Defining Factors

Chapter 14: Defining Powers

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Warnings: EMOTIONS

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Thomas went to run to James, to zap Alex, anything to keep him from dying again, but Burr grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Wait." Thomas was about to snap at him when he noticed Burr wasn't looking at him but rather, across the room. Angelica stumbled unsteadily, reaching to find something to support her. Laurens, who had been ripping through undead to get to James suddenly had his feet yanked out of from under him and his chin crashed into the ground.

Francis had been watching. He was the only one there that could hear James as they all turned on him.

Yes, I'm the Necromancer, but I never lied about it.

Please, you don't understand.

Listen to me.

Alex, don't do this, I'm your friend.

Please, I never meant any harm.

What have I done to deserve this? Please, listen to me.

I've never killed anyone.

I was your friend. We laughed together and I just saved your lives. I save your lives and just because I did it by raising the dead you want to kill me? My powers don't define me, I define my powers. What have I done to deserve death by the hands of my own friends?

I can't even talk to defend myself, how is this fair? Someone for once just hear me!

"I hear you, James."

Thomas watched as Francis stepped forward, vines wrapping around John's feet and slamming him into the ground and then again into a wall. Angelica stumbled over and slid down a wall, her eyes drooping against her will. "What have you done to me?" She asked right as she lost consciousness, John going through the same thing shortly after her. Francis ran to James, pushing through the undead and pulled him into his arms.

"James!"

James convulsed, still trying to get the water out of his lungs, his attempt getting weaker with every passing second. Francis

"Alexander! Stop this! Remove the water from his lungs or so help me God, I'll watch you as you die the slowest and most painful death that this world's poisons have to offer."

Hamilton looked at him, taken back by Francis' sudden violence. "He's evil, Francis, he has to go."

"What has he ever done to be labeled as evil."

"He set an entire undead army on us."

No one died, I was defending myself.

"No one died, Hamilton! James was just defending himself! You're the evil one! You and this entire Society! Hunting down people with powers and killing them if they don't join? Stop this now and we can talk about this like normal people!"

Hamilton faltered for a second and Peggy ran forward to James trying to flush the water out with air.

"Please, Alex! I know that you don't want this life either! Killing senselessly just because someone decided that it needed to be that way?"

"You don't understand," Hamilton grit his teeth. "I have to do this."

"Why? To climb to the top? What's the point if it's the top of a corrupt and twisted view? I know what you're thinking and you know I'm right, just stop. Pull the water from his lungs."

Hamilton held Francis' gaze and Thomas pulled out of Burr's grasp and went to James, pulling him away from Francis and into his own arms, looking desperately up at Hamilton, "Please, Alex," Thomas begged. "He's my best friend, I lost him once, I'm not losing him again."

Hamilton pulled the water from James' lung and Peggy instantly fed him air and James sucked it down, barely remaining conscious, black dots blotting out his vision. He leaned heavily on whoever was holding him up off the floor, which happened to be Thomas. Francis watched with concern, taking James' hand in his supportively. James' breathing evened out a bit and he pulled his hand away and pushed Thomas away from him as well, moving so that his back was against the wall, away from all of them, defensive.

"James, are you okay?" Francis asked gently.

Leave me alone.

"Come on, James, please, talk to me, let me it."

No.

"What are you talking about?" Thomas asked, confused. It sounded like Francis was having a conversation with James.

Francis glanced at Thomas, "I, ah, can read minds."

"That's impossible," Hamilton said.

"Yeah? Gay smut, Hamilton. You know how much gay smut I've seen because of you?"

Hamilton went entirely red, 'W-what?"

"Yeah, though there's been a recent switch from it being of my boyfriend to Thomas and I think one of you should grow some balls and act on that already, you're obviously pining."

Burr rolled his eyes, "I think there are more important matters right now than discussing imagined smut," he said, pointing up to the ceiling where the cracks in the ceiling were rapidly growing and pieces started falling down.

Eliza turned to Angelica, she could hold the ceiling up, but she was unconscious from whatever Francis did. James stood shakily to his feet, as the few remaining undead moved over to Angelica and John. Hamilton moved in defense, but Burr grabbed him and stopped him. "Wait." Then undead grabbed them by their collars and dragged them over to where James was and Burr pushed Hamilton over as well until they all were standing or sitting around James in a semi-circle. He grabbed John and Angelica, Burr, one step ahead of everyone else, rested his hand on James' shoulder and grabbed Hamilton. Francis was quick to follow, as was Thomas and they both grabbed onto Peggy and Eliza and James teleported them, dropping them in the middle of the Society's main hall.

There weren't many people in there so their sudden appearance startled them. George Fredericks rose from his chair and everyone in the room noticed James' jarring bone white hands, standing starkly out against his black attire. He instantly stepped away from the group, looked around at the people watching, quickly stuffing his hands back into his pockets. Francis checked on John before looking over at James.

"Thank you."

James stepped further back.

"No, James, wait, please-"

And then James disappeared.

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