Close Nemesis

Chapter Five: Dual Personas

LAIVA:

Their black bulbous eyes look so blank, even more so then before. Wrinkles decorate their face, and sharp fangs curl away from their mouth.

I can't believe I've just killed Xalir's best friend! I've wanted to kill Rotcetorp for some time now, but I never expected that the person inside the suit would be someone that I know. Aacis Rastly is dead because of me, and my brief joy in killing my nemesis is overshadowed by the burden I now carry.

Tomorrow, Xalir's going to wake up to learn that his best friend is no more. I doubt he'll ever suspect me, and I don't think I'll ever tell him. I can't. I just can't.

The heat from the nearby lava is drying out Aacis's wrinkles. Rotcetorp is just a husk, now. As is Xalir's best friend.

Aacis is just a lifeless corpse now. I'm jealous of him. After what I've just done, life isn't worth living. Maybe I should just jump into the volcano and be done with it. But I can't. I have to at least try to live a normal, simple life.

But, when has my life been anything but simple?

By the time we returned our apartment on Occos II after attending Aacis's funeral, it was already evening. The skies above Entrek were a darker purple than usual, and the stars had just started to reveal themselves to the wooden buildings of the city. Xalir was unusually quiet, which is strange, considering he's really talkative with me. He was sobbing as I flew our space car back to Entrek. As I sat behind the steering wheel, I kept quiet, struggling with the guilt of killing Xalir's best friend.

I know Aacis had done bad things as Rotcetorp, but he was still Xalir's best friend. Now, all that remains of him are memories, and the lifelong blame I have placed upon myself.

I can't tell Xalir the truth. I need to protect him. He held Aacis up on such a high pedestal. He really did. I can't just tell him the truth. The truth would crush him.

No, it wouldn't crush him. It would pulverise him. He would be filled with emptiness. I doubt he'd look me in eye again. He would also probably not believe me if I told him what Aacis did to that poor village. Sure, I've destroyed villages, but I made sure to attack places that were uninhabited. Aacis's attack left casualties, whilst my attacks did not.

Xalir would still never believe me. Why would he, if he'd known Aacis longer than me? I fear our relationship will never be the same, even if I don't tell him. I feel like there's a huge weight on my chest—a weight heavier than the burden of my identity.

A weight of regret.

Currently, my backside is sinking into the plastic couch that sits in front of the 5D viewing device. The room is covered by a holographic depiction of a newsroom, in which is the father of a serial killer victim is being interviewed by a double snouted Gylgerian. Even with the death of my nemesis Rotcetorp, my life as a superhero is not over yet. There's so much evil in this galaxy, and I need to set it right.

Maybe I can't hunt down serial killers, but I can use my powers to stop wars.

I know I can't leave Xalir here alone, otherwise he'll be all alone here.

But I can't just let more innocent people succumb to this serial killer. My bones chill just thinking about it.

"Hey, you probably shouldn't be watching news reports about serial killers. It'll scare you!"

I turn to face Xalir, who I can see through the translucent hologram of the newsroom. With a press of a soft button on the nearby remote, I scoff.

"Scare me? What about you? You're super charismatic, but you're also super sensitive."