The Created

Chapter 51: He Deserves to Die

KYE

I skid to a halt. It's him. Him.

Kill him, my heart says ferociously. This is all his fault. Everything. Kill him.

I can sense Cat's anger behind me. Her breathing becomes heavy, labored.

Connor's voice floods my mind now. Should you kill him? Does he deserve to die?

Of course he does, my heart snaps back.

Who decides?

I do.

"Well."

By the time Killoran has uttered that word, my entire group has their weapons raised at him.

"Now, now," he says calmly. "Let's not be so eager. We need to talk, Kye." He pauses for a few moments, but no one moves. "Oh, for crying out loud!" Killoran grabs Amber and shoves his gun against her head.

Paxton whimpers behind me.

"IDIOTS!" Killoran roars. "Put your weapons down!"

I've been clenching my jaw so tight that opening it is like pushing open a rust-eaten door. "Drop them," I whisper.

Everyone reluctantly places their weapons on the floor. Paxton is the last; he throws his down with a passion.

"Good. Now, we need to talk, Kye. Look at what you've done to this place. Look at what you've done to all these people."

I stop myself from looking around at all the bodies strewn about the floor, at all the blood, at all the terrified faces in the trees beyond, at the faces of my own friends.

"You did this, Kye," Killoran says. "Not me. You."

"This is because of what you've done," I counter. "This happened because of you."

"I made you the offer of a lifetime. I offered you glory, status, power, freedom; you declined it all and now look around! Reap the consequences of your choice!"

I know in my head that he's wrong...but could he be right?

I try to imagine the world where I helped him find the Great Book. What would it have been like? Would he really have fixed everything? Would my life be perfect, instead of what it is now?

"I'm done offering you choices, Kye," Killoran says, "because you're not giving me one."

He cocks the gun in Amber's face.

"Wait!" I say. I search my brain for a way out of this. "What do you want?"

Killoran laughs. "You and I both know what I want; what I've wanted since the very beginning."

I rub the cover of the Great Book in my hands. "You want me to just hand it over?"

"That would be ideal, yes," he says. "But I know you won't. So, I'll make you a deal: you allow me a fair fight, winner keeps the Great Book. You can even use the superior weapon! You use the Great Book...and I'll use this one."

He holds up my book from the facility. It makes my blood boil to see it in his hands.

I mull over my options. I could conjure up something right now to finish Killoran, but I'd risk losing Amber. I could try to run at him, but that wouldn't work either and I still might lose Amber. I feel cornered.

"Fine," I consent, practically grinding my teeth together.

"Excellent," Killoran smiles. "Tell all of your companions to join their kind behind me in the trees."

"Go." I keep my eyes on Killoran while speaking to them.

Connor starts to protest. "Kye—"

"GO!" I've had enough of all this. I just want to finish it.

Connor, Cat, and Paxton step away from me, leaving their weapons behind, and walk toward the hole in the wall, avoiding getting too close to Killoran. They take their places at the edge of the trees.

"You too." Killoran shoves Amber to the ground. She scrambles up and runs into Paxton's arms, panting.

Killoran moves slowly forward, stepping back into the warehouse. "No one interferes!" he calls out to those behind him, though his eyes stay fixed on me.

My heart pounds.

This is it. This is what I've been waiting for. What my mother led me to.

This man took away my life, my parents; he held me hostage and took everything I loved from my brain. This monster hurt my friends; he held Connor hostage; he chased us down and made us live a life of turmoil that no one should have to experience. This demon brought the people in the city and the towns to their knees, out of options. He bends everything to his will.

Now, I'll bend his.

I'll get it all back. As much as I can, I'll get my life back. I'll slaughter him without a second thought, like all of his followers. I'll finally have a normal life, with my friends by my side.

My heart aches at the thought of it. At the thought of something so perfect. So pure.

I picture the days when Connor and I can visit each other's houses and have nights out on the town. Maybe we'll work together at something we really like. I see Cat and I taking trips to the market so that she can help me pick out new clothes. I think of finally going to school like a normal guy and playing pranks on the teachers with Paxton. I long to see Amber be the most popular girl in town; the one that everyone wants to get to know. I want to make pancakes with Paxton and talk about the man Andy was and everything he could have been.

I want to do all of this and more. I want to never stop loving life and loving people. And now I'm moments away from all of that.

A perfect, solitary tear escapes my eye, makes a winding trail down my cheek, and then departs, dropping silently to the floor. A tear of joy.

I feel the sensation in my heart. The warmth. It's overwhelming.

Calming.

There's something else.

The warmth spreads.

Spreads rapidly.

I look down at my chest and see black where my heart should be. It's enveloping my body, wrapping around my fingertips, traveling down my legs and up my neck.

I look forward. Killoran stands triumphantly as he holds the flaming book aloft. The fire radiates from his very hands, as it did yesterday in the tower. A twisted, unnatural smile spreads across his face.

The darkness expands. I have no time to utter a sound as it takes my throat. I try to look to my friends but my vision blurs. My eyes fail. My breathing stops.

My mind goes black as I feel myself collapse and melt into the ground.