Dead Inside

39.

Sabre sat at the picnic table, Rainbow Steve helping patch Portal Steve's wounds across from him. He only had 2 more days until Sabre's time with flesh and blood is up. Portal Steve winced as Rainbow Steve slowly began to wrap his neck. Sabre wondered what happened to Portal Steve, and who the 'others' were. But he should wait for Portal Steve to calm down, he seemed pretty freaked out about Forest Steve.

"We have to leave," Portal Steve said when Rainbow Steve finished. "Forest Steve is on his way to Emburn. We have to go find the others and save her!"

"Who?" Rainbow Steve asked as if knowing Sabre's thoughts. "Find who?"

"The others," Portal Steve said again. "My other friends. If we find them, they can help us save Emburn. And maybe we can even get rid of Forest Steve before he can get you, Sabre."

Sabre blinked. "So, do you know where these other friends are?"

Portal Steve shut his mouth and shook his head. "That's the problem. If we are to find them, we have to leave now."

Rainbow Steve glanced at Sabre with a hopeful expression. Sabre didn't know what to say. He only had two more days until he's forced to return to the Cemetary of Bones. If he didn't wait for Emburn, he would surely turn to dust. 

"You can," Sabre finally said after a long moment of silence. "I have to stay."

"What?" Rainbow Steve questioned in astonishment. "But- You can't! Forest Steve will hunt after you when he's done with Emburn. He'll kill you!"

"If I go with you I won't make it back to the Dead Lands or the Cemetary of Bones," Sabre explained. "I'll turn to ash and dust. I only have two more days."

The friends fell silent. Sabre longed to go with them, but he knew what the consequences would be. His heart sank at the thought of leaving his friends to go without him.

"Maybe if we find the God of the Steves," Portal Steve brought up. "He can give you more time and we can stop Forest Steve together."

"Yeah, we could do that," Rainbow Steve agreed.

"But the God of the Steves said all humans belong either out of this world or in the Cemetary of Bones," Sabre brought up. "It's more likely a no."

"Let's go at least try," Portal Steve said. "I don't want to come back and find you in Forest Steve's clutches. I can't stand to watch another human die."

Sabre swallowed from Portal Steve's words. It sounded like he has been through a lot when whoever-his-friend-is died right at his feet. "Alright. We'll leave now, we got no time to waste. Lives are at risk. And if you are right, if we do find your other friends, we have to stop Forest Steve. We just have to!"