My Digital Partner!

Chapter 22. When will I see you again...

Awakening to the sound of glass breaking, my slumber was cut off short... But at least I recovered enough to get me back on my feet... Cupa, who was asleep beside me, had woken up as well... She was holding her pistol... We both got up, I took a shower since I was covered in blood from last night... And when we finally got ready, we went outside, to see what was happening... The receptionist, Dan, had barricaded the door... Some people were outside trying to force their way in... I looked and saw those two guys from the diner... I guess they came back for revenge, and they seemed to have brought some friends with them...

Dan: leave by the back door...

Cupa: we can fend them off or...

Dan: no... They'll still never learn... And besides, the both of you are just kids... Go by the back and take the back pack by the picnic table... It contains medical supplies for your brother as well as money for a cab to get to town... Just try to sneak past them...

Eric: what about you?

Dan takes out a semi automatic shotgun from under his desk...

Dan: I've had enough of these ass wipes... Do you know how many times they destroyed my property?

Eric: okay then... Be careful... And... Thanks for helping us...

Dan: don't mention it kid... Now get out of here before they break down the door... I doubt that barricade is gonna stop them...

Cupa and I got out by the back door... Awaiting us were two guys, one armed with a metal baseball bat, the other armed with a sub machine gun... Time slowed down for me... As the gunman raised his gun aiming for Cupa, I instinctively drew my hand cannon revolver and shot his leg... He drops on the ground with his finger pulling the trigger... The bullets flying by and almost hitting Cupa... The other guy swung his baseball bat at Cupa, she parries with her pistol and caught his arm... She twists it and breaks it whilst she covers his mouth...

Even though we took them both down, the others might have heard the gun fire... Cupa and I made a dash towards my sky cycle... We rode off and from a distance, we heard gun fire... We made a stop by and finally found Nicola... A friend of DT... She gave us a bit of info about the building... And also a few things about "Jeff" the so called killer on the loose...
Cupa and I set off to the Dream Corp building... I gave Cupa my sniper rifle and told her to stay at a vantage point over looking the test site...

She wouldn't agree at first but I managed to convince her... I entered the building... Security was nowhere to be seen... I made my way through a corridor... I heard screams, laughter... I didn't dare open the doors with the noises I heard... Dream Tech has had rumours buzzing around the town that they abduct people to experiment on them... Most people think it isn't real, but I've seen crazy things in my life, all enough to convince me that this simple rumour was not just some common gossip... I found a door with a sign beside it... It read... "Proving Grounds"... So I entered... My vision warped and blurred for a moment... I felt nauseated... I looked around... I wasn't at the proving grounds... I was in a room... Candles lit with eerie green flames, a figure stood before me... The room was dark so all I saw was a silhouette...

???: Cold One... I have been expecting your arrival... You're a bit late though...

Eric:... Who are you?

???: I am The Oracle... I see the fates of all who are destined to meet me... And I have yours, Cold One... Your ending...

Eric: oh really now... Can you tell me?

The Oracle: I must not... For it will only alter your fate... But... What I can tell you is that the item you are searching for is up ahead... Hurry on now... For they, have come...

I snapped back into reality... I was standing at the proving grounds, my eyes adjusted due to the sudden brightness of the sun... I looked to see a black crystal in the ground... Its presence seemed to reduce my poise no matter how hard I tried to stand firm... I grabbed it and it burnt my hand... It then glows a dark purple... I then hear a voice in my head... The Oracle's voice...

The Oracle: the item you seek, with its darkness abound... The mystery of dreams, in a silent sound, beware this power... For an evil it may brew... For a lust for power is good's downfall true... You must fight till the end... To finish your race... Whatever comes about, you may choose to embrace... So Cold One, tell me then what you seek... But only in your dreams... You may speak...

The Oracle's words sent a chill down my spine... I looked up to see a figure standing in front of me... His body covered in blood, his eyes a scarlet red... Within them, I saw... Just pure agonising hatred... I stood there rooted to the ground realising who the figure before me was... It was me...

The Oracle: the adversary before you is you yourself... But this... This creation was from your fears... The one who you've kept locked away in your soul... In fear that he breaks out... He who will be the downfall of all... He who will bring ruin to everyone... He who will not hesitate to kill anyone in his path... You...

My nightmare version lunged at me with incredible speed... I tried to counter but his strength over powered me... He slams me to the ground a slashed away at me... Laughing... I reached out and grabbed him by the throat... I got up and swept his legs from under him... I took my sword and stabbed into his chest right at his heart... He grunts... But then, he started to laugh... The laughter became louder and louder until he grabbed my leg and stabbed me with the black crystal, straight into my chest... I fell to my knees... My body as if it was being burnt... I couldn't move... There was a humming sound emanating from the crystal... It seemed to get louder and louder by the second...

Cupa's POV

I looked to see a dark sphere on the field... A small distortion on the sphere had exposed it, and I saw... Eric... He looked like he was in trouble so I took out an ender pearl Andr had given me and threw it as hard as I could towards the field... When I warped there, I rushed towards the sphere... It seemed to get larger and large by the second... I entered the sphere to see Eric and... Another Eric?! I didn't know what to do so I rushed towards the Eric that looked like the one I knew... There was a black crystal plunged into his chest...

The Oracle: Cold one... You might want to do something about your friend... There is an impending explosion about to happen... And this entire facility is in the blast radius...

Eric's POV

I snapped back into reality... I looked at Cupa... It was inevitable... The crystal was about to explode... I pulled it out but at that moment, my arms grew weak... I dropped the crystal...

Cupa: let's get out of here come on!

Eric: no... We're in the blast radius... It's too late... You should go... I'll only slow you down...

Cupa: you idiot! I'm not gonna leave you here!

Eric: Cupa... No... You have to go...

Cupa: I can contact Andr... She can get us out of here... Where's my phone?!

Eric: get out of here...

Cupa: I-I.... I'm not gonna leave you here! You can't make me!

Cupa started to cry... She hugged Eric and wouldn't let go... The crystal was near its detonation...

Eric: hey... It's okay... You can handle yourself now remember? You'll be just fine...

Cupa: it's not that! I don't want you to die! You're the first human who has ever cared for me this much! I don't want to be left alone again! I love you!!

Eric: I... I love you too...
And that's why... I need you to survive...

Eric coughs out blood... The crystal made a high pitch screeching noise which made Eric realise that it was about to explode... With the last of his strength, he gave Cupa a kiss goodbye and encased her in ice... Eric lay there... Just as the crystal was about to explode, Eric whispers to himself, "when will I see you again?"