Page 67 of Draekora

The humans gave as good as they received, fighting back with everything they had. But ultimately, they were destroyed.

Darrius, dead.

Fletcher, dead.

Karter, Hunter, Finn, dead, dead, dead.

Drock, Tyson, Jeera, all dead.

Declan, dead.

The other Combat boys, dead.

Mel, Connor, Blink, Pipsqueak and the rest of her classmates and teachers, dead.

Everyone—dead.

It was also at the academy where Jordan himself fell.

He was fighting against Kaiden—the real Kaiden—with their blades moving so fast they blurred in the air. Even though Jordan had the advantage of Aven’s connection, they were so closely matched that it was impossible to see who would come out the victor.

But then Kaiden paused in his attack and desperately told Jordan, “Alex would forgive you, you have to know that. I was with her at the end, and not once did she blame you. Even now I know she wouldn’t. And you do, too.”

Something sparked in Jordan’s eyes, a burning ember of emotion, but it quickly dissolved into a smug look as his detached voice replied, “You’ll know if that’s true sooner than I will.”

And without any further warning, a sword speared Kaiden’s chest from behind, its icy design painfully familiar—as was the hand that delivered the killing blow.

As Aven withdrew A’enara from Kaiden and his body slumped lifeless to the ground, the Meyarin turned to his Claimed underling and in one swift arc, sliced the legendary blade across the base of Jordan’s neck.

Shocked, Alex’s hands flew to cover her mouth, and the simulated Kaiden had to wrap her in his arms to keep her from collapsing to her knees.

“I felt you hesitate,” Aven said in a silky voice to Jordan who was choking on his own blood as it poured forth to stain the soil of the academy. “You have been a constant pain, fighting my will at every moment. I kept you alive to torment dear Alexandra and the rest of your friends, but now that they’re gone, you have no further use to me.”

Unable to take what she knew was coming next, Alex buried her face in Kaiden’s neck, but it didn’t stop her from hearing the sickening sound of A’enara hacking into Jordan’s flesh, his gurgling groan eventually trailing off into silence.

With Jordan’s death, Alex’s vision faded to black as the scenery changed, only to leave her standing with Kaiden amid the ruins of a once beautiful Meya.

“What happened here?” she asked, her voice coming out as a hoarse croak. “Isn’t this where Aven should be ruling from?”

“In this future, Aven becomes possessed by his desire for unlimited power,” Kaiden answered quietly, reaching out to wipe a tear from her cheek and brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “After having razed Medora to the ground, he seeks beyond it, fixing his sight on the humans of Freya.”

Alex pulled in a shuddering breath. “Is that because of me?”

“I’m sorry, Alex, but you have to know that the hatred Aven feels for you in this future is unparalleled.”

“Butwhy?” she cried.

Kaiden shook his head. “I can’t tell you that. You have to find out for yourself by following the path you choose and seeing where it leads.”

Alex couldn’t help it; her eyes welled with tears again. “But it could leadhere. With Aven in Freya, and everyone in Medora dead.”

“Aven’s not in Freya in this future, Alex,” Kaiden told her gently. “He never makes it there.”

She looked around in confusion. “Then… If he’s not there, and he’s not here, where is he?”

“He’s gone. The Tia Aurans learned what he was planning and they stepped in before he could harm anyone else. They saved Freya, but it was too late for Medora.”

Tia Aurans… “Are you talking about the people who created theValispath?”

---