Salient Secret 2

53

"Avery."

"Avery."

"Avery."

"Wake up."

"Mom I need sleep."

"Avery. Wake. Up."

"Dane?" I say opening my eyes. 

"And mom."

"And me," Jason says when I sit up. 

"Don't forget about me," Chloe says standing next to mom. 

"We're all here," dad says sitting down on my bed. I'm surrounded by pink walls, this my childhood home. It's been years since I've been here. Wait, why am I here?

"Mom," I say hugging her tightly realizing I thought I'd never see her again. 

"Hey sweetie," she says hugging me back. 

"What's going on?" I ask looking around the room seeing a weird mix of people. 

"You died Avery," Dane answers after no one else does. 

"Does that mean you're all dead?" I say as the hole in my heart is just getting bigger. 

"Yes," Chloe answers and tears start running down my face. 

"No no no, I was supposed to save you guys," I say looking at their faces. 

"It's okay Avery," Jason says trying to make me feel better but it's not working. 

"IT'S NOT OKAY!" I shout. "You are 14 years old, because of me you're never going to get to finish high school and have a life," I say looking at Chloe. "You are 24 years old, you were supposed to get married and start a life with Maya," I say to Jason. "Dad you're like 50, you were supposed to be enjoying retirement. And mom, my precious mom, you were supposed to watch your children grow up and then go on adventures with dad. But now you're all dead and it's my fault," the guilt is taking over every single part of me. They are all dead because of me. How am I supposed to live with that guilt?

"Avery, you've got it all wrong," mom says sitting next to me. "I'd rather die a thousand times over knowing you're alive than living a life full life of adventures thinking you're dead." 

"I couldn't agree more," Jason says and Chloe and dad nod. 

"And you weren't the one who killed us Ave, this wasn't your fault," dad says. "We are all happy to die if that's the price of knowing you're not dead."

"But I am dead now," I say, letting it settle in. I can't say I'm devastated because I will get to be with my family.

"No you're not Avery," Dane says. "You're not dead, you have to fight it Avery, fight it, you can heal your wounded heart. Do not give in to death."

"I don't want to go back Dane. My family is here," I say never wanting to let go of my moms hand. 

"Sweetie we will be here waiting for you when you die, but today is not that day, you have to go back," mom says rubbing my hand with thumb.

"Mom I don't want to leave you."

"Avery, we will all have died for absolutely nothing if you stay here. You have to go back and kick that bitch's ass," Jason says seriously. 

"I can't, she's too strong."

"Avery, so.are.you," Dane says passionately. "I did not choose you because you had cancer, I chose you for the same reason cancer chose you. Because you are strong enough to fight it, you are stronger than you could ever imagine. Feel the energy running through you, and then use it."

"And don't worry about us Ave, we all love you more than you will ever know, and we would die for you any day, any time. We need you to fight to live. We will be there watching over you every step of the way," dad says with tears in his eyes.

"Make us proud sister," Chloe adds and I feel unstoppable with them on my side. 

"So go Avery, go. They need you."

Kai

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I say rushing to her dead body on the ground. "What did you do?????"

"A favour," Cynthia says and then walks away.

"I'm so sorry Kai, she was supposed to stab me but Vada-" I hold up my hand for him to stop talking because I've heard enough. 

"I can't hear her heart beating," Imelda points out and I wish I could give her mine. 

"She died a hero," Rik adds. 

"Cynthia does not get to slaughter her and her entire family and still walk away untouched," Tanith fiercely says with tears streaming down her face and then starts walking in the same direction Cynthia walked in. 

"She's right," I say carefully setting her head on the ground and following Tanith, the others follow too. 

"Cyntha!" Tanith shouts causing her to stop and turn around. 

"I see you'd like to join your dead friend," she says cockily smiling. 

"We think it's time you join her so that you can apologize," Tanith responds and then uses her powers to channel a dragon then breathes fire at Cynthia. When the smoke clears Cynthia is still standing tall as if fire has no effect on her. 

"I'm insulted, I killed Lucifer after absorbing his powers, I am the king of all dragons," she says and then starts growing, in a matter of seconds she has transformed into a fully grown dragon that is now hurling towards us, she knocks Enzo down, I change into Arlo and run towards her to slide underneath her, I get up and pull her back by her tail, I swing her around and throw her into the distance. She killed the love of my life, the last thing she's getting is mercy. Cassian clearly agrees with me because when I get to her, he is sucking the air out of her now human body. 

Her eyes roll back and she starts chanting, that can't be good. The ground starts rumbling again and a demon emerges from the ground, this one is bigger than the others. He runs towards Cassian and scratches him across his back with its claws, causing him to fall to the ground, releasing his hold on Cynthia. Cynthia whistles and looks at me, the demon starts running towards me and then suddenly gets thrown across the field, thanks Palmer. I turn to Cynthia and see Rik and Imelda going hand-to-hand combat with her. She ends up knocking both of them unconscious, how ??? 

Cynthia then opens her mouth and breathes fire at Palmer and I, but Palmer manages to hold it off using her powers, Tanith uses this as an opportunity to sneak behind her and kick her using one of her spirit animals. Cynthia doesn't budge, she grabs Tanith by the neck and slams her on the ground. There is no way Palmer and I can take win against her. 

She looks at us and Palmer tries to get into her mind but Cynthia fights it which makes Palmer pass out.  It's just me now, and this is for Avery. I shift into Cynthia and I'm determined to use her own powers against her, starting with her fire breathing. I open my mouth and use all the power I got to shoot her with fire, she blocks it by doing the exact same thing. It's a matter of who can last longer, the answer is her. My back hits the ground and I can hear her walking towards me. 

"What a shame, but you'll thank me later," she says looking at her hand that's now a claw and just as she is about to rip my heart out, someone distracts her. 

"You didn't think I'm that easy to kill did you?"