Cheryl Faun
We're okay. Tristan's okay. I'm okay. We're going to be okay. All these thoughts ran through my head, and my arms tightened around Tristan's torso. Don't leave me ever again. I don't think my heart can take anymore of this. I looked up, and Tristan smiled down at me. He helped me stand up straight since my legs were still wobbly from the fall.
"I don't think.. I can take anymore of this bullshit," I said to him, trying to level my breathing so that I would stop crying.
Tristan smiled slightly. But, the smile was sad; he looked as if he lost the world. "What would you do.. if I said we were going to die as heroes?"
My eyes widened at his statement. Die.. as heroes? Did this mean my attributes had been taken? Many people died as heroes of this world. They selflessly sacrificed their lives to save it; for everyone in the world, even those who were selfish and arrogant. They had forgotten those who loved them and died to become the heroes of this world by saving it. But to die so young to sacrifice your life for the world; that was unheard of in our world.
For the past few hundred years, only those of 20 years and older were allowed to be sacrificial lives. Others were considered stupid and weren't given any praise. What Tristan and I were doing were in spite of being dragged into it; me being the source of power and Tristan being dragged in by Leo. To die as heroes; that's not a bad way of dying. But I just found a reason to live this world. I glanced up at Tristan and peered into his green eyes, only for them to sparkle back.
Would dying here be worth the life we have now?
I bit my lip.
If I said no, Tristan would tell me to run. He would be the sacrifice of this world. But I don't want him to do this alone. I nodded. Tristan didn't seem to understand. Swallowing down all of my selfishness, I nodded again.
"Dying as heroes; that's the best way to die. By protecting the world," I responded quietly. My hands clenched into fists. "But I'd like to say something first. We should at least try to see if we can stop the bomb."
Tristan was silent, then sighed heavily. "Right." He looked up at the sky, as if praying for a second, and then peered down at me. "You got any attributes left to spare?"
I shook my head. "When I came back to life, it seems as if it could only reverse my physical body. I'd say the Atlas Bomb has already been able to take my attributes, and that's the reason why I can't use them."
"Well then," Tristan replied. "We'd better get going."
~~~
We reached the busted down door. Tristan said this was the control center of the Atlas Bomb, where my attributes were used to activate it. Weapons hung on string atop the ceiling, and I noticed a dead body laying on the floor, covered in green blood. My eyes widened when I saw the stained blonde hair.
"Tristan..."
"Yeah. I killed him," Tristan said bluntly before I could say what I wanted to. "Because he said something unruly that ticked me off."
I gulped down the growing lump in my throat and walked around the body. A huge screen had hung on the wall in front of me, and I looked at it, reading the words on it.
T-minus 3 minute(s) until explosion.
My eyes widened. We didn't have much time left. Tristan looked at me, and I nodded a little. I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt and began typing on the keyboard, ignoring the rush of panic slowly sleeping into my mind.
Flashback (Age: 14)
School always seemed to be the only thing stopping me from getting rid of myself. I hated the fact that students stared at me. Again, I know I wasn't a good student, but I technically finished courses online. I didn't need to come here. But hey, free food. Even if it is shitty. I walked into the empty halls, deciding to skip this period. I leaned against the lockers and stared at the nothingness of the school.
The silence.
The sounds of dead souls.
I loved the silence of the school, because any noise had made me paranoid. The silence was bitterly tasteful, and I loved it. It was then that I had realized someone was staring at me. I looked to my left and saw a boy standing at the end of the hall. Brown hair and green eyes; the definition of what girls at our school wanted.
Tristan Tanner.
His eyes stared as I looked back, our eyes gazing at each other. I felt my hand tighten into a fist.
"What're you looking at?" I said.
I didn't have to yell because the hallways usually echoed when not many people were around.
"Stop trying to die."
I rolled my eyes. "Don't tell me what to do. I can die if I want to."
Tristan's eyes gleamed anxiously, and he said, "This kind of suicide won't make you die a hero."
I squeaked suddenly when the keyboard sent electricity at me. Tristan pulled me back. They must've placed something in it to set off a barrier so that no one can stop it at its last few minutes. Everything began shaking, almost like an earthquake. Tristan and I fell to the floor harshly, and I fell against a katana.
"Ow!"
I ended up on top of Tristan, and he thankfully caught me. The concrete walls began cracking and breaking, almost going to cave in on us. We didn't make it in time. As the walls of rock shook, trembling from the force of the bomb, I glanced at the timer. 60 seconds left before our last chance to live this world. I looked at Tristan, my eyes watering with tears, trying to smile. He smiled back and held my hand in his.
"I guess this is goodbye, huh?" He asked, trying to lighten up the mood.
I nodded and sniffled. "Y-Yeah." I smiled genuinely with tears rolling down my cheeks, and he frowned, wiping away my tears. I don't want to die. I want live this world with you. My heart pounded furiously. "Hey, Tristan? Let's promise to find each other in our next lives, okay?"
He kissed the top of my head and grinned. "Of course."
We both peered back at the timer, and his pinky wrapped around mine, promising me. I trembled slightly, trying not to think of my own death. I'm prepared to die as a hero. I will die as a hero. I will protect those as a hero. All along with him. I felt my heart dropping and shattering into pieces when I realized I was about to die, my eyes stinging from the tears. I didn't want to die like this. I never thought I'd reach this, but now that I'm here.. I don't—
"Hey." I looked over at Tristan. He smiled at me with his cheeks flushed, and he put his pinky out, saying, "In our next life, let's get married."
The timer began counting down the last five seconds before the bomb would explode. I smiled at his suggestion, and as soon as the timer began beeping louder and faster, I wrapped my pinky around his and answered.
"Okay."
The explosion went off.
And the world disappeared.