D E V I N
The tossing and turning never stopped as I stared at the ceiling above me. The only time I missed the outside world was when I thought of stars. I could stare at them for hours on end and let my thoughts wander. Tonight, my thoughts were only on one person. Accepting the fact that sleep would not grace me with its presence, I found myself walking through the streets of the city. It was laughable, how much the dimming of the lights mirrored the night sky. If I didn't know any better, I'd feel as if I were walking outside. Outside. The word was almost foreign to me now. It had been months since I've felt the sun on my skin, the wind in my hair. I'm not sure I ever would again, but I think I'm okay with that. This is my home, whether or not I figure things out with Graizen. Its quite ironic, how we were made for each other. It seems like quite the opposite at times, almost like we couldn't be more wrong for each other. I let out an exhausted breath as I laid onto a patch of fake grass. I closed my eyes, letting the lights shine onto my skin.
Boom.
I jumped, as bright flames surrounded me. Fire was suddenly surrounding every inch of me, swallowing me whole. I screamed out in pain, trying to shoot water into the air with my hands. My powers were failing on me once again as the flames ran across my skin. I screamed in pure desperation as I could smell my own burning flesh in the air. The pain was excruciating, until I felt water against my wounds. I cried out in relief as the coldness of the water hit my skin, the pain disappearing into the air. They healed almost instantly, as midnight blue eyes came into my view.
"Jax! What's happening?"
Jax didn't answer me as an explosion erupted inches from us, sending our bodies flying into the air. We both collided into the side of a building, as our bodies met the harsh ground. I coughed out blood as all the breath in my body was suddenly taken away from me. Jax lifted up my arms, as I regained my balance. Fire spread all around us as Jax shot water into the air, attempting to stop it. The fire was too fast for him as he looked at me with terror filled in his blue orbs.
"We're under attack."
His confirmation sent chills through my body as I stared at the streets of Donum. Fire was present in almost every building at this point, spreading right in front of my eyes. I shook my head in disbelief as Jax attempted to put the fire out with his hands. His body was growing weaker by the second as water shot out from his hands. I ran to him, pulling his arms down to his sides.
"Jax, the fire is spreading too quickly. We have to evacuate everyone. Now."
Jax nodded, exhaustion taking over his features. I guided bodies to the elevators, sending groups up as much as the doors could hold. The numbers of the people escaping were alarmingly small, I barely counted any as they ran past me. I tried to ignore the paranoia that flowed through me as my eyes searched for Graizen. He wasn't in any of the crowds of people, or on the streets. He'll be okay. We're all going to be okay.
"Devin!"
I relaxed as Micah and Aster were among the bodies escaping. I assessed both of them, no injuries covering them. Micah looked genuinely thankful as she grabbed onto my arm and pulled me to her chest.
"The two of you head above ground, get a head count of everyone up there."
They both nodded to me as I sent them into the elevators. My eyes continued to search the crowds, which seemed to be lessening by the second. Buildings were burnt to the ground, buildings that our people lived in. Now they were dying in front of my eyes, their bodies engulfed in fire. I never felt so useless as tears ran down my face. I spotted a body trapped under debris, my legs running to it as fast as I could. My eyes widened as I spotted Rayner trapped underneath a beam.
"I'm going to get you out of this, okay?"
Rayner only nodded, his eyes half open as they came in contact with mine. I screamed out as I tried to lift the beam with every ounce of strength I had left in me. The beam didn't move an inch as I let out a scream in agony. I wasn't strong enough. Another explosion went off behind me as I fell to the ground. My body was in shock, more pain running through it than I had ever experienced in my life. My ears rang as I steadied myself back onto two legs. Rayner coughed out blood as his eyes fell on me. He was growing weaker and weaker by the second, the fire closing in on us.
"G-Go."
That was the only word that fell from his lips as his eyes closed. I shook my head in denial, as I closed my eyes. He isn't going to die here. I felt my hands warm as the beam lifted completely off of Rayner, flying far away from sight. Rayner's wounds instantly healed as he coughed, his eyes popping open. The relied that ran through me was unexplainable in this moment. I lifted him from the ground, pulling his arm over my shoulder.
"M-My sister is a badass."
He half smiled as I led us toward the elevators. Blood was pouring from his head, already healing with every step we took. Rayner was regaining his strength with every second as Aphelia ran to us. I threw my arms around her, as I stared at the burn marks running up her arms.
"Your arms."
I gasped, pulling them to me. Aphelia shook her head pulling them out of my grasp.
"I'm fine, and so is Graizen. He went back for you."
Of course he did.
"I'm going back."
I started to take off running before a strong arm stopped me. My breath caught in my chest as I stared at the arms in betrayal. Ryker appeared at my side, as he dragged me back toward the elevators. I pounded at his chest as Rayner and Aphelia grabbed my arms, pulling me into the doors. My legs flailed in the air as I used all of my strength to run back to the city. Graizen is still there, and he's searching for me.
"Let me go!" I clawed at their arms, tears falling from my face. "I can't leave him!"
Don't do this to me. Don't make me leave him.
"Keep my girls safe, Rayner." Ryker in informed Rayner as the doors began to close.
No.
"Wait!"
Aphelia stuck her hand through the door, as she pulled Ryker by the collar. She smashed her lips against his, as they shared a kiss full of passion between them. Tears fell from her face as she pulled away. Rayner didn't let go of me as I continued to fight against him.
"I love you, Ryker."
"I love you. I'll see you on the outside?" Ryker kissed her once last time before the doors closed.
"Dammit!" I pounded my fists against the silver doors, as the elevator started to move. My mind felt as if I were going insane in this moment. I left him. I left Graizen. I slid down to my knees, holding my head in my hands. I couldn't control my breathing as I stared at the floor in front of me. This isn't happening. This isn't real. Every single moment felt worse than the next. Graizen is still down there, and he isn't going to leave until he finds me. Yet here I am, about to be safely above ground.
"Devin..."
My head shot up as Aphelia's body dropped to the ground. Her eyes instantly closed shut, as her body slumped to the floor. My eyes darted back and forth from her mouth to her chest as my knees collapsed next to her. No.
"Aphelia!"
I grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her in my arms. Her body was unmoving, her eyes snapped open as panic began to set in my bones. Rayner put his ear to her chest as tears ran down his face.
"She's not dead. She's not dead." He repeated as he ripped her jacket open to reveal burns marks all along her chest. I stared at her body in shock. Her chest wasn't moving This isn't real. This isn't real. This isn't real. Rayner began panicking beside me as the elevator doors opened. We pulled her body up the stairs and out of the cabin as we laid her down onto the grass. I coughed out as oxygen ran through my body.
"You are not dead. You are not dead, Aphelia."
The words seemed too familiar as I repeated them to her.
"A knife! I need a knife!"
Rayner's face was puzzled as Aster suddenly appeared beside me. She handed me a knife without question, as I cut open my arm. Blood instantly began pouring out of my arm as I lightly cut into Aphelia's skin. I rubbed my blood into her wounds as I stared up at the sky above me. I can heal her. I can do this. I choked out a sob as the stars appeared above me, bright and as beautiful as ever. They were unlike any set of stars I had ever seen before. Let her live. Let my sister live. I stared into the sky, begging any greater power out there that was watching me. I shook Aphelia's unmoving body, as more tears escaped from my body. Take me. Take me and let her live. Let her children live. It was Rayner who tore my body away from hers, as we collapsed into each other's arms.
"Let go of me!" I roared into his chest, my voice sounding inhumane. "I-I can save her! Let me do this!"
I grabbed the knife once more, attempting to cut into my skin. Rayner threw the knife into the tree beside me. I ran for it as quickly as I could, only for him to knock me to the ground. I punched him in the chest, as I fought against his hold. I cried wildly into his chest as denial was burning through my body.
"Let me save her. I can save her."
Rayner was crying just as much as I was as I looked back at her body. Her platinum blonde hair was covered in ashes, her pale skin almost a grey color. I shook my head as I stared into her eyes, which were wide open.
"She's gifted. She has to come back. S-She can't be dead." I sobbed into my brother's chest. Rayner shook his head as tears fell from his face. Never had I seen him more broken as we stared at Aphelia's dead body.
"She was pregnant, Devin. She isn't coming back." His voice was a shaky mess, barely holding itself together. My hands were uncontrollably shaking as I closed her eyelids. Another sob escaped from my body as I recalled the first day I met her. She had defended me from day one. She was the first person here I allowed myself to trust. The memory seems far away, almost as if it happened in another lifetime.
Ryker.
I shook my head pulling away from Rayner. He isn't going to survive this, he won't survive this. I wiped my tears as Graizen ran out from the cabin. He dropped to his knees as his eyes landed on his cousin's lifeless body. He screamed out in pain, his voice shattering as I ran to him. I held him in my arms, as he collapsed into me. My breath froze in my lungs as Ryker followed behind him. I pulled away from Graizen as my eyes followed Ryker's body. He stared at her for what felt like hours until his eyes moved to Rayner's.
"You." His voice was hauntingly numb, as if it didn't belong to him.
"I told you to keep her safe."
In the blink of an eye, Ryker's hand was imbedded into Rayner's chest. Ryker's eyes were demented, they did not belong to him in this moment. I screamed as I ran up to him, trying to meet his eyes. Desperation ran through me as everyone stared cautiously at Ryker. With a simple thought, he could light Rayner's heart on fire with his hand. There was nothing that was going to stop him, with the amount of rage and loss that was pounding against his skull. Every thought that was running through his head was uncontrolled, every action he was making were not his.
"D-Don't do this, Ryker. He's your brother. Don't lose yourself."
Graizen was standing behind me, his arms on my shoulders as I held my hands up to Ryker. Ryker's legs almost gave out as he screamed out in pain, closing his eyes. I could see the how broken he was, everyone in the forest could feel it. Rayner didn't utter a word as he tried to breathe. Ryker had him pinned up against a tree, his legs not touching the ground. I looked back and forth between the two of them.
"Ryker, Ryker!" I called to him once again, trying to reach him. "Breathe. Focus on me and only me, okay?"
Ryker screamed out once more as his eyes locked with mine. He was lost. He was lost and completely broken, and I don't know if he can ever be fixed. His arm loosened as he slowly began to remove it from Rayner's chest. I nodded to him as his breathing slowed, his eyes only focused on mine.
"Let him go. Let our brother go."
Ryker nodded, as his hand fell out from Rayner's chest. Rayner fell to the ground, coughing out in pain. Ryker collapsed into my arms as his cries in agony echoed through the forest. His cries were felt through every person standing in the forest in that moment. Those were the only sounds anyone heard around us as I rubbed his back, letting him release every bit of pain inside of him. His arms gripped onto me as if his entire life were in my hands in these seconds. In this case, I had no doubt that it did. Ryker cried until I felt his muscles grow weaker, as he finally fell unconscious in my arms. It felt like he cried into my arms for hours. I couldn't feel a muscle in my entire body. I gently set him down onto the ground, before wrapping my arms around Graizen. He pulled me into him as if his life depended on it. The forest around us grew silent. Not a single soul in the entire city decided to speak as we stared at the world around us. We had lost everything, our city, our family. There wasn't a word spoken, but every single one of us were sharing the same thought in this moment.
This is war.
~