And What I Found There - Book Two

35. Don't Leave Me Like This

It's misting yet again and my run as been reduced to nothing more than exhausted stagger but now at last I come to a weary halt at the cusp of a giant crater.

I'm panting as I peer over the deep hole in the earth.

Trees lean dramatically over the edge and some even grow sideways as they line the sides of the crater like rows of teeth. Moss that formerly must've been stretched across like a net now dangles limply from the branches of the sideways trees as if something crashed through recently, dewdrops glitter on the dark surface like gems.

I strain to see into the pit, it's almost too dark but I manage to make out another forest down there, the sideway trees go all the way down before they grow up right again, hiding the rest of the crater from view. Whoa, it's like an entire underground system, I realize. Geesh, the layers upon layers of these Hills are astounding.

I suddenly notice something shining on the broken branches surrounding the crater, it's not just rainwater. I see black blood dripping from the leaves. Vampire blood. Vyndren is here.

I cautiously lower myself over the edge of the crater, anxiously using the layers of tree branches to peacefully make my way to ground without falling and killing myself. I finally land in the belly of the pit, standing in one lone ray of weak gray sunlight while the rest of the forest cave is saturated with shadows.

Suddenly two bonfires light up above my head.

I yelp with terror and stagger backwards, my heart lurching painfully against my chest.

An enormous black wolf steps from the inky darkness and bows its head as if in greeting.

"Vyndren," I breathe with relief. I watch with amazement as the huge wolf suddenly glows bright red and dissolves into blazing scarlet embers that disappear into the air; its' mission accomplished once more. "Vyndren?" I call anxiously, nervously stepping deeper into the shadows. 

My eyes slowly adjust to the darkness.

"Vyndren!" I gasp in stunned horror and disbelief as I finally see him, except he looks like I've never seen him before.

I mean, it's as if he's caught between the phases of the Vampire Blood Prince, and the Vampire Dark Rider I know so well.

His skin is still the ashen gray color that the beast's is, and I can see all of his black veins risen like a net over his body, but for the most part he has returned to normal. Well...I mean, he still has the Prince's deadly claws and of course most noticeably are the pair of bat wings arching out of his back; the wings are so huge, they completely encompass the small alcove he is laying in, but at leastwise I can say that I actually recognize Vyndren now.

I cringe as I study his wings. They're brutally battered, one looks completely crippled. I see sharp bits of broken bones ripping through his gray flesh, black blood slowly trickles from the jagged wounds.

"Oh...Vyndren," I breathe as I numbly kneel beside him, looking over the hideously gory wounds that puncture his body, my eyes are wide and blurry with tears. He looks the worse I've ever seen... and I've seen him pretty ensanguined. His own animal spirit caused these wounds... He was killing himself trying to protect me from himself. I bite my trembling lip, anxious not to cry.

But already silent tears are racing down my face.

"I...I'm here," I say gently and carefully reach out to touch his hand, he flinches. "Vyndren?" I say hopefully, holding his imbrued hand with both of mine.

His blackened eyelids are closed over his eyes though I can still faintly make out black smoke slowly wafting from beneath his thick eyelashes. He makes a coarse sound of agony as he struggles to acknowledge me.

"It's okay, Chief," I wobblily assure him, squeezing his hand. "It's okay." This is definitely not okay but I try to sound calm while struggling not to sob. "We're...we're both okay now."

He winces with pain, tightening his grip on my hand.

"Is...is there anything I can do?" I anxiously look him over. I don't even know where to begin! My Talent isn't Healing. "You gotta... gotta try to Heal yourself, Chief." I hold his hand to my face, gazing miserably at my broken Dark Rider. "C'mon, Vyndren, please. Please, you gotta try."

One of his wings twitch. "Adara?" he rasps.

"I'm right here," I keep his hand against my face. "Everything will be okay." I shakily insist.

"Sorry we were...fighting... I...I really did...miss you." He forces a weak smile, eyes still closed, brow furrowed with pain.

More tears race down my face, I feel my heart lurch with dolor. "Oh, Vyndren... I-I really missed you too," I stammer. "I'm so, so sorry, Chief. It's...it's my fault you're...you're hurt," I can't keep from sobbing now. "I'm so sorry!" I kiss his hand, my tears fall onto his skin.

"Adara," he weakly caresses my face. "You're...the only..." His voice tapers off with a wince of pain.

"The only what?" I sniffle. "Talk to me. Wh-what are you trying to say?"

"The only...reason I...fight each fight." He smiles faintly, his brow still furrowed. "Adara, I...I've been dying to tell you that I...I lov-" he suddenly hisses with tribulation, tightening his grip on my hands, but now his hand goes limp. His wings slump down a little more and now he's perfectly still, seemingly frozen; even his blood has stopped running.

"Vyndren?" I whisper, my heart sputtering with fear. "Vyndren? Please, please..." I nervously rub his cold hand between mine. "Please, no," I breathe. He is so still. Was he dying a second ago...? Is he...? No. It cannot be possible. He's Vyndren for crying out loud! Vyndren doesn't die. He comes back. He always comes back.

Fear overwhelms me, fear and cordolium, it feels like my heart is breaking and the jagged pieces are tearing at my chest.

"Vyndren! No!" I wail and in my frantic state, I grab his shoulders and shake him. "Please, wake up! No! Vyndren!" I sob and rest my forehead to his, my tears race down his face and mix with his blood. "Please don't go, Vyndren. I-I never got to tell you th-that I... I love you." I try to contain my sobbing so I can speak clearly, but now my entire body is trembling with agony and my teeth clatter. "I-I love you, Vyndren. I have for a long...long t-time. And I need...need you, you're my best friend and I... I love you for that and...and for so much more, please," I press a kiss to his forehead. "Don't leave me like this, Chief."

Despite my pleading and confession, my Dark Rider does not rise.