Chapter 17 - The Shattered Truth

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Maya: "What now..."
They walked slowly, the concrete path ahead feeling longer than it should.

Emma: "I have zero clue..."
Their steps echoed, almost too loud in the eerie silence.

Maya: "I can't face Master. Not now. If I see him again-I'll explode. I have too many questions, and no good ones."
She paused mid-step, eyes scanning the surroundings with laser focus.

Emma: "What if... he's a bad guy?"

Maya: "I hope not..." she whispered, voice dropping like a stone in water.

Emma noticed the tension in Maya's shoulders, her eyes darting like a hunted animal.
Emma: "What is it?"
She mirrored Maya's unease, scanning their surroundings.

Maya: "Something's off. Really off."

The air felt... wrong. Still, yet charged. Like the world was holding its breath.

Maya: "You know what? Fuck this."
Without hesitation, she snatched the crystal from her pocket.

Emma: "Wait, Maya-"

But it was too late. Maya hurled the crystal onto the concrete with a sharp CRACK, the sound echoing like a gunshot. Shards scattered like tiny stars, and a strange, shimmering dust rose from the remains-drifting upward like it had a destination.

Maya: "That was the right thing to do."

Emma blinked, stunned.
Emma: "You scared the shit outta me."

Maya cracked a tiny smirk. "Good. Stay on edge."

They turned to keep walking, still in the back alley path, far from watchful eyes.

Emma: "So... what's up with you and Mark, huh?"
The question hit like a slap of cold water.

Maya: "What?" She didn't lift her gaze from the sidewalk.

Emma: "Okay, but if you two don't end up together-"

Before she could finish, the ground shuddered.
A low, rumbling quake rolled beneath them, like the Earth had growled.

Both girls bent their knees, ready.

Maya: "We're not going back to school. This isn't normal. Keep your guard up."

Emma: "I'm scared."
Her voice was fragile. Small. Honest.

Maya looked at her, warmth flickering in her eyes despite the chaos.
Maya: "Don't be. You have me."
She nudged Emma's side gently.

Emma: dry laugh "Of course I do."

And then-
From the distance, a figure sprinted toward them. Ragged breath. Familiar face.

Mark.

Mark: "What's happening?" he gasped.

Maya: "We don't have a clue."

Mark: "Was that the ground shaking? That was real?"

Both girls nodded, eyes never leaving their surroundings.

The three instinctively stood back to back, forming a triangle of vigilance.
Then all of their eyes landed on the same spot-
The shattered crystal.

But before any of them could react-

A wave of pressure slammed into Mark.
Like liquid air. Like psychic force.
He flew backward, only barely curling his arms over his skull before his head met concrete.

Maya and Emma screamed.

A shadow moved.
A figure stepped forward.
Calm. Cold. Familiar.

Master.

That smile... wasn't a smile. It was a mask made of malice.

Emma: "M-Master?"
Her voice cracked.

Master: "Children... you've disappointed me. Why did you break the crystal I specifically told you to protect?"

Maya: "Because you lied to us."

Emma: "It didn't help me at all. You said it would-but it just made everything worse!"

Master: "How dare you accuse me of-"

Mark, still groaning from the ground: "You've been stealing my fucking powers, you old hag."

Master: "Watch your mouth, you little-"

He raised a hand, Mark nearly flew again-but he didn't.

This time, the old man went flying.
Mark had stomped the ground, power rippling outward in a shockwave.

Master hit the pavement hard.

Master: "Maya... Maya... Maya... I thought I taught you better."
His voice was slick with venom.

Maya: "Shut the fuck up."
She stepped forward, knuckles cracking like lightning strikes. Her stare could've melted steel.

Emma: "Don't be stupid, sir. You know you're not that strong."

Master: "And that is exactly why I liked you more, Emma. Gullible. Sweet. So easy to manipulate..."

Maya: "Emma, get back. He's dangerous."

Master: "And that's exactly why I never liked you, Maya. Too smart. Too loyal. I was sure you wouldn't figure it out this soon..."
His tone dropped to a dark whisper. "But I suppose your time has come."

Mark growled, pushing himself fully upright. "I don't fucking think so."
He charged forward, raw power pulsing at his feet.
He stomped again-this time harder-and Master screamed as the pavement cracked beneath him.

Maya: "You tried to ruin us. But we noticed. We felt it. You weren't just stealing from Mark-you were draining all of us. That's why we've been exhausted, why we couldn't focus, why our powers were glitching."

She stormed up to Master, who was struggling to lift his head. She planted her foot firmly on his chest.

Emma: "You wanted us dead."

Mark: "You wanted power. To be what you were before."

Maya: "Too bad. We're smarter than that. We're not your little batteries."
Her eyes began to glow-a burning, blinding sapphire.
The color was breathtaking-beautiful, terrible.

Master screamed. The glow began to boil him from the inside.
His skin turned grey, like ash. His veins lit up with light, and then-

Maya: "One last thing... weren't you supposed to be dead?"
She grinned, stepping off his chest.

Master could only choke. His body trembled, then-crumbled.

Dust.
Caught by the wind.

Emma stared, frozen.
Emma: "Wait-he was found dead?"

Maya: "Thirty-eight years ago. A hospital collapse. They said no one survived. But he did... barely. He used his powers to keep breathing. And then... he found us."

Emma: "Did you read that from his mind?"

Maya: "Exactly."

They stood in silence, watching the remnants of a monster drift into the sky.
A chapter had ended. But something darker... might've just begun.