anything else! Question for this chapter is what kind of awards would you give to each character and ship so far? (I'm probably going to ask this again near the end of the book, and so it'll be interesting to see what's changed!)

I'll see you guys in the next chapter!