Project X

The End Of All Things

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

THE END OF ALL THINGS

    In the span of just a few seconds, I had suddenly seen all of her life through her eyes. The familiar feeling of her mind connecting with mine told me that it had been her all these months, protecting me from Epimetheus' gaze. When the vision ended, my eyes cleared and refocused, and I saw an even stranger sight than what I had just witnessed.

    Pandora was still floating, surrounded by swirls of pink light; but now she was holding a bright pink heart in her hand, and there was a gaping hole in her chest.

    I heard her voice in my mind, saying one word.

-RUN-

    As soon as I heard it, I saw my friends turn tail and run for the door. I started to follow them, but stopped short when I realized I didn't see Kai.

    I looked back over my shoulder and saw Kai, staring in shock and horror as the pink swirls of light surrounding Pandora began to condense around her. Kai made no move to run, to shield herself, anything. I suddenly flashed back to how Syd's dad had died and got an awful feeling. I felt like I was running in slow motion as I tried desperately to make it to Kai in time. There was a possibility, however slight, that I could survive this. But I knew without a doubt that she couldn't.

    I reached her just a half-second before Pandora exploded. I didn't have time to do anything but push Kai to the ground and stand in front of her, trying desperately to shield her with my body. I crossed my arms over my face, and felt the blast searing my skin.

    It was over almost as quickly as it began, and I lowered my arms and opened my eyes to see both Pandora and Epimetheus were gone, only a three and a half inch bronze blade falling to the ground with a clatter where Ep had stood.

    I was alive, but not uninjured. The skin on my arms and shins was burned, and it seemed to be struggling to heal- but it was, slowly. But it didn't matter, all that mattered right now was making sure Kai was okay.

    "You weren't kidding when you said you'd get me back when I least expected it. I gotta say, I'm impressed." Her voice sounded weirdly weak and wheezy. I turned around, and stumbled back in horror.

    The rebar. I... I didn't realize it was there. I... I had pushed her onto it. It was sticking out of her chest, blood pooling all over the front of her shirt.

    "K-Kai, I... No." She beckoned for me to come closer, so I did. Somewhere in the back of my mind I was vaguely aware of the others working to get Blake out from under some rubble that had fallen, I wanted to call for them but I couldn't bring my voice to work.

    "It's okay." She said quietly, "I... I wasn't... I couldn't move. I couldn't use my shield. I was going to die anyway. At least this way I can say good-bye."

    "N-no. You're not. You're not going to say good-bye, you're gonna be okay we- we can fix this."

    "Some things... Can't be fixed... Jace... We knew... This was a... Possibility..." I felt her pressing something into one of my hands, "Take the dagger." She told me, "Look out for Antiguine's spitfire."

    "No, I won't. You're gonna be okay, and you can do it yourself-"

    "Don't lie to yourself. Don't lie to me, either. I was always gonna die one day."

    "But not like this. Not... Not because of me." She reached a shaky hand up and placed it on my cheek,

    "This isn't... Your fault. You... You were trying... To save me."