A Friendship Best Forgotten

Chapter 10 - Inferno.

Song: Playing with Fire - Brandon Flowers

The next day I woke up in a foul mood, and my bed soaked in blood. Apparently replacing the makeshift bandage I constructed last night did not help the bleeding, so along with my foul mood I was also suffering from an extreme and nauseating dizziness.

Nonetheless I got up, clumsily got ready and grabbed my knife, since my bow would be no use with my arm in this state, and walked out of my house and to Blockadia. The walk seemed longer than usual, and I was close to being out of breath by the time I reached the doors. The dark haired guard frowned at my state but said nothing more, letting me through with out a word. A few more heavy steps forward I heard words exchanged behind me, then footsteps, and then the guard was by my side helping me along. I said nothing, not accepting nor declining the assistance.

We trudged through the city, giving no mind to the locals who gawked at my injury and overall appearance, knowing they didn't get this a lot I kept my eyes forward and focused on not tripping over my own feet. We reached the HQ and the guard left me there. I took the elevator to the top floor, awkwardly entering the room, a thin veil of sweat on my brow.

"Near?!"

I looked up, trying to place a voice to a face, and saw Lauren, confusion etched on her face and weariness in her ever so slightly bloodshot eyes.

"Lauren, call someone, I need assistance." I said as level as I could, moving to sit on the couch. She nodded and left the rooms without another question, returning with Adam and Finn, the rest of the group not far behind.

"Told you." Finn huffed before sitting down next to me, removing the blood soaked bandage and placing her hand on my shoulder, giving no mind to the blood that quickly coated it, her hand glowed black and my shoulder grew warm.

"Her artery is clipped." She said simply, removing her hand and the warmth along with it. "It's too risky for me to heal, you'll need Seto."

"Is anyone going to explain why our scariest fighter is bleeding everywhere?" Alex asked, her ears twitching nervously.

"The girl at the announcement, Merida." I explained, swallowing thickly as a cloth soaked in a strong smelling substance neared the wound. I nodded at the quiet warning given by a nervous looking Meadow and steeled myself as the cloth touched my arm, sending a sharp pain into the wound. "She has a link with Herobrine, somehow. She knows him personally, speaks to him regularly, trains with him. She's dangerous."

I shifted to the side as Seto sat down beside me, another warning was given as Seto placed his hand over my still bleeding arm and a bright purple light enveloped it, just as a slowly growing pain creeped it way through the skin to the end of the stab wound. I don't know how I knew, but it was like I could feel the artery being connected back together, piece by piece, and after that was done, the muscle did the same, and it did not feel good.

"But why would she come after you? What did you do?" Ian asked, crossing his arms with a frown behind his glasses.

I didn't answer. What did I do?

"I don't know." I answered after a length silence. Aside from protecting Adam at the announcement that day I couldn't think of anything, she wouldn't hold a grudge over that surely. There was something else. "She knew my name at the announcement day."

"Did you know her before this?" Alex asked, a frown on her face.

"No. At least... I don't think so." I answered, moving my arm experimentally when Seto removed his hand.

"Don't move it too much, it's fragile in there." He warned, I nodded in thanks, a feeling of guilt washing over me when I saw his tired face.

"Near I think for your safety you should stay here for the time being." Adam spoke up for the first time after standing there stock still with his ams crossed, a hard edge to his voice.

"What?" I asked, a small tone of disbelief working it's way into my question.

"You're a perfectly capable fighter, but the plains are getting more and more dangerous, you saw what happened to Lauren-"

"No this is bullshit! That's my home, I'm not being babysat like some child!" I protested, not willing to leave my home.

"-And you're not strong enough to fight her alone." He argued above my objection, staring me down, waiting for me to argue against him, daring me to.

I opened my mouth to speak, but I was lost for words. I refused to meet anyone's eyes in this, I didn't need their help. Without another word I turned and left the room with every intention to return to my home.

"Make sure she comes back." Adam muttered from behind me, sounding almost as pissed off as I felt.

Regardless, and ignoring the presence of the people following me, I started the trek back to my home.

I reached the gates when I heard the guards talking about something on the horizon, making my footsteps quicken.

The distant smell of smoke made me sprint.

I stumbled before falling to my knees when I came to see my home, which was lighting up it's surroundings with an angry orange glow as it burned, the roar of the inferno and the snapping of branches as they gave into the heat hurt my ears. My chest hurt. I'd built it myself.

Why?