Gift of the Goddess

Chapter 104 - Yin

              -Zacks perspective-

The sky was so bright, even the sun was caressing my skin. Yet I still didn't know if I was even alive right now. It all felt real, it was familiar. Yet I thought I was lost in a dream. I leaned against the alley walls and pulled out a cigarette. Then, everything was a fantasy again.

If this were real, Annual would've slapped me by now. She'd figured it out days ago that I'd been smoking, like she always does. Then Stryder would- Don't. I lifted my finger to the stick and lit it, then I started to inhale the smoke. It's warmth finally filling my body. Then, I took a breath and let the smoke fly in the wind. Yeah, now it feels real again.

"Master Zack, Valentina has finally arrived in Alexis' room." Bean spoke up.

I kept smoking the cigarette down, harder and harder until it was practically gone. Then I took a breath and tossed it to the floor. I watched the smoke rise to the sky, then vanish.

"Alright, let's go deliver Annuals message." I said.

I turned toward him and he began to shift. Getting down on his knees and growing in size. I stepped onto his back as he flattened out. Jet Pterodactyl mode. Funny, I was supposed to show Alexis this once she got out. Guess she technically still gets her wish. Bean rose from the ground and we shifted into invisibility. Then we took off, flying me all the way up to her window. I reached my hand out to melt the window, but stopped. They're definitely gonna scream...

I stepped off of Bean and solidified the air under me. Then moved out of sight.

"Go make sure no one's around their room, and lock the door so they can't leave." I told bean. He didn't respond, nor did he go un-invisible. "I'll just have a smoke till he gets back then.."

I took another cigarette out and lit it, then took a small puff. That warm sensation filled me again, and it was like something was hugging my heart. Funny how I feel so alive, yet smoking these things are gonna kill me faster. Well it's not like it matters anyway. When Bean finally came back, I had just finished my cigarette. I stepped in front of the window and heated up my hand, then shoved it through the glass. It was weird honestly, it felt like swimming through butter.

"What!? Help! Nurse! Nurse!" Valentina screamed.

She ran over and grabbed Alexis, practically picking her up as she grabbed the door. However the door wouldn't budge and I just continued my job. Eventually I cut open a doorway and stepped inside. They both froze in place and Val continued to guard Alexis.

"Zack!?" Alexis said.

"What are you doing!?" Valentina asked.

Valentina not so subtly pressed the emergency button, but I'm sure Bean did something to it. If not I'll just have to take over the hospital or something. Which would totally be a drag..

"Shut it!" I yelled.

They both immediately got quiet and Val got more defensive of Alexis. Which honestly made me laugh.

"Relax! Relax! If I wanted to kill you I would've just blown up the building already! Or just have Bean assassinate you."

However, Val didn't Weaver. Her stern Amber eyes were locked onto me. Honestly made me think she had an ace up her sleeve.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"Your time, I'm only here to talk." I replied.

"Alright, so talk."

I glanced over at Alexis and saw tears streaming down her face. Our eyes met, then she ran from behind Val.

"Zack! Don't tell me it's true! Val just told me everything that happened! Tell me she miss understood! Tell me she got it wrong!" Alexis begged and stopped in front of me.

The normally wild firecracker, the confident succubus. She was nothing more than a whining pup.

"You know, you're a lot prettier when you're not whining." I said with a smirk.

She looked up at me with wide eyes and suddenly she was yanked back. Val stepped forward and slapped me. Again, I felt alive. The tingling burn against my cheek, that was definitely real.

"Don't talk to her like that." Val bellowed.

Wow, she really means it. Even though she knows I can just blow her up. Stryder would probably cry if I killed her...

"It seems like I can never get away from your rules. Always a pain in my a-"

"What. Do. You. Want?" She snarled.

She stepped back and stared me down. While Alexis just hid behind her. I took a breath and moved my hands into my pocket.

"One, a message from Annual. Something she wanted to tell you before she died."

That's when I saw her turn to glass. Her stern eyes softened, and her arms fell down to her side.

"What was it?"

"The day before she died, she was texting me about things. She said after getting to know you, she thinks you'd be the best choice for Stryder. She noticed just how much he changed because of you. So, she was gonna give you her blessing, and try to move on."

She looked away.

"Did you really come all the way here just to say that?"

"Don't disrespect her words." I snapped. "She wanted you to know that, and she died before she got to say it. I'm gonna deliver every last message she had to share."

She looked back toward me, but her gaze held something different now. Something I couldn't identify. If I had to guess, I'd say pity.

"I'm sorry, thank you for telling me. I'll hold onto that. I mean it."

I nodded.

"Second, I wanted to apologize to you Alexis."

Alexis poked her head out from Val, and I could see just how puffy her eyes were now.

"I became just as bad as your father. You don't deserve to deal with that. What I felt for you was real, but now. Things can never be the same."

She moved from behind Val and stepped toward me.

"Why not! Why can't things go back!? Why can't we just start over!?"

"Because we can't Alexis."

"Why! I want to be with you! I miss you!"

"Because nothing's the same anymore! I'm not the same anymore!" I glared at her and she stumbled back. "I'm not the same Zack, I don't care about you, I don't care about anything. I don't need anything!"

Val moved Infront of Alexis and I finally noticed. My hands were shaking. I moved my hand to my chest and my heart was racing. Why though?

"Zack, let's just talk? I don't think things are too late, or too bad. You can always change no matter what? That's what Annual believed, right?" Valentina asked.

"And she's dead! So what does any of that crap matter! I'm not gonna change! I don't want to change." I glared at Val."Tomorrow, I'm gonna blow this city up. I'm gonna burn everything to ash! And I'm gonna Kill Stryder! Or he's gonna Kill me!"

"Why!? Why does it have to be like that!? it's not Stryders fault you know!? He loved her too, Zack! He'd never wanted what happened to happen!"

"That's not the point! It's always Stryder! It's always been Stryder! I'm tired of Stryder! Everything is because of him! Or at least, it has to be."

"Zack-"

"Shut up! Just tell him to meet me at our place tonight. I'll declare war to his face. And you two should leave. I'm only giving you this warning once. Get out of town. Because if I see you tomorrow. I'll kill you, just like how I'm gonna kill him."

I stepped back toward the edge and watched their expressions. Both of them had their mouths wide open. Yet not a word came out.

Good, they got the message. With that, I fell from the building. The wind quickly wrapped itself around me and I closed my eyes. My heart beat against my chest and I looked down to the concrete. Just before I was too close, I blasted myself back into the air with my fire. Overlooking the surprised eyes of the civilians down below.

Alright, tomorrow we decid. If I'm really dead, or alive.