~~~~Jesse's P.O.V.~~~~

My eyes snap open, as my body plops onto the ground, though my vision tilts and I'm unable to make out anything in the blurry mess of colors. The blood in my veins pounding and drowning out any noise.

A dark blur hurls towards me, similar to the one that just smashed Axel moments ago. I dart out of its path, and just spot a blot of red get absorbed into the Witherstorm. Although I couldn't see her, my gut tells me that Olivia just died. All pain, all reasoning, all sensations dimming under the buzz of shock.

How? How can our entire group get beaten after we've come so far? I whip my head around looking for my sword, but my vision still isn't sharp enough to make out any details. I spot a bunch of colors bobbing, probably Petra's inventory pile, which will have her golden sword.

I race towards it with tears streaking down my face. I try to dodge the all tentacles flying around me. I couldn't do it, and the cold shock of failure curls my mind as one of the Witherstorm's tentacles wraps itself around my body.

"NO! I'm not failing! I'll avenge them! I am going to destroy YOU!" I thrash my arms and legs against my captor. But the tentacle only tightens, locking me into position.

Panic sets in, and with the raging buzzing in my ears and my blurry sight only amplifies it. I pour my strength into beating the limb so it can loosen its grasp. A depressing darkness sets in, sapping my energy away. My body starts to go limp, and I can barely hold my head up.

No no no... I'm so sorry my fallen friends. I couldn't do it... I'm so sorry I failed all of you... The world will be eaten because I couldn't do it. Any light or strength left is consumed by the darkness, and consciousness is ripped away from me.

~~~~~~~~

I pant rapidly as air fills my once squished lungs. The world is still just a bunch of shapes and colors blurring together. I can hear a muffled noise under the ringing of my ears. I can smell blood, although I can't tell where it comes from.

I remain in the grasp of something, but this thing has arms. Either way, I'm too exhausted too to do anything. My body is burned out, I feel unable to do anything except tremble in exhaustion. My heart is slamming into my lungs with each beat, and my lungs pushing back with heaving breaths.

I lift my head, trying to make out anything around me. The thing gripping me pulls me backwards, and I stagger, my tormented body unable to properly support myself. It readjusts its grip, and now drags me across the floor. I'm helpless to try and stop it, so I except any fate. I don't feel very alive anyway.

I flop onto something, and relief flows into my quivering legs now that I'm sitting. I lift my head at blurry figure in front of me, making incoherent noises and gestures.

What-happening? Dying... now here? Wait, that not real... was it? Things happened after that and LIVING friends apart of it. Ugh, barely managing to think straight. Thoughts, feelings, so jumbled...

I release the tense muscles of my neck, letting my head hang down. There was no point in looking at anything if I can't see it.

Although at least I figured out the blood scent is coming from me, the memory of what happened briefly fluttering through my thoughts. I can't focus on it long.

How can I when my bones were replaced with iron blocks, and my muscles are worn-out useless rags?

Warm hands cup my face, raising it up. They were so comforting and soothing, and feelings wash away. A calm sensation blooms inside me, and I bring my own shaking hands up, gripping onto the ones already there. Beneath the calm, I knew I desperately need this... this thing... this guardian. The guardian doesn't move away, but ceases making noises.

I squint, get my bearings back together. I got similar feelings before falling asleep, and they sure did let me down. I shouldn't rely on this again. So what the heck is triggering this emotion? I've never felt this before, and why is it stopping the other emotions? I don't even feel concerned about this or even confused. Just calm and focused precision. Perhaps if I can find out the cause, maybe then I can control it.

My vision finally focuses and I see a somewhat fuzzy Lukas in front of me. Lukas, the only other person in the Order Hall anyway. A reliable, loyal, supporting, and caring friend. I don't need some magical guardian, I have Lukas to help me, what could be better?

"Lukas? Uh, what was happening?" Lukas's eyes perk at the sound of my voice, and he pulls his hands away. The cold prickling the skin and seeping into my body.

Grief sprouts up, and my peaceful state falls back into the turmoil of my nightmare. Now I'm acutely aware of how exhausted I am. As my bones beg to be relieved of my weight and my muscles seem to cry for rest.

"You were having a night terror I think, running and screaming as if you were somewhere else. I grabbed you, but that only caused you to go in a frenzy. I'm sorry if I hurt you, but I couldn't get you to stop thrashing and I was panicking."

I smile at him, despite the fact I seem to be carrying someone on my shoulders. The pounding of my heart races to support me; rushing oxygen rich blood through my veins to get to the desperate muscles.

"Lukas, you did the right thing, there's no need to apologize. If you hadn't stopped me, I would have ended up hurting myself a lot more. So thank you."

Lukas fidgets, and rubs the back of his neck. "Uh yeah, no problem, I guess. Well, here eat this. You haven't had anything in a long time, and are probably hungry."

"Thanks." I take the apple and eat it. Just able to stop myself from gagging the entire time. The cold food hitting my churning stomach, and I'm trying very hard not to throw up. I need to eat though, something to give me a sliver of energy back.

Lukas never looks away from me, and it reminds me of how he looked at Petra before he knew about her sickness. So what that I'm hiding how weary and sore I feel right now, but Lukas knows what's been happening. He should know that I'm not at peak energy levels. And I'm not acting that sore, am I? No, it's probably something else. But the constant stares is throwing embarrassment into the pot of fatigue, stress, and misery.

"Uh... welllllllll, anything happen while I was asleep?"

"I wouldn't call that sleeping, but no. I took the arrowheads out of you and moved the clay and your armor. Also, I fixed your sword up, it should be as good as new."

Lukas reaches behind him and pulls it out for me to grab. The stiff the joints and muscles in my arms ache as I clasp my hand around the handle and  set it on the nightstand. The blade glimmering as if the previous morning never happened. As if I never failed in the first place...

"R-r-really? Because you seem to have learned something new that puzzles you. Something that involves me judging by how you are staring at me."

I am so hoping that he didn't figure out what a terrible state I'm in. How the nightmare affected me, that I'm about to collapse even though I just woke up, or the emotional hurricane running rampage in my head.

Lukas only looks down and runs his hand through his hair. A light tint of red starts to appear on his face. And although this means he doesn't like the topic at hand, at least it isn't probably a topic dealing with my weaknesses.

"Have you notice anything strange with your behavior?" I'm now a deer in the headlights. Realizing my previous thought was totally wrong and I'm about to pay the consequences.

"Wha.... What d-d-do you mean? Like, uh... the fire?"

"Nooooo, not that. Like weird reactions from normal things. Or strong feelings that come from nowhere and have no good explanation."

"K-Kinda, I haven't been awake all that l-long, but some of my f-f-f-feelings are out of place. And I'm really-- Well, I am going moving from one emotional state to another way too quickly based on a strange little t-thing."

Lukas lets out a huge sigh, and sits next to me on the bed, to where our shoulders nearly touch. "That's been happening to me too. Now, if it were only you, I would blame it on the new fire abilites. But it's happening to me, me! I have NO idea what could be causing this and it had to have been triggered today. This has never happened beforehand."

"Ok then, what are you feeling? 'Cause I'm getting some really strange ones."

Lukas nearly instantly blushes, and turns his head away from me, clearly not wanting to talk about it. So I continue, hoping to break his shell. Plus, I don't want to give him time to think about how I've been acting.

"For example, I got this weird guardian angel feeling. Like something was protecting me, when in reality you were... you..."

Lukas is connected to the guardian feeling, somehow. There is no reasoning, but the certainty is so strong, my mind is already set in stone. He was there last time when my vortex of emotions were calmed by peace or... whatever calmed me. And the guardian feeling left once he removed his hands.

Okay, that's weird. Lukas needs to give input on this. If I'm right, then his touch should scatter away any feeling besides peace. Perhaps his touch could even sooth some of my pain. That would be really nice.

"I'll be honest with you Jesse, I got sudden bursts of really intense emotions and they all revolve around you. Don't get me wrong, I was worried about you. It's just these were definitely on the weird side. It's weird even for US, and that's saying a lot considering what we've gone through."

"Yeah, my strange feeling came both times when you were...uhh touching me. Aaaaannnnd that was definitely not the, uhhh, expected reaction."

"I know you have your whole fire thing now, but why am I getting affected by these emotions? I definitely don't remember spewing any fire earlier today."

Holy squid eggs, can't these problems come with a handbook or something? Or at least be straightforward. Well, out of everyone, I'm glad Lukas is the one here helping me.

"There has to be something... something must have started it at some point."

Lukas raises an eyebrow at me. "That's a lot of somes."

"Hey, I'm working on it." A lightbulb goes off, making my heavy spine shiver with excitment also loosening the stiff joints. "Lukas, when did the first off emotion happen?"

"The first one? It waaaaassssss after your fire glowed. It wasn't the most intense emotion, but definitely strange. Since looking at it was terrifying, but it made me feel protected and safe." Lukas's head snaps up with wide eyes. He turns towards me, and I get the feeling the same lightbulb went off in his head.

"You don't think that..."

"That when my fire glowed around us, it somehow bounded us together or something." Lukas's just kept staring at me, mouth opening but no words coming out.

"What? Can that...? IS that even possible?"

"I dunno, but..." I lift the hand closest to him. "Do you want to test it?"

He closes his mouth, determination shinning on his face. I clear my mind, and open myself up to any new sensation that might come. Lukas lets out a breath and grabs my hand.

An electric bolt fires off from the exact moment he touches my skin. It shoots right into my mind, burning away any thought or hesitation against it.

It streaks deeper, bursting open something that has been there my entire life. Something I didn't know could be unlocked. I shake my head clear, getting the electricity out of my mind.

A powerful serenity settles, and everything has greater clarity. I can see so much better and I am much more aware of all my surroundings.

The exhaustion from my muscles is sweeped away, and I now feel as if I weigh light as a feather. Knots of stress that have spotted my back, untangle, free from all burdens. No longer does the grogginess of sleep deprivation fog my brain.

Amazing...... remarkable... wonderful, spectacular incredible-unbelievable! I'm losing aches and pains I didn't even know I had! Clouds must feel like this, so free and light and moveable. All of my limbs finally can move without any burden of pain or soreness or stiffness or anything! How did I even breath through all that torture?

Happiness bubbles up in my chest, and I giggle. Then I start to laugh, and laugh, and laugh. I bend forward, my stomach hurting in the best way possible. I haven't felt so alive and good for so long it's a blessing. I finally feel like Jesse, the leader of The Order of the Stone and can overcome anything.

I face Lukas, and see his bright smile. Probably not as happy as I am, but I can tell he is very happy for me. Which just makes me all the happier.

Lukas lets out a deep breath, never dropping his smile and gazing right into my eyes. "Incredible..." I tilt my head at his mutter, and give a quizzical look.

"Jesse," Lukas has an amazed expression, his voice nothing more than a whisper. "You're eyes are glowing. And they're such a brilliant bright green..."

My smile does the impossible and gets even wider.

"Trust me Lukas. This is the best I've felt in weeks. Everything is so much clearer, it- it- it's just so great! I'm at peace and I feel strong too. Like all the strength I used up is back, all at once rushing through my veins. Any weight, any burdens, has just been washed away, and I'm now so light! Ahh, I forgot it's even possible to feel so good."

Lukas suddenly frowns though, and looks down. Concern prickles my joy, as I grip his hand tighter.

"Hey Lukas, you okay?"

"It was at first feeling secure. Then getting flustered multiple times. I got overwhelmed with doubt, and right before you woke up I felt fear. Heart stopping fear for you, and at the time it came out of nowhere. I didn't even know about your nightmare. I'm grateful that we have learned one piece of the puzzle, but we still have no idea why I'm connected or even the extent of it. Jesse, I am extremely happy for you, and I want you to feel this way forever. But I don't want you to get up, and suddenly feel all the pain you've had return. And the more we know, the better we can control this."

"Hey, whatever the reason, we'll find out and we'll deal with it. Because we are just THAT awesome." I smile at Lukas, because despite his worries, I am totally confident we will be able to handle anything that gets thrown at us.

"I hope so Jesse, and what even did happen to you? You suddenly looked liked before the Witherstorm, all care-free and really happy. Except for the glowing eyes, but it does make it seem that you're on top of the world."

"Well, I felt something break- not sure what- and then I was refreshed. Becoming strong and light, then getting calm and really happy."

Lukas tilts his head. "If that's what happens when we're touching, then would it go away if I let go of your hand..."

"Well, it can't be worse than when I started."

I release my grip and immediately regretted it. In one painstakingly long second, everything hurls back into turmoil. 

Exhaustion curls around my muscles, sucking off energy. Iron blocks weld onto my bones, and my poor bones ache due to all the weight and pressure. A great burden slams into my shoulders, crumbling my back. The muscles in response start to knot up, tightening my back and forcing me to keep it straight. A tight rope corrals my short-lived happiness, locking it away. Weariness, stress, and a pounding headache growing in its place.

I was wrong, I was so very wrong.

I'm panting, and my surroundings have long since melted away. I can't even take a deep breath since my core muscles are so clenched together that they quiver even when taking shallow breaths.

Then, just as quickly as it came, it vanishes. All the pain, all the misery, everything, poofs. Yet, I'm not disoriented and instead sharp clarity streaks into me. I can't help but groan though, the last experience still leaving phantom traces of the pain from that brief torture.

Conflicting emotions run rampage inside me. I don't feel dizzy from the sudden rise and fall and rise again of physical and emotional states. Yet, I know I should and its confusing me. My body is running faster than my mind, and leaving it in the dust with it scrambling to catch up.

"J-Jesse? You, uh, you okay?"

I finally notice a death grip on my hand, and two wide-eyed blue orbs intensively studying my condition. The nervous question and pale face showing pure concern.

For a moment, the truth flutters through my head. I could tell him that I feel clueless, and worried, and stressed, and anxious, and exhausted... when I'm not touching him.

Yet if I do that, Lukas will make it his responsibility to take care of me. Which is a lose-lose situation. He'll be babysitting me, and constantly be stressed. And the stress gets bottled up, and explodes at probably a very bad moment.

"Well, I just realized how much stress I've been building up 'til now."

"That's not what meant."

I hesitate, not sure whether to lie or tell the truth. I've spent most of my days missing my friends and wishing to talk to them. Lukas, out of all my friends, is the kindest and most understanding. So I can tell him what's wrong, and we'll figure out a good plan. Now just to say it... by blurting? That caused a rant earlier, so perhaps it's best to ease into it.

"Currently no, not okay. I really do need to sleep, and eat, and do something incredibly relaxing."

"Go on..." Lukas looks at me with an arched eyebrow. Clearly very aware that I'm not telling him everything.

"Sooo.... I also probably should get... What are they called? A massage? Yeah, one of those things."

"You forgot MASSAGE is?!" Lukas's eyes try to pop out of his skull, his jaw trying to reach the ground.

He sighs and his grip becomes tighter. "Holy Nether, Jesse did you ever take a break?"

Being the friend I am, I've learned when my friends are about to snap. Lukas has always been a bit tricky since he hides his emotions pretty well, but I know when his frustrations are breaking free. Like right now for instance.

"No, you probably haven't... Don't you realize it Jesse! What you've been doing to yourself is just wrong! If you break yourself to the point where you can't even function, what's going to happen to Beacontown Jesse? They'll be in a complete panic without a leader!"

"Yeaaaaaah... that's bad. But I never noticed 'til now, I swear Lukas! I didn't even stop to think that it's this bad..."

"Oh gosh Jesse... I worry about you, even more with this fire thing. So listen to your body and take care of yourself. Tell people if you need a break. Believe it or-"

"Okay, Lukas, I get it. I don't need a lecture about the power of relaxation."

"Really? 'Cause you definitely look like you do."

"Yes, since I'm currently living out the consequences... But what do you think I should do first? Eat? Sleep?" I can't help but cringe at the word sleep. Just the thought of it makes my heart shiver.

"Eat, you went through days of using up energy that's not there and you still multiple injuries that need to heal. Then, you will get a good long rest. Even if I have to be there the whole time." A blooming gratitude fills my soul. My face stretches into a huge smile, and I hug him again.

"Lukas, you are just the best. Thank you. Thank you for what you've already done. Thank you for what you're planning to do. Just thank you."

"Hey, thanks Jesse, I'm glad to know that I'm not just making things worse for you."

Lukas stands, pulling me up to my feet and wrapping his arm around me. The action is confusing, since I'm currently not in any pain. I try to shift out of it, completely uncomfortable that Lukas feels the need to take care of me like this.

"Nope."

Lukas tightens his hold, and shoves our bodies closer together. He continues to walk, totally unfazed by our position. My arm pops out and I bring it over Lukas shoulders. It would be too awkward to have it anywhere else, and I'm already feeling awkward enough.

"Just because you feel fine now doesn't mean you are. And just because you never had to receive help like this in the past, doesn't mean you should refuse it now."

"Fine, just don't tell Petra or I'll never hear the end of it."

"Hmmmm..."

I glare at him. "If you tell her, I will deliver justice as I see fit." I narrow my eyes, waiting for him to remember all the times I have done just that and how no one escapes me.

"Uhh, okay then." Lukas gulps. "Y'know Jesse, you can be incredibly scary at times."

"Just wait until you see green fire come out of my every pore and incinerate absolutely everything around me."

Lukas gulps again. "This is why I'm glad I'm friends with you. So I'll never have to experience this justice or hell fire."

"Always knew you're the wise one Lukas."

"As long as-"

pound... pound... pound

Lukas and I glance at each other, listening to the faint echo in the hallway. We shuffle closer to the Order Hall all while trying to think of the cause of the sound.

Pound, pound, pound.

Lukas opens the door, and the volume significantly rises. Lukas pales, figuring it out... A rock falls in my stomach, and dread crawls its way up my back.

POUND! POUND! POUND!

Lukas gazes at the Order Door, muttering under his breath. "Why is it..."

CRACK! CRACK!

"...that the weary gets no rest?"