Immunity Fire

Chapter 26

Alex was still crying on his knees.

Natalie wrapped her arms around Alex and shared his pain.

Lucas had no idea what to feel. He recently realized how horrible he was to Zain. Now that Zain is dead; he didn't know what to say to himself. He always blamed Natalie for his pain and gave her so much trouble that he didn't stop to think about what kind of impact he was inflecting on everybody else. He hated himself. His mind was silent. He was frozen as if he was too scared to react.

"What really happened on that ship?" Natalie asked, "Was no one behind the wheel?"

"No," Alex mumbled, "Zain sacrificed himself to save me. Everything that we have been going through for the past two years... it's just that... I was the worst friend to him. It was as if who I am is what really hurt him. I thought he hated me."

"He obviously never did," Lucas replied, "He may have avoided you and went through all this shit with you but... based on what he did for you today... he still loved you." Natalie was amazed with Lucas.

"I wish I could have him back." Alex said.

"We all do."

"Wait a second!" Lucas exclaimed, "I think I see Zain's body over there."

They ran across the site and noticed it was in that burned village Zain found in the Demising Grounds; Zain's body lay in the centre of it all.

Alex saw the horror of the village. The ashy grounds, webs on the corners of the dead buildings, dusty bodies of the dead with jaws wide open.

Alex limped to Zain's body. Zain was covered with blood, mud, cuts, ripped clothing, and broken body parts. Alex took Zain's head and placed him on his lap.

His tears fell down over him. Alex's face covered with sweat and scars and tears couldn't gaze at anything else but Zain.

Alex couldn't take himself anymore; he was so mad at himself for all the trouble he put Zain through. "It's not your fault Alex," Natalie said, "All this so-called trouble is what Zain chose to be in; because he loves you."

"But he didn't deserve it," Alex replied.

"He wasn't mad because you got him into trouble. He was mad at himself for not being able to tell you how he feels. He wished you could know. He obviously felt worse knowing how it all came across."

"How do you know?" Alex snapped, "You think you know anything about us and our dead friendship? Well guess what, you have no clue what it's like to lose a friend because you never had one!"

Natalie froze, "Come on Lucas. Let's leave Alex to his thoughts then."

It's been a few hours and Alex has never left Zain's side. He has no idea how he was gonna leave him. He practically forgot that the challenge was going on. He assumed either Natalie or Lucas took the sword and won. He thought he could have possibly failed Barlows; but he didn't care.

Alex heard a hissing sound that alarmed him. Nothing seemed to be around him. It was dark enough to not be able to see much anyway.

"Alex!" A sound hissed.

Alex noticed that the hag that offered him the skull two years ago was back. Alex got up startled, "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

"I want to help you!"

"Well, if you want to help me, you can start by leaving me alone!"

"I don't think that would help!"

"Whatever," Alex rolled his eyes, "Just leave me alone!"

"I still have this skull for you!" The hag took out the skull from his robes. "This can save your friend! Take this skull and take Barlows's dagger and find the goblet in the Immunity Temple! With these items, you can go to the Rumbling Mountain and put these three together and your friend will be alive once again!"

The hag knew what Alex was going to do.

Alex took the skull.

"Great! Now you shall leave tonight!" The hag disappeared into a cloud of smoke.