Blackout



By: TheBookQueen16

Chapter 1
“C’mon!’ Alessa yells, pulling me towards the center of the city, where the strobe lights flash and the sound of so many voices crushed together echoes off the plants. It’s the Summer Solstice, the time of the biggest party in the Lost Cities. And the biggest event of the season.

I let her pull me until we’re nearly in the center of the mash of bodies, and she spins me around. “Look over there! No, let’s go there! Wait, do you see-”

“Alessa, you’re going to talk my ear off!” I chide, although she always knows I’m kidding. Even if she didn’t, she would surely sense my feelings, with her being an Empath.

Alessa makes a face. “We’ve been waiting for this for like ever, Ruby!”

“I know, I know,” I say, defeated. I let her drag me to dozens of attractions, ranging from magicians to a trio of Frosters who were making sculptures.

I close my eyes, trying to let them relax. The amount of flashing lights was insane, each one a different color. They danced across the floor before turning up to the sky, where they swirled until diving back down.

I try to focus on the attractions, and try to keep up with Alessa. My eyes soon felt like they were burning, and I rub at them, hoping that the pain would go away. It doesn’t.

Alessa soon sees my discomfort. “You okay?’

“No.” I groan. My eyes felt like they were on fire. “I’m going to head out for a little,” I tell her.

Alessa frowns. “I’ll come with you.”

“No, you enjoy the festivities.” I insist. Alessa hesitates and then disappears into the crowd.

I walk away from the party until the lights disappear and the sound is basically non-existent. I don’t see anyone nearby, and it seems eerily quiet. I shake off my feelings of discomfort and walk a little bit faster.

I eventually find a dark alley and rest my back on the brick wall, and close my eyes. At last, peace.

Until a scream shatters it all.

I whip open my eyes and peer around the brick wall, ignoring the part of me that wants to turn tail and run.

I see three people, one couple, and someone dressed in all black, a mask around their face. The person in black’s back is too me, and they don’t seem to realize I’m a mere ten feet away from them.

The man glares at the black figure. “I won’t give it up.”

The figure tilts their head. For a second, it’s dead silence.

Then their gloved hand shoots out and grab the man’s throat, effortlessly lifting him off the ground.

The woman screams again, and tiny electricity bolts jump through her hands. “Let him go!” She screeches, hands sparkling with lightning.

The man makes a strangled sound and slaps the figure’s hand wrapped around his windpipe. The figure drops him, and the man crumples to the ground, wheezing. The woman drops next to him, fussing over him.

The figure taps their foot and holds out a gloved hand. The couple glances fearfully at him, and the man pulls out a silver packet from his hand and drops it into the figure’s waiting hand.

They both jump to their feet, ready to run. The figure holds up a gloved hand and pulls out a sharp blade with another hand. It glows, like the color of blood.

''The Red Assassin. The one criminal the Council’s never been able to catch.''

The figure twirls the dagger, and the couple shakes with fear. “You know I can’t let you leave.”

That was it. I step out behind the wall, ignoring how stupid I was being, and yell.

“Hey!”

The figure whips around, and the couple runs. The figure looks between them and me, curses, and throws the blade at the couple’s retreating backs.

No

I raise both hands, letting my ability flow through me. A glowing dome forms, trapping the figure and blocking the dagger from striking its targets.

I let myself smile until I realize my mistake.

I’ve trapped myself in the dome as well, along with an assassin and a dagger.