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Chapter Fourteen

             The day of Astro camp came and the excitement had reached its boiling point. If it were anything like the camps I had gone to with scouts it was gonna be legendary. After what seemed like an eternity of driving we finally got to the sight a beautiful beach house. Something about the atmosphere told me this was not going to be anything like a scout camp. After a short briefing we went to our room to unpack, settle in and meet the other members of our tribe. When I got to the room only one other tribe member was there, so I introduced myself. "Hay I'm Nico." I said extending my hand.  "I'm Arya, nice to meet you and also you have powers and they seem really strong." She said shaking my hand. "I have no idea what you're talking about" I said feigning bemusement as best as I could.  "If you say so" she replied turning away before blasting a rainbow in my direction. My reflexes kicked in almost instantly as I drew my sword from thin air with one hand while absorbing the energy with the other. My friends appeared by my side within an instant with flames, claws and vibrating hands. "Guys, chill," I said making my sword disappear again, "I take it you have powers as well." She rolled her eyes before nodding. "In battle you can call me Unitrix," she said before turning to Riad, "But you cutie can call me anything and anytime you want." (As a quality bro I wasn't supposed to make fun of my friend especially given all my other female related struggles but had the roles been reversed I'd be getting roasted, soooooooo). "Aye boiiiiiiiiii" said Daniel. "Wettie banton!!!!" said Ethan. "Teach me the ways smallie Lord!!!!" said Nathaniel. And of course, me being the subtle, chill bro made swimming stroke gestures alluding to how wet he was.

       All he could do was look at us and roll his eyes, I could already tell this weekend was gonna be awesome. The first day was mainly spent eating and settling in meanwhile hearing about all the fun events that would be taking place. The first thing we had to do was to build a shelter, which should be easy especially for a tribe filled with superpowered people and scouts but we all made an agreement to not use our powers unless the need arises. We still had less people than the other tribes but we made it work, like a well oiled machine we cut, built and tied knots efficiently until our shelter looked relatively habitable. Corra have us a briefing of the night's activities so that we'd be able to prepare ourselves. The night was still, dark and cold and what we were greeted with on that cold dark night... We definitely weren't fully prepared for. Cold water caressed my spine was we were ambushed by a barrage of water balloons and water guns as Corra shouted "Protect the flag!!!" For two cold hours we ran around stealing flags and avoiding being shot with water. It was fun. And after that the all out water war followed by a refreshing dip in the beach topped off the start of an awesome vacation. Well you know what they say..... Time flies when you're having fun and in the blink of an eye we were on a maxi heading back home with a few bumps and scratches but all in all having had loads of fun and having memories and new friends which is a major key.

      The rest of the vacation was mostly spent waiting on exam results which everyone was dreading, except those who studied (I.e not me). Most of my time was either spent at Ethan's house, at the beach with my bros or playing football which was pretty good for me. The time for results rolled around and panic swept the region as students awaiting results has already mapped out either how they soul run away from home and live in the mountains or what they'd like to be buried in when their parents killed the, for their poor results. Meanwhile I did what I always did when I was stressed and panicking. I opened whatsapp and I messaged one of my best friends Akira. She always seemed to be eternally chilled and mellowed so she'd be the best person to help me calm down. When's he wasn't all chill in school because she aims to be a surveyor she's a chill savage on the battlefield (I know it's an oxymoron but shush..... I'm the one talking here). She had the coolest set of powers ever second only to me, (I mean it's me). When most people think of elemental powers they either automatically think of Pyro from The X-Men who just controls the fire but can't create it, or the Avatar who can control, use and even create all the elements. Akira or Zen as enemies know her can control, create, use and become the elements and not just the four basic ones either. (If you're confused.... Don't worry so was I. I even poked her to see if she was a real person..... She is...... And a skilled fighter..... Who uses really sharp sais..... Ow). It was pretty obvious that Akira Sam was not a normal girl.

      "Nico, chill bbg you're getting all worked up over nothing I'm sure you'll do fine." She replied with literally almost a million times emojis. I don't how she did it unless she had some therapeutic mystical powers that I didn't know about but I somehow felt calmer. So while most other children were halfway out their window running away I was playing Hearts online. Having lovely bros like I do is a major key because we all decided to check each other's grade for them (Which as a pretty awesome so you wouldn't have to see it just yet.) Surprisingly or unsurprisingly we all passed not necessarily with flying colors but a pass all the same. And to celebrate we all together and partied harder than any of us had ever partied before. It was not our smartest idea as most of woke up with terrible hangovers leaving us the floor for a few more hours than we intended. After recovering properly we started planning out how to not fail our next set of exams. While some of use choose the obvious route and started studying early (Nerds) the chill ones (Me) decided to just wing it again and hope for the best because that's what I do.

         You'd think I'd have life pretty good, I didn't fail my exams, I didn't have a relationship to have relationship problems, I was one of the most powerful heroes like ever right? But you'd be horribly horribly wrong, although I may not have any prominent weaknesses other than you know intense loyalty even when it can get me killed (Story for another time) and my sometimes irrational determination, but the think that defeats me the most is myself (Cue explosion noises as I just blew your minds). I tend to always overthink. Everything. I even overthink the fact that I'm overthinking my overthinking. Anyway I don't know if it's my mind playing tricks on me or if it's some lingering effect of what Despair did to me so long ago. I mean sure I used to feel like an outcast and stuff before but since fighting Despair it seems to have amplified. Or maybe I'm overthinking this too... I mean sure they say it's good to talk about your problems and that it helps you feel better but this is one problem I think is better to keep to myself ("Along with all the others" whispered Khalil in my head. "Shut up!!!!" I shot back rather  childishly). I couldn't just disappear again this time my friends would actually kill me, so I did what any other logical person did. I went to the roof of my school and sat there staring at the stars.

     The stars looked especially amazing that night, they seemed to know what they were doing with themselves and their lives. I wondered aloud if stars ever had existential crises thankfully they did not reply. I had become so absorbed in my self pity and overthinking I didn't even realize the clouds were about to give birth to a shower of rain. Usually this would've lifted my spirits to out of space. But this time all it did was make me overthink even more. With my powers I pulled a bottle of vodka out of thin air and began gulping it down by myself. (Bad move). I had high hopes that the alcohol would numb my pain and cease my thinking, but after I had finished the bottle all it did was make me realize how much of a mess I was. So I proceeded to down a few more bottles and some rum and puncheon and gin and tequila just to make sure. I messaged Akira so that in case anything happened someone would know where I was. Eventually all the alcohol had done its job because the voices in my head were silent, my thoughts were silent and everything was just so peacefully induced. The stars danced across the sky as I nonchalantly lay on the roof. I was in a state of total relaxation for all of 5 minutes. Thoughts flooded back to me attacking on all cylinders. Repressed emotions fought to be released. I writhed in pain on the floor for a while before the pain subsided. Or so I thought.

     A voice began whispering in my head. Telling me things. Normally I, as a rational intelligent person would not listen to voices in my head (Unless they belonged to me) no matter how much sense they made. I am also an idiot and drunk, which makes me a drunk idiot which is worse. "Aren't you tired of seeing your loved ones suffer?" It whispered seductively  and convincingly. I tried to resist listening because I watched movies. I didn't want The Dark Lord trying to recruit me, although if it was He who shall not be named he made a valid point. The alcohol started to permeate my brain, the words from the disembodied voice started making sense to me. "Aren't you tired of seeing good people suffer while evil floods the earth? Wouldn't it be better it you just got rid of all the evil in the world?"it whispered enticingly. My brain went into maximum overdrive trying to devise ways to act upon what the voice had said. Everything I thought of so far went against my although skewed but fair moral code. I wouldn't take anybody's life, that was my rule and I stood by it but I could sense that's what the voice wanted me to do. Then it came to snaking into my thoughts as if it really was the Dark Lord tempting me. It clearly wouldn't be the way that the voice wanted me to do it but it planted to seed in my brain where the alcohol acted as the water. I knew what I had to do