Death's Feather

Chapter 7: More Bearable Together

"So you see, young man; how things turned out for you."

The words spoke inside his mind and the scene faded into the usual white mist. He was all alone and yet he never felt more observed. He knew he was never alone, not since the beginning of the tournament. Someone was always watching him, and now they spoke inside his mind with a gentle and sad voice.

" Maybe you can change this. Maybe you can fight to the death, kill others on your way up and face whatever fate is waiting for you. Or..."

"¿Or what?" He asked.

"Or you can stay here."

As soon as those words flooded his mind, the white mist faded, revealing a familiar scene.
Ignacio watched his mother's living room through the window outside, like in a Christmas Carol from Dickens. It was actually Christmas and his whole family was sitting around the green tall tree, opening presents and eating buñuelos and turkey. The sweet smell of hot chocolate, sweets and ham made his mouth water.
But above all that, the warm images of his mother's smile, his father doing weird gestures with his hands while telling a story and both of his siblings laughing so hard—made him wanna stay more than anything in the world.

"They're expecting you. They love you and are so proud of you. You're not a screw up here. You can be anything you want here. You can have as many chances as you want. You'll never fail them, or hurt them. Not like up there."

Up there. In the land of the living, where his real family was still waiting for him...
Up there, where the unknown awaited and forgiveness would be hard to earn.

"There's nothing but real life and sorrow up there. You'll have to face all the damage you left behind. You're like a storm, Ignacio. You leave nothing but destruction on your way out."

In that moment, someone else entered the living room coming from the kitchen.
It was Carina. She was glowing with happiness. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her dress moved like the waves of the ocean. And in her arms...
Ignacio inhaled.
The most beautiful baby with rosy cheeks and tawny skin. A girl, shaking up her little fists while her mother sang in a harmonious voice along the Christmas songs.
Everyone was singing, actually. And Ignacio saw his own mother take the baby girl from Carina's arms and dance around with her, holding her up in the air.

"You could have her. You could have them both. If only you choose to stay."

Ignacio wanted to stay. He wanted to stay so bad it hurt.
But he couldn't. He wouldn't. It wasn't real at all. What was truly real was that sweet little girl waiting for her father to fight for her. Carina was real, raising a child on her own and working for both of them. Real were his family, suffering and feeling betrayed, with one less family member.

"I can't." He said. "It isn't real."

He prepared for any sort of attack; but nothing happened, only that soft voice filling his mind.

"As you wish boy. But remember, fantasy is a much better escape when reality becomes to hard to bare. And the reality that awaits you will be the hardest."

"I know. But there's only so much fantasy one can use to keep reality at bay; it'll always be there, waiting to snatch you back and hit you harder than the last time. So I won't let that happen. No more escaping. I'll face anything that comes my way for the ones I love—we'll face reality together. That'll make it more bearable."

The white mist swirled in front of his eyes and, like it was all a dream, Ignacio woke up back in the maze, surrounded by stone walls and two more competitors who looked as hurt and miserable as he was feeling.
Emmanuel touched the ground with his forehead while Amelia was still sobbing. She found Ignacio and ran like crazy, clashing and hugging him like a helpless little girl.
Ignacio hugged her back, needing it as much as her.