Chapter 1 - Wounded

His vision had gotten blurry, and the smoke around him wasn't helping the slightest. He saw a figure in beige further up ahead, among all the green and brown. It had to be who he searched for. He couldn't hold much longer, and he had to see them before he passed out. Limping forward, he opened his mouth to shout, but it only came out as a hoarse whisper.

"Re...ggi-..?". The figure seemed to have heard him however, as it turned toward him. "Delsin!" he heard the other shout, and the familiar voice sent a faint smile upon his lips. He limped a few more steps before he stumbled and fell. Strong arms caught him before he reached the ground, and his head and upper body suddenly came to rest against something firm, yet soft. He opened his eyes to see the face of his older brother looking down at him with a shocked expression.

"Heey Reg..." he said with a faint chuckle. Speaking was hard with his dry and soar throat, and he coughed weakly after finishing his sentence. His brother didn't calm down the slightest. The action only seemed to have made matters worse. "Del, you-... You're evaporating?!" Reggie said while grasping his younger brother firmly, as if to keep him from doing so. He was with no doubt panicking. "Oh...that..." Delsin answered drunkenly and chuckled again. Black was now lining the edges of his vision, and he blinked in a try to get rid of it, without success.

"Reg-" he started, but his throat were so dry, and he coughed violently. It sent a sting of pain through his chest with every cough, and he felt himself trembling in his brother's firm grip. He heard his panicked voice shout at him, but his hearing had started to bail on him, and his entire body was growing heavier by the minute. His head fell to the side and his eyes locked on a car wreck just a few meters away.

"S-... Smo...ke..." he breathed and saw his arm lift and stretch toward it. He was so tired... He just wanted to rest for a while. Rest his eyes for just a moment. His eyelids slid shut and the world moved uncomfortably. Soon, he felt a familiar heat embrace his wrist. He cracked his eyes open to gaze at the wondrous dark gray smoke rising from the wreckage below him. It was a peaceful sight to lay eyes upon. Then and there, Delsin felt at peace. With his newfound element so close, he was satisfied with the situation. Right then, getting some rest was utterly inviting.

Just as he was beginning to feel lightheaded and his eyelids were closing, he was disturbed by the world shaking him violently. His eyes darted upwards and locked on to a familiar face. He saw their lips moving, but all he could hear was muffled noises. The world shook him again, and he groaned silently, annoyed to be denied the much desired sleep. A slight burn on his index finger sent a small burst of energy through his arm and cleared his clouded mind. He now remembered he was in his brother's arms and severely wounded. He was exhausted, but he realized it was a question of life or death. He focused on the heat still burning his finger, and it immediately started tingling in his nerves. An enormous burst of energy scorched through his body, and he gasped when his senses was kicked to life again. The pain from his wounds was unbearable, but it dulled just as quick as it erupted, and he was able to breathe normally again.

As he blinked away the blackness from the edges of his vision, he heard a sniffle in his ear. He wondered what or who it was before he felt the strong grip around him tighten. Reggie was still holding him against his chest, and Delsin wondered how long he had been out. He squirmed a bit, starting to feel awkward in his brother's arms. "Uhh... Reg?" he asked, and said man flinched and jerked his head up. His eyes were stained with red, and wet streams could be seen on his cheeks. Had he actually been crying?

"Delsin!" he exclaimed, his voice cracking. "You're alright-... I thought I'd lost you brother..." he croaked while hanging his head, forehead to forehead with his younger sibling. "Yea, well... You didn't. Now can I... Please?" Delsin answered, gesturing for the older one to release him. Reggie got the hint and eased his grip. The younger awkwardly pushed himself off the ground. Still a bit lightheaded, he lost balance, but was caught by a strong arm grasping around his shoulders.

"Reg, I'm okay, really" he assured him, though unsuccessfully. "Yea really..." Reggie answered with a distinctive sarcastic tone while glaring at him. "What the hell was that anyway?!" he exclaimed, now serious and voice raised. "What was what?" the younger questioned with a confused look.

"There was fucking smoke pouring out of your body, man! And not just a bit either!"

"Oh- Uhmm..." he said, breaking eye contact while trying to come up with a good answer, with no success. He gave up and let out a sigh. Instead of bringing up a lie, as he would usually do, this near-death experience had brought out a new side of his older brother. "I was- Errm... I-...". He closed his mouth as he couldn't come up with a good way to say it. 'I was dying', he thought. Why was it so hard to just say it out loud? Maybe he should just shut it and not worry Reggie more than he already was. He felt eyes on him and looked up with that reassuring smile only he could pull off. He was about to say one of his 'it's nothing'-lines, but clenched his jaw before he could open it. Better just leave it than stir things up. Reggie looked stern at first, but soon softened and tapped Delsin on his shoulder.

"Let's go get some rest, bud'" he said calmly with a faint smile on his lips. Delsin nodded and smiled back, and they both started walking up the forest-lined street.

To be continued...