Accidents Made Right 1: Pistanthrophobia

Chapter 50: Splitting Apart

"Steve?!"

"Steve?!"

"STEVE!"

I woke up, looked around, and was quickly reminded about the previous events. I looked at the person who woke me up, saw Rowan, and unexpectedly hugged him. After processing my hug, Rowan returned it.

"I'm so glad you're safe," I said happy.

"Oh please, if anyone should've been worried, it would've been me. I mean, you did unexpectedly charge into that army and then fainted randomly."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," I said as I released my hug.

"A-anyway, I t-think we should g-go now."

"Yep," I said before I deactivated the energy shield with the sword I handed Rowan, sheathed it, and then we both headed to the cliff.

10 minutes later

I finished climbing up the rope, then plopped down on the ground to catch my breath as I looked at the now collapsed base. Rowan then finished climbing the rope, and did the same as me.

...

"I... I-I think we d-did good."

"Yeah. In and out. That was... well... that was something."

"I mean... you were AMAZING," Rowan yelled out.

I chuckled as Rowan excitedly reminded me about my battle with the army. "Like when you multiplied that tank shell and sent it straight towards the other tanks, or when you teleported out of the shield and immediately knocked the commander's head off!"

"Yeah, guess I was pretty badass."

"That doesn't even begin to describe it... I w-wonder how it must've felt," Rowan said before he looked at me.

"Well... knowing I was protecting you... I felt... at peace, strangely. Well, as at peace as you can feel when you're soloing an army."

"H-huh. Not what I-I expected you to s-say."

...

Rowan looked back at the collapsed base, so I decided silently take a breath and subtly pull out the rose and look at it. I fiddled it between my hands and spun it around as I thought about what I'd say to Rowan.

So... I've been wondering... would you like to go on a date?... no, that's too straightforward.

...

There's something I've been meaning to ask you... no, too awkward.

...

We've been best friends for years now, and I truly see you as somebody I care about. And... no, too much build up.

Just tell him! If you keep on thinking on what to say, you'll eventually chicken out again, Hope said.

I... fine, I thought as I took a deep breath in, a deep breath out, then turned to Rowan's direction, and saw he wasn't there.

"Help," Rowan called out from behind me. I looked towards him, and saw one of Robert's goons had grabbed him. I quickly put the rose back, got up, and started running towards them, before another goon came out of nowhere and tripped me with a kick, knocking me to the ground.

I saw the man holding Rowan was dragging him back, and Rowan was struggling to escape the grip. I turned to the goon who tripped me, and I was greeted by a kick to the face from a third goon.

The second man grabbed my wrists to keep me from grabbing my swords, and the third goon then kicked me in the gut and started preparing to throw a net in his hands. The outside of my gauntlets started increasing rapidly in temperature, eventually burning the second goon's hands and causing him to release my hands.

The third goon kicked me in the face to keep me from getting up, and then threw the net on me before starting to walk away. The net started sparking with blue electricity, and it started shocking me. I tried to focus on somehow using any of the swords still.

Eventually, the sword in my right hip's scabbard flew from the scabbard, and started flying around and cutting the net. The blue electricity disappeared, so I quickly took off the net, grabbed the sword out of the air, and threw it through the third goon's heart, killing him instantly.

"Christian," The second kidnapper yelled out. He charged at me, attempting to hit me with a running punch, but I partied it, grabbed him by the legs, and pulled him to the ground. Before I could impale the next kidnapper with my sword, two more kidnappers appeared and grabbed my arms and legs, holding me back.

The second kidnapper quickly got up and punched me in the face, causing blood to fly out of my nose.

"Quickly, wipe his mind!"

The second kidnapper grabbed a dark blue metal sphere out of his belt, activated it, and put it in front of my forehead. Blue electricity electrified the sphere, and as the sphere got closer the electricity started to connect to my head, attempting to steal the electricity from my brain.

...

"Huh. Guess I'm immune to memory wipes," I commented, realizing the device didn't work.

"Shit," a kidnapper yelled, before I was punched in the face, knocking me out of the kidnappers' grips, and to the ground, before I was kicked in the face as I lay on the ground.

After recovering, I turned over and looked looked for Rowan, and saw the kidnappers had disappeared with a bright blue flash, meaning they had teleported away.

I punched the ground, and tried to hold back the incoming tears.

"No. No, no, no. It... it can't be. He can't be..."

...

"He's gone. He's truly gone. I have nothing."

...

I started letting the tears run free, and they streamed down my face like a river, and my nose sniffled constantly as I slowly drifted unconscious. My surroundings all started transforming to darkness, and then in the darkness were white blobs that I couldn't recognize. But I didn't pay any attention to it.

I didn't care if I was dying, or what. Without Rowan... I had nothing.

"I swear, you'll pay for this Robert."

...

"And he will," I heard a comforting voice say right in front of me. I looked sup, and saw a looming, dark figure that vaguely resembled a grim reaper.

"W-who are you?"

"I'm the one who will help you get your revenge," the figure said.

...

"It's hopeless," I said. "He somehow knew I would get distracted with that... stupid flower."

"Which is why you won't get distracted ever again. Robert doesn't realize that now that he's taken Rowan... there's nothing holding you back."

I sniffled, then asked "Why are you... helping me?"

"That doesn't matter now. All that matters now is that you get your revenge."

"There's nothing more terrifying than a man with nothing to live for."