Desert Wings

Jade

"What are you doing Kara? What's the point of whatever it is you are doing?"
"I need to get out of here." I reply softly, returning my gaze to Death's face, I was surprised to see concern residing there.
"You can leave you know, right now. All you would have to do is follow me." Death sadly offers one hand, extending it towards me as one might a life line. Or a sword with which to stab them.
"I'm not ready to die yet. There has to be another way to leave." I shake my head.
"Kara."
"Yeah?"
"There isn't."
"What?"
"I've seen so many people try to achieve that dream,"Death sat on the edge of the fountain, I settled beside him,"I've been here since the very beginning. I haven't forgotten anything. No one has left with out me taking them, not without losing their lives to this place. Kara, I really don't think there is a way out. No, I know there isn't a way out. I'm sorry I really am..."
"No," I shake my head,"Be sorry all you want. There has to be another way out. There has to. I will find it, or force Fate's hand."
Death shook his head silently,"Okay. I just thought you would want to know. Try to keep your hopes reasonable is all. You might not like forcing Fate's hand."
"I don't care. I will find a way."
"Kara..."
"I hope we can become freinds Death, or at least allies, I have a feeling we shall be seeing each other again."
Without a word Death stood up and walked away, something inside me broke as the reality of what he had said really meant settled in.
"I will find a way out. I have to. I can't stay here forever." I hide my face in my hands as tears sneak their way to freedom,"I'll break."

A few days later another trap triggered. I encountered Death. Another left the Desert. Another part of me shattered. Weeks go by, then months, I take so many lives. To many, quick, merciful, freeing them from this plane of torture. Regret paints Death's eyes, pain etched upon his face, my face becomes stoic, my heart becomes unfeeling. I break more with each encounter, with each crack upon my mind, my heart, my soul the mask I wear grows stronger. With each life another fragment is lost to the mists of time, and I go with them, changing, hiding myself, trying to salvage what I can of my mind. Spinning and unfeeling, I stop noticing.
"Kara."
"Hmmmm..."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." No, and I haven't been for a while.

"Kara?"
"Yeah?"
"Where you listening."
"To what? To who?"

"Help me." I sob in the night, locked away in a silent room. Bars of moonlight lock me in, I feel trapped, a prisoner in my own skin. Going, going, not gone. Never gone. Gone would mean Death, that would mean giving up. So many lives, there can't be anymore left.
Fate will let me leave soon right?
A silent moon offers no reply,"Can you see me Artimes? Do you fear the monster I have become? Could you save me?" Silence echoes comfortably in my ears.
Echoes are all that I hear.
What can you make if a world full of tears?
A world full of fears?
How are you supposed to build a ship to sail when everything sinks?

"Kara."
"Yeah?"
"You aren't okay." I look up slowly, Death meets my blind stare.
"Sure I am. I am the last one, Fate will let me go soon. I know it."
"Oh Kara, you are by no means the last one, no you aren't even close."
"What? How many more are left?" How much of me is left?
"I don't really know..."
"I have to make it, I will be the last one standing."
"No, not with your constant existential crisis, never mind you identity issues."
"I will."
Death throws his hands up in the air,"I'm trying to help you!"
"I know. Can you actually help me though?"
"I don't know or think I will ever know. I just know I need to leave."
"You can come with me."
I stare Death in the eye, a fire long weakened rekindled,"You should understand by now, losing my life to this place would be giving up! That is not something I am willing to do right now!"
"Okay Kara."
"Good. I will come with you when I am ready, when I say so. No sooner, no later." Death nods.
Snap!
I dart towards where the sound had come from,"Jade?"
"Kara?! Get me down from here!" I quickly undo the knot holding her in the air by her ankles.
"What are you doing here? I thought the Desert had rejected you or something?"
"Yeah, well apparently it changed it's mind." A odd thump sounds, I spin, unsure of what had caused it.
"What was... oh, oh no. Jade."
"Kara?" An arrow protruded from her back.
"Who is here?!" I scream, leaping into the sky, scanning the ground below me. Death sat beside Jade placidly, then I noticed the quaking branches just to my left. I drop towards the tree, rocketing towards them,"You?"
"Kara!"
"Be quite Polaris!" He held his hands up, his quiver slung across his back, bow still in his hand.
"Kara!"
"Come." I hold my sword to his throat and march him towards Jade.
"Do you want him to join your fatal condition Jade?"
Jade stares at me,"What?"
"To bad, I say he should."
Before Polaris fully understands what I am doing my sword is in his stomach,"Not how I expected you to greet me, but what ever." He grumbled despite the pain.
"Kara..."
"No Death, Fate and Karma can fight me."
"They will, not today but they will."
I nod,"Bye Jade." I whisper to her as the light faded from her eyes, Polaris follows her soon after. "Bye Death."
"Bye Kara, I'll see you later." I nod.

"Polaris is gone."
"What?!" Hestia screams when I tell her.
"Yeah."
"That was a mistake Kara."
"So? I killed Malum, nothing horrible has really happened yet."
"Fair, but Fate won't tolerate this for long."
"Good."
"Just be careful."
"Why? Am I playing with fire? Am I going to get burned?"
"No, that's not really her style. Those two are more likely to make you suffer a long, painful end."
"No, she would let me go."
"Kara, she won't."
"She's right you know Kara. That isn't something Fate or Karma is likely to do. Oh, right introducing myself. Hi, I am Chance."