The Overworld - The Last Shadowshifter

Chapter 39

Skyla's POV

How could Lucas know what my brother said all the time? It was either a very lucky coincidence... or there was something deeper that I didn't know about. Either way, it was suspicious - and it might've been intentional.

I closed my eyes, closing my mind and closing all thoughts from flooding in as well. I was done thinking for a while. Thinking hurts.

"Lucas..." I hissed, prolonging the s. "What do you mean?" I groaned, rubbing my hands in front of my face.

Then I punched the glass cubicle I was in. As I expected, nothing happened - well, except for the minor ache in my knuckles now. Seething with overwhelming emotions - anger, confusion, fury, frustration -  I screamed and screamed until I felt like my vocal cords would rip.

"Don't do that."

At first, I thought it was a voice in my head, my brain, telling me to stop or I might hurt myself. But no - this was different. It was real.

"Lucas?" I whispered, looking around. No one answered; it brought a chilling sensation to my spine. The voice was different; it wasn't the scratchy voice that Lucas normally had... no, it definitely wasn't. It was richer, though more mature, and deeper too.

It didn't sound like anyone I knew.

Suddenly overcome with suspicion, I growled, "Who's there?"

The same person laughed, but there was pain and sadness hidden in there somewhere. "I'm not Lucas," the voice said softly. "No, I'm definitely not."

"I figured that already," I replied coldly, my eyes still darting around the cavern, trying to find the source of the sound. "If you're not him... then who are you?"

A sudden movement near one of the towering stalagmites caught my attention; I saw the shadow of someone before it disappeared behind the boulder again. Then it moved again; towards another cluster of stalagmites. Then even faster, until it became a rapid whirl of fading shadows, finally coming to a halting stop in front of the glass.

I froze.

"You really don't remember me?" he called softly.

My eyes traveled from his armoured boots to his pants, then to his chest plate. I didn't miss the warrior gear that he wore, either. I tried to swallow the lump that was building in my throat, but I couldn't. My eyes wavered for a moment, pausing at the lower portion of his chin.

"Look at me, Skyla," he said in an equally quiet voice.

My eyes boldly locked onto his, those startling viridescent eyes piercing into mine with such intensity that I nearly flinched. I felt my spine stiffen; my hands clenched into fists.

It took a moment for me to compute what I just saw; this man, this fully grown man, that I proclaimed to be dead, was standing in front of me, healthy and living. This man... how could he? How could he never come back for me? Find me, even?

Tell... tell me that he was even alive? That our father was alive?

I couldn't take it anymore. I shook my head ever so slightly, my face stone cold. I refuse to believe this. I can't believe this.

Just saying his name brought tremors to my voice.

"Jay..."

~~~

How? How is my brother still alive after all this? How... why... why is he here, of all places?

"Get away from me," I seethed, drifting away from my brother's presence. Jay's face saddened as his fingertips withdrew from the glass, leaving a small impression that soon faded away from the crystal smooth surface.