The Forgotten

In Ray's Room

The darkness starts to fade. I can open my eyes, so I do. I immediately wish I had kept them closed. I'm in Ray's room.

"He broke out, didn't he?" Ray asks, sitting at the opposite side of the room. Does he know about Evir?

"Doesn't matter." I reply. I figure the less Ray knows, the better.

"Oh, come on, kid!" he says. "He must have. You wouldn't do anything to end up in here on your own." Seeing as he already figured it out, I think I can spill the beans.

"Yeah, Evir took over." I sigh.

"Evir?" asks Ray.

"I named him..." Thinking back, why did I name a evil spirit who lives inside of me?

"I was angry at Ultra Tech. I was just kicking the ground, because I had to kick something. It felt good, giving out pain. Even if I was just giving it to myself." Ray nods understandingly, but I still feel embarrassed. I ( well, technically Evir ) almost killed Cassie because I was angry and dumb. In my guilt, I hear a voice.

That's right, buddy. I know that voice! It's Evir! All the blame is on you.

"Shut up, Evir." I snap. "I just made a mistake. You purposefully tried to kill Cassie." Ray is looking at me, obviously puzzled. I find that I can basically mute Evir's voice by shutting my mind to him.

"Sorry." I apologize, although I probably don't need to apologize to Ray.

"Quite alright." he replies. "Now, I believe you were kicking the ground?"

After telling Ray my story, he seems to start thinking.

"So you've separated yourself from Evir?" he asks.

"I don't really think I should tell you." I say, once again not wanting Ray to know everything.

"Wrive, please. Even if I am a crazy, evil man, I'm a crazy, evil man who knows about this stuff. If you think I'm tricking you, then don't listen to me. But please just hear me out." Although he's probably tricking me, I have authority over what I do and what I don't do, right? And who knows more about evil spirits... then a crazy guy? ( Probably an evil spirit, but evil guys are a close second. )

"Alright, Ray. Fire away."

After Ray has asked his questions, ( mostly "What is it like when Evir is in control?" "How do you speak while Evir is in control?" And stuff like that ) he nods thoughtfully.

"I see, I see. Wrive, I understand your... evil spirit. Why, it's a bit like being an Overkill, in some ways."

"Am I a Overkill?" I ask, scared of the answer. If I'm like Ray, then I'll be stuck in this room forever! I might hurt Shawn or Allen, or even Shiran. I don't want to hurt him... okay, maybe just a little. Ray laughs, bringing me back to the present.

"Oh no, kid. You and I would both know if you were an Overkill."

"Then what am I? Tell me what Evir is, too!" Ray's expression darkens.

"Sorry kid, no can do. Just know that you're not an Overkill."

"Oh, come on! I'm dying to know."

"No way. Believe me, kid. If you knew, you'd..." His face brightens. "You'd do anything to change!" I want to ask what Ray's talking about, but he's on a roll.

"Okay Wrive, do you remember when I said that you could, but you wouldn't?"

"Yeah..." I say, wondering if I'm going to learn the meaning. Or if I want to.

"Well, prove me wrong. Just hand me your sword-" he points to Mareth "-And you'll prove me wrong! You'll be saving lives, kid. Your friends lives. Probably the lives of innocent, regular people too." I'm not sure what to say or do. How will giving Ray Mareth save so many lives?

"What will you do with Mareth?" I ask. Ray sighs.

"Look kid, I could lie to you. But I'm gonna be real honest here. If you hand me that sword, I will stab you. You will die quickly and without too much pain. Your friends will be angry, but you did try to kill them. So by handing me that sword, you will die. But please, believe me, you will save lives by dying. Many lives." My head is spinning. Is Ray telling the truth? How would I save all those people by dying? Should I give him my sword? No. No, I can't. It's just too unclear as to whether my sacrifice would mean anything.

"I'm sorry, Ray, but I won't give you Mareth. I just can't trust you." Ray looks sad and mad at the same time.

"Fine!" he spits. "But when the world crumbles around you, and all your friends are dying or dead, remember: You did this. I told you what you should have done."

An hour later, nobody has come to check on us, or feed us, or- oh my gosh, I'm hungry. When did I eat last? It feels like an eternity ago. I have to do something to take my mind off of food, so I try to make peace with Ray.

"What's it like, being an Overkill?" I ask, not really expecting an answer. Ray surprises me.

"Kind of strange." There is no anger in his voice anymore. "I know things that I should have no way of knowing. I'm more powerful than anyone in this building." Ray sounds sad, for some reason.

"If you're super powerful, then why don't you break out?" I ask.

"I could. But this place actually protects me." I start to ask what he means, but he holds up a hand. "I can't tell you how." That annoys me a bit. Why can't Ray tell me anything?

"I'm kind of immortal. Did you know that?" Now Ray is in tears. "I can't die of sickness, hunger, age, or anything like that. Only injuries can kill me. And even if you injure me, my wounds heal quickly. Plus, my skin is like armor. Pretty weak armor, but still." Ray's face is in his hands. After a moment, he continues in a quieter voice.

"I'm sorry for telling you that everyone is going to die because you're alive. Even if you would have died, it would have only delayed the end. You can't fight it, kid. Remember that, because I bet you're gonna try to go down fighting. You can't fight what has already won." After this, Ray just sobs silently. And for the first time, I feel bad for an Overkill.