The queen decided to execute Rachel herself. She injured her with a silver dagger. It looked ordinary, but it had been dipped and imbued with wolfsbane, mountain ash, and mistletoe. Even the tiniest little poke could undoubtedly kill a supernatural. It was intentionally created to progressively weaken them, but it weakened them too much.

I yelled out furiously. “You don’t frighten me anymore.”

The wicked queen hummed, bearing a satisfied grin so wicked that a shiver ran down my spine. “Then come closer.”

"You have barely any life left. Do you want to die for this?" I asked Queen Ellen.

"I'd do anything to get revenge for my father. You also don't have much life left. Do you want to die for this?"

Rachel was my best friend. I don't have to think about it. "Yes." 

I ran up to her. The crowd didn't try to stop me.

I attempted to evade problems rather than confront them. I needed to overcome my past and let go of my overwhelming guilt. I needed to stop being so passive when faced with daunting challenges because I was letting others get hurt.

I promptly call on the enchanted sword to help. It came to me like I knew it would.

I severely injured the wicked queen, but I am unable to kill her. As I stop myself from killing her, she blasted something on my chest plate that inadvertently caused my armor to blow up. The shards killed her. 

Between the ringing in my ear and the screaming of the anxious crowd, I almost didn’t hear the faint whisper of my name. I only just managing to instantly catch the sound on the edge of my senses. Blearily, I glanced around, critical eyes finally zeroing in on a few figures in the cheering crowd. Even with my vision swimming with pain and most of my senses dulled, I could nevertheless identify who they were the moment my eyes landed on them. Lilo and Titan holding on to Rachel. Rachel was going to be alright. I smiled and the considerable tension all but melted from my charred body.  If only I could run into their arms. If only I could join my friends. It was far too late now. 

Severely flooded with unspeakable relief, I instantly began to laugh gently, startling the crowd into a stunned and hesitant silence. The unsettling sight was enough to induce fear in even the most hardened amongst them. I scarcely realized I've lost an arm and blackout.

By Cristina Collazo