From Embers

T H I R T E E N

After the incident Scott started tracking down the Wendigo. It could do some serious damage if left alone. I sprinted full speed back to the housing unit. I didn't care if anyone saw me running that fast; I needed to get safe. I hoped that Scott would be able to kill the thing before it got to anyone. I walked into the front door of our unit and everyone was seated in the living room. 

"You look tired Max, are you alright?" Sabrina asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm perfectly fine." I lied.

"Alright, just making sure. We're playing a trivia game on our tablets if you want to join. It's pretty fun." Diego offered.

"I'm alright Diego, thanks for the offer though. I just wanna relax and lie down for a bit." I responded.

"It's coolio Max. See you later." He said.

"See ya." I replied.

I walked up to my room and closed my door, locking it behind me. I sat down at my desk and ran my hands through my hair. There was a bloodthirsty creature on campus that probably hasn't eaten in ages. It's very dangerous, and even Scott seemed afraid of it. Its form wouldn't leave my mind. It was absolutely terrifying. Nothing I had ever been afraid of before could match the sight of that thing. I pondered what could happen if Scott didn't catch it quickly. My biggest fear came to life before my eyes. Large poles ascended from the ground all around the campus. There were speakers on the top of the poles that extended when they stood at their full height. A loud siren erupted from outside. It almost sounded like a tornado alert tower, but the sound was higher pitched and constant. I looked outside and there were vehicles coming in from the main gate. One looked similar to an ambulance. When I finally could fully see the van there was a medical plus on the side of it. The alarm stopped ringing and Headmaster Pearce came started talking through the speakers. 

"For the safety of all of our staff and students do not leave your units until I give a further notice. We will provide food and any supplies via our transport vehicles if you request it through your in-house phones. Thank you for your cooperation and I will announce further information about class and more later tonight." He said quickly.

After he stopped, the speakers turned off and lowered themselves back into the ground. I unlocked my door and looked over the railing into the living room. My roommates were just looking at each other in shock. 

"Has this ever happened before?" I said to them.

The didn't say anything, just shook their heads at the same time. 

I heard a noise from my room down the hall, like someone dropping onto the floor. I turned and walked back into my room to see a very hurt Scott lying in the middle of my room. I slammed my door behind me, not even bothering to lock it. He was bleeding, and badly at that. I thought he couldn't die again since he was resurrected by The Hierarchy. There were stab wounds in his chest and stomach, and more on his upper thighs. 

"I-I almost got the bastard. I-It played dead and then lashed out at me when I got close. Took out that s-security guard b-before I could get there." He almost couldn't talk.

"What do I do? How do I help you?" I said frantically. 

"Grab something to s-staunch the bleeding. I'll heal myself, but i-it's gonna take a few hours. Gotta make sure I d-don't hit the sack before that happens." He managed to stutter out.

I looked around my room and my eyes landed on my closet. I grabbed three of my white t-shirts that I brought with me here and wrapped it around the wound on his leg. I would have to buy replacements at the store, but I didn't care right now. I wrapped the other two around his torso tightly to try and slow down the bleeding. I sat there feeling helpless after that. He started coughing violently for a few moments and then lied still. 

"Scott?" I asked.

No response. 

"Stay with me Scott. You're not gonna die on me now." I yelled.

I felt my body invigorate with strength and knew my abilities had just switched themselves on. I started chest compressions with everything I had. After the first few compressions I heard a loud snap. I think I just broke his ribs or sternum. I didn't care, as long as he survives it didn't matter. A few minutes later, his body shook violently and he started coughing. I felt him take a breath between my compressions. I stopped and he opened his eyes. Relief flooded over me; he was back.

"Damn mate, t-think you broke a rib t-trying to k-keep me alive." He stuttered out. 

My hands were covered in his blood, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that he was alive. 

"As y-you can see I-I can still die, but they would just bring me back again. I a-appreciate you keeping me alive though. It's p-pretty painful to be brought back again." He stated.

"I'm glad you didn't die on me quite yet. I kinda need your help. I don't know anything about anything really. You're my source of information and learning to control these abilities." I chuckled.

He started to laugh with me, but it turned into another coughing storm. 

I ran my hands through my hair again. Stressful day this was.

Then, something completely unexpected happened. Diego opened my door and I almost screamed from the shock. He stood there, motionless and without any expression. 

"Diego, come in, shut the door, and don't freak out. Let me explain." I said cooly.

He did what I asked and sat down on my bed. He kept eyeing Scott and the blood on the floor. A few minutes passed before he said anything, but when he finally collected himself, he spoke.

"What is going on Maximus?" He asked.

"Long story or short story?" I asked.

"All of it." He answered.

"Well, this is Scott. He's like a guardian angel to me. There are a group of people that are after me called The Elders. They consist of basically every bad legend to ever exist. They're trying to capture me because I have many different abilities and I'm able to open a portal to the world they were forced into by the group he's a part of.  They're called the Hierarchy; they protect the world. He's training and protecting me to make sure they don't get me and use me. When we were training in their world today, one of The Elder beings got out and is now in our world. It's called a Wendigo. It killed a security guard before Scott could stop it, and it hurt him really badly which is why he's here. I'm trying to stop him from dying, again. It's still out there now, which is why we're on lockdown right now. I know all of this is really bizzare and crazy but you have to believe me." I filled him in.

"I believe you." Was all he said back.

"You do? Please don't tell everyone else. I never meant to tell anyone or involve anyone." I asked.

"I don't know why you would come up with such a strange story unless you were really telling the truth. No one could come up with that on the fly. Plus, there's a guy bleeding out on your floor, so it's kinda forced for me to believe. I promise this is between us. No one else will know. Now, how do we stop the Wendigo thing before it kills anyone else?" He asked.

"Ye have to put anything into its heart, mate. It'll shrivel up and die if you hit it there. I'm gonna need to heal and get back up to speed before I let you two go after it. Cause I'm here to protect you both now. It'll take a few hours, but with the place on lockdown. Everyone should be safe." Scott stated.

"Alright, sounds easy enough." Diego responded.

"Sounds easy, but it's skin is extremely tough. Gotta make sure before ye even step close to it. A mistake I won't make again. I almost killed it, so it's pretty weak now." Scott said.

He sat up from the ground and didn't even wince from the pain. He must be already starting to heal. Diego stood and collected himself, likely processing everything. 

Scott took another pistol from his waistband and handed it to Diego.

"One of the only things that can kill these bastards, mate. Never runs out of ammo and never jams up. Hierarchy grade." Scott said.

"Time to kill a Wendigo." I said loudly.