"Adam, what happened?" I softly murmured as I with great difficulty opened my eyes. He was standing over me, he looked hurt and angry but with tears in his eyes. I'm not even sure he realized it. His blade was dripping with aura and blood, half from his hand gripping the handle that dripped down off the pommel and another's blood dripping down from the blade. The only way to tell the difference between the blood and the aura was that the blood fell and stained the ground.
"Did we get the red man?" Looking around I couldn't see any demons, all I could see was the hoard of people, they were unharmed with their wounds healed, and lying unconscious on the ground. I scanned through the crowd, looking for anyone I knew, anyone in need of help. They all looked fine, safe if not a bit strange the sight brought a faint smile to my face, and then I saw it. Hannah leaned over Mandella her hands bursting with her healing aura, but he was still.
"What happened to Mandella?" I say as I see him lying down in a small puddle of blood flowing from a slash through his chest that was trying to close, to no avail. As I rose slightly the pain nearly made me lay back down, but I pushed through. I saw Hannah clearer kneeling over him with tears falling on his face like soft rain. The glow of her aura faded from exhaustion.
Adam broke the silence as he moved between me and them as I was trying to move closer "Listen to me you need to go to your Pastor right ..." But I cut him off not able to push the image out of my mind. "Wait Adam what happened to him." He was silent but his grip tightened around his blade.
"Listen to me Joshua you need to ..." Adam started again trying to meet my eyes but I couldn't hold his gaze as I kept getting drawn to the scene in front of me. I try and justify and plead with him. "Wait what does he need Maybe I could help, maybe I could ..."
"Go!" Adam shouted loud enough to get the Horde of people to still and begin to wake. "Just go Joshua, get to pastor Elijah and tell him to cast the right of protection." he said with labored breaths trying to swallow back his anger even in his exhaustion. I stumble back and almost trip over myself. Still looking at him he turns slowly and moves towards Hannah and Mandella.
Turning away I find the street name and get the quicken route. My body was screaming in pain and crying blood but I kept moving afraid that my thoughts would catch up to me if I were to stop. But not a half minute later, as I make it halfway there, I feel a mass of manna flare from where I left the others, and I trip over myself. Skidding across the pavement for a few meters though even with so little aura left I only have light tears and scrapes on my side from the fall.
The killer of manna was magnificent more so like the sun breaking through a storm cloud than anything else. I had never seen it behave that way neither from Adam, Hannah, or Mandella. A mighty display of power, but for what I didn't know. Fighting against myself I stood up and started back to where I needed to go.
As I reach the church, I catch a glimpse of another large spell taking place but it is nowhere as powerful as the first. A beautiful sphere lattice of sacred geometric light surrounded the church. It looked as hard as steel but I was able to move with no effort. Rushing up the stairs and pushed through into the church where Pastor Elijah was on his knees praying. He raised his head, his eyes meeting mine; his stern gaze shifting to one of realization. "Wait here Joshua I will finish the right." He said as he stood up and walked past chanting a prayer as he did but as he made his way outside the door shutting behind him, I made my way further in.
With a few faltering steps I made my way past where he was praying closer to the stage as I did. Falling to my knees in just a few steps it all comes crashing onto me and as the memories come back; those memories that aren't my own I see myself slicing the red man, fighting Adam, and understanding what I had done to Mandella. The sword, the one conjured through my power that I hadn't put down since I had been knocked unconscious; I lift it up and to my throat, hoping it would be enough to apologize for what I had done.
I had killed him, it might not have been with my blade but I had done it all the same. Pressing it against my throat and closing my eyes. The doors slammed open.
"It's done, Joshua." Pastor Elijah's words echoed in the church the relief in those words washing over me. Feeling the edge of the blade against my neck turn dull and shrink back into its chain form it left no less heavy, violently jerking my neck to the ground and slamming my head to the ground knocking me unconscious.
"Joshua!" Pastor Elijah's shout was the last thing I heard before it faded to black. The black engulfed me, soothing me and clouding my mind till I couldn't recognize my thoughts.
Bursts of red began to flare in the darkness. They were random small to large with no pattern, but they were speeding up. Faster and faster till the red filled my vision. Till I opened my eyes to the midday sky.
The heavy smell of petrol was fighting the sound of roaring engines to see which could be the most obnoxious under the hot midday sun. But all of that couldn't even begin to weaken my excitement.
"C'mon, C'mon, we're gonna miss the start" I started again as I began pulling Dad away from the blue Roles-Royce cloud towards the start of the races.
"We would be there already if you rushed up to every car." His tone was joking if not masked by his excitement at watching the race. I wanted to, I.
But I couldn't stay still, even for a second, looking side to side and nearly running to each new car I saw but was being held strong by my head.
running
"Joshua!" I heard him before I felt weightless. Second later I was rolling on the ground scratched and bruised I looked around to try and see what happened only to see a wolf. A dark gray wolf decal looking right at me its lightning eye looking right into mine. An eternal moment, Before the car moved again taking the wolf with it. My ears rang and
As the car sped away, I looked around for my dad, right then left then right again I saw him lying there on the dirty street unmoving. The silence was against the world, slowly moving towards him even against the cries of my body, but whenever I tried to stand and walk towards him, I could only fall over on myself again. I couldn't speak, no that's not it, I was screaming, the closer I got the more desperate my screams got, but I could not hear my cries. Soon I was over him screaming his name even still unable to hear anything.
"Joshua." I heard his voice it broke through
the noise and silenced me. His voice was smaller than I had ever heard it but just as powerful. He weakly raised his hand to my face, smiling. His eyes were fierce looking right through me.
"Are you ok?" He said as he ran his hand softly on my trying to find any injuries scratches or scrapes and from time to time, he would bring his hand back to wipe my tears and comfort me.
"Manuel!" My mother screams like shattered glass reflecting her heart. Rushing forward pushing past everyone who stood in shock.
"I'm good, I'm good, I'm good." He says as he tries to move, even sit up but struggles even to do that. The surroundings finally come 8nto view as I keep my eyes on him. They were frantic, a few were trying to move closer but were hesitant. Others were on their phones and others still were rushing to the left, running as if trying to catch something.
My dad pulled me into his chest, making sure my head was buried in his Hoodie. "It's Fine Joshua, just stay here." I tried to push away to speak, tried to do anything but I was weak against his hand, unable to do anything but try and speak.
"I'm sorry Dad, I'm sorry, I'm sorry ... "