Who I Am (Infinite x Reader)

Chapter 23 ~ Ultimate Sacrifice

I run up the tower, trying not to look back down at the devastated faces below. Their voices were speaking through the radio, having forgotten that it was left on perhaps.

   "We made it so far, damn it...!" Knuckles growls in frustration. He continues to curse in disappointment under his breath.

   "This isn't really happening, right?! This has to be just a bad dream!" Amy cried, disbelief filling her voice. But her tone had an understanding to it. The denial of the truth, that this is no dream.

   I fire my grapple up at a high platform, focusing my mind and energy on my mission. The pain of my injuries was slowly coming back, any painkillers I had taken for my rib and self-given concussion were wearing off. When I reached the top of the metal floor, I reached into one of my pouches on my belt while I kept running, rummaging around for the bottle of painkillers I "borrowed" from the medical shelf.

   My hand finds the small bottle, I pull it out and pop the lid off, carefully reaching into the container and grabbing two pills. I quickly glance up at the sun before looking back to my palm. The pale green pills bounce around in my hand while I ran. I do math in my head. Will two pills kick in quick enough? Will they last? What if I can't make it up the sun? I push my thoughts aside and pour out another few pills. Five fill my hand.

   I pop them into my mouth, twice the recommended amount. I throw the bottle with the remaining pills behind me, I won't exactly be needing them later.

   I'll be dead.

   "Isn't there anything we can do?!" Vector growls with desperation, unable to sit by as the sun slowly descends.

   Floors of metal pass, never ending seeming, nothing but what I see ahead of me being blurred out. It was like when I focus on a drawing or task that I'm doing. I blur out the world.

   "We still have a chance!" Tails declared. "Rookie has a Phantom Ruby prototype, if she can get close enough to the sun, it can cancel out the illusion."

   "You told her to do what?!" Knuckles demands. "(Y/N), give it up and retreat! You'll be burnt to a crisp before you get the chance! Fall back, that's an order!"

   Commander Knuckles referred to me as my real name... not "Rookie". Does Knuckles genuinely care for me? He wants me to survive? Why? Everyone will die if I don't. Does Knuckles not see that? Somebody who leads a Resistance should understand that victory doesn't come without sacrifice. And one life in exchange for an entire world of both cruel enemies and kind heroes is worth the death. I heard someone over the radio ask "who (Y/N) was", but I block out the voices best I can, I don't remember who asked the question.

   My hand finds my Ruby, I cling to it as I swing my arms to make me run faster.

   My heart is pounding, my breath was being taken. I was slowing down, and I was only half way up the tower. I grab my rifle from the clip at my belt, then throw it to the side. It was more weight to drag me down. I just hope that if I run into any enemies, I'll be able to take them on with handguns, knives and fists.

   "Please come back in one piece!" Amy pleads, worried. Why?

   I climb up metal walls, the fake sun beating down on me. Sweat was stinging in my eyes. The pain from before had begun to fade away, but that left more room for the conflicting emotions inside me. I was... scared. That I was about to give up my life. But even more terrified of if I failed.

   "I hate this too Commander, but the Ruby can only react to specific people. Only (Y/N) can do this!" Tails objects, though he has concern for me edge his words.