Who am I? (Sequel to 'Who are you?') (TomTord)

28. I believe you...

This picture is mine again! Hope you like it, guys!

Tom's POV:

"Like I said earlier, this light is symbolizing you and the darkness is Blue Leader. You can say it like that." He said. I nodded. "I keep trying to protect this light from dying. I protect it from the wind, I keep making sure there is enough oil and I just keep trying to keep it lit." He continued.

"But why?" I asked. "I'll tell you, why... It's because I care about you, Tom..." He said. "But why..? You don't! I don't trust you, I can't trust you! You hurt us, betrayed us! And you just want to use us!" I yelled.

He shook his head. "I don't care, what you think about me, but I care about you... And I would do apsolutely anything to keep this lantern lit." He said. I calmed down a little. "But...you did hurt us... So why?" I asked.

"You don't know that. You just trust her, because you feel like it's the right thing to do. And if I can be honest, I did hurt you... But I was forced to. It was an accident... I didn't mean to..." He whispered.

I didn't answer. "A-anyway, go on..." I said. He sighed. "Right... Well, I want to keep you safe, but it's actually destroying me..." He said. I tilted my head. "I'm doing all I can to save you, Tom. To save you from her... And I'm using the oil from my robotic arm." He said.

I stared at him when I saw tears leaving his eyes. I wiped them away and nodded. He stayed silent for a couple of seconds. "Tom... Tell me, why do you trust her..?" He asked. "I... I just feel like it's the right thing. She is my leader after all..." I answered.

"But did she ever do anything good to you..? Did she?" He asked. I didn't respond. No, she didn't... I looked away. "Tom, please... I just want to protect you. I'm aware that I am destroying myself so I can protect you... My Tommie..." He said.

I didn't answer again. "B-but how do I know you're not lying..?" I asked. "And how do you know she is not lying?" He asked. "...Good point." We stared at each other awkwardly. Suddenly, a strong wind appeared out of nowhere...

Tord quickly held the lantern close, protecting it from making the light blow. I could tell it burned, but he didn't care. I kept shaking from cold when I heard laughing echoying through the darkness... It was woman's laughing... Was it The BLue Leader? I didn't know. Maybe. probably.

I heard Tord sob. Tears fell down his scarred cheek and he was shivering, probably from the cold. "Tord, does it burn..?" I asked carefully. "Of course it burns, Tommie..." He whispered, his voice cracking.

"You know... It would be so much easier if I would just let it go... Let the wind blow the fire..." He said. I didn't say anything. I was too scared. He still kept protecting it. "T-Tord, I..." I had no idea what to say.

"So many voices that are telling me to just let go and move on..." He said. I heard more laughter and some voices whispering. "Let go..." "It won't hurt anybody." "It's all lost anyway..."

Tord's body relaxed a little. "Maybe I should let go, Tom..." He said. "W-what!? NO!" I yelled. "You don't care about me anyway... No matter how hard I try..." He said. The voices agreed.

I saw roots growing out of nowhere again... They were growing around Tord that was slowly letting go of the lantern. "Tord! Stop!" I yelled and tried to reach for the lantern. But those roots wrapped around my arm, stopping it from moving.

"W-what are these, Tord!?" I yelled. "If roots are growing all over you, it means you're slowly losing hope... In the end, we'll all become trees... Hopeless... Unable to do anything..." He answered.

"D-don't stop believing in yourself, Tord! Maybe I will believe you one day! Maybe I will trust you!" I yelled. He didn't answer. The roots stopped growing around me, but they didn't let go of me either.

Tears fell down his face when I saw the light was really close to dying. The wind got stronger and it got colder. "Tom... There is no hope here..." He whispered. "That's not true!" I yelled. The roots then let go of me and I quickly grabbed the lantern, protecting it.

The light was still dying, but slower. Tord didn't say anything for a few minutes. "Tord..?" Still no answer. I looked at him... But all I saw were roots... The wind stopped and the voices went silent. I stared at the place Tord once was.

'No, I can't lose him now...' I thought. I grabbed one of the roots and started pulling it, hoping to break it and make Tord free again. "Don't you understand!?" I heard a woman's voice. "S-sir..?" I turned around to see her glaring at me, her arms crossed.

"You can't save someone who already lost hope." She said. I looked back at Tord. "But I can try!" I yelled and kept trying to help him. I saw the light became brighter. Like it was getting stronger. I understood better now.

"I-I can't let him go!" I yelled. She grabbed my arm. "You have to." She started dragging me away from Tord and the lantern. I saw the light was dying again, more and more as I was getting further away.

"Let me go!" I shouted, tears falling down my face as I tried making her let go of my arm. She didn't answer, just kept dragging me. The roots that were wrapped around Tord were now stronger, as if they were hoding Tord tighter.

The light was almost dead... Wind appeared again... I shivered. "I-I believe you, Tord! She really IS a bad person and just wants me to take me away from you! I'm sorry for not believing you from the start!" I yelled, shutting my 'eyes' so I wouldn't have to see it.

Everything stopped. The wind. She stopped dragging me and let go of my arm. I carefully opened my 'eyes' and looked around. I only saw darkness. Was the light already dead?

I stood up and stared on my shaky hands. 'No. I can't give up now! The light doesn't have to be dead yet!' I thought. I started running back and saw roots all around me. I followed them and saw Tord with them still wrapped around him. "T-Tord!" I yelled and ran up to him.

He didn't answer, but coughed. Leaves fell out of his mouth. The light...was not dead! I smiled. That was a relief. I started grabbing the roots and tried my best to break them so I could set Tord free.

I then could see Tord's whole face. It was scratched and scarred. "Tord? Can you hear me?" I asked. He opened his left eye and looked at me. He smiled softly. "I knew you'd believe me one day..."