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Chapter Thirty-Six
November, 2010
Seven months later
More than half a year had passed since the disappearance of her brother, and Nickole was still struggling to move on. It had been the hardest summer of her life. She had been quiet most of the time, spending less time with her friends than ever and preferring to remain isolated at home with her mother as often as she could.
It was not her fault - that was what everyone kept telling her, especially her mother. Nickole spent several days after Alex got separated from them trembling in her irrational, childlike fear that she would never see him again. That fear, however, became reality when the authorities were forced to call off their efforts waiting and watching for Alex to make his way out of the boundaries of the Dark Zone. Soon after that, to everyone’s horror and dismay, her brother was presumed to be d
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Rowan’s jaw dropped as she watched her weapon abandon her and Alex pointed his directly at her in triumph. She turned and looked at Alex over the point of his blade, an expression of astonishment and defeat on her face. Neither of them moved, but Rowan grew a wide smile and the two of them soon began to laugh. “You actually beat me!” Rowan gleefully exclaimed. “I can’t believe it!” Alex lowered his sword and lifted his eyes as though he was trying to think of something to say. “Ve’su-” he began thoughtfully, speaking the Ravennites’ tongue. “Ah’gala mahki.” He was certain that what he just said translated closest to, “You are a worthy adversary.”
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The cold air hit Robert as soon as he stepped outside. The gust gnawed at the flesh of his face. This is what the cold seasons felt like every year in these dreary hills, but he was no stranger to it anymore. Caine was already waiting for him outside the structure, just as his messenger had said. Robert glared at him through the columns of breath that escaped his nostrils. Caine absorbed his look and shot it right back at him. He opened his mouth to speak but was suddenly cut off when Robert put his hand up.“Don’t,” he snarled at Caine. “If you’re just gonna try to give me another pointless lecture, you can leave right now.”Caine narrowed his eyes at his ignorance. “I’m not here for myself,” he gave a sharp response. “I have more news from your brother.”
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Alex and Rowan returned to the Ravennites’ camp just before the sun had set. The temperature, though cold enough during the day, still dropped significantly. The Ravennites within the walls of their outpost were gathered by the firesides. Several were armed and guarding the wall on all sides. Alex had gone over to one of the large fire pits near the center of the campsite, where the Ravennites were preparing and cooking the meat of the game they hunted, which mainly consisted of deer. Alex collected two thin slabs of venison and headed to the small campfire that he set up near the wall. Rowan was sitting alone by the fire and looking down at her wooden pendant again. As Alex approached, he glanced at the charm. As usual, the first thing that caught his eye was the strange, red symbol at the top of the charm’s face that Rowan apparently could not see.Alex went to sit down next to Rowan. “
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Feeling himself growing paranoid, Alex groaned quietly and glanced back into the outpost. “What’s taking you so long, Rowan?” To his surprise, as soon as he had looked away, Alex heard another rustling sound amongst the trees, this one much closer than the first. He jolted his attention back toward the tree lines, breathing sporadically. It took a few seconds for his sight to properly readjust. Alex blinked his eyes a couple times to be sure that he was seeing this right: someone was standing at the edge of the trees, and they were looking right at him.The dark figure was tall and lanky, but also broad shouldered, standing absolutely motionless. Alex became just as still as he stared right back at the figure. It seemed like the environment all around him had gone completely silent; so silent that he could clearly hear his own low breathing. “Who-” Alex stammered, half-afraid
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Alex suddenly jolted awake, gasping in shock. He immediately remembered somebody blindsiding him and knocking him unconscious. He recalled a strange red light, but never felt anything hit him. He figured the Domineers had captured him as he tried to hurry back to the campsite.Alex tried to move, but realized that he was wedged into a tight alcove in the side of a dead tree. A quick look around revealed that he had not been taken anywhere after he was knocked out. He was still out in the woods bordering the outpost, but someone must have placed him in this tree. Who and why, he had no idea.As his senses quickly started returning to him, he soon became cold, as he had been lying out here for far too long. It was still nighttime, but the sound of the chaos in the distance was gone, telling him that the fight was over.
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