The Story of Us • Riven

Ch 46: The Great War

"Somewhere in the haze, got a sense I'd been betrayed"

I sat in front of the crackling fire as we remained silent. It was the middle of the woods, in the middle of nowhere. My mother was chowing down on food as I stared at the burning flames.

"He's out" I said softly.

She stopped chewing as I looked at my hands.

"And he has Bloom" I said.

"You went to the Dark Realm?" She asked.

"I didn't have a choice, that's where Bloom was" I said. "He did something to her."

"The Dragon Flame" she whispered.

"She has to willingly give it up" I said.

"Not with him" she said. "He can take that along with every ounce of magic she harbors."

"He can drain her?" I asked.

"Did she have black circles around her eyes?" She asked.

I nodded as she quickly looked away from my gaze.

"She's slowly dying" she said. "Which means we need to get her back, now."

"I just broke you out" I said.

"And I'm the most powerful mutant alive, I'm fine" she said.

We both stood up as she walked over to me, wrapping her arms around me. She squeezed me as I struggled to breath. For being in containment for ten years, she had surprising strength. 

"I can't breathe" I said.

She loosened her grip, grabbing my face.

"My first born" she whispered. "I don't like the accent though."

I smiled as she managed to laugh.

"Farah taught you well, my child" she said.

"You knew?" I said.

"Being alone with my thoughts for ten years helped me reach you. I could see how happy you were" she said. "I knew Farah, she was a good woman, and a good mother to you."

My smile vanished when I remembered my mother. The woman in front of me and given birth to me but she wasn't my mother. 

"I will never be able to replace her, I know that, but after this.. if we make it out... I'd like for us to get a chance to be a family" she said.

I slowly nodded as she created a portal. She walked through it first, looking back to me as I followed. I looked around the laboratory as both Billy and Tommy ran to our mother. My eyes landed on Riven's body that lay on a table. I ran to him, immediately grabbing his face. His eyes were closed, his chest going up and down. 

"We bandaged him up" a man said. "He lost a lot of blood."

I turned around to a very tall man with dark hair and a strip of gray hair on the side. He looked familiar, like I had seen him somewhere before. 

"Is he going to live?" I asked.

"I can't give a definitive answer to that" he said. "He needs to rest."

"Are you a doctor?" I asked.

"My name is Reed Richards, I am no doctor but my wife Sue is who helped him" he said. 

"You're the smartest man alive" I said. "I've seen you in magazines."

He laughed as I turned back to Riven. I hovered my hand over his bandaged stomach as Reed stepped closer to me. 

"There are some people I think you would like to see."

I looked behind him as Millie and Sky stood side by side as I ran to them. I nearly knocked them over when I wrapped my arms around them.

"I missed you" I said.

I pulled my arms off of them as Sky looked with hope while Millie looked sad.

"Do you know about Bloom?" I asked.

Millie slowly nodded, glancing at Sky. I could feel her sadness, hear her thoughts of losing Sky once we got Bloom back. I tilted my head, getting a sense of guilt and regret from her. 

"Millie" I said. 

She looked at me as tears formed in her eyes. 

"What did you do?" I whispered. 

"I'm sorry" she said. 

I slightly stepped back as the tears fell down her face.