"You did what?" Api demanded, hands gesturing wildly in the air in exasperation to his best friend's track record. "You fell off a building because of a spider?"
"For the record, I was distracted by bandits." Angin crossed his bandaged arms, his casted left leg held up by a sling as he was fixed to the hospital bed. He looked more exhausted than in pain. "Anyway, how's life going for you? Is Petir doing any better?"
"Not really," Api admitted. "She's gotten worse, and that's all I could tell. How's Daun?"
"She's fine, at home," Angin said. "Why? Is something the matter?"
Api's ears perked at the apparent mention of Daun's condition. Earlier, he'd accepted a call that specified both of them were in mortal danger. Did Angin forget about Daun's presence in the battle? What were they even doing?
Angin frowned at the sudden pause of the fire elemental's elaboration and his tensed expression. He pursed his lip, his bandaged chest contracting as he sucked air into his lungs.
"Api," the wind elemental said slowly, "where's Daun?"
"You really don't know?" Api demanded in surprise. "I thought she was with you! You were admitted at the same time."
Angin jerked up from his position instantly, though he winced as he had injured his stitches further. He choked out,"What?" as he spluttered from the pain.
He didn't know, which was weird. Api explained everything to him, which included his sister's position in the hospital and the critical condition she was in. He had saw her earlier in her ward, though Daun was looking worse for wear, despite there were no wounds.
The hospital's anti-bacterial smell was too familiar to them, as if the stench was regular oxygen, a second scent of home to them. It was sad, really. How the hospital hadn't sent anyone to do a background check on them yet, it's a miracle.
After Api finished the story, Angin looked deader than dead. His eyes lost light, and he couldn't meet Api's gaze. His eyes fell on the bandages around his chest, and his hands laid limply by his side, creasing the generic bed sheet.
The sun poured in from the windows, donning the room in a warm aura. But there was nothing warm anymore. There was no such effect as their moods darkened.
"Can I see her?" Angin's voice was coarse.
Api recognized the desperation of his eyes and the hopelessness in his voice. He'd been there, once a upon a time when Tanah was gone.
Api lowered his head, his fists clenched. His shadow was cast by his side, with his being blocking the sun in its path of physics.
"She's still unconscious," he rasped. "And you can't leave the room yet. Your powers are still recovering fully."
Angin did not respond, neither did his expression. Instead, a glazed look glossed his expression, like he was a doll that had given up on the wish of life, the hope to dance like a real human.
The fire elemental pursed his lip as he shifted in his position. He didn't want to see his best friend in such a defeated state. He never saw Angin like this before, even when times got tough. He was the one that brightened up moods and was the life of the party. Seeing Angin so... emotionless, it was all new to him.
"I'll tell you when she wakes up," Api whispers, voice barely audible. Angin's eyes trailed up to his face, but that was all. There was no snappy remark or any sort of wishful thinking or a quote for optimism. He was simply silent. "For now, I have to go."
The wind manipulator remained quiet, even when Api left the room, the door barely creating any sound as it closed.
* * *
With help, Cahaya and Tanah miraculously survived. The help came from an escape pod and slams on the monitor whenever it was spiraling out of control. Most of the tech abuse came from Tanah, which Cahaya had to give him credit for.
The egg-like pod broke from the ocean surface, which later crashed onto the beach's sandy grounds, creating a sandstorm as civilians screamed and scrammed from their tan. One dude tripped on his own underwear and fell face first into the sand like an ostrich, then he scrambled away flashing his buttcheeks at everyone.
As the sandstorm began to settle, the hatch of the pod groaned as the metal was being pushed against. With a slam, the slab of metal burst from its hinges and crashed into the sand, two males sticking their heads out, taking deep gulps of sandy air. They choked as soon as the sand got into their throats, spluttering and coughing and tumbling to the ground, their bodies sinking into the softness of the sand as they stared at the blue sky.
Cahaya's hair was spilled on the sand, and he didn't care if he would take hours to get it out of his hair. His face was itchy from the dust, but he didn't care.
"We're..." he breathed, wiping the sand from his nose with the back of his palm, "alive."
Tanah sat upright, shaking the clams and pebbles and sand from his hair. The shaved part of his head was irritating when it came in contact with sand. The downsides of having an undercut.
"Thought I'd strangle you in hell, but I guess that's for the future," he groaned, his feet kicking the sand in front of him. He curled his right knee and rested his elbow on it, his free hand supporting him as he leaned backwards, his chin tilting up to the sky.
Despite their safety, the same question bothered their minds as their conditions were stabilized.
Did Petir make it out?
* * *
Air sat by her bed, the sun falling gently on the white sheets, Daun's curly hair reflecting the light softly, framing her face in a warm glow. Her hand was clasped over Daun's limp one, their fingers intertwining.
It's been hours, but she hadn't woken up. The doctors said that it was suffocation, but it was unknown when she'll wake from her coma.
Her eyes narrowed, noticing the bruises on Daun's neck. It was the only visible injury, which didn't make any sense. If she was kidnapped, she would have fought back... but she didn't. There were no scars to prove it.
She needed answers, and she thought of one that she hoped to avoid. She would rather she be incorrect. She was tired of being perfect and right. She wished that Daun would prove her wrong in this situation. So, she waited.
Petir would be fine at home. When she left, Petir was asleep. She'd needed rest, after all. As much as their lives were chaotic, they all needed sleep, even Petir. So she covered her with the blanket, and left the house to visit Daun in the hospital.
She'd saw Angin on the way here. Api was already in his ward, arguing with the wind elemental. She daren't stop to question, because they would always resolve it and she needed to check on Daun.
Tanah and Cahaya were still missing. She needed too many answers but there could be no questions asked. There were too many locks with too little keys.
For now, she could only wait, like how she always does.
YOU ARE READING
This Isn't Your World
Fanfiction❝Petir's in a coma, Cahaya's sucked into a black hole, and Tanah went missing... I don't see how we can turn things back to the way we were.❞ [sᴇϙᴜᴇʟ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ]