Opposites Attract

Illusion

Cain couldn't hold himself up. His chest felt heavy and full and overall wrong, and every time he bent at the waist his ribs practically burned. His entire body was overwhelmed with pain, from the fire mage's attacks, and he knew that if he even survived it (he was seriously doubting it at the moment) he'd never be the same. His lungs burned (no pun intended) with every hard-won breath.

He was preparing to close his eyes and drift away when he heard movement to his left. He glanced up, meeting Kasey's gaze with half-ruined eyes. All of him felt... damaged, for lack of a better word. He couldn't really talk, but he managed to half cough her name. 

She seemed to frown at him, moving forward. He flinched as she knelt and reached for him, not expecting the tender touch of her hands in his (strangely still intact) hair. 

"You can hear me, right?"

He nodded weakly, and she sighed.

"I broke the seal, if you hadn't guessed that already. I went inside your head a bit and tried to make things better. I don't think you have time. I wanted to see if I could make your last little while here a little better. I don't know... It was... A whim...I didn't want to take away your memories completely. They're still yours, and it would be messed up to get rid of them."

She seemed to struggle for words for a moment, before she said, "Do you remember what my sister's memories were? The ones about me?"

He nodded a bit, and she smiled weakly down at him, "They weren't true. I don't know why I want to tell you this now... Maybe to make up for this past year? Anyway... Before I met you... my father... sold me. He was deep in debt. It was a fucked up situation, really. I don't remember much... It's like everything's a blur between when I left home and when we met. Did you do that? To stop the nightmares?"

She was starting to break down, but she kept talking.

"That whole year, while you were... gone... it was worse than those five. I missed you, so god damned much. I was basically alone, but I had to stay, because what if you came back to yourself? What if you went back to normal, just like now, and I wasn't there. I mastered the seal-breaking trick months ago, but I couldn't find a way to get you out until now, with this whole invasion thing, I doubt Mira will realize until you're gone. And even then-"

She sobbed quietly, holding a hand over her mouth. Cain's vision was getting dark around the edges, and she seemed to sense it, because the next moment her magic seeped into him, bringing him into an illusion.

He was standing now, wearing the sort of tunic he'd wear in the old days, with his body just how it had been earlier in the day when he was healthy. She was standing across from him, wearing a dress and some flowers in her hair. 

He felt the throbbing pain fade away, and he opened his mouth to talk, struggling for a moment before the ability came back completely.

"I'm so sorry."

"My God, Cain, don't apologize."

She wrapped her arms around him, trying even harder not to cry, and he hugged her back, glad to finally stand near someone close to his height, leaning heavily on her.

"I did so much shit, Kasey. To your sister, and all those prisoners, to villagers, everyone suffered, and it's my fault," his voice broke, and she shushed him, pulling back to look at him.

"I don't know how long I can keep up this illusion. I still need enough magic to fight Mira. If I pass out now..."

"I know... I know, just... please don't leave yet. I need to talk to you. There are so many things to say."

"Say them, fast. I'll say everything I need to once this wears off."

"Tell your sister I'm sorry, for starters. Your father, who I want to brutally murder at the moment, is in the castle's basement with the other prisoners. Mira will be in the throne room, on that second floor. You lived there, so I assume you know what I mean. You and Mei will have an advantage, with all your prior knowledge, you need to use it."

His voice cut off, the pain flaring up in his throat again, and for a moment he thought he was out of luck, but the illusion flickered back into place, so he continued. 

"I'm not sure what Mira will be like, to fight. But you should always be aware, if she touches you for too long, she might take your magic."

She nodded, eyes glistening and face pink with the effort of holding the illusion. It flickered again, and he nearly collapsed, before his voice came back and he said softly.

"One more thing."

She looked up at him, and he kissed her. Her eyes widened, before drifting shut, holding him tight to her and starting to cry some more as the illusion faded away. When it finally gave out they both snapped back to their bodies, him groaning from the sudden pain.

She sobbed and took his hand. His burned flesh felt strange against hers, but she ignored it, whispering, "I love you. God, I love you. Please don't go."

He didn't have the strength to squeeze her hand, so he had to hope he had gotten his message across in the illusion.

"Please," she whispered again.

He felt the illusion try to take hold again, but she didn't have enough magic, so it was never fully realized. He struggled to draw his next breath, and she shook, her trembling hands conveying her terror. He felt his own hands start to shake, and she looked down at them.

"Do you want me to put you to sleep?" she asked finally, "I think I can manage it."

He looked up at her, and she spoke again, "I was inside your head... I transferred all that pain to myself for a moment, and it... It didn't seem healable. You probably have a little while longer, but you'll suffer. Do you want me to?"

He paused for a second, before nodding. She sobbed one more time before she pulled herself together.

"I want you to see me smiling," she explained lightly, voice tight.

She bent down, pressing her lips against his, and then brushed her fingers against his temple and making the exhaustion enter his mind. She pulled away, smiling down at him as his eyes flickered shut, before breaking down into violent sobs. She stayed like that for a few minutes, just bent over him, screaming her despair to the world, before she got up, pulling him onto her back and carrying him like that, making her way back to where her sister was waiting.