Page 135 of The Order: Rise of the New Empire

"Mind your tongue!" Kai yells, flicking his wrist with precision.

Hearing the crack well before Aaron's scream, his leg bends inward, broken in an instant. Covering my mouth, the lack of remorse Kai presents is haunting.

What the hell is happening?

What is coming for all of us?

Supporting her cousin, Valerie covers him with her body.

"I won't let you exterminate our kind," Mason yells. "I won't let you become the very thing you hated so deeply-"

"There is no other way," I whisper.

Taking into account every single thing my mind has shown me over the past several months, the window in my mind to see what has yet to come finally has full clarity.

It was never the Prophet I had seen.

It was always Xavier.

The very future I thought I was stopping, I helped create.

The worst has yet to come.

Finally giving me his full attention, Xavier Winnows in front of me. Grabbing my chin to get me to look at him, I don't let him see the fear I carry.

"You don't have to be my prey," he hisses. "You can do your duty to Forest and bring down the Marked. I would hate to waste so much potential by ending it with the edge of my finest blade."

Shoving his hand away, I glare at him.

"Forest would be disgusted to hear what you are saying right now."

Grabbing my throat, he moves too quickly for anyone to react. Holding me by my neck, he lifts me off the ground, smiling at the sight of my struggle.

"I guess we will never know, will we, Rowan?" he hisses. "Because our kind killed her, so I am going to kill all of them."

Tossing me aside, I collide with Elias, both of us skidding across the ground. Taking staggered breaths, our group huddles closer, all of us filled to the brim with fear.

"A new empire is coming," Xavier warns. "Mynew empire."

Grabbing the broken silver mask, chills run down my spine once he places it on his face, only covering half.

As if it was pulled straight from nightmares, the true terror that has been unleashed in this world stands before me.

We were never stopping the Prophet.

We were creating his prodigy.

"You all have two days," Xavier warns. "Two days to run, two days to hide. Anyone who stays behind will have the luxury of joining me and my cause," Xavier smiles. "Anyone who leaves these grounds today will not live to see their next year."

Extending his hand out, he waits for one of us to accept his offer.

"Any takers?"

Passing glances to our group, no one pipes up.

"Fallan?" Xavier sighs, "Do you wish to stay with them?"

Crying like a child, he shakes his head no.

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