The Last Animega

Alex Takes Control

There was a loud cracking sound as Thomas and I stood in the silence of the forest. Aiden! Trying to break free of Thomas' embrace, I reached for the tree whose roots were holding the Guardian prisoner. But he refused to let me move an inch. "Let go." I ordered, panic poured itself heavily over my words. "Thomas please, I'll explain later." 

But he didn't loosen his hold. Scared, I looked up pleadingly. His bright silver eyes were covered by long black hair. In the darkness of night, he looked eerily evil. Fear stabbed a hole through my stomach. He couldn't be going crazy again, could he? My shoulder throbbed where his iced blade had stabbed into it just a little over a year ago. Damean's torn face forced its way into my thoughts. He spun me around to face Aiden and  tightened his grip around my torso, making sure that no air entered my lungs. 

In a matter of seconds, Aiden had broken free of the wooden prison. The roots now sat in splinters around him. The moon above us lit his face in a ghastly way. Bright blue eyes and a Cheshire cat smile were all that I could see, all else was shadowed. I squirmed against Thomas' grasp, trying to wrap my mind around what was happening. "Let me go, Thomas! What are you doing?" 

Aiden smirked and made his way towards us. Frantic to get out of here, I lashed out and kicked Thomas in the crotch. Doubling over in pain, he dropped me onto the frozen ground. Scrambling towards my bow, I tried to get my hands on some kind of weapon. A firm hand wrapped around my neck and lifted me into the air. My fingernails clawed at it, but to no avail. Automatically looking in Thomas' direction for help, what was left of my breath got caught in my throat. 

His body began to shrink down into that of a little girl's. His bright silver eyes were transformed into large brown doe ones. The black winter coat shrunk along with him and transformed into a purple dress and black leggings. "Aiden she kicked me!" The girl whined, long curly dark brown hair ran down her back. 

Aiden turned his head in her direction. "I'm sorry, Natalie, but you did a very good job." Turning back to me he smiled wickedly. "And she actually fell for it." Black spots started to form on the rim of my vision. Scowling, I lashed out at him. My legs swung around wildly, doing their best to hit anything. The best I could do was to barely clip his knee. 

Tears threatened to fall. My fingers pried at Aiden's, trying to loosen them enough for me to breath. Stupid, I was being stupid. How could I fall for something like that? Thomas is dead, everyone is dead. But, does that mean that Calypso was also a trick? Could it be that she was also a part of Aiden's sick scheme? "Why?" I choked. It barely came out as a squeak, but the Guardian understood perfectly. 

"For fun." He replied. "Nothing more. Being immortal is so boring, I've experienced almost every type of fun there is in just a mere 200 years. That's why I play these games, it makes everything so much more interesting." 

"What are we?" I pressed, "Your toys?" 

Aiden shrugged and tightened his grip on my neck. "Something along those lines." 

"Sam, let me take over." Alex begged. 

"What can you do against him?" 

"I'm the only one that has ever survived one of his games, remember?" 

My eyes widened and I moved my head in a small nod. A familiar pain washed over me as Alex moved through my mind to take control. My body winced as she took over. I was reduced to a small thought at the back of my own brain. My arm was raised high above my head as she prepared to strike. The hard bone of my elbow collided with the spot on his arm where his upper arm and lower arm met. His arm bent a bit, but it was enough of an opening for her. 

Alex kicked him as hard as she could in the groin. Swearing loudly, Aiden doubled over in pain. Escaping his grasp, Alex grabbed my bow and quiver and darted over to Natalie. With one fluid movement she notched an arrow and pointed it at the little girl's head. "Stand up!" Alex commanded. Shaking with fear, the girl obeyed. 

"A-Aiden?" She whimpered. "Help." 

He didn't make a single move to aid the small girl. The Guardian just stood there, cool and collected, as if he hadn't just been kicked in the crotch and his side-kick was now inches from being killed. "Go ahead." He dared. "I know you can't do it."

My finger's tightened around the bowstring. She was going to do it, Alex was going to shoot. 

"Stop! You saved me from being suffocated, I can take it from here." 

She ignored me and pulled the arrow back farther. "Sam wouldn't, but don't be so sure about me." 

Aiden's eyes widened. "Y-you can take over her body?" 

Alex smirked. "That's right. So if I were you, I'd back down before this little girl becomes a shish-kabob." Instead of doing what she said, Aiden just doubled over in laughter. It rang out clear and loud in the silence of the forest. 

I could tell that she was going to let go of the bowstring at any second. Natalie's expression was the textbook definition of fear. And suddenly, I felt very sorry for her. Even though I knew she was helping Aiden, who was in fact trying to kill me, I just couldn't help it. She looked so afraid, she was so young. The image of Max popped up in her place. Max, who would be around her age by now. I couldn't allow Alex to do this, the only one that should be dying is Aiden. No one else. 

"Alex, stop this!" 

"She tricked you into thinking she was Thomas. Are you not at all upset about that?" Alex muttered.

"Of course I am. But too many people have already died because of me." 

"Sorry, Sam." 

She won't listen to reason, alright. Let's play that way. With all of the strength I could muster, I fought to regain control. Alex winced at the sudden headache, but quickly got over it. She prepared to let go of the string, I had to hurry. Just as she was about to send the arrow into Natalie's brain, I jerked the bow to the right. The arrow shot into the ground inches from Natalie's body. Alex and I both wrestled for control. Natalie scrambled away towards Aiden and clung to him. 

Although we looked the same, and even sounded a bit the same, it was obvious that we were very different. Aiden watched us, an intrigued look in his eyes. Shouting reached my ears, and Aiden's too. "Well, this has been fun." He sighed. "But I really hate crowds. Lets do this again sometime." Snatching Natalie up in his arms, Aiden seemed to disappear into the night. Realizing that her chance was gone, Alex shrunk to the back of my mind. Collapsing onto my knees, I took large gulps of air. 

Calypso knelt down beside me, Dillon, Amber and Serena in tow. "Where is he?" She demanded. 

"Gone." I gasped. "He escaped." 

Amber shuffled forward nervously. "How did he do that?"

I averted my eyes from the group, "I slipped up." 

Calypso understood the situation perfectly. "What did you see?" 

"I just messed up!" I snapped. Instantly I regretted it. Everyone, including Dillon, backed away. Shakily standing up, I snatched my bow and quiver and silently headed back in the direction of our camp. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Calypso: Well that wasn't confusing at all

Aridis: Oh come on, I'm sure someone could understand it

Calypso: Suuuuure. Isn't Alex supposed to be kind and stuff, like Sam's past self or something?

Aridis: I never said that!

Aiden: Mhm

Aridis: Oh shut up, you weren't even in the first book!

Aiden: I still know things

Alex: Why did you have to make me evil?

Natalie: Aridis, you're so mean! 

Aridis: SHUT UP! Can I please have some quiet, my head still hurts from stuffs.