The Monster (Sequel to Evil Hero) [Discontinued]

Chapter 3: Moving On

*present time*

Mitch's POV

They say time heals all wounds.

Well, it still hasn't happened to me yet.

Three months have come and gone. My nineteenth birthday, March 3rd, has already passed. We didn't celebrate it much.

March 9th. Jerome's birthday. No one in the castle felt like doing anything that day. Me? I spent the day in my room, reminiscing about all the memories we shared as children and crying.

Today is March 31st. Another day that Jerome's coming.

Each time I see him, I feel whole and happy again. But when he leaves, I feel empty inside; I feel like I just lost him all over again.

When we see each other, it's mostly just me crying, trying to apologize to Jerome about what happened. He keeps saying it's okay, that he's happy where he is.

Last time I saw him, he left me with a message.

"Mitch, I don't want you to be sad over me anymore. I want you to go live your life, have an adventure. Do it for me."

Everyone from the Team wants me to move on, to go and live the life that Jerome can't. But I don't know if I have the courage or strength to leave Jerome in the past.

Apparently things have been happening around the castle for the past few weeks. We - Team Crafted - live in the mostly finished house that we agreed to build a while ago, by the coastline.

Ryan stops by my room every once in a while to fill me in. People are coming to the castle all the time to sign up for the new Royal Army we're running. We're getting stronger; the other Generals are organizing their groups of soldiers. I probably should be doing the same.

I mean, we're getting stronger as an army, but for what? There's no immediate threat to the kingdom.

January 1st was the day I left to visit home again, the day after I saw Jerome.

But then again, nothing's the way it used to be anymore, not even at home...

*two months ago* (A/N: many flashbacks from now on will be in third person)

"Rob? Preston? Mat?" Mitch asked, looking around at the familiar street.

It was mostly deserted; after all, the temperature was below freezing, and snow was falling. No one in their right mind would be outside right now.

Mitch sighed, scanning the windows of the street's houses. They were all dark, even Preston's window. Which meant they were all probably out somewhere.

He took off in a sprint towards the snow-covered trees, looking for that familiar opening in the earth. He spotted the jut in the stone of the hill, felt around for the hidden button, and pushed it. The blocks swung back, revealing the ladder down to the depths of the cave.

Mat's a genius, Mitch smiled as he climbed down the ladder.

The familiar golden glow of torchlight filled the wide-open cave. It was much bigger than it had been since the last time Mitch had seen it, and there were now six balconies built into the wall, instead of five. The stone ceiling soared to the dirt surface, and the floor stretched far, far down; at least fifty blocks.

In the area between was a fighting arena, parkour, unfinished TNT cannons, you name it. This base had been a secret hideout for Mitch and his friends for over ten years. There were a lot of memories made in this underground base. Mitch closed his eyes as he remembered everything that had happened here, and tears sprung to his eyes.