Sasha covers her mouth at the sight of it. She had to try really hard not to just throw up right there. She was horrified, she was scared, she wasn't... ready.
But Anne? Anne was a bigger mess. Anne just stood there, crying loudly, burying her face into her hands. Sasha slowly steps behind her, pulling her into a hug. "It's okay, Anne.." She assured her. "It'll be okay..."
"I killed her.." Anne whispers back through sobs.
"No.. you saved her," Sasha whispers back to her. Sasha couldn't help but feel a little upset at her. She knew she did what Sasha could never have done for the better, but it still hurt. Nonetheless, Anne was a true hero.
"If I just pulled her into the portal.. if I would've have just thought quicker.. it never would have happened.." Anne sobbed into Sasha's shoulder. Sasha tried her best to comfort Anne but really all Sasha wanted was someone to comfort her at the moment.
"Hey.. it doesn't matter what you could've done differently.. what happened happened. Thinking of what could have happened only makes things worse." Sasha pulls away and looks Anne in the eyes, even with her one eye. "Anne, you were so brave doing that. You just saved thousands of lives. Even I... even I couldn't have done it.. And I am so sorry for Marcy.. I.." Sasha gave herself a second. "I know how hard it was for you. I'll be here for you.. okay?"
Anne looks at Sasha and nodded slowly. But she just turned back to Marcy. "Oh Sasha..." Anne cries, hugging her back. "She didn't deserve this.. I'm not the hero... she was."
Sasha hugged Anne tightly. "Hey.. it'll be okay. We have to get out of here now.."
"I don't want to leave her," Anne whispers to Sasha. "Please.."
"Anne.." Sasha whispers, squeezing her hand and looking around at the crumbling palace. "I'm sorry but this palace is probably going to go down any second. We have to get out.."
Anne turned to Marcy. "Okay.." She says, walking over to her and picking her up, bridal style. "Let's go."
Sasha was going to protest but she decided it would be okay. "Okay.. we just have to find the calamity box and avoid Andrias.."
The two girls walked through the hallways of the palace. Unfortunately, the only one of the three girls that new their way around the palace was Marcy, who was dying in Anne's arms.
The whole time during the walk, Sasha couldn't get her eyes off Marcy no matter how much it hurt. She couldn't stop thinking of all the moments they had together, playing in the fields, studying together, or even playing tag when they were young. Sasha desperately wanted to cry right there to Anne, but no. She was supposed to be the strong one. She was supposed to be the leader. She couldn't be a burden to Anne, only support.
"This has to be it.." Sasha whispers as they reached a large door. Anne and Sasha looked at each other nervously before Sasha tried to push it open but failed. She then punched it so hard the door flew off it's hinges. "Whoa.." She mutters. The calamity powers...
Sasha and Anne stepped into the large throne room from before which indeed had the box on the pedestal. "There it is!" Sasha whisper-shouts, pointing towards the box to Anne.
The box had the grey stones sadly. "The temple?" Sasha whispers. "We have to do the temples again?"
"Well we can't leave now!" Anne protests. "We have to find The Planters! We have to defeat Andrias!"
"I know.." Sasha says, quietly. "I have a plan. How about I stay with Marcy and try to find any newts left behind... you find The Planters."
"What..?" Anne says. "No, we aren't splitting up.." Anne reached over and touched Sasha's hand, which made her go red. "Sasha.. I lost..." She chocked. "I lost Marcy... not you too.. please.."
Sasha hugged Anne tightly. "Hey... it'll be okay. You're not going to lose me.."
"Marcy said that once..."
Sasha let go, reaching her hand and touched Anne's cheek. "Hey... don't worry, Anne. I... I will be okay.. okay?"
Anne nodded slowly. "I..." she sniffled. "I know..."
"You have to go save your family.. I won't be in the way this time. I'm going to do all that I can to help the newts."
Anne hesitated and she slowly handed Marcy to Sasha. When Sasha lifted her, she as shocked how light she was. "Thank you, Sash..." Anne whispers. Then she ran off.
Leaving Sasha alone. With her dead best friend.
Sasha just stood there for a little, looking at Marcy. "Oh Marcy.." Sasha hugged her close. "I'm sorry," she whispered into her hair. She suddenly heard some quiet clatter of footsteps.
"Oh.. not now.." Sasha mutters, pulling Marcy close while drawing a sword. "Who's there?!"
A head peeked out of the door frame. Then another.
"Sasha!" A voice calls. A feminine one.
Sasha gasped. She never felt so relieved before. "Olivia! Yunnan!"
The two newts jumped out from their spot. "Sasha!" They shout, running over to her, pulling her into a hug. Sasha would have hugged them back but she refused to let go of Marcy.
Sasha's heart was racing so hard it almost pounded out of her chest. "Olivia, Yunnan, I'm so happy you're here..!"
Olivia and Yunnan suddenly gasped in horror as she saw Marcy in Sasha's arms. "Sasha..! What.. what happened to Marcy?!" Yunnan and Olivia demand.
"I..." Sasha chocked.
"Sasha..." Olivia repeated, looking into her eye. "What happened to Marcy..?"