The Girl of Many Worlds | (Story formerly known as "Multiworldcial")

Chapter 30

I stumbled to my feet. The air around me was freezing. Snow whipped at me as a figure slowly approached. I shivered in anticipation.

Mercury lifted something he was dragging and dropped it in front of me; Arden's lifeless body.

With a smug air of victory around him, Mercury said, "It's over, darling. Time for you to come home with me."

I kneeled and pushed Arden's curls above his face. His eyes gazed lifelessly into the snow, blood dripping from his mouth. I knew he was still alive, watching this all unfold from the safety of the simulation room, but the devastation that tore through me, knowing how sickening of a possible reality this could be, made me feel faint.

I dropped my knees into the freezing snow and cradled his head. His blood dripped onto my clothes, and the metallic smell still managed to sift up to my nose, despite the storm's raging wind around me.

"Let's go," Mercury growled and yanked me to my feet.

"No, please, get off of me!" I shouted in panic as Arden slipped from my lap back into the snow. Every blow I inflicted on Mercury never phased him as he dragged me away—it was like hitting an iron wall. How could he be so strong? Or maybe better yet, how could I be so weak?

Mercury calmly tugged me toward an ever-growing group of people. They roared victoriously as Mercury shoved me, his piece of spoil, in front of the army.

"Today, we have gained the prize we so viciously fought for. I am now the most powerful King in Antika. To celebrate our victory, I shall marry Princess Jade on this battlefield."

Two of his soldiers stood behind me and pressed their daggers into my back, a silent but understood threat; I didn't dare move to escape. Mercury stationed himself before me, took hold of my shoulders, and swooped in for the kill.

As tears escaped, I braced myself for the kiss, but instead, he suddenly pulled out a shield of blue light as a sword came bearing down on it.

Arden! He was still alive? With blood dribbling down from his mouth, he growled, "I won't let you do this."

Mercury shoved him back, and Arden readily steadied himself. His weapon audibly pulsed under his grip, and he poised it over his head.

"You just don't know how to leave well enough alone, your majesty?" Mercury asked and formed double spears in his hand, a smirk on his face. "I'm going to enjoy killing you."

"I bet you will, but not for the reason you realize," Arden said. He shot a beam at me, dragged me towards him, and kissed me. I didn't feel it, I didn't process the meaning behind it, but the fury in Mercury's voice said all.

"Well, it appears you've sealed your fate!"

They collided with a bright blue flash of light.

Through the flurry of their sparring, Mercury stepped on Arden's foot and then elbowed him in the jaw. Arden grunted and stumbled back. He couldn't block Mercury's next angry blow, as he knocked him over with a steady punch. Arden collapsed into the snow, scrambling away.

"No! Stop!" I yelled. Momentarily, the blue light shot out of me in bolts as I clambered through the thick snow toward Arden. Using its propeller-like momentum, I threw myself on top of him. Mercury angrily threw me away, and while airborne, I used the last of my connection to the blue light to drag Arden with me in its beam.

We fell a few paces away from Mercury, whose rage fueled him toward us. 

"Get up, Arden," I begged. He coughed up more blood as he struggled to his feet. I made a pathetic attempt to drag him through the snow, but it was useless. Mercury was too fast, and the simulated Arden and I were weak.

Without hesitation, Mercury yanked Arden into his spear and threw him onto the floor. He sputtered out a few pain-filled gasps as I held his hand tightly.

This could happen. I could be in the position very soon.

"I'm sorry... that... I failed you," Arden barely got out before his weak grip on my hand went slack.

Mercury pulled me to my feet and back to his soldiers. I had no energy to hold myself up. I fell to the ground as he said impatiently, "We have no time for theatrics, Jade."

"End the simulation," I said monotonously.

"Get up," Mercury hissed.

"I can't take any more."

"I won't ask you again," Mercury warned.

"Arden."

Mercury yanked me up by my hair and held me in place. I felt the sizzling that was building in my veins stream out of me and into everyone around me. Mercury's grip on my hair released, and he went soaring away from me.

My throat grew sore from my screams as I continuously punched Mercury with my blue light still injecting itself into his body in a steady stream. He barely moved as I continued my onslaught.

Suddenly my fists collided with the stone floor. The abrupt change of scenery made me slightly dizzy. I stumbled to my feet and saw Arden conversing with Zander. I couldn't hear them, but I could see by the look in Zander's eyes; he was concerned for me. Arden, on the other hand, seemed unbothered.

I lost control of every emotion that surged through me. I stormed up the ramp and through the iron door.

"We're not nearly done yet, Jade," Arden said. "Please go back."

"No! Why don't you get it? I can't do this anymore!"

"So you just want to roll over and die?" he asked. "We must do things we don't like sometimes, Jade!"

"I didn't ask for this," I sobbed. "Any of this!"

"If you're going to dwell in self-pity, leave my presence. I have no patience. If I die, you've revealed that your fate is sealed. We have nothing left to discuss." I hesitated, still sniffling. "For the rest of your time here, you are to take up work in the town. Maya has a position for you in The Haven. Go there now."

The disappointment and disgust on Arden's face left me feeling hollow as I exited the room.