Until We Fly

Chapter 40: Eye Of The Storm

-James-

My eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the blur of my vision.
As the sounds around me faded in, I heard Poppy and Myrora shouting at each other.

"There has to be a way out! We can't just sit here on our asses while that freak destroys everything!"

"This isn't just your problem, Poppy! We're all in this mess, everyone, together! So just shut your big ass mouth and let us think, will you?!"

I sat up as Poppy stepped back, crossing her arms and looking away.
Köleil noticed that I was awake and wrapped her arms around me.
"Oh James, you're back!"

Everyone turned to face us as she called out.
Nim rushed over, kneeling down in front of us.

"James, you okay? I've never seen a healing process so fast before. You must feel pretty achy..."

"Yeah...a lot...healing process? What do you mean?"

"Well...we don't really know. When we got here, your whole body was glowing and you were slowly healing up. Even Köleil had no idea what was going on. But it's fine now, you're completely Dark free!"

"I'm...what?!"
I jumped up, scanning my entire body for those little black webs I'd grown so used to.
And none were to be seen.

"Of course, you'll still have the scarring on your wrist. But it is only a scar."
Nim smiled, relieved that I really was okay.

Lumai stepped forward.
"Hey, don't get distracted. Not everything is all good and happy right now, remember? Jūx and those monsters are still out there and I bet there's almost nobody left!"

"She's right. James, Köleil told us about what happened with Jake while you were passed out. To be honest, I don't think he's even worth talking about right now. What we need to do is get up to that building, all together and confront them both. If we all stay and fight together, there's no way they can beat us!"

"Nim, I don't know about this. Jūx is so much stronger than we-"

"You have the sword from the First?"

"Y-yeah."

"Then we'll be fine."
She smiled, getting up and pulling out two daggers.
"Come on. We've no time to waste!"

Everyone geared up, ready to charge out of the shield and take our final journey.
Lumai stepped up beside me, looking straight ahead and not into my eyes.
"...good luck. You're a good guy. You're a strong Warrior. I can see it in you."

"We'll all go at the same time. We'll all be okay. I know it."
Nim's voice shook.
She was nervous.

And again, we stormed through the rain.
Through the Darks, through the bodies, through the thunder.
But this time, we all stayed together.
Side by side, all as one.
And we were stronger than we'd ever been before.

The wind pushed us back but we pushed back harder.
The rain stung our faces but we stung it back.
There was no way we were going down.
Not this time.

Not ever, ever again.

Because we were strong.
Together, we were stronger than anything this world or any other world could ever throw at us.

We had so much to fight for.
I had so much to fight for.

Köleil.
Nim.
My parents.
Jayden.
Keiran.
Myrora.
Poppy.
Charlie.
Baîk.
Lumai.

Every Dark and Half-Dark that we couldn't save.

And Lily.

Everyone.