SURVIVE (THRIVE: Book Two)

Chapter 37- Violet Skies

Warning: Trauma and PTSD

The Gate inside Kai's mind is nowhere near what I expected. The darkness appears to spawn infinitely, and the crystals that are strewn about glow violet, faintly lighting the surface around us. High in the sky, the moon appears like an eclipse, glowing the same shade. It all feels familiar, yet completely foreign to me. It's hard to explain.

"Welcome," Kai states as he turns around to face me. To my surprise, he appears the same as before, not a single difference from his physical form. I, on the other hand, am once again my original self; my golden hair is long and braided, and my skin is somewhat tan, yet flawless. I am wearing the same dress I had favored so long ago, but right now, it feels like it isn't fitting. It's like it's making me appear weak.

"Why do you look the same?" I ask bluntly. He suddenly looks at me, seemingly pleased.

"This has always been my form. I never saw a reason to change it," he explains as he gestures outward, taking a bow.

"Wait, what?" I ask, trying to figure out what he means "I thought you were all body snatchers?" I explain.

"They are, but I prefer not to change what's already perfect." he explains as he begins to walk away "You'll see eventually," he states as he opens a portal. I look around nervously, but there's nothing else to do right now besides follow him.

Suddenly, we're in Victoria's Sanctum, the place where she preferred to do her work. Though I recognized it, I preferred not to come down here once the island was repopulated again. Walking through the dungeons when they are holding people is uncomfortable and always makes me feel guilty. When I look across the room, I see my mother and Victoria talking anxiously about something.

"Are you sure?" Mother asks as she stares into space, she looks like she can't stop shaking.

"The energy is too similar to him, and it..." Victoria hesitantly says as she takes her hands off of my mother's stomach "It doesn't feel at all like my brother's." she sighs. Suddenly, Mother begins to breathe heavily, quickly burying her face in her hands.

"This can't be happening, it just can't." she begins to cry, slowly crumbling into herself.

"Nika, I am so sorry." Victoria sighs sympathetically as she bends over to hold her, and within a second, my mother lets out the loudest cry I have ever heard in my life.

"I can't do this," Mother cries "I can't let him steal another fucking choice from me," she states, shaking uncontrollably. As Victoria holds her tightly, she tries her best to calm her down, but it seems like there is only so much that she could do.

"Veronika," Victoria begins, her voice sounding coarse and determined "Tell me what you need me to do... and I'll do it. I don't care what you choose, that's none of my business, but I'm not going to let that psychopath ruin your life," she explains. Suddenly, my mother begins to bury her face in Victoria's chest.

"Scara, I just want this to be over." she cries "Does that make me a monster?" she asks, her voice quivering.

"Only if you choose to view yourself that way." Victoria says softly "But, I choose to leave my past where it belongs, otherwise the future will be nothing more than a shadow."

"It's true..." I state in disbelief as I watch her cry, suddenly turning to look at Kai. He seems even more distressed than I am watching this.

"Finding out that you're going to be a mother again is supposed to be a happy thing," Kai says solemnly "But just look at her."

"I am." I say, holding back tears, "I knew some of what had gone down, but when they said that Gael had done something to her even after he... I didn't realize that that meant-"

"Done something," Kai says in frustration as he turns back towards the portal we had come through "That's one thing to put it," he states as he walks out. After a last look, I quickly rush to follow him out.

"Kai-"

"I am not something, I'm a human being." Kai states aggressively as the surface begins to ripple beneath him "I was a child and she cast me out like trash, as if I was some curse that needed to be lifted."

"You literally just told me that that was how your father viewed me. How is this any different?" I ask defensively "I was just as young as you, and he didn't hesitate to end me without thinking twice."

"He wasn't connected to you the way that she was to me. He wasn't your father, but Valerie was my mother and she just..." Kai begins to hesitate "After your family took on my father and somehow managed to best him, all that remained were the two of them. She would have stopped at nothing to end him after 'what he had done' and he knew that. But what he also knew as soon as she entered his mind was that she wasn't alone. He could sense me, and knowing this, he let her kill him and spared her life so that in doing so, I would be spared as well." he explains, slowly kneeling down to look at his own reflection on the surface.

"Kai," I try to say, but it's like he can't even hear me.

"He saved her life so that we could both live, and all of that was for nothing!" He screams angrily as he punches the surface, causing a wave to grow and knocking me on my ass "Before he crumbled away into nothing, he left me with the only thing he could; my name is Malakai, and my mother murdered my father, then murdered me without regret." he sighs as he stands up, turning back to look at me.

"Malakai," I say calmly as I reopen the portal from before, showing the state that my mother was in. "Does that look like someone who had no problem with what she had to decide? Does she look heartless to you?" I ask. I can see him trembling as he tries not to look, but that doesn't matter, her cries are louder than ever.

"Stop," Kai states "Nothing that you say is going to change my mind about this." he sighs as he steps forward and closes the portal.

"I suppose you're right," I state as I hold out both of my hands. "But what if I show you instead?" I ask calmly. He looks at me hesitantly as he slowly approaches me.

"Why should I trust you?" he asks nervously.

"You and a bunch of ancient body snatchers have me locked up in a burnt old compound." I state bluntly "I think you have the upper hand here. Besides, what else do I have to lose?"