Chapter 180: CH 180: Her family (Edited)
From the shadows stepped a tall figure, his face hidden behind a smooth, expressionless black mask. No hesitation. No pause. Just purpose.
Ella’s heart skipped. Her instincts screamed at her to run, but her body was frozen. It was as sure as day that this wasn’t Eric. Whoever this person is, he has no good intentions.
Then, without a single word, the masked man lifted both arms. A sharp gust of air whooshed through the room, and in the blink of an eye, spirals of concentrated wind began to swirl viciously around his forearms like coiled serpents. The pressure in the room shifted. Her hair whipped across Ella’s face, and her eyes widened in terror.
"Help—!" she gasped.
But it was too late.
With a flick of his hand, the man unleashed a slicing gust of wind, its edges sharp like invisible blades. It tore through the air and slammed into her side, sending her crashing into a crumbling wall. A cry tore from her throat as pain flared across her arm and ribs. Blood welled instantly along the fresh cuts that now marred her skin.
She hit the ground hard, her breaths ragged and shallow.
The masked man stood over her, examining her like a disappointed hunter. "Hmph," he sneered, his voice muffled but menacing. "This is it? You’re the lightning girl?" He let out a scoff that stung almost as much as the wind.
Ella struggled to push herself up, blood trickling down her cheek, her hands trembling.
"What lightning girl?" she asked, wincing. "You’ve got the wrong person. I’m not whoever you’re talking about!"
But he wasn’t listening. His ego had already inflated. "Pathetic," he growled. "They said she was a threat... a demon cloaked in thunder. But you... you’re just a weak little thing playing hero." He leaned down and grabbed her by the wrist, yanking her roughly to her feet.
Ella cried out as pain shot through her injured side, but the man didn’t care. He dragged her toward the front of the house, her feet scraping against the debris-strewn floor.