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dis·turbed
dəˈstərbd/
adjective
having had its normal pattern or function disrupted.
"disturbed sleep"
synonyms: disrupted, interrupted, fitful, intermittent, broken
"disturbed sleep"
suffering or resulting from emotional and mental problems.
"the treatment of disturbed children"

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"So can you tell me what exactly does freedom mean if I'm not free to be as twisted as I want to be?"

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The metallic taste filled his mouth as he held his hand out to the Elements. As they lay unconscious, he slowly buckled over and spat out the crimson liquid.

Sam moved towards him, rubbing his back. "Have they come yet?"

"N-no. Soon, though. I know that for sure."

His best friend nodded, glancing up towards the front of the alleyway. "Think Ol' Pot Belly will be pissed at us?"

The boy let a laugh escape as he wiped his mouth of blood. "You know the answer to that, Sam."

"You're right Nathan, I do."

Nathan sighed as he felt another bit of blood drip out of the corner of his mouth. The pressure building up in his nose was about to cause his nose to bleed as well. Sam frowned as Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're almost there, huh?"

He grunted in return as his vision began to blur. A few tears pricked the corner of his eyes. Sam put his arm around him. "It'll be over soon. I'll take care of it, just relax."

Nathan let a chuckle escape his throat. "Thanks, Sammy."

Sam sniffed. "It's no problem, Nate."

And with that, Nathan succumbed to the darkness.

♧•♧•♧

Nathan opened his eyes as he took in a deep breath. His chest heaved up and down as he got used to breathing again. He looked around, a slight look of panic on his face.

He calmed himself down and wiped the sweat off his face.

After getting himself calmed, he looked around, checking his surroundings. It was obvious he was in some sort of mansion, though that was to be expected with who he was dealing with.

Though, he didn't know which one this was.

Sighing, he began walking down the hallway when he heard a scream. He ducked into a corner and watched as guards ran by.

A young boy with blonde hair followed them.

"Wesley! Get back here!" A woman's voice called out.

Wesley, the boy, stopped and turned to look at the woman. "Hey, Mommy!"

His mother smiled. She bent down and grabbed his hands. "Honey, we need to go."

Nathan frowned as he leaned against the wall. His eyes trailed over to the teenager standing a few feet away from the mother and her child. His eyes were wide as saucers. "N-no, you can't do it! Don't run, stay away from him!"

He frowned, closing his eyes as they watered up. Nathan sighed. "I'm so sorry, Wesley." He whispered as the boy and his mother walked off.

Wesley screamed at them, tears pouring out of his eyes. He reached to grab them, but his hand passed through them. The element dell to his knees, tears pouring out of his eyes. "W-why?"

Nathan bowed his head. "I- I'm so, so sorry, Wesley. I promise I'll help you."

Why? A voice sneered. It's not like he's done anything for you. Besides, why would you help someone who only looks out for himself?

It's because I'm a good person. Nathan argued, trying to push that voice away. So what if I already have enough on my shoulders? The reason people like myself help others is so no one has to feel that kind of pain. I'd never let what happened to me happen to him, or anyone else, for that matter.

That shut it up. Nathan sighed as the world melted away again.

He had no idea who was next. It was either one of the girls or the last guy. He hoped that it wouldn't be too bad, but he knew it would be terrible. 

Now, he was on a street. The beautiful green grass and the hot sun beating down on him told him he was in the summer. 

As he stood there, the sound of a coach's wheels rumbling across the dirt pathway hit his ears. Nathan looked towards the sound and saw a noble coach on the road. In the coach was a little girl, a girl who looked to be her older sister, and an older man. Nathan closed his eyes and felt the wind blow past him. When he opened his eyes, he was in the coach sitting next to the man.

"Gillian, Lela, it has come to our attention that we need to combine our company with the Mark family." The man said, looking between the two.

The older girl frowned as she put an arm around her sister. "What do you mean, Uncle?"

Their uncle sighed. "We have to make this deal via marriage, Gillian."

Gillian looked down at Lela. "W-who?"

"Well, they would've preferred Lela, but she is so young, so I had to go with you."

"I'm fourteen, Uncle."

"You are to marry their eldest son in two months."

"How old is he?"

"Eighteen."

Gillian sighed. "At least I'll be able to stay with Lela."

"No, you are going to live with them. Lela is staying here."

The fourteen year old's eyes widened. "No, you can't be serious!"

Lela looked up at her sister. "What is it sissy?"

The uncle smirked as he leaned towards Lela. "Your sister is going to be leaving you. It'll just be me and you, little one."

Lela whimpered as she clutched onto her sister. "No, please!"

Nathan felt tears begin to well up in his eyes as the world swirled away yet again. Nathan wiped his eyes . When he finished, he was in a ballroom. 

Everyone wore fancy outfits, and it was extremely full. However, Nathan's attention was gravitated towards a fifteen year old girl standing in the middle with an older gentleman chatting her up. Nathan bit his lip as he moved towards her.

It was the brown haired girl. The guy in front of her seemed to be growing impatient as she wasn't accepting his flirtatious gestures. Nathan bit his lip, a rough idea of what was going to happen forming in his mind.

The girl shook her head when he said something, and anger filled his face. He said something to her, and then stalked off. The girl exhaled, and then walked off.

The world blurred for a second before it he was in a hallway, the girl walking towards her room most likely, still in her fancy ball gown.

Then, she was pulled into a room.

Nathan could hear her screams, and then silence. He gulped, and the world dissolved again. 

He was in the room now, the girl lying on the ground. Her dress was in tatters, and bruises covered her body. She was unconscious, and the man was no where to be seen. Suddenly, the door was thrown open and shocked cries were heard.

The world dissolved yet again.

"Mommy, when do you think Daddy will accept me?"

Nathan opened his eyes, and stared at the flame head of the last boy. A woman sat next to him, her hair a dull brown. She chuckled at her son. "Don't worry, baby, Mamma will always accept you."

The boy frowned as he looked down, his two colored eyes filled with despair. "But Mamma, I want Daddy to like me too."

"Ayden, your father does love you! Don't worry, he does, I promise!"

"B-but it doesn't seem like that."

Ayden's mother sighed. "I'll go speak with him."

Nathan watched her walk out, and then looked back down at Ayden. He looked close to tears. Suddenly, the sound of screaming at feet stampeding were heard from the hallway. Ayden stood up at opened the door with his fat little fingers. On the other side was a complete massacre.

Their home had been attacked.

Nathan gasped as he walked over. Ayden's eyes were wide, and then he saw something. His mother. On the ground. A sword wound through her back. 

She looked up. "A-Ayden... r-run..." she managed to spit out.

Ayden immediately burst into tears. "Mommy! No!"

And the world dissolved.

Nathan fell to his knees as tears began to pour out of his eyes.

All these bad events flooded his mind.

He would never forget them.

And now he had to live with them.

♤•♤•♤

Ayden shot up from his slumber. He was dripping with sweat. His shirt was off, and his chest moved erratically as he panted. Ayden looked around, his eyes as wide as saucers.

On the bed next to him was Ashlee, her face scrunched up in pain as she slept. Wesley was on the other side of the room, tears falling from his closed eyes. Lela was next to him, her hands fisted up as she clutched onto the blanket.

The door to the room opened, and the girl from the stage walked in. When she saw him awake, her eyes widened as she walked back out.

Ayden covered his face, trying to get his head together. However, the door opening again snapped him out of it. The mayor stood there.

"Ayden! I am so terribly sorry for what has happened! I swear I had no idea that he would pull a stunt like this!"

That woke up the others, as they all seemed to shoot up, looking terrified. The mayor sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I swear it!" He shouted. "I swear we had nothing to do with this!

"With what?" Wesley shouted, rubbing his cheeks.

Ashlee gulped. "What the Hell was that?"

Lela nodded. "I had the worst nightmare!"

The mayor sighed. "Arianna?"

The girl looked up. "Yes, mayor?"

"Where is Sam?"

Arianna frowned, tapping her chin. "I believe he is tending to Nathan, sir."

The mayor sighed. "You need to go get him. Since Nathan is taking longer to recover, we'll have to have him explain what happened and why the Hell Nathan would do something like this."

Arianna nodded, and walked out, her head hung. The mayor bowed to them and said another apology before he scrambled out.

The elements looked at one another. "Are you guys okay?" Ayden asked, looking at their faces.

Ashlee nodded, biting her lip. "I just had a bad dream, that's all."

"Dream my arse." Wesley said, scrunching his nose up. "I had a nightmare about something that happened in my past."

Lela nodded. "Me too."

Ayden frowned looking down. A sigh was heard from next to him. "Yeah, it was a memory from the past." She murmured.

"Mine too." Ayden said, his eyes welling up.

Suddenly, the door opened, and the blonde boy from earlier stood there. He wore nicer clothes, but he still had a look of disgust on his face. Arianna stood next to him. "Sammy, you need to explain to them what happened and why."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Do I have to?"

"The mayor asked you to."

"Ol' Pot Belly never scared me! I can take him any day!"

Arianna's eyes widened. "I'm sure you could, but you'd be kicked out of the village! You know I'd never survive without you!"

Sam threw back his head and laughed. "Arianna, you're a beautiful, young girl! When you get older, there'll be plenty of ways for you to survive!"

Lela scowled. "Shut the Hell up."

Sam looked at her, his expression changing. "You don't control me, and you never will. You aren't my parents. I never had any anyways. Nathan never had any good people in his life until the bad ones all left. You can't control us, you idiots."

Wesley scowled. "We just want to know how this person could do such a thing. It isn't normal. Is he the evil? Are you trying to protect him?"

"Who? Nathan? No, he isn't the evil. He was, however, close to the evil before they were classified as what they are. Besides, it's not like he's anything terrible. Sure, he showed you your worst memories, big whoop."

Lela's jaw dropped. Ashlee let out a sarcastic laugh. "'Big whoop'? Who the Hell do you think you are?"

Sam sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair. "I am, actually, Samuel, a very kind person."

Arianna sighed. "Sammy, you aren't making this any better."

Sam rolled his neck before looking down at her. "Ari, they are nobles. I can't exactly be kind to them, you know."

Arianna seemed to realize something. "I-I'm sorry, Sammy."

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door. Sam looked back and opened the door. Standing there was the teen they had seen from before in the alleyway. 

"Y-you!" Wesley shouted, pointing an accusing finger at him.

The boy had a bandage wrapped around his forehead, and a sling around one arm. A few cuts were on his body, as well as some bruises. Lela chuckled "What happened, did you get beat up?"

"Y-yes, I did." The boy said, coughing.

Sam shook his head. "Nate! You should be resting! What the Hell are you doing?"

Nathan sighed, closing his striking violet eyes. "I need to apologize."

"Apologize?" Ashlee asked, her eyes widening. 

"I'm sorry I made you see that. If anything, I only did it because I thought you were for sure going to hurt Sam. And if it makes you feel any better, what you saw, all of you, is what caused me to get this wounded. It could've been way worse, I barely made it out."

"What are you?" Ayden asked, his eyes widening as he drank in this information.

Nathan sighed, putting his good hand on his head. 

"My name is Nathan Humphrey, and I am an Element."

◇•◇•◇  

Sorry about the long wait, I got caught up with school work. 

Anyways, what did you think of this chapter?

What do you think happened in those memories? 

Why does Sam hate nobles?

How do they know Nathan isn't the Evil?

Where did Nathan get his powers from?  (mentioned in original story)

When did the Evil and Nathan cross paths?

Who is the Evil? (might have been mentioned in original story)

I'm sorry, I had to use them.

It just worked out in my favor.

Anyways, I'll see you all i the next update!

-Paige