Almost done with Part 2. Some juicy stuff happens this chapter, some things I'm sure you guys weren't expecting. I'm trying my best to finish Part 2 by this week. If I keep writing every chance I get, I should be able to!
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Falling to Rise
Chapter 26
"The minute you think of giving up, think of the reason you held on so long."
Seto let out a strangled scream before falling backwards against the table. His staff which was resting against the table fell to the floor with a clatter and hot wax was spilled all over the table from the candle.
Fire! Why was there fire! An-and so much of it!
Before he knew it, everyone came rushing down the stairs, Jason's siblings following behind sluggishly. "Seto! What's the matter?" Adam yelled to him from the stairs.
But they knew the answer before Seto even spoke a word. In fact, Seto didn't speak, he only raised a shaky finger to the window as he stared at the blazing fire.
~~~~~
"The camp! That's the camp, Jason, we have to go and help--"
"Ava, no. You, Glen, and Venir will stay here. You will NOT leave this house!" Jason demanded, "Glen, as the second oldest I ask you keep them all safe, I will head to the camp to see what is going on."
"Right," Glen answered as she hugged Ava and Venir close. She then ushered them back up the stairs, Venir too tired to understand the situation, and Ava who kept looking back at Jason with scared eyes. Jason gave her a reassuring smile.
As soon as they were out of earshot Jason hurried to the door and grabbed his blue hoodie and put it on, "Hold it, we're coming too," Adam grabbed Jason's shoulder to stop him.
"Adam, you should stay here--"
"Ian, just hold on, I know why you want me to stay, but there's a fire over there. Don't think you are going to convince me to sit here knowing there are innocent people who desperately need help," Adam stated firmly, "So whether you like it or not, I'm coming with."
Ian sighed and Jason interrupted them, "There's no time, anyone who comes thank you, but we have to go now. It could just be an accident, but I have to make sure," Jason ran out of the home, with Adam following closely behind. Seto hurried after, along with the rest of them.
He carried his staff made by Jerome in his hand, he may not necessarily need it for walking anymore, but he felt comforted by its presences. He was no good with a sword anyways, so this was better than nothing.
Jerome decided to travel through the trees, for him he would reach the camp much sooner than them.
"Uh, guys, I don't think this is good!" Jerome yelled through the treetops.
"What do you see fluffy?" Adam answered.
"Don't call me fluffy!" Mitch snickered in response to Jerome's outburst, "And it's the fire, it's growing rapidly, it's spreading into the woods. I can't make out much through the smoke, but I think there is some sort of fight up ahead."
"Jerome come down, hurry," Adam said, a moment later Jerome climbed down the tree and landed on his feet as he jumped the last few feet down, "Ok, here's what we're going to do, Jason, I'm sure you have something you have to do when you get there, so you go ahead and do that, Mitch will accompany you. Ian and I will see what kind of fight is going on, and if it's bad, we'll do our best to help." Adam then turned to Seto and Jerome, "You two, I want you both to help evacuate people, children especially."
They kept running after learning their task. Seto knew that while he helped people, he would look for Tyler. As he got closer the smell of smoke became overwhelming and Seto had to pull his cloak up higher in an attempt to block out the smoke. As soon as they finally broke through the trees and into the clearing, the six of them broke apart into their groups and split up.
"Seto, over here, I think I can smell people over here."Jerome beckoned Seto to follow and he did, Jerome was the one with a powerful nose. Seto saw people running and screaming as the fire illuminated the dark moonless night.
"Jerome, where do we move them to? Seto realized they had no safe place to take people.
"Seto, over here! Get everyone in over here!" Seto turned to the voice, it was Wag, "Bring people here, they'll be safe below."
"A-alright!" Seto and Jerome began to move around the camp, hurrying people from the fire and the buildings to the underground.
"Seto, watch out!" Jerome yanked Seto behind a small building, he slapped a paw over Seto's mouth, "Over there, those are--" Jerome stopped talking as he watched wide eyed. There was no need to speak, this fire was no accident, they were under attack, and none other by the Emedo army!
"What are they doing here!" Seto said after Jerome removed his paw from his mouth out of shock, "How did they find this place! Wasn't this place supposed to be a secret?"
"You're right, Seto, we have a problem here. I don't think we have time to warn the others, they'll figure it out soon enough. Seto...I think there's a traitor here."
"A traitor! No way! Why--or better yet who!"
"I don't know, but what matters is that we do what we were told. We have to get the people to safety before the soldiers get to them."
"R-right!" Seto agreed.
"I'll fight off anyone that tries to attack, you just get people away."
Seto nodded and the two swiftly ran off in search of people. The camp was comprised of those who lived on the camp, and those who lived in the neighboring cities or in the woods like Jason. So at the moment, the people they needed to save was smaller in comparison to the number of people that actually worked at the camp.
Should be easy, right?
~~~~~
"Jason! Slow down!" Mitch called out to the panicked adult.
"There's no time!" He answered back. Jason shrieked as someone tried to swipe at him with a sword, he dodged just barely.
"This is why!" Mitch jumped in and used his bow to block the next attack. Using his swift reflexes he kicked the man. The man let his guard down and Mitch quickly used the bow as a way to choke the man as he swung around him grabbing his wrist in a tight hold behind his back. The man coughed and dropped his sword. Mitch kept choking him until he fell unconscious. He grumbled before picking up the sword, he held it out to the shocked Jason.
"Ah-N-no, it's fine, I don't really fight--" Jason panicked and waved his arms in front of him as he rejected the sword. Mitch shrugged before putting his bow back around his back and carried the sword instead.
Jason started running again, but at a slower pace, and much more wary of his surrounding. As he did so, Mitch glanced down at the simple sword, though just plain iron, on it was a carving. One that represented Emedo, Mitch's eyes widened. Emedo was attacking, which was not good.
It hasn't even been a month and they'd already found them! But how!
Mitch followed Jason into a small stone building. It was dark until he flipped a lever turning on some redstone lamps. The inside was messy with tables covered in papers, tools and scattered parts. Large boxes were pushed into corners and small contraptions resting in make-shift positions and places.
"Gah! Sub's not here!" Jason screamed, he hurried over to a table with blue paper on it.
"What is this place?"
"It's where I work, this building is the place where all of our camps dreams are held. Everything is valuable, and must be protected, because in here, lies are plans. Essentially the projects the very few of us engineers have been pouring our sweat, blood, and tears to make. At all cost, this must be protected, or 10 years of works will be lost."
Gezz, Mitch had no idea that scraps of paper and half-empty crates were important. But if he said so, then he guessed he had no choice but to help Jason "protect" it as he said.
"Alright--Holy Notch! Dude what are you doing!" Mitch dropped his sword, it landed with a loud clatter to the stone floor, Jason was burning all the papers, "I thought these were important!"
"They are! But the papers are meaningless, Sub has them all down to memory, we just need to protect the supplies." Jason said as he took a torch and burned all the papers in sight, "Just help me make sure it'll be impossible for anyone to recreate our work."
"Fine, whatever you say..." Mitch grumbled and then picked up his sword. Then he began to gather all the papers into one giant pile on the floors, away from anything important, "Look, if you're just going to burn papers, then I'm gonna at least stand guard, this here is a decent sized pile, but I'll make sure no one comes through while you work."
Jason just noded and kept burning. Mitch headed outside and stood guard against the door. The air was filled with smoke and ash, he brought his hoodie up above his nose. The moon was finally peeking out behind the clouds, but the fire, was still large and uncontrollable. At least for the moment, they were safe from any harm, they were right next to the lagoon, and as such could go there if they needed too.
Mitch surveyed the area, this building was really secluded, and it seemed no one had noticed the dim lights on, or him standing outside. But he could see everything going on. He could see Ian fighting soldiers head on, man he wished he could be a part of that. But he couldn't leave without something drastic going on. That would be dishonorable to the Duhitian kingdom, he was committed here unless with good reason he was forced to leave.
Mitch caught a glance of Jerome and Seto. It looked like Jerome was fighting, and Seto was helping people, it didn't look easy... Gah! It bothered him, they looked like they needed help, and he wanted to help them.
Mitch squinted his eyes, he gasped, who was that! Mitch had no choice now! Someone had Seto, he had to do something.
~~~~~
Seto knew he was working faster than Jerome could keep up. Jerome was still struggling to fight off the oncoming soldiers as Seto hurriedly ushered people to safety. Wag was doing a good job of defending the place as it was a one way entry. Seto imagined what it would be like if Wag still had magic, and though he didn't know what magic he possessed, Seto was sure he'd be powerful.
Seto felt scared, something like this was really happening. It was a warzone. People were fighting and dying, and Seto could do nothing. He was useless as a soldier and as a sorcerer. He still knew no control, and he was too emotional.
Seto suddenly felt an extreme sense of panic, he stopped helping people, and suddenly turned around. But no one was there. Seto for sure thought something was going to happen, but he sighed in relief when nothing did. Seto turned back around only this time, something did happen.
Seto screamed out until a hand was clasped over his mouth and Seto was being dragged away.
Seto struggled against his captor, he tried to use his staff, which was still in his hand, as a way to attack. But ultimately he was weaker than his attacker.
"Let me go!" he said through his captor's hands. There was no answer.
"Please!" he begged. There was no answer.
As Seto was being dragged away, farther and farther from Jerome, he panicked even more. Tried to fight back even more, tried anything to perhaps get Jerome's attention.
Who was it that attacked him, and why?
Then Seto gave up. He couldn't control his magic, so he wouldn't use it, unless he wanted to hurt other people too. So Seto stopped fighting, and started crying instead. Hot, sticky tears were falling from his face and down the hand of his captor. The hand flinched, and ever so slightly moved away.
At that moment, Seto screamed as loudly as he could, calling out to Jerome through his tears, "Jerome!!"
Then the hand was slapped back over his mouth, and silence followed. The captor was angry as Seto felt a kick in the back of his knee that caused him to fall forward, still supported by the grip of his attacker. Seto winced but wearily looked up, Jerome had seen him, Jerome was running towards him. Someone was going to save him!
"Seto!" he screamed to Seto, Seto tried struggling more, "Let him go!"
Jerome was going to save him, he was scared, he was happy, he felt hundreds of feelings running through him.
"Let Seto go or I'll kill you!" Jerome had his axed raised, he was running at a furious speed towards Seto and his captor.
Seto felt the hand over his mouth move away, though he was still crying, he felt hopeful. Time slowed down as Jerome grew closer and closer, until a loud thundering noise rang out, one that made Seto snap out of his hopeful cry. A noise unlike anything he heard, his head was still ringing from the sound.
Seto's eyes widened, he blinked and stopped moving. He watched as Jerome's running was halted, the diamond axe fell from his grip and on to the grass. The fire around them cast dark shadows over Jerome's fur, he trembled as he looked Seto straight in the eyes. He reached out to him and Seto tried his best to do the same, but he was held back.
Blood began to seep through a hole like wound in Jerome's stomach/chest area. He clutched that spot before stumbling forward and falling to the ground.
Seto heard a scream--no, he didn't hear one, he was screaming.
Just die.
Seto blinked.
Just leave me alone and die! You lied!
Seto could no longer see Jerome, or Eflido, or anything. His head was buried in his arms, hot tears were running down his face, sunlight tried its best to peak through his clothes. And when he looked up, he was met with the scenery of Keuta, and Tyler's 6 year old face.
A face of someone who was sad, he reached out a hand to Seto and spoke to him, but Seto could not hear him. He only felt himself scream and close his eyes, a dim flash of light, and when he opened his eyes again. Tyler was coughing violently on the ground.
Just leave me alone!
Liar!
You lied--you promised!
Seto blinked again. He was brought back into the real world as he felt a burning pain on his face, in fact all over his body.
It was night time again, fire and a moonless sky. Jerome still on the ground, but he was free. Seto stumbled forward and clutched his side, blood was coating his hands as he clutched a shallow wound. A hand grasped at Seto's ankle, he spun around to see Sub.
Sub was half-standing, half-kneeling. He clutched his stomach as blood coated his hands, Seto trembled at the sight. What had he done! He'd hurt a friend. A few feet away Seto's staff lay coated in blood. Whatever had happened, he lost control again, he used his telekinesis. His staff had grazed his side and speared Sub before exiting his body. It was a shock he could still move.
"S-Sub! Oh Notch! Are you alright!" Seto immediately crouched down to help Sub but he didn't expect Sub to lunge at him. Seto was tackled to the ground as Sub's bloody hands wrapped around Seto's scrawny neck.
Seto gasped and choked as he tried to scream. He struggled against Sub's grip, "S-Sub...w-why?"
Seto knew Sub couldn't answer, but he still pleaded with him, all Seto could see in Sub's eyes was pure hatred. Green eyes the color of emeralds burned with the passion of a fiery flame. He had to be it, the one Jerome spoke of, the traitor. It was no accident that Sub had been speared, he'd been speared because he was the one that tried to capture Seto. He was the one that tried to kill--no he couldn't believe that-- hurt Jerome.
Suddenly Sub was pulled off of him, he was thrown across the ground and proceeded to roll before he stopped moving. Seto gasped as he saw Mitch standing over him, he was glaring in Sub's direction.
"Seto are you alright?" Mitch pulled him up and supported him.
Seto nodded, "B-but Jerome, Jerome i-is--" Mitch's eyes widened as he finally saw Jerome body.
"Here, take this." Mitch handed Seto his sword, he then rushed to Jerome's side. Jerome was face down in the ground, he wasn't moving. Mitch checked for a pulse and put his ear to Jerome's chest, well, back since he was face down.
Sweat was gathering on Mitch's face and his teeth tugged at his bottom lip in concentration before he calmed down, "He's alive, but just barely."
Seto let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, "Seto, I'm going to carry Jerome somewhere safe, you stay close to me."
Seto nodded. Mitch looked determined before he picked Jerome up and carried him in his arms. Jerome's eyes were closed and his arms dangled limply. Blood was still seeping from his wound.
Seto followed closely behind Mitch as they ran through the camp.
He glanced back momentarily to the crumpled body of Sub, why. Why did Sub do it, wasn't this group everything he was working for, why would he betray them. Why did Sub go after him?
And what was that he saw? A dream, the future? No impossible, unless in the future he and Tyler suddenly became 6 year olds again, it was impossible. It had to be something else, like a dream or a memory.
Seto didn't know.
The only thing he did know right now, was that Jerome needed him, his friends needed him. He wanted to be useful.
He wanted to help.
But all he ever did was cause trouble.
OooOooO! How many of you guys knew this was gonna happen XD Oh, poor Sub, why would he do something like this?
I'm working on a secret project, and this chapter is very important for that project. I hope to eventually reveal it to you all soon enough, along with other things.
~WrittenDarkness