Last year, I wrote a story called "A Loved One Lost". And there were some reviewers who wanted a sequel. And now I bring to you "Even in Death", a sequel to "A Loved One Lost". Now, I haven't read the #54, so I'm taking a guess what happens here. This may be completely different to the ending of #54, but this is all I know about it so far. "Even in Death", here it is
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The Blade Ship was upon us, hammering us from all sides. We were fighting back, but we weren't doing so well. We were losing, despite all the speed, strength and firepower our ship had. And whatever we had, the Blade Ship had them better
Marco and Sergent Santorelli were on the guns, while Jeanne Gerard was driving the ship. Jake was giving orders and I was staying out of the way. There was nothing I could right now. I felt useless, unable to help out in this fight
"Face the Blade Ship," ordered Jake
"What?" asked Jeanne
"Turn around and head towards the Blade Ship"
Jeanne did as she was told and spun the ship around so it was facing the Blade Ship
"Jake, are you serious?" asked Marco, "This is not like the movies. This is real. Jake man, are you listening?"
Jake wasn't listening. His eyes were locked on the Blade Ship approaching us. And as we flew towards the Blade Ship, I had a sudden feeling of dread approaching us
Something was about to go wrong. I could feel that, I just didn't know what
"Power the guns," said Jake
Marco and Santorelli began powering up the guns. And I saw what Jake was going to do. He was going to charge the Blade Ship and unleashed a terrifying amount of power upon it. Maybe that might either slow it down or destroy. But our attack could also end up destroying us
"Jake man, are you sure about this?" asked Marco, "It doesn't seem right"
"I am sure about it, Marco," said Jake, "Don't worry about it"
"Powered up ready and waiting," said Santorelli
"Good"
We were getting closer to the Blade Ship, as it began firing upon us. Jeanne did as best as she could to fly through the field of cutter and laser beams
(Jake, this doesn't feel right at all) I said (I have a bad feeling about it)
The feeling of dread was still upon me and was intensifying further as we got closer to the Blade Ship
"Jake, snap out of it, dude," said Marco, "You're gonna get us killed"
"No I won't"
"Jake"
We were upon the Blade Ship
"Fire the Blade Ship!" cried Jake
Marco and Santorelli fired their guns at the same time the Blade Ship fired a cutter beam towards us. Time seemed to slow down as the cutter smashed through the cockpit and screamed towards me. Time seemed so slow, even though the beam came at me at high speeds
All I felt was a quick sharp pain striking me in the chest. Time seem so slow, but the beam seemed so fast. I wasn't able to fly out of the way in time. The beam had struck me in the chest. That was the only place I could feel the pain, if I ignored the well of pain I was carrying in my heart. And once I felt that pain, the pain of the cutter beam slicing through me, everything around me faded away. Soon, there was only just me in this empty white space
"Is this what death is like?" I though
"No, Tobias, not quite death," said a voice that seemed to be all around
"The Ellimist? But…it can't be…impossible"
"Not for me, Tobias, not for me"
An image appeared before me. It seemed like I was dreaming, but I knew I couldn't be dreaming. I was dying. But is there a different between dreams and death. I had no answer for that right now. It was out of my hands. Or talons, so to speak
(What have you done to me?) I asked
"Only postponed your death"
(So I am going to die?)
"Yes, you will die"
(Then why are you stopping me? Why are you preventing my death?!)
"You want death so badly?"
(To escape this misery I have attained in life. Yes, I want death)
"You belief there is rest for you in death?"
(What do you mean?)
"The pain you have will carry on with you into death"
(So, even in death, I can never escape my pain?)
"Unless you are willing to let go of your pain and move on"
(I can't. the pain is too much. It's the only replacement I have for that empty hole inside me. Can't you understand that?) I added bitterly
"I know what you're going through, Tobias"
(No you don't) I snapped
The Ellimist just smiled at me
"After losing Rachel, you felt you had nothing left in your life. And even though you still had the Andalite Aximilli, you felt so alone. Adding that to the pain you had gained over your entire life and I can see why you're refusing to let go of it. Your pain had become a part of you; Tobias and you must let it go if you want to on to the afterlife. Otherwise, you'll end up constantly tormented"
(How can that be if I'm dead. How would it matter?)
"Even in death, you live on. You may die, but your spirit will live on. It will be like a star, something someone can turn to if they're looking for influence"
(So, you're saying that if I let go of all the pain I hold, I will become a star?)
"Not quite. Your spirit will be like a star. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
I didn't. But I said yes anyway. Anything to get him to shut up and let me die
"I feel your pain, Tobias. The pain of being orphaned, the pain of being raised by uncaring people. The pain of the bullying you suffered at school"
(Shut up)
"The pain of living through so many battles. The pain of being tricked into believing you could have a home, when it was only just a trap"
(Shut up)
"The pain of that final battle and even the pain of losing-"
(SHUT UP)
He did just that. I didn't want to listen to him anymore
"Just let me die," I pleaded silently, "Let me pass through. Let me leave this life I don't want anymore. I'm sick of it. I've had enough. Just let me go"
The Ellimist faded away, but he was replaced by something else. Another image was appearing before me. And I couldn't believe my eyes at what I was seeing
Those cool, sparkling blue eyes
The long, flowing blonde hair
The confident, flashy smile
Within seconds, Rachel was standing before me
(Stop playing with me, Ellimist) I said
Rachel smiled
"Come on, Tobias, you've got to be joking"
(It's not the Ellimist?)
Rachel was still smiling as she shook her head
(Is this a trick?)
"No"
"No, Tobias, it is not a trick," said the Ellimist's voice, "That is Rachel standing before you. Well, in better terms, it's Rachel's spirit, but Rachel all the same. The Rachel we all know and love"
Rachel held out her hand to me
"Let it all go, Tobias. Let all your pain fade away. Move on from it"
I went to reach out to her with a talon, but a hand replaced it. My hand!
I looked down at myself and saw that I was a human
"This is your true form," smiled Rachel, "This is you, Tobias"
I took her hand in mine and I suddenly felt…lighter. Like all the pain that I had inside me just get washed away in the tide. I look into Rachel's blue eyes and I felt a smile spread across my face
"The pain is gone, now Tobias," Rachel said, "You can rest now. Come, let's go"
I pulled her towards me and wrapped my arms around her body, holding her close to me, as her arms came around my waist
"This is not a dream," I said
The scent of her hair told me it wasn't. This wasn't a dream. This was real. I was holding Rachel again
"Are you ready?" asked a voice
The Ellimist appeared before me once again. Was I ready? I was more than ready. I could now be with Rachel forever
"Come with me, Tobias," said Rachel, "We can leave now and move on"
I planted a small kiss on her head. Definitely real. I felt lighter than ever before
I looked at the Ellimist and gave him a slight nod
"It is time," said the Ellimist
"Don't worry," I said, "I'm ready"
The Ellimist gave me a slight nod, as I hugged Rachel closer to me. Now was the time. It was time to go. Time to move on
I was with Rachel again and nothing would take that away from me. I looked at her, as she moved closer to me and our lips touched together. The kiss may have been a couple of minutes in reality, but to me, it felt like eternity
We broke apart, as the white space started to fade away slowly, but then suddenly disappeared completely. The sudden darkness of it all made me scream from inside my head
I was screaming…
And somewhere in my scream, there was also a hawk's screech of pain
I was dying…
But I was holding onto Rachel, holding her hand as she guided me through the sudden pain of death. And as quickly as the pain had hit me, it was gone again. I was no longer on the ship being torn apart by the Blade Ship. I had left the world and moved on to the spirit world. I had gone through the process of death. I had passed on
I was no more…
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Well, what do you think? Please review and let me know what it's like, if I need to change anything or it's good as it is, just let me know about it Thanks