Retaliation

Chapter 3

"Close, but not close enough." I hear him say from behind me. I whip around in the burning room and send every flame in his voices direction. The fire erupts when it hits the wall. There was nothing there. "Oh c'mon, use your senses. You couldn't win if I was blind." he says, his voice echoing around the room. "Show yourself! Stop hiding in the dark!" I yell at him.

"Why?" he asks. "You've been doing it for so long now. You can't possibly tell me you left us for the light, can you? You belong to me! Not that worthless hockey jock!"

"Shut up!" I yell back.

"C'mon Shadow, don't you remember?" he whispers right in my ear. I swing at the air behind me, but he's moved away again. "So you're not going to come back? You're not going to let yourself use your full power?" he asks.

"No!" I say, turning, and in a flash I'm right in front of him. He's hiding in the shadows, and I swing, but he grabs my arm. All I see of him are those grey eyes.

"We made a promise, don't you remember?" he asks.

"You're possessed with power, why can't you see the light anymore? I was always the one in the dark. What happened to you?" I ask him.

"I needed power to survive, so that's what I did. I got power. And if you're not coming back, then maybe I'll be able to drive the darkness back into you, Shadow." he says.

"Stop calling me that!" I yell, opening a portal between the two of us.

"That's right, you returned to your birth name. Right, Angel?" He says so casually. "You won't do it. I miss you, you know." he says. I see that old gleam of light and hope that used to always be in his eyes.

"Derek..." I say, tears forming up in my eyes.

He stops, "Haven't heard that name in a while." he says. He breaks away from me, grasping his head. I close the portal, reaching out for him. He screams out in pain, and I see his eyes and they're exactly how they used to be, "Daniel, help me." He says, right before he screams again.

"Derek!" I yell, reaching for him. Then he stands up, sort of hunched over, and comes out of the dark. "That's not my name!" A wicked smile is sprawled across his face, "If you won't come back because of that guy, then I'll kill him!" he snaps at me, his voice different. His eyes are a shade of deep gold, and his face wears scars unknown to me. "Karakas." I say under my breath, a tear sliding down my cheek. Then he lunges at me.

I snap awake, cold, shaking, sweating, and hyperventilating. It takes me a minute to remember where I am, and it's only Blake's big arms tightening around me that lets me know I'm safe. He squeezes me closer and tighter, trying to calm me down. Is he awake? No, I hear him muttering something along with his breaths. His heat is starting to change from comforting to suffocating, and I can't take it anymore. The image of Derek shoots back through my head, and I'm even more panic stricken than before. I flash out of Blake's arms, and look back at him. His eyebrows crease together, and he seems to get really uncomfortable. He lets out an unhappy groan as his arms pull all the way in until they're against his own chest, then he rolls over and resituates himself. I smile. He seems so at peace now, sleeping. He never really looked this relaxed awake. "I'll kill him!" I hear these words in my head and I flinch, turning away from Blake. I can't let Karakas destroy anything else I hold precious. Even if... Even if it means I have to go back to being who I used to be.

I wander into the room with the large walk in shower, and turn on the water, not bothering to take off my underwear. I'm still shaking and right before the water from the faucet drops on my head I feel an ice cold tear slide down my cheek. Strangely it reminds me of him. The warm water does anything but relax me. I think about Derek. Jet black hair, sleek grey eyes, a scar across his lips, and he always had a little bit of scruffy facial hair... Funny, how Blake reminds me of him. We used to be more than just best friends. I think there was even a time when you couldn't find one without the other. Like Blake, he's two years older than me. He was always the only one that could bring out the good in me. I look back on who I used to be. I hated the world and was always so angry. Then there was Derek. He was always nice to everyone. Everyone thought he was our next greatest peacekeeper, and was destined for a council position. Derek, the world's next greatest warlock. Some even went on to give him the nickname Karakas, the spirit of peace. Everyone always thought my recklessness was going to get me killed one day. They all always just looked at me like they wished I was dead, but Derek was always there to defend me. He always told me one day I would see the light, and feel that its power would always outshine any darkness.