Sacrifices

Forgiveness

***

Oakley placed the feather against her nose for a brief second. She hopped up and emerged from behind some rubble. A swirl of magic surrounded her as she gripped the feather in her hand. Rumble tossed a lightning bolt in her direction only to have it dissipate as it met the shield of earthy magic. Oakley let out a sigh of relief, taking a step forward.

"Stay back." He threatened. "I'm warning you." He shot once again, still failing. She took another step. He let out a primal growl before throwing his hand out in the other direction, a lightning bolt flashed mere inches from Astrid knocking her to the ground.

"NOOO!" Oakley cried. The blonde slid across the dance floor, ending at Oakley's feet. The brunette dropped to her knees, gripping Astrid's hand, allowing her magic to shield them both. "Astrid?!"

"What-" Astrid rasped, fluttering her eyes open. "Why- Why is it so dark in here?"

"Astrid..." Oakley lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. Her pupils were so small, almost unnoticeable. "It's not..."

"What are you talking about? It-it's pitch black." "She coughed, fighting for breath.

"Oh my god. Astrid, you're blind!" Oakley gasped, earning a chuckle from the lightning bearer. "The lightning strike must have damaged your eyes."

"Oak, I'm fine. You have to go."

"I can't." She sniffled. "Not now."

"Oak..." Astrid rasped, releasing her hand from Oakley's. "Remember..."

Oakley took a deep breath to compose herself, taking her necklace out of her pocket and placing it back in Astrid's hand.

"Oak..."

"Give it back to me after the world doesn't end." She whispered. Astrid smiled and nodded. "Don't you dare die on me."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Oakley stood from the ground, taking the forcefield with her. Rumble let out a mischievous grin, throwing both hands out, a continuous flash of bright blue light covered the shield surrounding the brunette. She let out a pained grunt as the forcefields power started to weaken. Oakley spun back to Astrid who was laying, battered, and bruised on the floor, becoming more and more breathless by the second. She took another deep breath as she fought through the pain of another lightning strike, still approaching him cautiously. The forcefield was fading, and fading fast. But so was Rumble's power. He was draining.

"Stay back!" He warned as the magic became nothing more than a crackle of electricity circling his hands. Oakley just kept on walking. Her face remained vacant as Astrid drew in her last few breaths. No anger, no fear, no pain. "I mean it!" He cried. Oakley stopped a mere foot away from him. His deep raspy breaths soon turned into whimpers and the whimpers turned to sobs. "What have I done?" He thought as he scanned the destruction he had caused. He glanced at the blonde laying lifeless on the floor. "I did this..."

"And I forgive you." Oakley exhaled, not once changing the expression on her face.

"What?" He cried. "But you-"

"I forgive you." She repeated. She placed her hand in his and the crackles soon passed from his hand, into hers. Rumble's skin soon faded to a light tan and his hair returned to the deep brown he was born with, his eyes now the hazel color they were once known for.

"Oakley?" He thought as he blinked his eyes in confusion. She smiled up at him. "You grew."

"There's the Rumble I know." She chuckled. She gasped in realization, spinning back to Astrid and racing to her side dropping to her knees. "Astrid?" She shook her ferociously. "Astrid?!" She cried.