Song: Colors by Halsey
~~~~
"You're not focusing hard enough," Mot criticized, staring at me intently as I failed once again the hit the middle of the target with my arrow. I am focusing! I'm staring at the target, aren't I?

But at the same time I don't feel focused. My hands are shaky, my chest hurts when I breathe, my forehead is sweaty. Ugh, it's so hot in this room, is the heat on?

"Sorry I...I'm trying." I fumbled unsuccessfully to get an arrow placed right. Mot must think I'm an idiot, I can't even put an arrow correctly in a bow. I don't even know why he still trains me. I'm hopeless. I'm so stupid and I can't even-

"Jordan are you okay?" Mots tone was laced with genuine worry. I really expected him to yell at me to focus and stop wasting his time...he's worried about me?

"No, I'm not sick, I'm fine. It's just really hot in here. Maybe I should take off my jacket." I went to take off my jacket, but was severely confused when there wasn't one on me. Surely there is a jacket on me right? It's probably there, I'm just too dizzy to see it.

"What are you trying to do?" Mot asked, a single eyebrow raised.

"My jacket...I'm trying to take it off." If I could just find the stupid zipper...

"Jordan you don't have a jacket on. Really, are you feeling okay? Do you need to go home early? Because I'm perfectly fine with that. We can train another time when you're feeling better."

I'm fine! I'm perfectly fine. I'm just hot, it's stuffy in here, doesn't he get that? I'm just overheated. I really need to get this jacket off. It's so hot. I tried again to find the zipper, but it wasn't there! It was making me angry. Who does that zipper think he is, running off like that? Oh my god I'm going insane...there is no jacket. Mot must think I'm an idiot.

"Okay Mr. Butts, I'm calling your boyfriend to come get you. You're obviously sick. We'll pick up where we left off when you get better, alright?" He patted my back and smiled a pitying smile, and it only made me feel worse. Does he pity my stupidity? Does he feel empathy for how incredibly dumb I am?

God it's so hot. It feels like my heads on fire. Is it? No! Of course it's not! You're an imbecile for thinking so!

"Jordan?"

You forgot to speak again you incompetent shit head! All you are is worthless, you're the reason everyone suffers! Everyone hates you because of it! Why are you such a selfish ignorant ass? You deserve to die!

It was too much. My body hit the floor before I could even respond.
~
"Fever...hallucinations...nervous stomach...just passed out...couldn't catch him..."

Words floated around in my head like water. I wondered what they meant, if they were about me or about someone I love or maybe a stranger. Hmm.

"Prop his head up...don't move him too much...that's good..."

The voices sounded familiar, that's for sure. Were they my friends? Are they here inside my head?

"I don't understand...how could...impossible...why now...not his fault..."

The words seemed to get clearer with every passing moment. I could see faces above me, but I didn't recognize them, although I felt like I should have.

When I saw a familiar head of purple hair, that's when I finally snapped out of it. I wanted to tell him I was scared. Why was it so dark? Where was I? Why couldn't I move? I tried asking him these things, but really the only thing that turned out was, "Emscurred Tum."

I felt hands brush softly through my hair after I said the words. "It's okay. Nothing scary to worry about. You're fine."

"What...what happened?" I don't remember anything after Mot telling me he was gonna call my boyfriend...

"You passed out on Mots floor during training. Can you sit up? I really wanna talk to you. In private." He said the last words like he was aiming them at someone else in the room, which he probably was. Footsteps were and the sound of a door opening and closing made me jump a little. Hands gently coaxed me up from the bed, and I whined in protest. I'm so tired. Cant I just sleep a little longer?

"Sparklez? Can you see me?" I saw a blurry hand wave itself in front of my eyes, and I blinked rapidly to try and make the blurriness go away. When it finally did, I could fully see Tom in front of me.

He didn't look happy.

"Can you see me now?"

I nodded, looking around the room as I did. I was in the wizards tower, in the living room on one of the couches. There was a table beside me with a bunch of first aid supplies scattered out, bloodied bandages stuck out from it all. Is that my blood? Did I hurt myself? Oh god I hope not. I didn't mean to scare everyone.

"What happened? Why did you pass out, do you remember?" He spoke so angrily, like he was angry at me. What did I do? Is he mad for making him worry? Is he mad that I was bleeding and it made him worry?

"N-No...it was just really hot and I didn't feel good."

His burning glare didn't ease up on me though, making me feel so much more guiltier. I should be ashamed, making Tom worry over nothing. I'm so stupid.

"You don't remember anything? Nothing, absolutely nothing?" His tone was even more irritated than before.

"No...I really didn't mean to, you know...it just felt hot and I was really dizzy. I'm sorry."

He scrunched his eyebrows up in confusion. "Are you seriously apologizing for passing out? Are you that much of a sausage?"

"Isn't that why you're mad? I made you worry?" Why else would he be mad? I'm the one who messed everything up. Stupid...

"What?! No! I'm mad because Mot overworked you and you passed out! He's supposed to train you, not work you like a damn slave!"

He's mad at Mot? But Mot didn't do anything. I was just aiming arrows at targets before I fainted. It wasn't like I was running laps or doing actual exercise.

"Tom Mot didn't overwork me. I fainted because it was hot and I didn't feel good. Don't be mad at him."

"Sparklez people don't pass out for no reason. And it wasn't hot at all, the room was freaking freezing when I got there. You're not sick either because we already checked. I just don't get why you fainted. There wasn't any reason to. You're sure you don't remember?"

I thought back on it again, trying to remember anything that happened before Mot told me he was gonna call Tom. I think I was feeling anxious for some reason, but why? Mot isn't the kind of person you get anxious around. He was actually being really nice and thoughtful before I passed out. I don't understand. What was I thinking about that made me feel so horrible?

"I think I was feeling anxious but...I don't really remember why."

Tom sighed and stressfully ran a hand through his hair. "Okay that's fine if you don't remember. I just wanna make sure it doesn't happen again. It really scared me because you hurt your head pretty badly. You cut it open on one of the arrows you fell on. I had to stitch it up for you." He reached up and gently brushed his thumb near the wound, and I nearly purred at his touch. His fingers are so soft and cold. They felt great against my burning skin.

"Well someone's affectionate today. It's not often that I hear you purr, mister Sparklez." He grinned and caressed my cheek, making me moan softly. I love him.

"You feel so good. Can we cuddle?"

He chuckled at the question. "Sure why not. The wizards aren't here anyway. And Mot said he was taking Rosie back to the house while I took care of you."

My breath caught in my throat at the words he said. "You let him take Rosie? Why didn't you let her stay? Why didn't you just watch-"

"Sparklez calm down. Mots not gonna do anything. We can trust him."

"No! I don't trust anyone with her except Matt! You know that!" How could he just leave her alone with someone? Did he not learn we can't trust anyone after the Tucker incident?

"Chill your tits! I'll go get her and bring her back, no need to yell and scream. I'll be right back." He stood up from the couch and I tried to follow, but my head started throbbing painfully when I stood and I winced. Tom gave me a disapproving look when he saw me standing. "No, you're staying here. It'll take me two minutes to get her I promise. You can sit still for two minutes Sparkley dick."

"...you promise it'll be two minutes?"

He grinned and roughed up my hair playfully. "Two minutes, tops. And you know I can do much harder things than that in just two minutes." He winked at me. I rolled my eyes at his perverted reference and laid back down on the couch.

"If you're back later than two minutes I'll throw a vase at you."

"And if I do come back in under two minutes?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"You won't get a vase thrown at you," I said in a bored tone.

He pouted instantly and crossed his arms in protest. "I want a better reward than that. How about a kiss?"

"Fine. Two minutes Tom Syndicate, use them responsibly."

He ran out of the room at lightening speed and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving me alone in the now completely silent room. I regretted agreeing to stay. I haven't been left alone once the entire time that we've lived here, and now that I have, I want nothing more than to run after Tom and cling to his side again. I know I'm safe here and we haven't had any trouble in the past few months, but I still felt paranoid. I closed my eyes and pulled my blanket back over me, coincidentally the one Tom gifted me a long time ago. He must have gotten one of the wizards to get it back from our tree house. He's so sweet.

"Well isn't someone looking rather cozy?"

My eyes didn't dare open, the rest of my body froze. The voice was unfamiliar and it sure as hell wasn't friendly.

"I apologize, I had not intention of disturbing your precious dreams. Tell me, what were you dreaming of? Tom perhaps? Rosie? Maybe Matt? You seem rather fond of them all. A shame they must suffer for your ignorance."

I wanted to say something equally as threatening, maybe even more so, but my lips refused to move and my eyes to open. I know who it is. I don't need to recognize his voice to know who he is.

"But I promise, they won't have to suffer as much as you will. A quick and painless death is considered a gift to most. Would you like them to have quick and painless deaths?"

"What do you want?" I asked barely audibly. Stupid nerves. But wouldn't anyone be nervous if an ancient evil was threatening your loved ones?

"I have already told you what I want. Though you have refused to abide by it, so I suppose that means you don't agree with it?"

"I'm not gonna sit by and watch you destroy the world." I muttered, speaking a little louder this time.

I heard him chuckle under his breath. "You can delay the inevitable all you want, but it won't make the problem vanish."

"Why are you here? Why aren't you killing me right now and killing my family? Isn't that what you've been wanting to do?"

"Unfortunately today is not the date I wish to exterminate you all. I only wanted to offer you a deal, if you're willing."

"I don't make deals with bastards like you."

"I find it funny you act so tough, when really you're too frightened to even face me. Afraid of what you might see?" He chuckled darkly.

I sucked in a breath, opened my eyes and turned over.

I was actually...disappointed. He wasn't the monster, the masked murderer that I always visa ones in my nightmares. If anything...he looked like Wag. His skin was dark grey, an even darker grey hood hiding almost all of his face. He sat on the coffee table with his legs crossed and smirk on his lips. He didn't look threatening at all. Is this really the ancient evil everyone's been talking about? The father of the gods looks exactly like Wag but with a darker grey robe instead.

"You look...not evil." I blurted out. He chuckled lightly at my comment.

"Trust me dear mortal, I can look a lot more frightening if I wanted to. Now our deal-"

"No, no deals. Get out of here before the wizards come back. Leave me and my family alone."

"I will leave them alone, but only if you leave me alone as well. All you have to do is sit back and relax. No more pain, no more suffering, no more mind games. I will leave all of you alone."

"I'm not stupid! They're gonna die anyway if you destroy the world they live in!"

"Not if I send you back to your home. Wouldn't you like that? To be back in your tree and to have all of your little friends safe and happy?"

He can send us home. To Mianite. Rosie will get to see the god temples. She'll get to meet Ianite and Mianite, the good Mianite. She can choose a side and have a god and build a life there. We can all be happy again.

But what about this world? My mind asked. What about the friends you've made here? They won't leave their home. They don't want it to be destroyed.

"I want to go home, but not this way. No deal."

His smirk twisted into a sneer in one short motion, and he suddenly rose from the table and stood as close as possible to the couch. I could feel his glare even though his eyes were no where to be seen, and it made me feel extremely nauseous. Is he gonna kill me? Will Tom come back to see my dead body laying in the floor?

"I should exterminate you right here. Go after your precious threads while the little magicians are out shopping. What would dear Matty do if he came back to see your daughter hanging by her neck from his chandelier?" He was so close to me I could feel his breath hitting me in the face. I wanted to get angry, flip out and turn into insane Jordan, but it didn't happen. Instead, I waited for him to slaughter me, just like he did those poor bunnies. I thought of my best memories as I stared into the darkness of his hood. My wedding day, the first day Rosie was brought into our lives, my first kiss. I would give anything to tell them both I loved them one last time before I had to go.

It never came. Botan stood there, looming over me with that same glare. Something's not right. He would've killed me by now. He's tried nonstop to do it for two months and has failed everytime. He wouldn't waste this opportunity.

And that's when it clicked. This isn't real.

"Sparklez? Wake up, I have to change your bandages again. You're getting blood on the wizards couch, you sausage."
It was a dream! Oh my god it was a dream! Oh thank everything that is good and pure in the universe, Botan isn't actually here. I'm okay and my family is okay. Toms here. I can hear his voice and I've never been more happy to hear it.

I pried my eyes open, feeling instant warmth all over when I was greeted by a purple haired zombie. He raised an eyebrow when I smiled at him, confused as to why I was so happy I was bleeding on the wizards couch. "What are you so happy go lucky about? I'm just changing your bandages."

"I'm just glad you're here. I love you."

"Do you love me too, poppy?" A small voice asked. Rosie sat perched on top of the other couch, her blue and brown eyes fogged with worry.

"Of course. I will always love the both of you. No matter what happens."

~~~~~
There is a Harry potter marathon on and I've never procrastinated so much in my entire life. You know I was gonna be productive today, maybe clean up my room and organize everything and write up some chapters later on. But then my TV told me there was gonna be a Harry Potter marathon all day. Screw life, I wanna watch Harry Potter cast mad spells.
I bet people in the olden times got so much done without TV distracting them or fandom fanfiction to worry about. Oh well. I prefer procrastination over productivity anyway :3

Leave me a favorite or a comment if you enjoyed this chapter! I feed off of feedback like Voldemort feeds off of unicorn blood :3

I think I used that pun right...idk.

Thanks!

- Lee