power of the demon

A chilling silence fell over the nightclub, shattering the earlier euphoria just moments after Stella collapsed. All eyes turned toward her, frozen on the floor, as confused murmurs spread through the crowd.

Théo, still disoriented, felt a surge of adrenaline course through him. His legs moved before his brain could process the situation. He rushed to Stella, dropping to his knees beside her.

— "Stella! Stella, can you hear me?" he shouted, his voice trembling with panic.

She didn't respond. Her body lay motionless, and a strange, glowing aura radiated from her, like a residual wave left behind by some spell. Théo gently shook her, his hands visibly trembling.

Isaac, running to his side, placed a firm hand on Théo's shoulder.

— "Step back for a second. I need to see what's wrong with her!" he said, maintaining a calm exterior despite his obvious worry.

Théo shook his head, refusing to move.

— "No! This is my fault. It's because of that stupid dare…"

— "This is not the time to blame yourself, Théo!" Isaac snapped, his eyes locked on Stella.

Around them, people had gathered in a circle, some filming with their phones, others whispering absurd theories.

Anaïs stood frozen a few steps away, her lips trembling. She wanted to step closer, to show Théo she was there for him, but something inside her shattered as she saw the panic etched on his face. A panic he had never shown for her.

Liam suddenly reappeared, his eyes wide with fear. He seemed to have regained some control over himself, but his movements were hesitant, almost timid.

— "What happened?" he asked weakly.

Isaac straightened, his fists clenched.

— "What happened?!" he shouted. "You lost control of your powers, Liam, and now Stella is…"

He paused, glancing at the unconscious girl.

Liam stepped back, shaking his head.

— "I… I didn't mean to! I didn't know it would hit her…"

Théo stood slowly, his eyes burning with rage.

— "You didn't know?! You play around with your powers like they're some kind of game, Liam, and now look what you've done!" His voice trembled, a mixture of anger and guilt.

Isaac stepped between them, raising his hands.

— "Stop it! Yelling at each other isn't going to fix this. We need to get her out of here. Now."

One of the bystanders stepped forward cautiously.

— "Do you need help? I can call an ambulance…"

Isaac quickly cut him off.

— "No. No ambulance. We've got it under control."

The man hesitated, then backed away, but it was clear the situation had become too strange for the average partygoer.

Théo carefully lifted Stella into his arms. Despite the heavy atmosphere, he felt a strange connection to her at that moment. Her breathing was soft but steady, yet an inexplicable feeling told him something profound had shifted within her… and perhaps within him as well.

— "Where are we going?" Théo asked, his voice softer, almost pleading.

Isaac thought for a moment before answering.

— "My place. We can keep an eye on her there, and no one will ask questions."

Liam opened his mouth to protest, but Isaac shot him a look that silenced him instantly.

— "You've done enough damage for one night. If you want to help, keep your powers under control. That's it."

Without another word, the group left the nightclub, leaving behind a confused crowd and a night that had turned into a complete nightmare.

---

Meanwhile, in a dark and unknown place, a feminine figure watched the events unfold through a magical vision. Her lips curled into a sinister smile.

— "Interesting… Very interesting."

She placed a delicate hand on a mirror, making Stella's face appear on its surface.

— "Fate is finally in motion. Let's see if this girl is truly worthy of her potential."

As Théo, Isaac, Liam, and Stella made their way to Isaac's apartment, a heavy tension filled the car. Liam, sitting in the passenger seat, hadn't said a word since they got in. He stared out the window, looking defeated. Théo, in the backseat, still held Stella in his arms, casting worried glances at her.

The silence was abruptly broken by the sharp ringing of Liam's phone.

— "Answer it," Isaac said curtly, glancing at the phone on the dashboard.

Liam hesitated as he saw the name flash on the screen: Daisy. He knew explaining everything would be complicated, but he had no choice. With a sigh, he picked up.

— "Daisy?" he murmured, his voice hoarse.

Daisy's voice came through sharp, almost angry.

— "Liam, where are you? I was at the club, and I saw what happened. Where's Stella?"

Liam cast a nervous glance at Théo and Isaac, unsure of what to say.

— "She… she's with us. We're taking her somewhere to rest."

— "What do you mean, 'rest'? She collapsed, Liam!" Daisy's voice was on the verge of exploding. "Do you really think now is the time to play the secret hero? She could've died!"

Liam ran a shaky hand through his hair.

— "I know, Daisy! But we can't go to a hospital. It's… complicated."

Daisy let out a sharp, sarcastic laugh.

— "Complicated? She's unconscious, and you're talking about complicated? Are you serious, Liam? You caused this mess, didn't you? So you better tell me where you're taking her."

Isaac, overhearing the conversation, shot a furious look at Liam.

— "Don't tell her anything," he muttered firmly.

But Daisy, growing impatient, pressed on.

— "Listen to me, if you don't tell me where you are, I swear I'll find you myself. I know you feel guilty, but running away isn't going to fix this. Now, where is Stella?"

Liam sighed, visibly torn between protecting Stella and caving under the pressure.

— "We're going to Isaac's place. But, Daisy, please don't do anything reckless."

There was a moment of silence before Daisy responded coldly:

— "Reckless? I think we're a little past that, Liam. I'm on my way."

The call ended abruptly.

Liam, his palms sweaty, placed his phone on his lap and turned to Isaac with an apologetic look.

— "She's coming."

Isaac cursed under his breath and slammed his hand against the steering wheel.

— "Great. That's just what we needed."

Théo, who still hadn't said a word, gently brushed Stella's cheek, as if checking if she was okay. Finally, he murmured, more to himself than anyone else:

— "If she causes trouble, I'll deal with her. But right now, all that matters is Stella."

Isaac grumbled, his focus back on the road, while Liam closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself for Daisy's arrival.

A few minutes later, the car pulled up in front of Isaac's building. He was the first to get out, tense and hurried. Opening the back door, he helped Théo carry Stella. Liam hesitated before stepping out, his mind clouded by the thought of facing Daisy.

— "Get upstairs," Isaac grumbled. "We don't have time to waste. If Daisy shows up, we'll deal with it. But for now, we focus on her." He gestured firmly toward Stella.

Théo nodded silently and carefully lifted Stella out of the car. Her face was still pale, and though her breathing was steady, it was faint.

They quickly made their way up to Isaac's apartment, a small, minimalist studio with a surprisingly cozy feel. Théo gently laid Stella on the couch, wrapping her in a blanket. Liam slumped into a chair, elbows on his knees, head in his hands.

— "So… what now?" he asked, his voice trembling.

Isaac shot a sharp glare at Liam.

— "Now, you pray Daisy doesn't come and ruin everything. She's impulsive, and we can't afford that tonight."

As if on cue, a loud knock echoed through the room, sharp and insistent.

— "Liam! Isaac! I know you're in there. Open up!" Daisy's voice was laced with anger and urgency.

Liam glanced at Isaac, terror in his eyes.

— "She's going to cause a scene," he muttered.

— "What did you expect?" Isaac snapped before heading to the door. He cracked it open, just enough to face Daisy.

She stood there, arms crossed, her face flushed with anger.

— "Where is she?" she demanded without preamble.

— "She's resting," Isaac said, trying to keep his tone calm but firm. "And you're not going to make things worse."

Daisy shoved the door open, ignoring Isaac entirely.

— "You call this resting?" she snapped, her gaze landing on Stella lying unconscious on the couch. Turning to Liam, her eyes burned with reproach. "This is your plan? Hiding her here like that's going to fix anything?"

Liam opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Daisy continued, her voice trembling with frustration:

— "Do you think I don't know what happened, Liam? You lost control, and now Stella's paying the price!"

Théo, who had been silently observing, finally stepped in.

— "Enough." His voice was cold and commanding. He stood and positioned himself between Daisy and Liam. "This isn't the time to point fingers. What matters right now is Stella. So if you want to help, do it. But stop yelling."

Caught off guard by Théo's tone, Daisy stepped back slightly. She took a deep breath, trying to rein in her anger.

— "Fine," she said at last. "But we can't leave her like this. She needs help. She needs medical attention."

Isaac shook his head.

— "We can't take her to a hospital. Not after what happened. Doctors would ask questions, and you know damn well we can't answer them."

Daisy stared at Isaac, her eyes searching for a solution.

— "So what? We just wait for her to wake up and hope she's okay? You're playing a dangerous game."

Théo clenched his fists, visibly at his limit.

— "She's going to be fine." His voice was firm, almost threatening. "And if she's not, we'll figure it out. But right now, you stay calm and trust us."

A tense silence followed. Finally, Daisy nodded reluctantly.

— "Fine. But I'm staying. I'm not leaving until she wakes up."

No one responded. The tension lingered in the air, but for now, they all agreed on one thing: they would protect Stella, no matter what it took.

Barely a few minutes after Daisy had settled in, hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway. Three familiar figures appeared in the doorway, which Isaac hadn't bothered to lock after Daisy entered. Lizzie, Kyla, and Cleo stormed in, their faces filled with palpable worry.

— "Daisy! What's going on?" Lizzie asked first, her voice slightly breathless.

— "Where's Stella?" Cleo added, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on the couch, where Stella was still lying motionless.

Kyla, the quietest of the three, frowned deeply as she took in the scene. Her gaze moved between Daisy, Liam, and finally Théo.

— "What's this about? Why is she like this?" she asked in a grave tone.

Daisy immediately stood and walked over to them, raising her hands to calm their reactions.

— "She's here because she was hurt during… an accident," Daisy explained, carefully choosing her words. "And before you ask—yes, it's because of Liam."

Liam straightened up, his shoulders heavy with guilt.

— "I lost control of my powers," he admitted in a weak voice. "It was an accident, I didn't mean to—"

Lizzie cut him off, shaking her head.

— "Liam, stop. This isn't the time for excuses. What matters is Stella." She moved to the couch and knelt beside Stella, gently placing a hand on her forehead. "She needs help. Have you tried anything?"

Isaac sighed, crossing his arms.

— "No. We're waiting for her to wake up. But we can't go to the hospital, and we don't really have any alternatives."

— "Are you all complete idiots?" Kyla snapped, her tone sharp. She turned to Daisy. "Why did you even call us if you don't have a plan?"

— "Because I knew you might have ideas," Daisy shot back, annoyed. "If you're just here to criticize, then don't bother."

Kyla sighed, irritated, but chose not to argue further. Instead, she approached Stella and examined her herself.

Cleo, who had been silent until now, crossed her arms and fixed her gaze on Liam.

— "You do realize that if she doesn't pull through, it'll be entirely your fault, right?"

Liam lowered his eyes, unable to respond.

— "Cleo, this isn't the time," Théo said, his voice a mix of anger and exhaustion.

But Cleo wasn't the type to back down.

— "Not the time? And you get to decide that? I have every right to tell him what I think!"

— "No, you don't!" Théo snapped, standing abruptly. "Because all you're doing is making things worse with your pointless accusations. So if you're not here to help, you can leave!"

A tense silence followed. Lizzie stood up and raised a hand to calm everyone.

— "Stop. This isn't the time to fight." She turned to Isaac. "Can we at least try using our powers to help her?"

Isaac hesitated.

— "It might work… but it could also make things worse. Stella's already weak. If we make a mistake, we could hurt her even more."

— "But we can't just sit here and do nothing," Daisy protested.

— "Then we do it together," Kyla interjected. She straightened and looked at the others. "If we combine our powers, we have a better chance. But we'll need to be perfectly synchronized. No mistakes."

Everyone slowly nodded. Even Cleo seemed to relent, though her expression remained cold.

— "Alright," Isaac said. "We'll try. But if it goes wrong, we stop immediately."

They positioned themselves around Stella, forming a circle. Liam, though hesitant, joined the group. Daisy took a deep breath and placed a hand on Stella's shoulder, the others following suit.

— "Let's focus," Lizzie murmured.

The air became charged with energy. A soft light emanated from their hands, blending together to form a warm, protective aura around Stella.

Seconds passed in complete silence until Stella stirred slightly. Her eyelids fluttered, and a faint groan escaped her lips.

— "Stella?" Daisy whispered, her voice trembling.

Stella's eyes slowly opened. She looked confused but conscious.

— "What… happened?" she murmured weakly.

Relief washed over the group like a wave. Lizzie wiped away a tear of joy, while Daisy gently squeezed Stella's hand.

— "We'll explain everything later," Daisy said softly. "For now, just rest."

But despite the joy of seeing her awake, one question lingered in everyone's mind: What would the consequences of this accident—and their risky attempt to save her—ultimately be?