===
The moonlight barely penetrated the thick clouds as Greyson, Sterling, Tixo, and Xul rushed to Ren's side. He lay against the remnants of a shattered storefront, his breathing uneven, crimson staining the collar of his shirt.
“Ren, stay with us!” Greyson urged, kneeling beside him, panic gripping his heart.
“Let me see!” Tixo pushed forward, his hands trembling as he assessed the wound. “It’s deep… we need to stop the bleeding!”
“Onyx… he didn’t mean to…” Ren gasped, his voice barely above a whisper. Tears glimmered in his eyes, each drop a testament to the pain he felt.
“Ren, focus on me! You’re going to be okay,” Sterling insisted, urgency lacing his tone as he tried to channel healing energy.
But Ren’s gaze was distant, haunted. “It hurts… but it’s not just the wound.”
Xul, standing protectively by Ren's side, clenched his fists. “What do you mean? We’ll get you help. Just hold on!”
Ren’s breath hitched as he struggled to meet their eyes, vulnerability spilling from his heart. “I— I couldn’t stop him. I tried… but he was too far gone. And now…” He choked on his words, anguish twisting his features. “I thought I could save him.”
“Of course you could!” Tixo insisted, trying to keep Ren’s spirits up. “You’re strong, Ren!”
“No, I’m not!” Ren’s voice cracked, the weight of despair crashing over him. “I was so stupid to think I could reach him! I care about him so much… and now he’s lost to that monster.”
The group fell silent, the air thick with unspoken fears. Sterling’s hands trembled as he attempted to heal Ren, but the emotional wound seemed deeper than the physical.
“Ren…” Greyson began, his voice low, “it’s not your fault. Onyx was struggling with something far beyond any of us.”
“But I wanted to be there for him! I thought… I thought love could save him!” Ren’s eyes brimmed with tears as he fought to hold them back. “Now look where we are! He’s out there, and I’m… I’m like this.”
Xul knelt down, placing a hand on Ren’s shoulder. “You’re not alone in this. We all care about Onyx. We’ll find him together.”
Ren’s breath hitched again, a fresh wave of tears spilling down his cheeks. “I never got to tell him… how I really feel. I thought there would be time. But now… now I just feel so helpless.”
“Ren, listen to me,” Sterling said, his voice steady despite his own turmoil. “There’s still time. We’ll bring him back. You can tell him everything when we do.”
“No! What if there isn’t?” Ren’s voice rose, raw with emotion. “What if he becomes a monster for good? I can’t bear that thought! I care about him so much… I don’t want to lose him!”
Greyson's heart broke at Ren’s confession. “You won’t lose him. We’ll fight for him. We’ll do whatever it takes.”
Ren took a shaky breath, the reality of his situation sinking in. “But what if he can’t be saved? What if I’m just chasing shadows?”
The group fell silent again, each lost in their thoughts. The weight of uncertainty loomed over them like a dark cloud, but they knew they couldn’t give up.
“Then we’ll keep chasing,” Xul said firmly, determination shining through his anguish. “As long as there’s a chance, we won’t stop.”
Ren nodded slowly, wiping away his tears, but the fear still lingered in his eyes. “I just… I want him back. I want him to know that he’s not alone.”
“Then we’ll make sure he knows,” Greyson vowed, rising to his feet. “Let’s gather our strength and find him. We owe it to Onyx—and to you.”
With a renewed sense of purpose, the group gathered close, forming a united front against the shadows that threatened to consume them all. Together, they would face the darkness and bring Onyx back to the light.
YOU ARE READING
Darkwood: The Crimson Cavalier
ParanormalA young teen who helps his family run a mortuary in the small town of Darkwood finds out that every town has secrets. Onyx lives a normal life at Darkwood. That is until he realizes that his father has been cursed and a nest of vampires might be clo...
