One Of The Shadows

Ready

   I raised my hands at Chrystal. She squirmed and tried to move, but it was hard with the burns. She winced and looked up at me, not even fearful. I scowled down at her. I wanted to cause her pain. If it didn't bother her that she'd die, then everyone else would die. 

   "Annora..." Chrystal tried to reason with me again.

   I shot the energy out of my hands and I saw a black and white blur make contact with it and when the light died down I saw Valdemar on the ground, groaning, but unscathed. He was obviously hurt.

   "Valdemar!" I yelled, concerned. Then I shook it off. "Get out of the way!" I yelled after he got up, in front of Chrystal. He stood tall, still in pain, and he got out a flask, somehow not broken, and went to take a drink, finding it empty. He then lit a cigarette.

   "Annora," he said, once he was comfortably smoking. "You were never like this. You were happy and bright. This is not like you. You say it is, but it's not."

   "Valdemar, he's dead," I sobbed.

   "Yeah, he is," Valdemar said angrily.

   I saw Rafael, bloody and bruised, limp over. "But you trying to bring him back to life is wrong. It is not right. Everyone has their time. Then it ends. This is how it's meant to be. It all weaves into the great tapestry of time. Let it happen. Don't fight it."

   "He was never meant to be dead! Never meant to be burned!" I screamed at them, then noticing Arlen, who was slowly making his way over, with the help of Fabian.

   "Nicandro was never burt," Arlen told me gently. "Annora, you were my first friend. Please don't be my last."

   I held back a sob at seeing how hurt Arlen was.

   "But even if you do complete this whole psycho thing, destroying the world," he tried to chuckle to lighten the mood. "I want to be with you through it all. Even if I don't agree."

   Fabian cut in. "I don't care either way. I just want to live."

   I looked at them all. They all stood, ready to fight. Even Arlen, ready to defend himself. Grouped as one, against me.

   "You all hate me!" I screamed at them. "You must think I'm not worth it! I'll show you! I'll do it!"

   I shot my hand out to the side, destroying more ground, buildings, whatever I could. Not wanting to hurt my friends, but slowly working up the strength to do it.

Nicandro P.O.V

   I stumbled. I tripped. Even with Grayem's help I could barely walk. It was pain. Each step shot waves of pain up my legs, the movement in my body would make my torso ache. My head was spinning, trying to keep up with the landscape whilst also dealing with a headache. My throat burned, my eyes stung, and my arms were mostly limp, heavy, weighted down.

   But with each movement I was a tiny bit less hurt. Each step was slowly and slowly getting a tiny bit to almost bearable.  I pushed through the immense pain. I kept going, ignoring the trips, stumbles. When I fell, I got back up again.

   I was born Nadir Edmundo Eloy. Now Nicandro Edmundo Smith. I needed to do this. The world needed me. Annora needed me.

   I would not let her loose herself anymore then she already had. She needed me more then ever before. And like always, I needed her.