Undying #Wattys2015

Chapter 5: Dancing in Light

The afternoon sun was shining down on the two of us, yet it was a chilling day. The wind was whipping through the emptiness of the sky. The clouds were just beginning to darken with the heaviness of spring rain. There she was, standing in front of me, someone I once knew. My memories failed me. Why can't I remember her? What was she to me?

Asserting to myself that I should tell her, I said, "Claira?" and the wind raged around me. My eyes stung from the slicing wind.

Claira froze. She turned to me, and I could see genuine hope in her eyes. She cracked a smile and asked, in a whisper, "A-Aiden? I-Is that you?"

I nodded, and she jumped at me, wrapping her arms around me. I did not reciprocate this foreign human behavior, but I let her hold onto me. She felt warm. She cried, "I thought you were dead. That you died in the accident. I could not let Bane get away with that... I've been hunting him down ever since."

"I... I don't remember," I admitted, "I don't remember you, Claira."

Claira slowly pulled herself from me, and stared into my eyes, "You don't remember me? We grew up together..."

"I recognize you," I grabbed her hands from my shoulders and pulled them off of me, but held them in my hands, "But that's about it."

She pulled her hands from me and yelled in fury, "What did Bane do to you?! You're like a totally different person now! It's like you lost your entire humanity!"

Suddenly, my heart thrashed in my chest, and I collapsed in pain as I clenched my breast. I shouted in anguish, and Claira came over. My entire body was burning and I ripped open my shirt. As if on impulse, I just wanted to pull my miseries right out of my chest. I would die, but I would be without this suffering. This eternal torment. For the first time since my surgery, I was blacking out. I could feel my eyes rolling behind my skull and my body going limp. The last thing I saw was Claira, trying to wake me up.

I was falling.

As I plummeted into the darkness of the abyss, I felt a presence near me. My falling began to slow down and I was floating in the shadows. Lying on my back, I gazed at the small opening above, seeing Claira's worried face. Then it closed violently. Blackness. I could not see anything. I was vulnerable as I continued to stare into the void. Where are you? I know you are here. I can feel you.

Silence bothered me. It always did. While I pondered my death, a light began to glow above me. It took the form of a creature and it turned its head to look down at me.

It's you.

The creature nodded and bellowed. Its eyes were translucent opal prisms that twisted rainbows in its stare. Its entire body was the embodiment of light and its thin wings were glowing silk. Through our thoughts, it spoke to me in a feminine tone, Aiden Kendlewood, my new Keeper.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry you were killed.

She flapped her wings and roared, Your friend is cruel!

He is indeed, I agreed as I watched her carefully, I'm sorry.

With her beautiful gem eyes, she stared at me, What will you do about it? Will you stop him?

I will try, but he is a Wayward who has control of his heart of Darkness. I have no chance, I admitted.

The darkness of the abyss turned to light. The majestic creature touched my forehead with its snout and her voice echoed in my head, Aeurakira mythrayyl andanira agenokarafiya aidenaro negana.

With those words, the dragon's light body dissipated into the void, and my body was lifted up with the strength of surrounding white magic. Within moments, I escaped from the abyss and found myself in Claira's arms. She shouted happily, "Aiden! You're all right!"

My heart felt like my own.

Claira touched my chest where my surgery had been, and declared, "You have a marking on your chest!"

I touched it, and I could feel the new, burnt ridges on my skin. As my fingers traced its surface, my new wound throbbed. It felt like the Sign of Light. I was now one with my Guardian.