Weirdos IV: The Emerald Heart

Chapter 56: The Catalyst

"Man, you guys are being kicked in the butt right now."

The familiar carefree voice seemed to snap my senses back to life. I opened my bleary eyes and was immediately blinded by sunlight hitting my face. Shielding my face from the soft glow of the afternoon sun, I stood up and looked around only to be surprised by the sight that greeted me.

Emerald.

I immediately thought that I was dreaming, but the scenery was so perfect and realistic. It's late in the afternoon, and the sun is currently bathing the entire school in its final rays. There was no battle. No fighting people. No destruction. No deaths. Just the Emerald that I used to love. It also took me several seconds to finally realize that I was completely alone in the middle of the open field in front of the Emerald Building. The entire place was quiet and peaceful, disturbed only by the sound of leaves being rustled by the wind.

The noise of the leaves seemed to snap my mind back to the reality. I frantically inspected myself and made sure that no darkness was creeping on my body. I suddenly remembered the unpleasant sensation that I felt when Serafina snapped her fingers. It was like I fell away from my own body; my entire being falling into a bottomless darkness before all the feeling in my body vanished.

"Enjoying the view?" the familiar voice said behind me.

I turned around and immediately dashed towards the person upon seeing him. Words failed me, so I just hugged the person tightly and laughed and cried, not believing what I'm seeing.

"Dude, I already died. Don't kill me again," Jack said.

I pulled away to look at him better. "But. . . how?"

Jack smiled. "First off, good to see you again, bro. To answer your question, I think your Core requested for some back up that's why we were suddenly called from the paradise where we're having fun. Lousy timing, to be honest. I was enjoying my cocktail by the beach."

I frowned. "We?"

The blue-and-white-haired guy smirked meaningfully. "Oh, did I forget to say that we're not alone?" he said before gesturing behind me.

I turned around and saw two ladies smiling at me. Tears welled up in my eyes as I recognized their faces. Before I knew it, I was looking at Aria, Jack, and Professor Evanesca with tears trailing down my face.

"I'm sorry. . ." I said, looking at them one by one. "I'm sorry if you all had to die for me. . ."

Aria stepped forward and hugged me. "It wasn't your fault. You're always taking all the blame. I thought that you would've changed by now. It seems that you're still as crybaby as ever."

The lady in green approached me and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "We're all destined to die someday, my dear boy. We died not because we had to die for you. We died because it was our time to leave. Well, as for me, I would willingly die for you over and over again," Professor Evanesca said.

Her words suddenly made me remember the war that's currently happening. "Did I. . . Did I die?"

All three of them smiled. "Nope. You are most certainly not dead. Not yet, anyway. It all depends on how you're going to handle the situation from this point on," Jack said.

"But we. . . we lost," I said quietly. "Serafina took my blood and she was able to control us. . . Wait a minute. Where's RB?" I said before looking around frantically upon realizing that RB wasn't with me.

Professor Evanesca just smiled patiently. "Rubio is with the people that he needs the most."

I finally calmed down, realizing that RB's probably with his adoptive parents and biological father right at this moment.