The Fall of the Society

Chapter 72: Lack of Self

     Balls of light popped in front of her eyes as the remaining oxygen she had squeezed from her lungs. She continued to support her aura with every ounce of strength she could muster, but she knew she would not be able to hold on much longer. Her head was spinning, she was beginning to drift in and out of consciousness. Visions appeared before her eyes, memories of her past. The view of a man who had been destroyed, struggling to remain upright, having freed her with the last of his strength. A vision of the same man standing between her and a man with silver armored skin. Him standing between her and an onslaught of Socialites that wished her harm. His laugh rang inside her head as they fished together along a hidden forest stream. A warm hand grasping hers as they walked up a steep and slippery embankment. The way he would always watch over her as she fell asleep.

     Her eyes snapped open and she attempted to breath in, at first, she was unable. A feeling was welling up inside of her, but it was not one of anger. Her golden aura burned bright and pushed back on the overwhelming force that was pressing in on her, a deep breath of oxygen filled her lungs. She became steady as his power washed over her, attempting to force her backward. Their eyes met and the blankness in his eyes retreated slightly as life seemed to peer in from a long distance away.

     "Tripp," she said softly. "Come back to me and I will protect you the way you protected me."

     The light in his eyes changed slightly, but an earsplitting and heartbreaking roar broke through the rush of his powers cascading outward. A rumble of debris shifting on top of his barrier sounded out loudly as it shifted as he pushed more power into the force, causing it to grow outward slightly.

     "I know you will not hurt me," Rose said softly. She gazed lovingly into his chaotic and pain expression as she released the energy she was holding in her aura, a golden glow remaining on her skin as the power radiated from her. "We can be together, but you must fully return for that to happen." A single tear streamed down her face.

     The tear seemed to enrage him and his invisible force clasp around her once more. She did not scream or react in a negative way at all, except a new tear from her opposite eye. A smile slid across her pretty face, her eyes still golden in color. The power holding her disappeared, but Tripp continued to rage, his powers pushing outward even more, the cement and dirt around them creaking angrily, threateningly. Rose ignored all threats, stretching her hand out toward the increasingly distraught Tripp. Lightning lapped at her skin, causing burns to appear before healing completely moments later. The appearance of these wounds seemed to stress Tripp out further, causing his powers to behave erratically. A massive chunk of cement passed through the barrier and exploded in midair as arcs of lightning danced all over it, smoldering pieces of the smoking rock raining down around the chamber, some of which never made it to the ground. His power was becoming unbalanced and uncontrolled as he moved slightly closer to Rose.

     Worry was beginning to creep into her mind. What if there was not enough of Tripp left inside of the figure to pull himself out of this destructive cycle? Was it possible that the loss of control was due to a dispute going on inside that was causing outward control to go haywire? Would she be able to survive if he full out attacked her, especially with her shield down? Scion was capable of healing himself, but he had been dispatched easily by the monstrosity, was he able to do the same to her? Anger was welling up inside of her now, not at Tripp, but at herself. She had to have faith that she could get through to him, Sid was counting on her to do this. Only she could accomplish this mission, and she must do exactly that. If Tripp was not controlled, he could do massive damage to the world before any means of containing him could be implemented.

     Rose pushed back her doubts and smiled up at Tripp. "I love you," she said softly.

     Everything stopped, as if frozen in time and their eyes locked. A flicker flashed in Tripp's eyes and he grasped his hands to his head, screaming as if in unendurable pain. His barrier became wavy, sending the earth above them rolling in turn. The churning noise of the earth drowned out the sound of his screaming as his internal turmoil deepened. His lightning was no longer arcing outward, but swirling around him instead, creating a cyclone of flashing yellow. The cyclone burst upward, smashing through his barrier and exploding into the night sky above them. All around them the earth shook as massive chunks of dirt and rock rained down on the land above them, the entire island seemed to be rocking in the sea.

      The cyclone began to rapidly expand outward, destroying everything above them, sending waves of earth into the air. Rose crossed her arms in front of her, prepared to defend herself, but an invisible barrier appeared around her out of nowhere. Catching sight of Tripp's eyes revealed that one appeared hollow, filled with rage, while the other was the same shade of grey that Tripp's had been, full of fear. Tendrils of lightning reached from the figure and encased Rose inside of her protective barrier, which creaked ominously.

     Rose was forced into a kneeling position as the barrier collapsed inward on her, being crushed by the lightning. "I believe in you," she said softly. The barrier stopped shrinking, even though the pressure on the outside was growing. Tripp's screaming rended the air once more as he struggled for control.

     "I must destroy the girl!" a deep raspy voice broke the scream.

     A terrified voice replied. "I will never let that happen!"

     Laughter filled the chamber, occasionally broken by screaming, which would then change back to laughter. "You have no choice; you will give in to my will!" the deep voice echoed. "Give up and the process will be much less painful!"

     "Never!" Tripp's voice cried out, more forcefully. "I will never give up!" Power shot outward and Rose felt her protective orb slam into the wall and more debris crashing down upon her. She could hear the lightning around the orb crackling, growing even stronger and the barrier began to creak once more. Her barrier jerked to the side and she slammed against the wall of it, before it jerked back the opposite way. The lightning around her broke and she could see Tripp once more and it appeared that the rage filled side was getting the upper hand as the grey eye had taken on a distant look. Her barrier failed and she fell lightly to the floor, landing on her feet.

     A great conflict was going on inside of Tripp as he struggled for control, his hands clasping to his face once more as his powers surged in every direction. The room was shaking even more violently, causing the floor to crack and fissure. Lightning burst from Tripp as his eyes became hollow and locked on Rose.

     "You have tried, but you have failed," the deep raspy voice said hauntingly from Tripp's body. "He will soon be gone, but do not fret, you will be with him soon enough."

     The figure raised his arms to his side and the lightning focused into a form that mimicked his movements. Rose threw herself backward as the hands made of lightning slammed together directly where she had been standing. She was afraid that if she fought back, the part of Tripp that was being controlled by rage would take over completely and she would lose him forever. A golden glow danced across her. Dodging backward once more, she slammed into the barrier that was holding the room in place, able to retreat no further. She stared up at the figure that was glaring down at her with empty eyes.

     "You may think you have won, but Tripp will never let you hurt me," Rose told him quietly, a smile upon her face.

     The barrier keeping the walls in place disappeared and the concrete collapsed inward. Rose threw her hands over her head as a golden aura flashed into being around her. Rubble completely encased her, blocking Tripp from view. A surge of power pulsed from her and the cement and rocks exploded into dust and smoke. The deep raspy voice cackled with laughter, "He is gone, there is no one to protect you!"

     An invisible barrier popped into being around Rose, but this was not the same as previously. This barrier was not meant to protect, but to entrap. The lightning hands slammed shut on the invisible orb, pressing dangerously in on her. Doubt swept through her once more, was Tripp really gone? Was it possible that she had failed?