Magics: Escape (Book 2)

Chapter Thirty-Five

Shintaro ripped his arm away from Kai, standing at his full height. He snapped the chains with a flash of Light Magic, which Kai suspected he couldn't have done when Moon was holding them. Shintaro moved toward Moon, who was gasping on the grass with Zeke pinning her down. Chase had just gotten to his feet, gritting his teeth and rubbing the spot on his back that Moon had crushed. 

"Are you alright?" Shintaro asked his son gently, touching his shoulder carefully. Chase nodded his head but didn't speak. "What were you thinking, Chase? You can't beat her, let alone what's coming." 

Chase looked just as shocked at his father as Kai had been. He lifted his head and their yellow eyes met, Shintaro's disapproving and worried and concerned, and Chase's confused and bewildered and moving towards angry. 

"You should- listen to him," Moon spat between harsh gasps, directing her gaze up at them, though she had to tip her head backwards against the grass to do so. "He's a smart man, boy. He knows when- to give in to a greater power." 

Their voices drained away, the roaring in Kai's ears reaching a deafening state. He sat on his knees, staring at the grass below his hands, feeling so, so alone. He choked on his breath, not knowing whether to gasp it in or exhale. 

If Shintaro wasn't going to fight with them, what were they going to do? 

Who would listen to Shintaro? 

Who would abandon their mission? 

Who would give up on the world like this? 

Who else from their group? 

Would Kai be the only one fighting? 

Why? 

Why? 

What was wrong with Shintaro? 

Why did he give into despair, just like he'd taught Kai not to do? 

Why? 

Falte rested his hands on Kai's shoulders gently, but Kai barely felt it. His whole body was numb, and his mind wouldn't move past his questions. He didn't look up at his father, Shintaro, Chase, Zeke, or Moon. He didn't look toward the house to see if his friends had destroyed the key yet. 

He didn't move. 

Stand up, his head screamed at him. Do something. Destroy the key. Disable Moon. DO SOMETHING. 

Sudden and fiery anger filling him, Kai stood sharply, throwing his father's hands off him. He didn't look behind him, only focused on the group in front of him. He marched up to them and clenched his hands, waiting until they all looked at him. 

Kai lifted his hand and pointed at Shintaro fiercely, accusingly. His anger burned in his stomach and chest, leading him on. "You, Shintaro, are in the worst wrong you can be in right now. I can't believe you of all people would give up so easily. You are so wrong to be willing to give up the whole world, the lives of our friends, your family, and even people you don't know. You're risking your family, Shintaro. FAMILY! If you give up and let Moon win, The Dark Lord goes free, and it would be party your fault. You're just sitting in your despair, wallowing in your own self-pity because you think you can't do this. You think you're going to fail, but you have to try to find out. You can't sit around and do nothing while this world crumbles. You're an idiot if you think that." 

He turned toward Chase and dropped his hand. "If you, Chase, even think about listening to your father and giving up, I swear, I will be infuriated with you for a really long time. We are going to fight back against Moon and The Dark Lord, no matter what. If you give up just because Shintaro says that it's no use, you follow people too blindly. That's like a sheep - always following one another, not knowing where you're going."