Guardians Arise: Hope
For Cam, Natasha, and Matt.
My prayers go to you.
This is set in the same universe as my story, Guardians Arise. You may wish to read it to understand a certain concept.
Disclaimer: … Sue me and die.
"There is no hope for her…"
"No… no, it can't be!"
Xavier stood up and looked at him, his dark eyes steady, but fearful. "Ridere… I'm sorry… there's nothing Dr. Mario or I could do…"
His face was a mess of pain. It was easy to see that. For a moment, Ike could've sworn that Snake flickered somewhere from behind his guardian's eyes. The mercenary himself knew how painful it was to be told that there was no way a loved one could be saved…
But that didn't mean that he didn't feel the pain as well.
"Nask…" tears rolled down Ridere's cheeks. "Nask… Nask, I'm sorry…"
Marth's guardian did not answer. She was completely limp on the bed, a number of IV tubes attached to her. She was pale as a ghost, the tiny line on her heart monitor just barely wavering. Her breathing was just enough to keep her alive.
Ridere was shaking his head, his eyes still raw red with tears. "No… you must be lying… you have to be lying…" he whirled on Cam. "TELL HIM THAT HE'S LYING! PLEASE!"
Ike felt his guardian's breathe sharply at those words. He hovered on the brink of doubt, unable to choose between the cold, hard truth or to try to comfort the boy. Ike remembered how Nask had been Cam's traveling partner for so long, ever since she had been sent by the Dawn Goddess Ashunera to help Cam find a way off of Tellius and into Smashville.
He could feel a growing, fiery pain surging within Cam's veins.
"There's no use in lying…" Ike whispered, his words like a great sword cutting through the veil of doubt. "Tell him the truth, Cam…"
He felt Cam freeze at his words. "But…"
"All we can do… is pray…" Ike's words were bitter as could be. His best friend, Marth, was right now locked within Nask's mind, clinging desperately to the thin thread of her life. His life, his soul, was connected with hers. If fate would be so cruel as to rip Nask away from the world…
Marth would go with her…
Cam placed a hand on Ridere's shoulder. "Ridere… I'm sorry… but-"
Ridere yanked himself away from Cam's grasp. "WHY ARE YOU LYING? WHY ARE BOTH OF YOU LYING TO ME? NASK CAN'T BE DYING! She's too strong… Too healthy… too youn-"
Beeeeeeeeeeeeep…
Ike wanted to scream...
It was as if the cruel noise the heart monitor had just made was mocking them….
He remembered how strong she was in battle. How loving she was at home. How she had become like an older sister to them all…
She couldn't be dead…
Not here…
Not now…
"NASK?" Ridere screamed, breaking down. The cold red line was reflected in his eyes. "NASK? NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASK!"
The young woman did not move. She no longer looked like the young girl whose prowess in battle was like that of Marth's. Never again would Ike ever laugh with Marth, walk with Marth, or talk about their lost loves with him. He was gone, as was Nask.
He was gone…
Ridere's grief seemed to empower him. Still sobbing, he ran out of the room. Ike knew that he didn't care what he stepped on or how many fellow guardians he ran into. As long as he could get away as fast as possible from his dead friend…
And known only to Ike and Cam, his dead sister.
Ike felt rage scream through Cam's body, turning his vision red. He could feel his guardian's muscles tightening, as if ready to pounce. Adrenaline ripped through his veins, raising his heart rate to that of an inhuman thing…
And Xavier was his target.
"CAM, NO!"
Too late.
Ike couldn't stop him from pouncing.
He couldn't stop his hand from wrapping around Xavier's throat.
He couldn't stop the squeezing…
"Why…?" Cam whispered, his voice hoarse and angry. "Why…? Why did you… why couldn't you…"
A single tear ran its way down Xavier's cheek. "I'm sorry… I'll do everything… everything I can to wake her up…"
Ike felt Cam's grip tighten, saw his vision redden even more. "Does she bloody look asleep to you? DOES SHE?"
Xavier's dark eyes were steady. "Cam… no matter what happens… there's always hope… be positive… remain hopeful… and I have not a single doubt that Nask will come back…"
"Easy for you to bloody say that…" Cam said in a sharp whisper. "She's been like an older sister to me and Ridere all this time… you don't know her like Ridere and I do!"
Ike knew he had to put a stop to this. "Cam… he's right…"
"STAY OUT OF THIS, IKE!"
"Shut up and listen!" Ike snapped. "And let him go so he can do his work!"
Reluctantly, Cam let go. Xavier looked at him in the eye for a moment and from his expression, Ike knew that he knew that he was intervening here. Moving lightly and quickly, Xavier dashed over to wear his healing tools were and got to work.
"Cam…" Ike took a deep breath. "Remember when I told you about Mia…? How she meant everything to me…?"
Cam nodded. "Her death affected you horribly… you were forced to watch as she died in your arms…"
Ike nodded, trying to not succumb to the painful ache eating away at his heart at her memory. "But it was because I allowed her to she died…" his voice cracked at the last word. "I could've taken her to Rhys… or to Mist… I could've given her even the smallest chance of hope that she could live…"
"…" Cam remained quiet. He had never heard this part of the story of Mia's death. Somehow, it made it all the more painful that Nask's heart monitor no longer knew what it meant to keep a steady beat.
"Rhys and Mist were both amazing healers…" Ike continued, his voice breaking slightly. "They could've saved her… but I thought there was no hope for her… and she died…"
He felt confusion flare up within his guardian. "… Why are you telling me this, Ike…?"
"It's because I just want you to know…" Ike took a deep breath. "That no matter what, there's always hope." he gestured to where Nask and Xavier were, the young guardian doing everything he could to wake her up. "Keep positive… remain hopeful… and just maybe…"
A beep echoed around the room.
"Something amazing will happen…"
Beep…
Beep…
Beep…