H E A T surges through me, and pain seizes my whole body. I cry out and fall back, clutching my sides and crying out. It seems like hours that I lie there writhing in pain, until suddenly I am very cold, and then it is all over.

I open my eyes and let out a shaky breath, wincing as the sun shines on my face. Blinking, I manage to stand and the fresh air begins to clear my head. I'm not sure what I was just doing, all I remember is that I was in the horrible chair and then suddenly I was lying on the cement.

Someone else's cries of pain reach my ears, I turn a dizzy head to see River also on the ground, writhing about as if hot needles were poking her. "Orion?" She manages to choke out. There are tears streaming down River's face, and her eyes are wide with...fear? Is she afraid of me?

"River...what happened?" I ask, squinting."Are you alright? I thought I was strapped to that torture chair."

River gives one last cry, then finally lays still and shivers, panting heavily. She turns her head to glance at my mother with shock, then at the mysterious girl who suddenly isn't so mysterious anymore.

"What? Raven? It's you?!" I drag my palms over my face, utterly confused."Why would you-"

"I already explained my sob story to the girl, so shut it," Raven interrupts, replacing the surprised looked on her face with a frown. "Now that your excellent plan didn't work, what now, Miss Rose?"

Meanwhile, I reach a hand out to help River off the ground, and she takes it gratefully, smiling a weak smile. My mother's face is stone cold, but as she examines me with her keen eyes, her expression changes to a mask of pure fury. "River! What have you done!"

For some strange reason, River blushes a shade darker than her already reddened cheeks, but then sets her jaw. "Well, somehow I broke your little spell."

"Not that," she waves a hand erratically, a crazed look in her eyes. "Of course you somehow broke it, but look at your wrists!"

A collective gasp nearly causes me to jump, and as I turn my arm over to look at it, I gasp myself. River holds hers next to mine, and everything is silent as we read the new six words written on both of our wrists.

♛ V I C T O R

There is a symbol of a crown inked before the thick capital letters, and River traces her finger over it in wonder. "What have I done?"

"This has happened once before," River says softly, still in awe. "It happened when Wonder decided to become a villain, even though he was marked as hero. I had forgotten until now."

"Get them," Ebony Rose barks at her henchmen. "They can't be allowed to escape."
The men move forward, and I smile a bit, igniting my palms with electric current.
"Remember, only use the tranquilizer setting."

"Go ahead boy," one of the men's beard splits to reveal crooked teeth as he grins. "Try to light me up."

"Glad to know I have your consent," I reply, sending an arc of electricity his way. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Ravens expression change suddenly.

He dodges out of the way and fires his own shot, but instead of being a tranquilizer dart it is large beam that grips me, shaking the energy out of my body. When it finally ceases I cry out and fall to my knees feeling weak and dizzy.

"What is this, Raven?" Ebony Rose asks angrily. She must not have wanted to hurt me."I thought this was the tranquilizer gun?"

"There is no tranquilizer gun," Raven replies calmly."I fooled you into thinking that so you would help me. But now that I have all of my stock, I'll be departing. Thank you for making my dream a reality. " She taps a blinking blue bracelet on her wrist, and suddenly Ebony and all her guards are glued to the ground as a gooey substance hardens around their feet.

"Now River I was going to spare you, Raven continues, sighing. "But now that your mark has changed I think I'll have to dispose of you as well. It's a shame, I really did like you." The goo settles around our feet and no matter how we struggle, there is no going anywhere.

"Do you think you could double cross me?" Ebony Rose conjures a huge storm cloud out of thin air, and lightning flashes within it. She holds it above her head, posing to strike.

"Hmm, let's test this one. I think I'll start with you," she picks up one of the weapons lying on the ground, and aims it at Ebony Rose, hesitating a moment. "It was a pleasure working with you."

Ebony hurls the storm at Raven, and Raven shoots. The cloud of lighting hurts into ashes, and we all go into a fit of coughing. A moment later, the smoke fades away and all that is left of my mother is a pile of ashes.

"How could you!?" River bursts out. "I know she's a villain, but she's a human being! Even the government doesn't treat the criminals like this!"

"You call her human?" Raven laughs dryly. "Darling, no hero or villain is human. And I will destroy them all."

All the men are ashes before River can reply. She aims the gun at me, and all is still. I am about to die before this grief-stricken girl who is bent on paying revenge to the whole world. Just then, the gun is lifted out of Raven's hands and pulled towards River, who looks incredibly angry.

"You will NOT make the world pay for the price of your mother! I am sorry about it, truly I am, but not everyone deserves to pay for the mistakes of another. Killing all the heroes and villains won't fix anything. There will still be people, hungry for power, who will cause death. Like you, for example. When you get "revenge" as you say, aren't you just like the ones who killed your mother?"

Raven is silent as River speaks those passionate words, but she shakes her head sadly. "No one will listen. This is the only way." She turns and picks up another weapon, this time it is glowing. "I'm sorry."

"So am I," River answers. Time seems to stand still. Raven pulls the trigger, but not before River. Her shot turns into ashes a second before she herself blows away into the wind. Finally at rest.

The loud clatter rings through my ears. River has dropped the gun, eyes wide with pain and fear. "She's...gone. I killed her."

I try to burn out of the goo with my electricity, but it doesn't work, so I reach over and take the gun in my hands, studying it for a moment. Then I aim it at the goo, closing my eyes. What if this backfired and I become ashes? But it is the only way to escape from this prison. I pull the trigger, and thankfully the goo crumbles to dust around me and I still have my feet. I shoot River's next, then set the gun down and pull her into my arms.

"You did the right thing," I whisper slowly. "She would have killed us."

River nods. "I know." She looks past me at the piles of ashes and stares at then for a moment, intense concentration apparent on her tear-stained face. The ashes begin to dance in the air, making spirals and patterns. Then she sends them all away, to the sea. My mother's final resting place.

"You've got telekinesis," I whisper, awed."You've made yourself a hero."

"So have you, Orion. Do you remember what happened before you were hurting?" She asks, and once again a blush graces her cheeks. I shake my head, so she continues. "Your mother brainwashed you using our research. She ordered you...she ordered you to kill me."

"What?" I gasp, gripping her arm a bit more tightly. "She did?!"

"Yes. She wanted nothing to stand in the way of you joining her. You caved in finally, after resisting her command for a long time. And you...you nearly did kill me," her voice dies down to a whisper. "But I told you something, something that broke her hold over you. That's when you woke up, finishes resisting, and your mark changed."

"What did you tell me?" I whisper back, hardly daring to breathe.

Instead of answering with words, River steps closer, running her hand through my hair. She places her forehead against mine, closing her eyes, and then suddenly her lips are against mine. I kiss her back, cradling her against my chest, ecstasy coursing through my veins. Her thought floats into my head, strong and sure.

I love you.

"I love you too. So, so much," I murmer back as we break apart reluctantly. "You saved me. I owe you my life, twice."

"You have plenty of time to make that up later," River's lips part in a shining smile. "Don't worry. We're heroes!"

☽

"Watch out!" River shouts as she wraps a large rope around another masked criminal. I look behind me just in time, sending a shock at my unsuspecting attacker. He crumpled to the ground and River soon has another rope wrapped around him.

We clap hands in a celebratory high five. "Another robbery stopped. What is that, the third one this week?" River asks.

"I think so," I reply with a chuckle. "Time to call the police."

Soon we were relaxing on the top of the tallest building in our beautiful city, watching the sunset. Hero work is very rewarding, albeit exhausting. We have fjbat found our calling, and are enjoying every moment of it together. Although my mother is gone and I grieved for her, life goes on. And oh, what a life it is!

We're just two dorks in college, in love, and in the middle of a chaotic but amazing world. Plus, we're each other's heroes, what could be better than that?

I am no longer a tortured villain. River is no longer an unhappy innocent. We are the victors.

T H E • E N D

a u t h o r 's n o t e
sorry this is late...again. my weekend was crazy busy, but I hope this last chapter was worth it.
wow, what a journey!
this book has come to an end, but please stay tuned for the facts chapter, revealing extra information about this book. Coming soon!
much love, your authoress
shethetigress ✨