THE LAST BELL

The Chosen Rival

Chloe held her arm tight, her face full of pain. The black veins spread across her skin like fire crawling under her flesh.

“Chloe! Stay still,” Axel said, grabbing her arm. His hands burned as soon as he touched the mark. He cried out and pulled away, his skin smoking.

“Don’t touch me!” Chloe shouted, tears falling. “It hurts too much!”

Axel shook his head, his eyes full of fear. “I can’t let this take you. I can’t lose you, Chloe.”

The Keeper stood nearby, his voice cold. “This is the bond of rivals. Mason cannot rise unless what Axel loves most is broken.”

Chloe gasped, looking from the Keeper to Axel. “What does that mean?”

The Keeper’s eyes glowed white. “It means you are the key. Mason feeds on your pain. If you fall, Axel falls.”

Axel clenched his fists. “No. I won’t let Mason win. He can’t have her.”

The Keeper shook his head slowly. “It is already written.”

Above, Sophia pushed open the freezer door with all her strength. Her body shook from the cold. She stumbled into the hallway, breathing hard.

But she froze. The hall was full of infected students. Their eyes glowed faint yellow, their skin pale.

Sophia’s heart raced. “No… please, not again.”

The students turned toward her. She waited for them to attack. She waited for their claws, their teeth.

But instead, one by one, they dropped to their knees.

Sophia’s mouth fell open. “What… what are you doing?”

The infected lowered their heads like she was their queen.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out with shaking hands. The screen flickered with strange glowing runes she had never seen before.

“What is this? Why is this happening to me?” she whispered.

Her hands shook so much she almost dropped the phone. The runes spread like cracks across the screen, but she could still see them, glowing like fire.

Sophia whispered to herself, “Am I cursed too?”

The infected all growled at the same time, but not in anger. It sounded like… worship.

In the gym, Ethan fell to his knees. His hand still gripped the sword, but the glow had faded. His body shook as sweat rolled down his face.

“I… can’t… keep fighting,” Ethan whispered, falling to the floor.

Damian stood above him, smiling darkly. “You were strong, but not strong enough.”

He raised his hand to finish Ethan, but then Lena ran forward. She grabbed the sword from Ethan’s weak grip.

The sword shrieked like a living thing. The glow burst brighter than before, filling the gym with white light.

Lena gasped but didn’t let go. “It… It’s choosing me.”

Damian stepped back, his face full of shock. “Impossible. That sword belongs to no one but the Chosen.”

The sword pulsed in Lena’s hands like it was alive. She raised it high, and the air shook around her.

“Then maybe I am the Chosen,” Lena said, her voice firm.

Damian snarled. “You will pay for stealing what is not yours!”

Underground, the air was heavy. Shadows moved like they were alive, waiting for a command.

Mason stood in the middle of the room, his eyes fixed on Chloe. He smiled slowly. “Poor Chloe. So much pain. So much fear. I can take it all away.”

Chloe breathed hard, shaking. “You… you did this to me. Why?”

Mason stepped closer. His voice was soft, almost sweet. “Because you are mine. Because you deserve more than being Axel’s weakness. I can give you freedom. No pain. No chains. Just power.”

Axel shouted, his voice breaking. “Don’t listen to him! Chloe, please. You’re stronger than this!”

Mason’s smirk grew wider. “Stronger? Look at her, Axel. She’s breaking apart because of you.”

Chloe’s eyes filled with tears. “Stop… please stop.”

The shadows stirred, moving like black smoke. They seemed unsure who to obey—Mason or Axel.

Axel stepped forward, his fists clenched. “If you touch her again, I’ll kill you!”

Mason laughed softly. “You can’t kill what you don’t understand.”

He moved closer to Chloe, his hand reaching out. “Say yes, Chloe. Choose me. And I will save you from all of this.”

Axel’s heart pounded. “Don’t! Chloe, look at me. Remember us. Remember what we’ve been through.”

Chloe closed her eyes. Her breathing grew heavy. “I… I don’t know…”

Mason whispered, “Yes, you do. You feel it, don’t you? The power is calling to you.”

Chloe’s hand shook. She reached out… but not to Mason. She touched Axel’s chest weakly.

Axel held her hand. “I’m here. Always.”

For a moment, it looked like she would stay with Axel. But then, her eyes flickered red. Just for a second.

Axel froze. His breath caught. “No… Chloe…”

Mason smiled, his voice dripping with triumph. “There it is. The truth. She is already mine.”

Chloe gasped and pulled her hand away from Axel. She held her head like voices screamed inside her skull.

“Stop it! Both of you! Just stop!” she cried.

The shadows swirled around her, faster, thicker. The ground shook beneath them.

Axel shouted over the noise. “Chloe, fight it! Don’t let him take you!”

Mason only smiled and stepped back into the darkness. “She won’t fight me. Not for long.”

Chloe dropped to her knees, her eyes glowing faint red.

Axel fell beside her, holding her shoulders. “Don’t leave me. Please, Chloe. I can’t do this without you.”

Her lips trembled. She whispered something too soft to hear.

Axel leaned closer. “What did you say?”

Her eyes opened wide. They glowed red again. “Maybe… maybe I don’t want to fight him anymore.”

Axel’s heart broke at her words. “Chloe, no. That’s not you. That’s him twisting you.”

But Chloe only stared at him, her face pale, her voice low. “Or maybe it has always been me.”

Axel froze, staring at her, not knowing what to believe.

The shadows stopped moving, as if waiting. The Keeper’s voice echoed through the chamber. “The rival has been chosen. But which side will she stand on?”

Axel’s voice shook as he held Chloe close. “Chloe… tell me. Are you still mine? Or have I already lost you?”

And in that silence, her red eyes flickered again.

Was Chloe beginning to turn against Axel?