Reality Check

Kids

Battles (by The Afters)

"You're going before me and oceans are parting. You're fighting my battles . . ."

___

Kara's feet seemed to fly across the cave floor as she ran towards the fight, going farther and farther from Owen, the person who she automatically wanted the protect the most. Although she tried shaking off her complicated emotions, they stuck to her like honey, not letting go even when she tried focusing on a strategy for the fight.

The situation was still taking some getting used to; it was crazy. But Kara was used to craziness. Time travel had introduced her to it, adapting her so she'd come to expect the most random of occurrences. She was used to surprises, but finding out that the entire situation with the world getting destroyed and Owen getting killed hadn't been real?

That had been a huge shocker.

But it had also made so much sense. When Kara was living out her worst fear, bad things kept happening until they seemed to pile up on each other. Looking back on it, something had felt off about it. It had felt more like a fever dream than real life. But Kara had been too emotional to notice. At the time, it had only seemed like a very bad, unlucky day.

At first when she'd woken up, Kara had been confused. Downright confused. Somehow, she'd woken up in a cave when the last place she was sure she'd been was with her future self, holding onto Owen as he passed away. And then her eyes landed on Owen, alive and well, and Kara had never felt so many emotions all at once.

Then she'd found out about the mummy and the stone and the reason why she'd been put into her worst fear — because of Owen, of all people, taking the stone — and Kara wasn't sure what she was feeling anymore. She knew he hadn't intended this to happen; he was too kind-hearted and he'd never want anyone to suffer, let alone his friends.

But Kara couldn't help wanting some distance from him now, anyway. She didn't know why. She wanted to be angry at Owen for causing all of this, but she didn't know if she could ever be angry at him. He obviously hadn't known any of this would happen. If he had, he probably wouldn't have taken it. It wasn't all his fault. It really wasn't.

Kara was just afraid of what might happen if she actually lost him. For good.

Seeing Owen use his time powers to their max had reminded her of that. Just seeing how exhausted he'd become from using them — nearly passing out in her arms — had made her afraid. He shouldn't have used his time powers that much, but he had. To protect her in the same way she'd always protect him.

All Kara knew was that this mummy had caused her and her friends enough pain for one day, and for that, she was going to bring it down. So far, Kiel had been fighting it ever since she'd woken up. Gwen must've been too, but now she was trying to wake up Bethany, Orion, and Charm. She hoped they'd wake up soon.

That left Kara and Kiel to fight the mummy together. She normally fought villains by herself, but fighting two against one would be a much better way to take the mummy down. Owen had said the mummy was fast and manipulative, but Kara wasn't about to let that stop her take it down. The Countess had been just as manipulative, and Kara was used to dealing with villains like that.

Her body felt worn out from her weakened emotional and physical state, which must've just been a side effect from being in the fear sequence. Kiel probably was feeling much of the same way, as would the others when they got free.

"Good thing you showed up!" Kiel ran to her as she approached, and behind him, Kara saw the mummy trying to break free of invisible ropes that were around it. He stashed his wand-knives in their sheaths. "I just ran out of spells. Where's Owen? Is he okay?"