Tale 1: War of the Protector

Chapter 41

"Cody?"

No response. He stared up at the sky, not moving, not breathing.

This was happening... This was really happening.

I choked on an unbidden sob. "Cody." I ran my hands over his bloodied chest, over his pale face. “You’re okay. You’re okay,” I sobbed. “Come on.”

The world slowed around us. Literally. The wind dropped. The sky let up. The screaming stopped and the locusts landed. And the Protectors gathered around.

The Protectors always gather at the death of the Amethyst. If anything should go wrong, and the power doesn't transfer, the world would shoot out of balance.

This was told to me from the back of my mind. It was in a completely different language but I understood it perfectly. No, I told it. Cody’s not dead, so they have nothing to worry about.

It barely even crossed my mind that what just went on in the back of my mind was something extraordinary. That those who I had inherited my power from, had just spoken. And I had spoken back.

The only thing I was aware of was that Cody wasn't looking at me anymore. Any which way I moved, his eyes wouldn't follow like normal.

I accepted that he was hurt. But I wouldn’t accept that he was dead. I just wouldn’t. He couldn’t die. He was Cody.

He was Cody.

He'll move on peacefully, the back of my mind told me, despite myself. Protectors who have done their job properly always do. That's mainly Amethysts, because every other Protector usually becomes corrupted from power. Amethysts, though, have always been grounded, even as the most powerful of Protectors.

He deserves to live, I told the voice. I looked down at him through bleary eyes, running my thumb over his cheekbone. More than anyone here, he deserves to live. And he will. He’s Cody.

Don’t do anything stupid.

The warning was so prominent, so enunciated, that it was then I acknowledged I wasn’t just talking to myself.

It was the power of the Emerald. For the moment, it was present. I could feel it running through me. I could feel the liquid gold pushing itself through my veins, touching my fingertips, ready for me to use at my disposal.

Don’t do anything stupid.

I could do it. I could reverse time. I could bring him back.

Don’t. Do. Anything. Stupid.

I placed both hands over his chest. My tears dried once I fell into concentration.

No. Stop! You cannot disturb the power of the Amethyst once it has already left. You’ll kill everyone!

A green mist flowed from my hands and into Cody. Before my eyes, his wound healed itself. The blood on his shirt disappeared. The pale color of his cheeks turned back to normal.

Then his chest rose and his eyes opened.

You’ve doomed them all.

“Lily,” Cody said softly, his eyes wide. “What did you just do?”

Then the world started shaking.

And the sword was driven through my back.

…...

When next I woke up, I was standing next to Cody.

Cody. Alive. Well.

I beamed. “Cody.”