Dead Inside

58.

"Forest Steve!" Portal Steve exclaimed. 

The dark figure didn't move, the branches in his back facing Portal Steve. A sneer spread over the figure's face, his eyes glowering. 

"Ah," the figure spoke, his voice demonic and echoey. "Portal Steve. I thought you were dead."

"I never died in the first place," Portal Steve told him. "You were the one who was supposed to die."

The figure chuckled quietly. "So it seems. But, I don't think that'll ever happen."

"Ha!" Portal Steve exclaimed. "Why would you say that? I know Sabre is more than you think he is."

"As do I, Portal Steve," The figure pointed out. "Yet, I'm afraid it won't do him much."

"Why's that, Forest Steve?" Portal Steve questioned. "Too scared to know Sabre is more powerful than you are?"

"No," The figure spoke in a hissing, taunting voice. "I never said I was scared of him. I just have the same ability he does, Portal Steve, yet you were too foolish to see that. I know what's going to happen to him, and me."

Portal Steve fell silent. "What do you know about Sabre, other than he's the one on the top of your death list?"

"I know what his eyes can do," The figure said with a smirk. "No normal human can do what he can. I know why."

"What are you talking about, Forest Steve?" Portal Steve asked. 

"You don't know?"  The dark figure pressed. "He's an Iumi, just like that annoying furball, Emburn." Portal Steve was about to speak when the figure interrupted him. "Not only that, but he isn't just an Iumi, either. Have you noticed he has my eyes?"

"No, he wears a bandanna over them all the time," Portal Steve brought up. 

The figure laughed. "Who cares what he wears over his eyes! Let me tell you before I kill you. Remember what I tell you, he isn't just an Iumi, right?"

"You told me that already," Portal Steve pointed out. 

"Yes, but it's true," the figure said, his teeth gritted in an evil grin. "He's like me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Portal Steve questioned. "He's nothing like you!"

"Oh, he's plenty like me," the figure said. "And I should know, I'm his father."

*   *   *

Sabre woke with a jolt, quickly sitting up to gaze around. The area was quiet except for the soft sound of breathing from his sleeping friends. Sabre let in a long, deep breath. If he was having visions, and this dream he had had was one of his visions, then Forest Steve was-

No, Sabre pushed the thought out of the way. He knew now that he couldn't sleep for a while, now. He got up and went to sit by the pool. The gentle breeze ruffled his hair and the waves of the pool, causing it to glimmer with the pale light of the moon above. 

"Hey, Sabre," Sabre turned around from surprise, to gaze at the speaker, who was Rainbow Steve. 

"Hey, Rainbow Steve," Sabre returned the greeting. 

"Can't sleep either, I guess?" Rainbow Steve asked. 

Sabre nodded. "Just a bad dream, is all."

"Another one?" Rainbow Steve asked. "Sabre, you've been having nightmare after nightmare ever since the beginning of this journey. Mind telling me what's going on?"

Sabre sighed. He might as well, Rainbow Steve was his best friend, anyways. "I don't want the others to know."

Rainbow Steve sat next to him. "You can tell me. I promise I won't tell the others unless you say so."

Sabre nodded. "Alright. Well, I've been thinking- The dreams that I've been having, they're just really weird, and unusual. Rainbow Steve, I think I'm having visions of the future."

Rainbow Steve was silent for a moment. "That's- a special ability, Sabre. It could be helpful. Did you have a vision tonight?"

"I think so," Sabre said. "But, it's nothing I would've expected! It's- it's something I wish I could forget, or pray it wasn't a vision."

"Why's that?" Rainbow Steve asked. 

"Rainbow Steve," Sabre told him. "I- I think Forest Steve's my dad."