Tale of Chaos 2: This War of Ours

Chapter 13: Return

Blackout's POV

As Forestra collapsed, I surged forward. I was able to catch her and held onto her tightly.

"Run!" I called out to Mae and Eon.

Even though we had returned for the four, I ran back through the rumbling cave.

Spotlight was pulling Arcmagos, Cyclone dragged Rocksworth, and Riverflow carried Pyroclast.

I pulled Forestra along, imploring that nothing bad would happen to the eight of us, that nothing will crush us.

I found it hard to maintain my balance as I pulled Forestra through the cave. I had only barely dodged a boulder as I held on to her.

I needed help.

Did I have to ask for it?

Not now...

Spotlight, Riverflow, and Cyclone had their hands full. Eon and Mae were already outside.

It was up to me whether I lived or died.

I'd rather stay alive.

This newfound resolve helped me pull Forestra's limp body through the cave. I was so close to crying as I just pulled Forestra across the rough stone ground.

Was she dead...?

Just at that very thought, my vision darkened at my left side.

She had collapsed after releasing a monstrous amount of power into the cave. In fact, there were so many vines that I tripped over them once in a while. I wasn't aware if that type of thing was strong enough to kill a person...

It certainly does.

I decided to drop her onto the ground. Her brown-black hair flopped around her head.

Oh, damn, she looked so pretty---

BLACKOUT, SNAP OUT OF IT!

Wait, if I almost killed Spotlight twice, then maybe my power was sufficient for...

I held my hands in front of me and gathered my power. As the power surged forward, I redirected it so that it would form a sphere around Forestra. The black power pulsed as I lifted it into the air. Instead of falling down, Forestra stayed inside the ball of energy like a chick in an egg.

Keeping the power streaming from my hands and running at the same time was difficult. Still, I focused on two things only: Forestra and my own escape.

The light from the exit bled in from the distance.

I was close.

A wave of exhaustion washed over me, the fatigue only getting worse.

Hold... on... to... Forest...

My vision was blurring.

You can make it...

I could feel myself tripping over my own feet. Instantly, I fell over. I could hear multiple voices...

"Blackout...!"

You can't.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I could feel something tingling...

I woke up.

I spotted a figure above me.

It was a face.

It was Forestra's, concern and relief etched into her face.

Many other faces showed themselves. They were my other friends.

"Blackout!" Forestra cried with glee.

Arms snaked around me as I was suddenly pulled into a hug.

Huh, this was new. She would never do this. In fact, back when we were in elementary, I was usually the one to do so.

"You're alive... you saved me... thank you..." she whispered.

I heard another voice. It sounded like a young girl.

Mae.

"Good thing you're alive. You probably won't believe what Forestra, Arcmagos, Pyroclast, and Rocksworth did," she said.

My eyes widened.

Forestra was still hugging me.

A part of me wanted to see what they did.

The other part wanted to stay in her arms.

I hugged her back. After a while, we pulled away and looked into each other's eyes, smiling.

Catch was, I had to look away immediately...

I could risk falling for her even harder.

Anyway...

"Did Chaot die?" I asked.

Mae looked at where the mountain was with a smile.

"I believe so. She might have been crushed-"

I was alarmed.

I sat up at once, my head flipping everywhere to look for what could have possibly crushed that madwoman. My head pocked in place when I saw a beautiful and shocking sight.

One of the large hills had completely caved in, large boulders and rubble littering its place.

I laughed.

Maybe she truly was dead.

Maybe it was all over now.

Maybe I could finally move on...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was an anomaly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mae started, "If she was crushed, that could mean---"

A white light slithered through the rubble. It shot to the sky for a moment, then descended in our direction.

My eyes squinted due to its brightness.

The white light enlarged as it closed the distance between us.

Instantly, the light shot down onto the ground, kindling into some sort of white flames. I flew back with the force, even though I was sitting down.

"Mae!" Eon hollered.

"What's going on?"

Mae stared at her, eerily calm.

"You're all gonna like this."

"What?" Spotlight yelled.

Mae stayed silent, her eyes locked on the flames. My own eyes returned to the white light.

Soon, it formed into a figure.

It began to change color.

It was a person, but who?

The light faded, and in its place, this one person was standing in front of all of us.

She wore a white blouse and a navy blue skirt. She had brunette hair and a white top hat. She wore red glasses.

Her face formed.

I couldn't believe it.

Maia.

Eon stood up and ran toward her. Maia stared at her as Eon was staring at her, her wild eyes going all over her face.

Let's just say she slapped her...