A Final Stand

Chapter 10: Nightmare

Before I start:
I am really sorry I haven't updated this in ages. But here's a chapter, as an apology.

{Ruby's POV}
Jesse's not well, that much is obvious. She seems to think that Lukas is Aiden, and her thoughts are shooting at us, coupled with intense pain. The only reason I'm still halfway in control of myself is because of my transfer powers, is my guess. I'm still holding Kai and Lukas, but I can't tell if the others are still connected. I'll have to hope they are.

Another wave of thoughts floods towards us. I tighten my grip on Kai's hand as I feel him start to fall. He pulls himself back up and squeezes my hand in thanks. I start to whisper a chant from Inheritance, trying to regain control over my brain.

I repeat it several times, until I can muster the strength to banish the darkness. I force my eyes open slightly, just enough to see. The blackness, seemingly an infection, has spread further across Jesse's body, and she's growing taller. One of her eyes has turned completely purple, and the other is nearly there. She almost seems to be turning into an Enderman with mind powers. But that isn't possible, unless-

I freeze, almost releasing both boys next to me. The potion the Chief's people had made! Jesse had still been fully human by that time, I'm sure. And it had the same color scheme as a traditional Enderman. Ohh, this... This changes everything, I think. If this was a potion, there must be a cure. And we're going to have to find it to get out of here alive and free.

I chance a look behind me. Everyone is still connected, and Magnus is holding onto Lukas's other shoulder. Everyone else still seems trapped by Jesse's powers.

Suddenly, what I'm seeing disappears and I'm standing in the middle of a huge crowd. Someone knocks into me and I fall back a step, just to run into someone else. The normal bubble of space around me is gone, completely gone. I can't see two feet in front of me, the place is so packed. I can feel my brain shutting down, and I start repeating my chant, hoping to drive the people away. But the biggest reaction I get is a quick stare from a little kid with cat ears. But she is gone before I could blink.

I clench my fists and bodyslam someone onto the ground. They go down, and the crowd around me clears a bit. Now, over in the distance, I can see Jesse, almost fully turned into an Enderman. As I watch, her left shoulder's armor cracks and falls off, revealing a swirling, twisting dark mark. It's a fade from a pink to an oak brown. Her marking, I realize. But she's being taken over by the Enderman potion, even now. One of her feet turn completely black, and then I realize...she's floating. Levitating about three block above a platform.

"I can see your fears, as you remember," she shouts, but her mouth stays shut. "You are trapped within your greatest nightmares. May they-" she silences and clutches her chest. A bright light shines from between her fingers.

I take the distraction and close my eyes, trying to black out the crowd while she's focused away. I wish I had at least a dagger of some sort, and if I'm going to be dramatic, maybe a battalion or two of my friends. Suddenly something starts weighing down my right hand. My eyes pop open, and I see a small, detailed steel knife in my hand. It's perfectly weighted, incredibly crafted, and honed to the precise sharpness to impale someone through the heart.

I know why I have this blade now.

I can't reveal it, in case Jesse finds a way to take it away from me. So I quickly hide it in the deepest pocket of my pants. Some of the blade, patterned like dragonfire, is still poking out of the top of the pocket, but hopefully it's little enough to not tip her off. Now my top priority is to get out of this star-damned crowd alive.

Jesse's back again now. She doesn't seem to have noticed my dagger yet, but it's only a matter of time. Just as it is before I go insane from this crowd.