Dead Inside

70.

Shock left Sabre frozen. Not only did Blue Alex leave without saying goodbye, but the God of all Steves was fighting Forest Steve on the other side of the border. The area there was horrible to look at. There were large craters left leaving huge holes and dents in the grass and soil, fire raged around them, licking at the sky with smoke curling from the heat, and blood stained the ground, so thick it wouldn't sink away. The sky was clear, however, leaving the sun to cast rays of light upon the battlefield. Yet, dark clouds could be seen miles away. 

It's like even nature knows what's going to happen, Sabre thought with dread. 

The God of all Steves was throwing fireballs down at Forest Steve from the sky, who stood on the ground. Forest Steve dodged every last one of them and, with a whip of his hand, he made sturdy, long vines grow of the ground at such a rapid pace. The vines swiftly wrapped around the God of all Steves' legs and drag him to the ground. The God of all Steves struggled to break free. The vines threw him around as they clung on, whacking him against the ground with great force, Sabre flinched from each pound the vines created with the God of all Steves. It wasn't long before the God of all Steves created a ray of light and used it to slice through the vines, which dropped to the ground, dead, while the God of all Steves regained balance and took flight once again. The battle continued for so long, Sabre didn't know whether he would join in or not. 

Suddenly, a horrible pain seized Sabre like a cold, bloody claw squeezing his lungs so tight he thought he could no longer breathe. It felt like every vein was being pierced to the point bruises would form all over his body and split open to pour blood over the ground. It was like a sword piercing through his heart and out his chest from the back, cracking his spine in the process. He collapsed to his knees, gritting his teeth. His skin felt like it was covered in freezing cold flames. 

"Sabre!" Rainbow Steve dropped down next to him. "What's happening?" 

Sabre couldn't speak, the pain was so bad he couldn't bring himself to draw breath. He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the sting of tears. Sabre couldn't concentrate on how long he felt this way, it felt like hours even if it were a measly minute or two. As the pain eased, it occurred to Sabre that this was his body's months of dying all at once. The God of all Steves' powers were faltering, ever so focussed on Forest Steve that they couldn't keep Sabre alive. He was a spirit once again. 

Sabre's vision was coming true. 

"I'm a spirit again," Sabre breathed, finally able to draw breath without feeling it rake his throat. 

"Oh, no," Rainbow Steve murmured. "We have to get you out of here."

"No," Sabre refused rather quickly. "I have to stay." 

"You can't!" Rainbow Steve insisted. "Do you know what Forest Steve will do to you if he beats the God of the Steves?" 

I do, Sabre stopped himself from saying. "I don't care. I need to stay." 

Rainbow Steve couldn't argue any further; a fireball was heading right towards them. 

"Look out!" Blue Steve yelled, pointing up at the sphere of burning heat blazing towards the group. Before anyone could move, it was right on top of them. Sabre squeezed his eyes shut and shielded his face, bracing himself for impact. But it never came. There was an explosion, and smoke swirled around him. When he opened his eyes, the smoke cleared, and he was unharmed. So were his friends. The fireball had landed a ways from the group, right behind them. The others had jumped back, except for Sabre, meaning the fireball should've hit him. 

Of course! Sabre realized. I'm a spirit, it would pass right through me! 

Just then, he heard the sound he hoped he wouldn't hear. The sound of someone being pierced. He turned back to the fight with wide eyes. It had happened; Forest Steve had pierced the God of all Steves with the twisted branch he used in his vision. Alex screamed, everyone else stood in pure shock. Sabre, however shocked he was, wasn't as shocked as he was in his vision. He knew this would happen, he expected this. He only prayed it wouldn't happen, but of course, it did. The God of all Steves didn't seem to care. Sabre knew the God of all Steves knew this would happen, also. He turned his dull, white gaze towards Sabre. The look in his eyes made it appear to him that he was hiding something else. Sabre froze. Why didn't he tell him this before? Why would he figure it out now? All his kindness, generosity, and forgiveness- it was all explained. Even the white eyes became clear to him, now. Both Forest Steve's eyes and the God of all Steves' eyes, were the same white. 

The God of all Steves was part of Sabre's family. 

Tears finally broke out. Why did he have to figure it out? Especially at a time like this, when the God of all Steves was dying right in front of him at the hands of his own father. 

Just like that, the God of all Steves fell, lifeless and unmoving in the bloodied grass. Forest Steve turned a smirk towards Sabre. 

"Your leader," Forest Steve spoke in the same way he did in Sabre's vision with his head held high. "Your seer of all, and your friend, is dead. Don't you see? It's over, Sabre. Why don't you just join me before you join him, as well?"

"Never!" Sabre refused so quickly it took his friends by surprise. "You shouldn't be called my Dad, and you shouldn't be here. You should be dead, suffering the worst death and afterlife that you would cry to me for mercy, and you won't get it!" 

Forest Steve turned to the dead body that lay before him with closed eyes. "Very well, then. Why don't we fight? Why don't you just end it right here, right now? Isn't that what you want?"

This was too weird for Sabre, hearing the same thing over and over again. He could feel the same vision taking him from reality all over again. 

Not today! He thought with such determination, it pushed the vision away. He gritted his teeth with a tight jaw, his eyes narrowed. He did want to end it, all of Forest Steve's evil doings. 

"Sabre, you can't," Rainbow Steve turned to him. "You know what will happen if you step over the border!"

"I have to, Rainbow Steve," Sabre spoke before Emburn could. "And Emburn knows it, too."

Rainbow Steve looked at Emburn with a look of sadness and disbelief. 

"It's true," Emburn muttered quietly. "He's the only one who can stop him. I may have my body back, but that doesn't change destiny. All of us don't stand a chance. Not only that, but the God of the Steves told me what the future holds, for Sabre, and us."

"I have to cross the border, Rainbow Steve," Sabre turned back to Rainbow Steve. "I could kill us all if I don't."

"Please, Sabre," Rainbow Steve spoke desperately. "You're-"

"Like a brother to you, I know," Sabre finished for him. "I feel the same way about you." 

"You saw this in a vision, didn't you?" Rainbow Steve asked, tears forming in his eyes.

Sabre took a moment to keep himself from crying. He should've told Rainbow Steve to begin with. His throat was tight, and he nodded slowly. 

"How touching," Forest Steve said, the tone of his voice mocking Sabre and Rainbow Steve. Sabre turned a glare at his father, hating how much the vision was coming true. "Makes me want to cry." He laughed. 

"You will never understand how hard it is," Rainbow Steve said, choking on his words. "You don't have friends."

"I did," Forest Steve pointed out, his voice full of anger. "If Sabre didn't-"

"Escape the Dead Lands?" Sabre interrupted. "You would 'still be the guardian of the Green Steves'. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so sad."

Green Steve narrowed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest.  

"You saw the future," Sabre continued. "Because that's your ability. You planned to kill me so that our fates wouldn't be told. God Steve told me I had to cross the border to end your pitiful life, and that's what I'm going to do." 

"Then what are you doing standing over there, son?" Forest Steve questioned, motioning his hands to where Sabre stood. 

"Shut up!" Sabre yelled back at him with so much anger he made Rainbow Steve flinch. He took no hesitation, he ignored what his friends said. 

He crossed the border.