Revolution: Genesis (Published)

Chapter 27: Hurt

JACK

There isn't a right or a wrong choice. When you've done one wrong, all your rights are forgotten. It doesn't matter then, how much you did for the other person when you make a mistake. You don't get to choose what happens to you. You're powerless. It doesn't matter if you chose to do right which ended up in a backfire. Fate decides the consequences for you way before the options. Its cruelty is shown when you have nothing left.

*'*'*

"Max? Hey buddy, let's get you out of here." I hurled up his seemingly petite figure—but he weighed a good amount that made me stumble. His face was bloody and a bump had formed on his cheekbone, adding to the swollen eye. His whole face had a shade of blue and purple under the light of fire and I cursed my luck for finding him like this when I could've had the chance to help him.

How didn't I see it before? It was right in front of me and I foolishly forgot to acknowledge it. Max was Reece's second child. How could I be so stupid to forget such an important detail? He held power too and no one was there to help him realize what was happening. He didn't even question the things that happened with Azura and simply did everything in his human power to help his sister.

I overlooked the fact that he had more than just his ordinary life and now he was dealing with unwanted consequences. I understood how it wasn't my fault entirely, but I felt responsible. Maybe it was because of the blood running in my veins that made me think like that. After all, I belonged to a family of protectors.

At that thought, I wondered that if my subconscious had a body...it would scoff at me and tell me how crappy I was at my job. I couldn't protect Reece or his children from the traps of Betelguese. I only wondered if I could save Azura's mo—

No.

I stopped myself from completing that thought and hurled Max forward as quick as possible. Being in the middle of the woods with wild trees and grass along with bumpy ground made it quite hard for us to get out even when I had become familiar with it since this was where I used to spend my time when we moved here. This was supposed to be a safe secluded place where people rarely came in and maybe that was the reason Rigil chose this particular place for keeping Max as hostage.

I knew Azura and her friends might've gotten the message by now and were out for search already. I could feel their worry and I wanted nothing more than to stab myself repeatedly for being such an idiot. It was experienced before, why would he stop now? Why miss the opportunity to torture me and others? He would never let go of this golden chance and he proved it that he would take up any possibility he got to make us suffer.

It was up to me to protect them and once again I failed. All I was left with was disappointment in my own self for not being able to even once live up to my blood. My parents sacrificed their whole lives protecting human kind from the Shadow and his enormous evil powers and I couldn't even save one life. I slipped and got the most powerful star soul killed. I was stupid and a complete fool to ever think that things would go the right way where the Shadow was involved. I couldn't even say his real name. It was really hard to considering it was just a shadow when he reached to me and a shadow when he engulfed Azura and trapped her on Neptune.

Maybe once he formed out his physical body, he'd be better believed as Betelguese? But how would he do it? He had already constructed his face which—might I add—looked exactly like me, however every other part of his body remained as a shadow. I could only hope that whatever he was doing wasn't his way of gaining physical form otherwise that could only mean that he'd gain more power.

"Azi..." I heard a groan from the left side and saw how Max was gaining consciousness. His swollen face moved as he tried to focus on his surroundings. I was still hauling him with me, trying to find a way out of this forest which had become a hell hole in a matter of minutes.