Tales of Aridia

Goodbye

Jayden's lips were parted and out of them foamed a white froth. I rolled over onto my side and held his hand. "Jayden..." I whispered, barely able to speak. His face had turned a ghostly white and all his movements were ridged. His hand bent upwards, reaching for his neck. He unhooked a golden chain that lay tucked beneath his shirt. In his palm he held a small glass ball, inside of it was a blue liquid. A tiny gold button rested on the glass. "This will help with the pain," Jayden said, placing it into my hand. "You need it," I said handing it back to him. Max stood above us, watching us slowly die, there was nothing he could do. 

"We are going to die anyway," Jayden said, his eyes rolling back into his head. I pressed the tiny button, holding the glass ball to my mouth. The glass split in two and the liquid ran down into my throat. I coughed for a moment, spluttering as the liquid settled into my body. Jayden was right, the pain was cast out. Max was crying, flooded with pain he fell to the floor. Elliana looked about in fear, she was not so sure what was going on.  Jayden turned his head to face mine, "You asked me something," He whispered. His eyes struggled to focus but they locked onto mine. "You asked what you were to me, before you lost your memory." He explained. For a moment he paused, a single tear  running down his cheek and splashing onto the stone floor. Jayden choked, guttering on his own blood. "I love you," He croaked, gently stroking my hair. "When you first met me, and you didn't know who I was, well...I was heartbroken." He wheezed, every word becoming harder to be spoken. His arm reached towards my sleeve, pulling it up gently. I looked down, the poison...It was gone.

I looked at Jayden and then back to my arm, I swiped the blue liquid off my lips onto the tips of my fingers. "What is this?" I asked, showing him the blue stains. "Don't be angry at me Robyn...please." He said. Max was frozen still, plagued with shock. "What is it?" I asked again. Jayden erupted with another bout of coughing, arching his back up and down. Soon the coughing stopped and Jayden could talk again. "I got it from my parents, It can cure any poison. One time use, and only when there is no other option." He explained as I fiddled with the glass ball in my hand. I was filled with anger, "But you could of drank it!" I yelled. Jayden smiled, "You have a future Robyn, you need to save Aridia. Max and I could not have done it alone." He said. Max sat by his side, resting his hand on Jayden's shoulder. I turned my anger to Max, "Did you know about this?!" I yelled at him. Max shook his head, his eyes glazed over with tears. 

All of a sudden the anger faded and I realised that this was it. Jayden was going to die. I rested my head on his chest, sobbing as his heart took a few last beats, clinging onto the last moments of his life. "Don't cry," He mumbled, stroking my hair. His body stiffened, and his hands suddenly stopped stroking my hair. They glided off my back, and landed on the floor. "Promise me you will save Aridia," He said, staring at the ceiling, unable to move his head. I nodded, "Of course," I cried.

 I sat up and our eyes met, "So beautiful," He muttered. I lowered my head to his ear and whispered gently, "I love you." 

The edge of Jayden's mouth twitched into a slight smile, but then his face dropped, and his head swivelled to face the floor.