“Lousy witch, daughter of a lousier witch,” Big Bad reddened with anger.
“Get away from my sister,” Axel’s screamed, and ran into Big Bad with his head, but ended up on the floor again. Big Bad didn’t even wince. He just stood there like a truck, and Axel slid down from the crash.
Axel went hysterical, looking for the Magic Dust, but he couldn’t find it because Big Bad was stepping on the bag.
Loki stood firm in his place, balling up his fists. It puzzled him why he hadn’t moved yet to save Fable. Deep inside, he knew he was becoming too attached to her and her brother. As repetitive and annoying as it sounded, he wasn’t here to get involved. He wasn’t here to make friends or fight bullies. He wasn’t here to care about anyone. It all seemed trivial to the grand aspiration of being forgiven and going back home.
But he did care, with all his heart. How did he get attached to the siblings in a course of a day? How was it that they’d became more than friends to him? He hadn’t felt this way about anyone during the whole year he’d spent in Snoring. And it reminded him about his mother telling him about the Chanta, that he’d only feel it when he cared for others the way he cared for himself.
What will it be, Loki?
“Bite me,” Loki snapped, and ran against Big Bad, bumping him with his shoulder. There was no Magic Dust now; he had to fight on his own, with bare hands.
The impact made a crunching sound, and Big Bad only winced a little while Loki ended up on the floor like Axel.
“I kill vampires and I can’t hit a bully,” Loki mumbled.
“Thank you, Loki,” Fable pecked him on the cheek. The thud was useful after all. It had caused Big Bad to drop Fable.
Big Bad picked up Loki by his shirt, and started swinging him in the air. Loki watched Axel and Fable do nothing, his arms and legs flailing, as he tried to free himself from Big Bad.
“How do you like it now?” Big Bad said. “I don’t mind killing you before I kill the Crumblewoods.”
“Do something,” Loki said.
Axel’s lips crinkled as he stood still. “I love you Loki, but I can only save one person. I love my sister, Sorry,” he hugged Fable.
“You didn’t save her, you coward!” Loki snapped. “I did.”
“Actually, I dropped her,” Big Bad laughed. “None of you losers saved the lousy witch.”
“Wait, Loki,” Fable said, standing at the edge of the Dream Temple. “I have an idea.”
Fable knelt down, and reached for the Alicorn and pulled it from Snow White’s heart.
“Are you out of your mind?” Axel screamed, staring at the vampire princess.
“Don’t—“Loki managed to say from under Big Bad’s arm. “She’ll kill us all!”
It was too late. Fable had pulled out the Alicorn, and Snow White’s red eyes fluttered open.
She took a moment to get her bearings, enough for everyone to take a step back. Then she stood up with her fangs drawn out, and anger pulsing through her veins. Loki wondered why she didn’t wake up so swiftly the first time they broke the glass.
“I don’t understand this,” Axel said. “Vampires should die in the sunlight. Why doesn’t she die?”
“Shut up,” Fable said.
“No I won’t,” Axel said. “At least I want to say a couple of more words before I die.”
“She won’t hurt us,” Fable said, staring at the vampire princess. The dark power of Snow White when she was angry fascinated Fable. She wondered if she could be as powerful as her one day. “Don’t you get it? She likes Loki. She won’t hurt us.”
Snow White walked barefoot, and slowly, toward Big Bad as if he was her only enemy in the room. Big Bad dropped Loki to the floor, unable to avoid Snow White’s penetrating eyes.
Loki couldn’t take his eyes off her, too. Fable’s decision of removing the Alicorn was surprisingly the right thing to do.
“You don’t want to do this,” Big Bad tried to convince Snow White.
Like always, Snow White didn’t say a word. She walked toward him slowly with blood dripping from her white dress. Whenever she was angry with someone, there was always blood dripping from her.
“Does she always have blood on her dress?” Axel wondered. Fable cupped his mouth, watching the vampire princess do what Fable always wanted to.
Suddenly, Big Bad’s face reddened and the bones in his body started cracking. It was as if something inside him was about to burst out. It reminded Loki of the same sounds he’d heard Big Bad produce yesterday. What was going on?
Big Bad let out a painful moan, arching his back, and then he screamed with all his might:
Awooo!
Loki wondered why he did that; there was no way Big Bad was calling for the Bullyvards. He stepped over to protect Axel and Fable, preparing to run away.
“It’s the call,” Axel said. “He is calling the Bullyvards to help him.”
“If they come, they’re going to die today,” Loki said, picking up his bag.
“Don’t you boys get it?” Fable was still observing tentatively.
“What?” Loki said.