Love Through Death Aaron x Clay

Where Am I?

Aaron's P.O.V.~

Groaning, I tried to open my eyes, but light hit them straight on, causing me to whine.  Why was it so bright?  Who would be stupid enough to leave the lights on?

I sat up, shielding my eyes from the bright light.  All of the sleep left me when I saw where I was.  I was sleeping outside under the shade of a tree, close to the ocean.  Looking around, I used the tree to pull myself up, seeing a hover-board leaning beside me.

Except it wasn't my shield.  It was my first hover-board I got when I was put into the orphanage.

"What?" I asked myself, brushing the edge of the black object.  It felt so foreign against my fingers, but a smile formed on my face.

I couldn't help but remember Clay when we were younger.  The way I crashed into him, the way he fixed my arm up.  It was a good memory to look back on.

Shaking my head clear, I look around the area, trying to figure out just where I was.  The Joustum was close to the tree I was at, a thought tugging at my head.

Everything looked so dead.  Everything except the Joustum.  Why was it so busy?  What was going on?

"I guess I'll find out myself," I mutter, leaving the board against the tree and began running to the dome. 

~~~~~~~~

Once I got there, people began to murmur softly.  I swore I heard my name, but I didn't turn to look at them.  My only focus was figuring out what was going on.

I took a seat in the front row, next to a woman with dark black hair and green eyes.  She had a highlight in her hair, a green and blue streak.  A hint of worry was in her eyes, but I didn't bother to ask her what was the matter.

A horn went off, announcing the king's presence.  The woman clapped, nudging me with her shoulder.  "Can you believe that the new Nexo Knights are graduating today?  It's so exciting to watch my little girl graduate."

Confusion laced around my brain.  "What?"

"You know," she started, gesturing to the floor beneath us, "the new Nexo Knights of the realm.  There are only five graduating, and my little girl is one of them!"

The only girl on our team was Macy.  That's not her mother, either, so who's this woman's daughter?  And why am I not there graduating with my team?  What the hell just happened?

In time, Aaron, a soft-spoken voice of a woman echoed in my head.  Just watch.

Sighing, I focused on the Joustum ground, not listening to what King Halbert had to say.  I've been through it all before.

"-and now, our very own Clay Moorington will come out!" the Halbert exclaimed, making me stiffen.

My eyes locked onto the entrance, seeing Clay holding his sword above his head, posing.  I could feel my heart beat faster in my chest when I saw him, seeing as he wasn't dead.  He didn't seem to look up at me, but was focused on cutting the targets.

Okay, that's really hot. 

Shaking that thought away, I watched as he finished, pushing his mask up to look at everything.  Everything in my body froze as I looked at his face.  He looked so... young.  Back when we were eighteen.

How did he-?

Don't question it right now.  I shall explain everything when you come back to your hover-board.  Finish this next event at least.

Grumbling, I kept my eyes on Clay, not wanting to look away.  It was weird, seeing him like this again.  I couldn't help but love it, but I don't understand any of it.

"Next up," King Halbert continued, "we have Amber Thorn!"

Amber Thorn?  Who was that?

The woman next to me cheered as a girl in black armor walked out, holding a bow.  A quiver of arrows was hooked around her back, holding so many arrows.  From here, I could make out the crest on her chest-plate.  It was a rose, thorns on the side of it.

Seeing her, though, I couldn't help but snort.  Laser-bows were easier and stronger to use in a battle.  And no hover-board?

Still, I focused closely on her, watching as she fired two arrows in one shot, amateurishly.

Once she was done, I couldn't help but wonder just what I witnessed. 

Until I saw her walk up to Clay, wrapping her arms around his neck.  A growl emitted from my throat as I stood up and walked out, not wanting to witness what else she'd do to my mate.

I only walked back to the tree, seeing a pure white wolf sitting next to the board.  Her blue eyes locked onto me with relief and sorrow.

"Aaron," she spoke softly, making me almost faint.

I kneel in front of her instead, looking into her eyes.  "Um, how are you talking?"

She laughed, looking me straight in the eye.  "The same way you are hearing me.  You're a shifter, so you are able to hear different animal tongues, remember?"

Oh, yeah.  That thing Ashton told me about.

"Okay," I nod, rubbing my temples, "so, who are you?  Why were you talking to me?  How am I not the one graduating?"

The wolf sighed, lowering her eyes against her head.  "My son died.  I couldn't bare to watch his mate suffer, so I... changed time.  I'm so sorry.  I hoped it wouldn't change this badly, but something went wrong."

"What are you talking about?"

With a deep breath, she spoke in a whisper.  "I am Clay's mother.  I died with my husband years ago, but I have the ability to change time.  It's like I'm a goddess now that I'm dead.  And, when I saw Clay die, I pulled you through the vortex, and that's how you remember everything from the last life.  As I said, something also went wrong.

"You're parents never put you in the orphanage."

If I wasn't passed out already, I don't know what would shock me to that point.  I could only stare at the wolf with a blank expression, fear clinging to my heart and brain.

Clay didn't know me.

Clay didn't love me.

I didn't have him anymore.  He wasn't my mate.  The thoughts kept coming, but I finally fell back, passing out from all of the thoughts hitting me like a speeding bullet.