Salvation : Book 3

CHAPTER 13 : Here Come The Warriors

The night was cool and the air was pungent with distinct stench of sulfur. My gaze rose to the crimson red sky as I took another step towards the stone monoliths. The full moon shone brightly, serving as the only source of light. The sand squeaked beneath my feet as I slowly approached the small gathering of demons that stood in front of me. In the near distance stood seven figures covered in black cloaks and porcelain masks; they formed a circle around the monoliths and chanted in a language I could not decipher, but it sounded rather ancient; Latin maybe? Or even something older, Sumerian?—I couldn't be sure.

     "Move," Dex said as he jabbed his elbow between my shoulder blades. I stumbled forward taking another step towards the group. Dread coiled deep inside me as I swallowed. My legs were heavy like lead, I couldn't shake the sinking feeling I was walking to my end—because I was.

      In the beginning of this I thought I had two options and only one was right; save the world or save Adrian. I'd been fixated on making the right decision. But what was the right decision? Saving the world? So many people would say yes—there wasn't even a choice; the need of the many succeeded the need of the few—the need of one. How could I possibly ever make a choice that doomed the world? It had to be my duty to save the world.

     However, that choice would never sit well with me, not if it meant I'd be forsaking Adrian. I had to save him; I loved him. I loved him so much it hurt; I loved him with every cell in my being. He was the stars, without them the sky would be nothing more than a infinite dark abyss. I was that abyss, empty and lost and confused. Without him I was drowning on a surface that sunk deeper than any ocean. I was choking on air that spiked like knives. I was crying, dry brittle sliver tears, that carved their names into my eyelids. I was in pain. Pain that echoed louder than a sonic boom and etched into my flesh swifter than any blade. I was in pain and I wanted it to stop.

       And it had stopped. The moment I saw his face—the moment he came back into my life, the whispering miseries ceased, as life was breathed back into hoping thoughts. I couldn't lose that, I wouldn't lose that. But I would...

     The decision I had to make had never been about saving the world or saving Adrian. It had always been about scarifying myself for both.

      I'd never hear his laugh again, never kiss him, never hug him, never tell him I loved him, I'd never see him again. But I knew that I'd take solace in knowing that he would get to live. The world would get to live. That had to be worth it.

       "Make sure you get him out," I had made Jack promise.

       "Yeah, of course. But what about you? How will you get away from Ashon and Geun?" He'd asked me as he worried his bottom lip. I placed my hand over his as I gave him a small tearful smile.

      "Don't worry about that. I have a plan," I had told him. He looked down at our touching hands before locking eyes with me, and then he furrowed his brows.

      "Marcus, please don't tell me you're planning on doing something stupid, I won't leave this realm without you," he told me and I chuckled, the sound was strained and forced and seemed to do nothing to relieve his worry.

      "Do you trust me, Jack?" I asked him and he nodded. "Please just get Adrian out of here. Promise me no matter what happens to me you'll get him to safety. Promise me that you'll get yourself to safety. I'm going to end this, end everything, but promise that you and Adrian will be as far away from here as possible when I do." I said, clutching his hand and squeezing it tightly.

      He widened his eyes as he pulled his hand away. "Please tell me you're not planning on doing what I think you are," he said as he stumbled to his feet.