The Toren: Wrath OF The Righteous (The Toren Series, Book 4): The Toren

Copyright © 2018 by Lola StVil

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Formatting by Dallas Hodge, Everything But The Book

Dedicated to my readers:

Enjoy!

Quick reader’s reference guide:

PARENTS: Pry & Silver

CHILDREN: Summit & Dylan

PARENTS: Diana & Bex

CHILDREN: NIX & LUCAS (Nix is Malakaro’s son but raised by Bex.)

PARENTS: Easton & Mel

CHILDREN: Parker & Ryder

PARENT: Swoop

CHILD: RJ (Raised by Jay & Miku)

I didn’t ask to be the new evil. But the fact is, it was always my destiny; we just didn’t know it then but we know it now, right, Mom? I ask the slab of marble that is my mom’s headstone. I came to the cemetery because I needed her to know that I didn’t forget her and that no matter what I will avenge her.

There’s so much I need to tell my mother; so much that was left unsaid. What I wouldn’t give to have one more day with her. She always knew how to make everything right. She would have the answers I need now.

Even when my dad left, she knew what to do.

He walked away from us the day he found out what my mother was up to. He decided if he cut all ties with my mother quickly, that maybe the Noru would spare his life when they figured out who my mother was.

Fucking coward.

He came back a few days later and begged me to go with him as he left. But I couldn’t, because everything my mother did, she did to protect me. How could I abandon her?

I begged him not to go, but he walked away from us then, and in my mind, he was no longer my father. Fathers don’t just abandon their kids.

When my father found out about my mother’s death, he decided to come back and check on me. I suppose I should have been happy to know that even after all these years there was still a little part of him that cared about me.

But it didn’t matter. It was too late for us. I told him to piss off. And I meant it. I think my mother would have been proud.

So, he came back, I say to my mother’s grave.

After all these years, Dad came back for me. But I sent him away. I know it’s what you would have wanted. He left us when we needed him the most.

I pause and bite back the tears that threaten to spill over. I won’t cry. My mother was strong, and now I have to be strong, too.

What would I have wanted, if given a choice? I muse out loud. I would never have wanted this for myself, that’s for sure. But, you gave up everything for me. You even sacrificed your whole life to ensure that I wouldn’t end up here. Yet, here we are.

My knees buckle as it hits me all over again. My mother sacrificed her life to make sure the prophecy wouldn’t come true and I wouldn’t be the great evil. But it wasn’t enough. Now I am the great evil, and she’s dead. For nothing.

I’m so sorry, Mom, I say, my face in my hands as I drop to my knees.

I just wasn’t strong enough. Not without you.

A sad smile flits across my face as I think back to my childhood.

"Remember how you used to help me? Whenever I would feel the uncontrollable anger growing inside me, you would somehow sense it. And you found a way to stop it. You gave me a pair of knitting needles and a ball of yarn. You would sit with me for hours, showing me the stitches. Somehow, concentrating on something so small, so intricate nulled the anger. It gave me an outlet, a way to focus on something else until the anger subsided.

"I was six at the time, and I thought all kids felt that way. You never told me otherwise. You didn’t want me to feel different, like an outcast. But I was different, and you knew it. When you heard the prophecy, something in you changed. You began to try to find a way to change the outcome. You set up an organization, tasked with stopping the prophecy from coming true.

"That was around the time he began to doubt your intentions. You two argued. You waited until you thought I was Recharging, but I wasn’t. I heard it all. I heard how you were doing this all for me. At the time, I didn’t understand much of it, but I understood that much—you wanted to protect me and he wanted to stop you. He said you could find another way, but you knew better.

"Remember when the movie Megamind came out? You said I was more like Megamind than anyone knew, that growing up no one would understand me. I didn’t get it then. I had tons of friends, and everyone loved me. But I do now.

"Mom, I get it. I am the one being vilified, profiled because of a prophecy that came about before I was even out of Noni. If Dad was such an angel, why couldn’t he have faith in me like you did?

"That’s why I couldn’t leave with him, Mom. I still loved him, but I made my choice. I chose you. Even when Dad told me the power had become an obsession to you and it would get us all killed, I pushed his worries aside. It wasn’t about power. It was about protecting me from myself. You recognized that you couldn’t do it alone. You needed people on your side, and the power gave you an army, ready to fight for you and your cause.

"Of course they didn’t know the full story. They knew a great evil would come, and it would spell out the end of days, but they didn’t know that evil was me. You were careful. You always implied that you didn’t know what form that evil would take, only that it would wreak such devastation that we would never recover from it.

"I think you knew that if they knew the truth, they’d have come after me. And you would never have let that happen. When they started to question you, you enlisted that doctor to help you set up the Kon’s son. It was perfect, the son of Malakaro wreaking havoc, destroying everything in his path, restoring all their faith in you.

"It all changed, though, didn’t it? When I turned fifteen, and I felt the darkness inside of me growing. The knitting was no longer enough. You tried everything. You had me paint, sculpt; we even tried cooking. But, in the end, you had to admit that it wasn’t working.

"I could control the anger, but only for so long. And we both knew it was getting stronger every day. So you locked me away, where I couldn’t hurt anyone. It wasn’t so bad. I was happy enough, I suppose. I had everything I could ever ask for—the best meals, the best tutors, the best of everything. I even met Amalie thanks to you and the cause. But something was still missing. The one thing I truly craved. My freedom.

"The night you were killed, I got my wish. My freedom. I’m so sorry you had to die for that to happen, but when Silver opened up my cell that night, I couldn’t resist leaving. As much as I loved you, you were already gone. I went in search of Amalie. She knew I had these dark urges. She was one of the few people who could calm me down when the darkness overtook me. But she left me, too.

"The explosion that took you away from me also took Amalie. And that was the moment I let it in. All of it. I embraced the darkness within me. For a moment, it felt good. Like all the grief, all the pain was gone. But that feeling didn’t last long. When I tried to turn back to the light, I couldn’t. The darkness is too strong, and it has a hold on me now. A hold I can’t fight.

"But it’s okay because the darkness is going to help me finish what you started. The darkness is guiding me, showing me the way forward. I will end Summit in your honor, Mom. Of that, you have my word.

"It’s strange, isn’t it, how everything is connected? How it was Summit’s father who liberated me that night after you imprisoned him because he was getting in the way of you stopping Summit.

"You know the really extraordinary thing? Out of everyone who was hurt that night, I ended up sharing a room with Summit at the hospital. Maybe it was fate. Maybe it was a coincidence. Or maybe this power within me is stronger than even I know, and I made it happen. However it came about, it was eye-opening being that close to her, I could feel my power growing. I feared she would feel it too, but she was so weak from the blast.

"All I knew of her at that time was the gossip I’d heard from other members. It was an experience talking to her, getting to know her. Learning what makes her tick. Perhaps I should have killed her there and then when I had the chance, but I knew that wouldn’t be enough.

She took everything from me; you and Amalie were all I had. And you’re both dead because of Summit. I know how much she values her team. Her family. I will take all of that from her. I’ve already killed one, five more to go.

There is only one happiness in this life:

love and be loved.

— George Sand

The knots are building in my stomach. I approach the warehouse. Normally, I would have been happy to be asked here by Summit. Alone.

But not this time. This time, I wonder what crazy scheme she has planned that she thinks I’ll go along with that the rest of the team wouldn’t.

Whatever it is, it’s bound to be something that will result in her getting herself killed. But I came anyway because arguing and trying to talk her out of it seems to be the only time I get to spend alone with her. And if I can’t talk her out of it at least I know I’m there to protect her.

But, at any rate, she’s out of her room now. That’s something.

The days following Dylann’s death were rough, to say the least. Summit point-blank refused to leave Dylann’s room. She said she was waiting for Dylann to come back. We all tried to persuade her to leave the room and come and join us, but she was adamant in her stubbornness, as always.

When she finally accepted that Dylann was gone, she moved to her room and destroyed everything. We were sitting outside with Emmy and Rage, trying to figure things out, when all of a sudden, her bed came through the window. It was on fire. She let out a deep, feral scream that shattered all the windows in the house.

Dylann was killed by someone who pretended to be her mother. And someone who pretended to be Summit’s friend; they shared a room in the clinic after the explosion, and when they were released, she introduced him to the team, and they had lunch at Milo’s family’s restaurant. She let him in. I think this made it even harder for her to deal with.

The moment it happened is engraved on my brain. I’m sure even if I go crazy and forget everything else, that will still be there, just as clear, just as raw.

We were all gathered together. We were about to watch a movie, but no one was paying any attention to it. Instead, we were just enjoying each other’s company. There had been a lot of tension among us, but I think what we achieved with the Shadow and Serpent made us realize that most of the tension was just bullshit kid stuff.

The door opened, and Pryor, Summit and Dylann’s mother, stood there. Dylann jumped to her feet to greet her mom, and I remember Fish screaming at her not to. And then Pryor fired at Dylann, killing her.

Only it wasn’t Pryor. It was Quest, Summit’s so-called friend, wearing a glamour. Summit had screamed Quest’s name in a voice that was equal parts rage and utter desolation. Her cry was so full of pain that I felt it run through every cell in my body.

Quest disappeared as Summit screamed his name, but not before he’d looked in her direction and gave her a predatory smile.

One down, five to go, he said coldly.

Summit walked away at that point and went to her room without a word. The rest of us exchanged glances. How do you make someone feel better when they’ve just witnessed their sister being torn apart?

I felt her pain as I imagined how I would feel if it were Nix. I felt a part of her pain anyway. We all did. Dylann was family to all of us. She was the baby of the group, but, by her attitude, you’d never know it. Sometimes we forgot Dylann was only fourteen. Summit felt it the hardest. She feels like, in a way, she let her parents down. Again. First, she couldn’t keep Dylann away from that junkie Davis, and now she lost her altogether.

We all followed her up to Dylann’s room. Nix entered first, and we waited anxiously outside her room. I watched the scene unfolding through the crack in her door.

I’m so sorry, Nix, Summit said.

Summit, why are you sorry? he asked softly.

I know I got Dylann killed. I get why you’re all mad at me. But now isn’t the time, so if you’ve come to yell at me, I get it, but please, just not now. Okay?

Nix sat down gently beside Summit on her bed.

I haven’t come to yell at you, Summit. I’ve come to tell you that none of this is your fault. I know you won’t believe that, but—

So, if you know I won’t believe that, why are you here then? Summit snapped.

I did terrible things when I wasn’t myself. The whole team hated me. But you didn’t. You told me none of it was my fault. But you understood that I would always feel it was. So, instead, you told me you forgave me. And now I’m here to tell you the same thing. Summit, I forgive you.

You… you do? Summit said uncertainly.

Nix nodded. He reached out and wrapped Summit in his arms. She allowed him to embrace her for a second and then she pushed him gently away.

Don’t, she said.

Summit? he asked softly.

I don’t deserve your forgiveness or your affection. I didn’t listen to the team, and because of me, my sister is dead.

It was obvious from the look on Nix’s face that he didn’t know what to say next. I gently pushed the door open, and the rest of us entered the room.

I’m so sorry about Dylann, Parker said.

Summit just stared vacantly at the wall in front of her. We all tried to reach her, but it was like she couldn’t see or hear us. She was trapped in her grief, and there was no reaching her.

Eventually, the team began to trail off and head to bed. I refused to leave her, telling the team I would recharge in her room that night. I expected an argument from Nikki, but it didn’t come.

Even after our talk, things are strained between us, and I know we’ll have to talk again at some point. I have no idea where I stand with her anymore, but whatever happens between us, I’m glad that she understood why I couldn’t leave Summit at that moment.

I got up the next morning to find Summit sitting in the same spot, staring at the same patch of wall. Nothing I said or did got through to her.

We took turns trying to break through her wall, but nothing worked. I knew she blamed herself for what happened to Dylann, even though it was far from her fault, and for that reason, I really thought Nix would be the one to get through to her. But even he couldn’t break her wall.

While we took turns trying to reach Summit, we also took turns at patrolling the grounds of the house. News of Dylann’s death had, no doubt, reached the rest of the Angel world by now, and by extension, the Demon world, and we knew that they would view Dylann’s death as a weak spot on our part. And of course, we were conscious that Quest could return at any time.

Everyone would expect us to be distracted by our grief, and we were, to an extent, but we couldn’t afford to let our guard down. Not with such evil on the loose.

It didn’t feel right having Dylann’s passing without her parents. Rage called in a favor with a Quo friend of his who specializes in preserving things. Normally, a request like this would make someone seem insane, but when he explained the circumstances his friend was more than willing to accommodate him, promising to do everything he could. He used a special mixture and placed her body in a glass case. She looked like a real-life Snow White.

Fish did some digging into who our mystery visitor was. All we really knew, up until that point, was that he was a Shadow and Serpent prisoner who was rescued by Silver when Summit blew up the headquarters.

Summit, locked in her world of pain, refused to even acknowledge his name, but I feel that if she knew more, she’d speak up. She wouldn’t let her grief put us in more danger.

Fish couldn’t find anything on Quest. We have no idea why he was treated like the prince of prisoners, or where he came from. It’s like all record of his existence was wiped out.

As always, there were more questions than answers, but I knew then, and I know now, that we’ll do whatever it takes to avenge Dylann’s murder.

On the third day after Dylann’s death, RJ and I were taking our turn at patrolling the grounds. We mostly walked in silence, casting our eyes over the grounds, looking for anything that seemed strange or out of place.

We were almost done with our shift. RJ nudged me. I turned to look at him, tense, expecting danger, but instead, he nodded up to Summit’s room. She stood on the balcony, resting her arms on the railing, watching the sun come up.

Summit, I shouted up to her.

She looked down at me, her face blank like she didn’t even recognize me. That hurt, but I pushed the hurt aside. This wasn’t about me; it was about her.

I can finish the patrol on my own. You should go and talk to her, RJ said to me.

You sure? I asked.

He nodded.

Yeah, I’m sure. We have to reach her, Lucas. I feel like we’re losing more of her every day.

I felt exactly the same. For each day we couldn’t reach her, I felt like we were closer to losing her for good. When she’d looked down at me when I said her name, it was the first time she’d acknowledged any of us since that first conversation she had with Nix.

I had to make the most of it before she closed herself off again completely.

I hurried into the house and up the stairs. I tapped lightly on Summit’s door and went in without waiting for an answer. I feared that if I waited for an answer, I’d never go in. She was sitting on her bed, staring out into space.

How are you doing? I asked gently.

Fine, Summit said.

I hid my shock at actually getting an answer. I was expecting the usual silence.

"Nice to see