Astral Flow

Chapter 62

Smoke.

Crackling flames.

Smothering miasma.

Silence.

The stench of blood.

It was all overwhelming to Lily as she kept walking behind Vonder and Night, trying to keep pace with them.

What was all this? There was no way it was just a program anymore, this was beyond the current known limits of The Reflection.

Perhaps she had known that all along though, perhaps she simply didn't wish to admit that was the case.

"Are you alright? You're beyond pale..." Aida's worried voice snapped Lily back to reality, the fairy had now been flying in front of her.

Everyone stopped to look at Lily, their eyes clearly filled with concern now, even little Eileen was now by her side to make sure she didn't fall.

"I'm fine... really." she calmly states, trying to keep her breathing even in the meantime. "I think this is all just getting to me..."

"Just take it easy, Night and I will take care of the ones holding the spell in place." Vonder replies assuredly, looking forward once more. "You can take it easy, the Miasma is beginning to lift already as well, Morgan is probably taking care of it."

"Using that strange absorption magic again?" Eileen asks curiously, now holding onto Lily's hand with a semi tight grip.

"Yeah, he's a strange one that uses those dark and vile spells but you have nothing to worry about." Night replies with a smile. "He's a good guy deep down, just a bit... eccentric."

"He's scary is what he is." Eileen replies, the memory of what occurred replaying in her mind. "He's too scary for his own good-"

Just as Eileen says this a massive way of magic washes over them, enough to feel like being hit by a brick wall.

The force is too much for Lily, causing her to quickly fall to her knees and struggle to get even a single breath in.

Her vision was fading fast, every last ounce of strength being sapped away from her as she struggled to look up.

To her horror it seemed everyone was in the same boat as her, all of her companions either passed out or barely staying conscious.

"Six... what is happening?" she barely utters above a whisper, now falling to the ground entirely.

"Someone is letting their presence be known." he replies in a tired notion, though still painfully clear to her. "You won't survive at this rate... none of you will, you'll have to let me take over again... and I'll need to use more power than I have to shield the city from this."

"So?" Lily weakly asks, unsure why he was even bothering telling her at this point.

"Meaning we'll meld further than we have before, your mind and soul could be affected greatly! You could lose your very being if we aren't careful!" he snaps back, not liking the idea in the slightest.

"I don't care... just do it..." she weakly replies while closing her eyes. "I don't want to die... and I don't want anyone else to be in pain... because of me..."

"I understand." Six's voice came through clearly and calmly as her mind faded.

Amidst the darkness a cold and soothing sensation swept over her, drawing her deeper and deeper into the darkness as if falling into a bottomless ocean.

Yet amidst that darkness she felt safe, for she knew she wasn't alone.

All she needed to do was open her eyes and there would be countless stars, all shining brightly in the endless dark.