Aphmau continues pleading for Katelyn to wake up.
"My powers can only do so much... Katelyn please..."
"All we can do now is wait." I lay a hand on Aphmau's shoulder.
"It's not fair! This all happened so fast. Katelyn needs me right now. I can't go anywhere. At least not until I know she's better." Aphmau says. "I still can't believe he-"
"Ugh... A-Aphmau?" Katelyn says, slowly regaining conciseness.
Aphmau immediately screams Katelyn's name. "Thank Irene you're ok!"
"Nughhh I-I'll be fine..." Katelyn mutters. "I just feel like an IDIOT! I can't believe I fell for Ivy's taunting... SHE PLAYED ME!"
"I fell for her taunting too. Only, I couldn't do anything about it since someone decided to sneak away last night and almost killed me in the process. I swear to Irene I will him soon."
"EVEN after fifteen years, she still knows which buttons to push..." Katelyn yells.
"She's always been like that... At least her name suites her, Ivy... Reminds me of poison." I mutter.
"Katelyn... I'm so sorry I wasn't able to help you. It just- It all happened within the blink of an eye. Did you really need to fight her."
"Jeffory's name fell from her rotten mouth... Nothing mattered anymore. Everything was just red... Then all I remember is a searing pain in my arm, and everything went dark. And now I'm here."
"Katelyn, I don't want you to be one of the many people I've loved who have passed... If I was in any condition to fight, I would have killed her on the spot... Even Ivy knows this."
"She's terrified of you, isn't she?" Aphmau asks.
"Who? Ivy? Yes, she is... Because she knows I have skills that would surpass even those of Irene's."
"Why's that?"
"I'll tell you later, but for now, I'll let you two talk." I smile, leaving the treehouse. I need to find Aaron.
~~~~~~/30 Minutes Later/~~~~~~
I wonder through the forest trying to find Aaron. My search seems to be for nothing as there is no trace of him. When I come across the Irene Dimension Portal... It's been activated.
A person begins, emerging from the portal, it's a familiar face... He had blue eyes and blonde hair... And was wearing guards armor. I also see the Irene dimension portal that Aphmau has visited many times. Standing in front of the portal is Aaron... Holding the Divine Relic in one hand... And Zane's throat in the other.
"Come to get revenge?" Zane laughs.
Aaron calmly replies, "No."
"How?! When did you find a-" Zane screams. "YOU'LL KILL US BOTH!"
The Divine Fragment begins glowing.
Aaron replies. "Good."
Everything turns white and the Irene Dimension Portal explodes, leaving fire, burnt stone and a massive whole in the ground. I stand in the tree line, unable to move... Having just watched my brother die...
Garroth goes and picks up Aarons' bandana and I look in front of me and see Aaron's hoodie... I pick it up and begin to cry. "I'm at lowest point right now... And unless I want to share my secret to everyone... I have to pretend that I don't care about him as much as I do..."
This situation can't possible get any worse...
"I still can't believe... Aaron... He's gone... No no no no! This can't be real! I almost lost Katelyn but instead I lost Aaron... He sacrificed himself to kill Zane and save Garroth... Why?! Why did it have to be him?!" My knees begin to shake and I fall to the ground.
~~~~~~/Levin's POV/~~~~~~
Aphmau and I heard a loud bang noise as if there was an explosion, we begin running towards the area and when we arrive we see someone there...
Aphmau spots him and runs to him smiling. "G-GARROTH!"
I stand at the wall, not wanting to interrupt the reunion, I just stare at the massive hole that left damaged to the forest and the Phoenix Drop wall.
"Aphmau..." Garroth says.
"Garroth! I've missed you so much. How in the name of Irene did you get out of there?!" Aphmau asks.
Garroth lowers his head and looks at the bandana he is holding.
"Garroth?! Wait... That bandana... That's-" Aphmau looks as if she is about to cry.
"Aphmau... I'm sorry..." Garroth says.
Aphmau begins to cry then screams...
I look at my crying mother than at the giant hole... My heart breaks... Knowing Aaron is gone... My eyes slowly look up and towards the tree line and I see someone on the ground, also crying... Who is that? Did they see what happened? Did they know Aaron? Nevermind that... I need to see if mom is ok.
~~~~~~/Anna's POV/~~~~~~
It's been a week since Aaron died and Aphmau hasn't left her house in Phoenix Drop... and I haven't talked to anybody since but I didn't really talk to people before anyway and people are used to me disappearing for days without notice. I've been sitting in my house, not moving to make food or get a drink, only talking to Phoenix, Vylad and Lucinda since they're the only one who knew my relationship with Aaron. Lucinda found out and Vylad's always kind of known since our families were so close.
"Hey Anna! It's Lucinda! I'm coming in..." Lucinda enters my house.
"Hi..." My eyes are red from the constant crying...
"I wish there was something I could do to help but..."
"It's fine... I'll be ok in a few days... I'm used to feeling this way... It's just-"
"You were closer to Aaron then you were to anyone else."
"He's my brother... Even when Jeffory died it didn't hurt this much... Maybe it was because I knew he loved someone else more and my feelings for him were dying anyway..."
"Anna..."
"Lucinda... I miss him..."
"I know baby..." Lucinda walks over and hugs me. "I'm surprised Garroth hasn't talked to you yet."
"No one's told him about me yet... Since everyone needs a little time to cope with what's happened."
"I know Aphmau got his sword and bandana but... don't you think you should have them?"
"No. Aaron did this for her... Not for me... He would have wanted Aphmau to have had them... I have our family cloak and... His hoodie..."
"You're a good person, Anna." Lucinda smiles.
"I want to see Aphmau..."
"Anna... Are you sure?"
"Yes." A weak smile comes across my face as I stand up from my floor.
"She's in Phoenix Drop... Here old house."
"The purple one on the hill?"
"Yep."
"Typical Aph..."
Lucinda smiles and we walk over to Aphmau house together.
"Usual Aphmau is the first person everyone trust in the village... But for me... It was you..."
"Only because I could sense your magic."
"Hehe... Yea..."
"You should go inside..." Lucinda says.
"Thank you... For everything."
I knock on the door, preparing myself to talk to Aphmau about Aaron. "Aphmau... It's me, Anna... Can I come in?"
"Ok..." Aphmau says, still crying.
I open to door and walk towards her. I sit down and try to smile but I can't.
"Hey..."
"Hi..." Aphmau replies.
"I'm glad... That you have Lilith... So she can help you get through this..."
"She's a big help..."
"You may think that I have no idea what your going through... But I do... Not because of my real parents who abandoned me... Not because of the death of my adoptive parents or sister... And not even because Jeffory was murdered by Zane... But because of him..."
Aphmau looks at me slightly confused, still in tears.
"Aaron and I were close... We would often have conversations were would both end up crying of laughter... He would make me smile and I did the same to him..."
"I always wondered about your relationship..."
"I know you two... Liked each other in a more... romantic kind of way... Aaron always smiled when he saw you and the smile only left his face when you would leave... Not even I could get him to smile like that for me... He had feelings for you that he would never have for me..."
"Were you... dating?"
"Hmm? Irene no! That would never happen! Aphmau... Aaron's... My brother..."
"What?!"
"Yea... And... I had to endure the pain of watching him sacrifice himself... I was searching for him when I came across the portal, I saw Garroth exit followed by Aaron and Zane... Aaron died... Killing Zane in the process."
"I'm so sorry..."
"Don't... We're both experiencing the same pain... Also... Don't worry about his sword or bandana... You should keep them... I have our family cloak and His hoodie."
"Thanks..." Aphmau's not crying anymore but she is still upset.
"Remember how I told you that my skills surpass Irene's?"
"Mhm..."
"Well... The don't but... I am able to do something that only very strong people could do... I've managed to both learn and master magicks and Witchcrafts, with my familiar being Phoenix." I say.
"Hmm... What magicks do you have?"
"Well, there are many different types of magicks but the ones I know of are animation, animal, barrier or protection, healing and nature magicks... I possess 2 types, Animal and healing, quite like yourself."
"What do animal magicks like myself?" Aphmau questions.
"You're able to talk to Wyverns and I am too... However... I'm not on good terns with the wyverns of this realm and my healing magicks... I'm still learning how to use them. I'm not even sure if I possess any, since Hyria was the one who told me I had them."
"I see..."
"Listen... I know life going to be a little harder... now that he is gone but... You have to keep going... So many people depend on you... And I'll always be here for you, if you need to cry or vent or just to talk... like you 2 used to do... Since Aaron and I used to do that too. We would tell each other our problem and help each other. So come to me, if you need any help." I explain.
"Thank you..." Aphmau shows me a weak smile.
"I have to go..."
"Why?" Aphmau questions.
"Garroth doesn't know I'm here... Or even alive for that matter..."
"Are you going to talk to him?" Aphmau asks.
"Maybe... But, Aphmau... Please... Don't tell anyone what I told you today. I don't want anyone to treat me differently..." I say, standing up.
"I understand... Thanks for coming to talk to me... The only other people who have visited are my boys, Zoey, Katelyn and Dante... I'm glad to see a new face... Especially one who understands what I'm going through right now."
"It's going to be hard without him..." I walk over to the door and look at Aphmau one last time.
"Yea..." Aphmau responds, before I leave."
As I leave Aphmau's house, I see Garroth over at the docks. He looks up to Aphmau's house and I hide. His eyes squint trying to make out who I am. Garroth begins walking up to here.
"I didn't want to see him right now... But... I guess this is as good as time as any." I mutter. I walk over to the stairs that lead to the old docks and brace myself.
When Garroth sees me he stops, dead in his tracks. "A- Anna? Is that you or... Am I going crazy?" Garroth looks at me, scanning my entire body up and down.
I smile. "Hey... Garroth... It's been a while, hasn't it."
"It felt like 5 years... But it's been 20."
"Hehehehehe..." I begin laughing and soon the laughter turns to tears. I break down, hiding my face in my hands, "I can't do this anymore..."
"Anna?! Are you ok?"
"I miss him..."
"Are you talking about... Jeffory?" Garroth asks.
"No... Aaron..."
"Were you close?"
"Aaron's... My brother... Don't you remember..." I whimper.
"Anna... I'm so sorry... I completely forgot..."
"Don't be sorry... It's not your fault... Aaron made his choice and it's been such a long time since..." I say. "Garroth... It was great to see you again after so long... But... I need some time alone right now..."
"I understand..."
~~~~~~//~~~~~~
End ~ Thanks For Reading!