User: AvengingDemigod

Name: Maris Gold

Luke and I sat around for a few days, hunting rats and sparring. I had to admit the wraith was good, he was clever. After days of digging he found some good nightmares to use against me, though I always found a way out.

"Your last punch really-" Luke coughed. We just finished sparring again. I hit his windpipe hard on accident, he was down for a few minutes I thought I killed him on accident.

"Sorry," I said. I looked up at the sky for more storms but saw none forming. "Do you ever get the feeling it's too quiet here?"

"What do you mean?"

"There hasn't been a tornado for hours, it's unnerving."

"It's a welcome relief in my opinion," Luke said resting. I watched him for a few moments. He was like the older brother I never had or wanted for that matter. But it was good to have company. Suddenly the buildings around us began to shake lightly, dust and debris falling around us. The ground started to splinter and break underneath us and I jumped up.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"Earthquake," Luke said quickly. "We need to get to the water now."

"Oh yah the acidic ocean so safe."

"Come on!" Luke grabbed my wrist and we sprinted past collapsing buildings and ground that fell into nothing.

"Maybe sparring wasn't such a good idea!" I shouted as we ran. I could feel the bruises on my skin, the cool air brushing against it. I keep forgetting that I used my shirt for bandages, it was so hot here I figured I was wearing it. Occasionally as we ran Luke shadow traveled us out of harms way and I would use the speed of whatever animal I could think of to launch us forward. We eventually broke out past the buildings and ended up on the beach, the sand slowly being consumed by the waters.

"Well then," Luke froze.

"Over there," I said pointing ahead. I saw a swirl of silver and golden dust, something solid inside of it. "You see it?"

"Yah I do," Luke said. We watched as out of the waters burst another island, stretching far into the sky, brilliant colors filling the once empty space.

"Something tells me we go over there," I said.

"You sure?"

"Rather be dissolved?"

"Guess not," Luke wrapped his hands in mine and I nodded.

"Avenray." My wings sprouted from my back and I launched up into the air, looking back to see the last of the island dropping into the sea.

Good riddance.

I flew over to the new green covered island and saw a wooden platform with a few moving forms on it. "Ignore them, fly to the island."

"I can't," I said my wings suddenly feeling weak. "Something's blocking my magic, I think we have to go down there."

Luke cursed under my breath and nodded. "Lets go."

I flew slowly down and dropped Luke on the wooden platform, then dropped down next to him as my wings faded. I looked at the two girls standing there and stepped back. I didn't want anymore fighting, Crysalis had saved Roman's life, let me live. Sabrina, well she was her partner, they were good friends. I couldn't get in the way of that. Not after I lost my own.

Luke stepped in front of me, almost protectively and I looked at him curiously. What is he doing? The forms of two other boys appeared on the wooden platform when I wasn't looking and my heart surged with joy at the sight of Roman. He was ragged and worn down, looked tired and miserable, but he was alive. I wanted to run over to him but Luke kept me still. "We still don't know what has to happen here."

Roman looked at me and smiled brightly. "Maris."

I looked at Luke with an expression I hope looked like get out of my way or I'll throw you into the water. He nodded and moved his arm and I ran over to Roman. "You didn't die," I breathed. Roman grabbed my shoulder and pulled me into him, hugging me tightly.

"Barely," he said with a laugh. "You made it too."

"I had help," I said looking back at Luke, who was standing awkwardly in the corner. "But I mean come on, it's me we're talking about. I'm not easily killed."

Roman looked over at Luke and then back at me. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He looked around and I felt him tense. "What's all this anyway?"

Suddenly there was a swirl of the gold and silver mist at the edge of the wooden platform facing the island. When it faded away there were four harnesses, each had ropes lading up into the clouds, weighted down with heavy rocks. I looked at the harnesses for a moment and then at the six apprentices here.

"No!" I shouted. Sabrina and Crysalis jumped at my sudden outburst and Roman looked at me. "Do you think this is what will find a good leader! Killing our own kind!?"

"Maris-" Luke tried to say something but I cut him off.

"There are six of us and four harnesses, these monsters that brought us here want us to kill again. Haven't we done enough of that!?"

Roman wrapped his hand in mine. "Listen she's right. We can try to-"

"Oh will you two shut up," Sabrina snapped. Crysalis held her hand out in front of her and I fought off the urge to tackle her.

"Listen I can carry at least one of us up there, then the rest take the harnesses," I said trying to ignore her. "Everyone can survive this."

"You think you can just ignore the rules? People are supposed to die here." Suddenly she picked up a rock and transformed it into a knife.

"Wait!" Roman cried. She threw the knife and I saw Zander duck under it, as he reached for a harness. Crysalis pushed Sabrina back and Roman pulled Zander off the ground.

"We can find a way," Crysalis said. "We have to, I don't want to loose anymore friends."

"Yah I don't feel like killing anymore," Luke said. "Like Maris said this isn't the way to choose leaders. It's barbaric."

Roman nodded and looked at me. "Do you really think you could fly someone up there?" He asked.

"Avenray," I whispered. I felt my wings begin to grow and suddenly they burned horribly. I fell to my knees and screamed as it felt like fire was spreading along my back. "Everseray," I gasped through the pain. The burning stopped but my back still felt like it was torn apart.

"Maris!" Roman dropped down in front of me and gently touched my back. "Maris, damn it, are you alright?"

A small breeze flew by, pushing a few feathers into my few. I picked one up gently and it fell apart in my hands. "How bad is it?" I asked quietly. "I mean it hurts like a very very bad word right now so I at least want the scars to be cool."

"You are tough as nails, there is going to be scars alright, but you'll be okay," Roman looked over at Zander. "You're protection, you can stop the bleeding right."

"I'm fine Roman," I pushed myself and nearly fell again but clenched my fists, digging my nails into the palms of my hands. Take pain away from one thing, divert it to another.

"See, we aren't going to make it out this," Sabrina said. "If you can grow wings, chances are Luke can't teleport, so two of us have to die."

Roman touched my shoulder gently and I looked over at Zander, who was shaking, staring at his hands like he was horrified.

"Just stay still," Roman said. "It'll be alright."

"No," Zander whispered to himself. "I've made it so far....." He kept whispering to himself and I watched carefully.

"What're we going to do, this doesn't look good. They aren't going to wait around any longer," he whispered.

I stayed silent and watched Zander, he was twitching, the look in his eyes was scared. "Zander-"

"I don't want to do it anymore," he said quietly. "I don't want to....."

"Zander step away from the edge please," Luke said. "Zander come over here and we can talk."

Zander stepped closer to the side of the platform. "I can't do it." He looked at the water and closed his eyes. "Good luck."

"Zander no!" Roman ran forward but Zander jumped off the platform and into the water below. Roman grabbed my shoulders again and I looked from him back to the water.

"That's it, this harness is mine," Sabrina said. I stayed frozen, staring at the ripples Zander left behind. She ran to the nearest one and Crysalis ran after her.

"Hey wait," Luke shadow traveled in front of her and pushed her aside. "Zander made his choice but we can still make it."

Sabrina growled. "Yeah and now I'm making my choice. You guys can figure out how you're getting up, but I'm taking a harness. Now get out of my way or I'll have to hurt you."

"Luke," I looked over at him and he nodded. "Let's see what her nightmares are." He touched Sabrina's head before she could move and she started screaming. Crysalis tried to grab her but I knocked her aside.

"Ok, ok stop!" Sabrina cried.

"How are we going to get up then?" Roman asked. "One of us is going to have to stay behind."

"And like I said before, it's not going to be me," Sabrina launched up and tackled Luke almost sending him over the edge, but he traveled out of the way. She turned around and threw a few punches at Roman which he easily knocked away. She tried to kick me in the stomach and I almost laughed. Someone hit my jaw and I fell back, Crysalis standing over me.

"I'm sorry," she said before throwing another punch. I kicked her back and stood up.

"Maris!" Roman shouted. Luke grabbed my arm and pulled me into him, a knife moving through the air were I once stood. Crysalis cried out in pain and I saw the knife had embedded itself in her shoulder.

"No, Crysalis, I'm sorry!" Sabrina ran over to her and Crysalis stepped away, pulling the knife out of her chest. "You, you hurt her," she said pointing at me.

"No you threw the knife," Luke said.

"She's loosing it," I said quietly. "Sabrina what happened to you?"

"That's none of your business," Sabrina said furiously. "But I won't let you hurt anyone anymore. Crysalis, get to a harness I'll stall them."

"But," Crysalis was cut off by a wave of Sabrina's hand.

"Now!" Sabrina charged at me and managed to knock me to the ground, I used my knees to keep her from beating me. I grabbed her clenched her fists and threw her off, but she kicked me in the back. I screamed, her kick connecting with the gashes.

"Luke help Crysalis," I ordered. "Sabrina you need to calm down."

"Shut up, you, you're a freak. A monster, why do you care now about killing people. You acted like you loved it the first few tasks."

"You think I'm enjoying this?" I asked. "I killed grown men and women. People that deserved to be taken off the earth. I never signed on to kill children."

"I am not a child," Sabrina said. I looked at the ground and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Fine, then I shall not treat you as one."

"Do you need help?" Roman asked. I smiled lightly and kicked Sabrina in the stomach. She threw a few wild punches and I ducked under all of them, then grabbed her arm and tossed her over my shoulder, then hit her in the throat as she landed. She started coughing and gasping for air.

"Does it look like it?" I asked calmly.

"Never mind then," he said with a smile.

"Leave her alone!" I heard Crysalis crying. "Stop it!" Luke quickly tugged something on the harness and sent her flying up onto the island.

"You next Luke," I said. "Then you."

"What about her?" Luke asked pointing at Sabrina.

"She wanted me to treat as I would an adult," I said kneeling down next to her. "She made her choice." Luke pulled himself into the harness and as Roman started to pull his on, Sabrina stood back up. "Why won't you just stay down?" I asked. She tried to grab me but I moved out of the way forgetting how close we were to the edge. She tripped and fell off and I tried to grab her arm. I managed to catch her shirt sleeve but she knocked my arm away and Roman pulled me back before I could make another grab for her.

"Maris," Roman said holding my shoulder. "Let's go."

I nodded, still staring over the edge.

Two more people gone. Roman helped me into the harness and Luke nodded to me.

"See you at the top kid," he said with a thumbs up. He sent himself up and I looked at Roman who was getting into his.

"What he said," he said. I sent myself up and as I flew through the air I started crying. How much longer could I hold this up, how much longer could I keep fighting. Suddenly the harness released me and I screamed as I fell to the ground. I landed in a field of grass and flowers, a beautiful creek flowing through the center. Crysalis was lying on the other side of it, drinking the water carefully and holding her am. Luke was leaning against a tree, not looking at me or anywhere else only his reflection in the water. I walked forward and looked at my own reflection. I could barely recognize myself, I was covered in dirt and blood, bruises and cuts scarred my body. I dipped my hands into the water and slowly tried to clean the grime off.

I saw Roman's reflection next to mine and I looked at him. "We're so close," he said.

"Close to what?" I asked. Losing our souls, dying ourselves, loosing each other. "Do you think what we're doing here is winning. Every time we kill, it's just another loss."

Roman nodded. "I guess but Maris, you have to focus on the bigger picture. If you think about all the people that have fallen, you'll drive yourself crazy." He reached for my hand and I looked back at the water.

"I don't know how much more I change take."

Roman moved closer to me and out his arm around my shoulders. "It's okay, I'll be here with you." I leaned against him and he kissed my forehead.

You are by my side, but for how much longer.