AvA: Corruption

Ch. 14 - Familial Conflict

"Yes, you're back," Astra replied, "But this isn't our home."

"It's not," Mira agreed, "At least, it's not yours."

"What do you mean?" Astra asked, even though she knew perfectly what Mira meant.

"Don't you get it? I'm happy here. I'm served and taken care of. The corrupted fear me, giving me power. They make a great army, and with that, who knows what I can achieve?

"And what do you have, huh? Are friends really what you need? Do they need you? Friends don't take care of you. They never need you or really like you. They only use you, take advantage of you, leave you to do the dirty work. If you're a ruler, you don't have to worry about any of that. You of all people should know."

Astra heard her words, but they didn't compute. She'd already made friends. She knew with all her heart that Mira was wrong. In the past few days, she'd learned that friends didn't leave you to do the dirty work or take advantage of you and use you. They take care of you, need you, like you and even love you.

"You're wrong, Mira," she said, "Maybe you made some bad friends, but real friends do take care of you, need you, and like you."

"I've been told again and again by those so-called friends that they're really my friends. Yet they never said anything whenever I dropped into and out of prison. They never cared to even come and ask me 'Are you okay?' or anything of the sort! They don't need me, and I don't need them!"

"Judging from your current state, yes, you do need friends."

"I've already told you, I. DON'T. NEED. FRIENDS!!"

Black spikes appeared in the air around Mira.

"This is your last chance, sister," she growled, "Join me, or you'll end up like the others."

"I don't think so." A glowing spear spun out of the air, and Astra caught it. "Give me all you've got, sister, and we'll see."

The rings on the sphere of assistance spun wildly as the spikes flew at Astra.