Chapter 4: A brush with death.

Throughout the brisk day, David and Rhys could only watch and hope that the wounded would recover. They were impressed with the ease that Zelos had, but the others still worried them. They saw that he was able to remain conscious and even walk. Collette appeared to be getting better but they all thought it would be a while before she would be awake. Genis however, worried them greatly.

Genis continued to remain stationary and pale while the others were recovering. All healers had their limits, and Rhys thought his had been met. They wouldn't give up hope though. The doctor was amazed that Genis had survived as long as he did. If he could live that long perhaps, he could recover. Even so, things looked bleak for him.

Once everyone was resting and in as good of condition as the two could manage, David finally got a break from the chaos of the day. During this brief rest behind his house, the entire trauma from the day sank in. The torn bodies found in a bush, the blood flowing down them and into the grass, the warm liquid covering his arms the sight of his own blood flowing out of his veins and into the boy. He had kept it from hitting him so far, and was able to stay focused on saving them. It finally broke through. The memory of the sights discussed him so much. He puked.

He fell to his knees wishing the events of the day were just a dream he could wake up from. It was real however. He wanted to escape from this. Not just the wounded people dieing in his house but from all of this. He wished that his dad would come back and make it all go away. He wished he were just the little brother of his greatest role models again. He wanted to shirk this responsibility and let someone else handle it. However, he knew that this was impossible.

David stayed on his knees and thought that by just avoiding those in the house that he could somehow avoid all this. That maybe, somehow, the three days would pass slower. His mind knew that this was impossible but a part of his mind still had this hope, and could not be swayed by mere logic.

Back in the house, Rhys saw that Genis was getting worse. His heart was slowing it might soon stop. Rhys could repair simple wounds but he had no magic that could jump start a heart. The pulse continued to slow and the boy's breaths were getting even weaker and farther apart.

Rhys ran to find David.

"David, the boy, Genis, is not going to survive here. Help me get him to my office."

David had risen from the ground just before Rhys arrived. "Okay", David replied.

"What is wrong with you?" Rhys asked noticing David's paleness

"Nothing we have time to worry about now. Just tell me what to do," David commanded.

The two of them carried the boy down the street. They were running as fast as they could while making sure not to hurt him anymore. Rhys knew that moving him was dangerous but otherwise he would die. David wished he could teleport down the street like before but his spell only worked on himself, besides he left his staff at his house.

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He heard voices but could not listen to them. He saw changing sights but could not look at them. He felt but could not touch.

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After almost a half hour of running, they made it to the office. Rhys rushed in and tried hooking him up to a heart machine. The machine registered his heartbeat.

"beep…..beep……beep" The beats much slower then it should have been. The boy was breathing, but very faint breaths.

"This is bad," Rhys said. His heart is continuing to slow and it is already too battered to do anything."

___

The sounds and sights were fading. It was as if they were nothing but an illusion. They were merely fading memories. Beyond these memories was a new reality. One with sights and sounds like nothing ever experienced before. Even so, both existed, and the line between the two was fading. One would lead to another, and after the crossing, the other would end.

He felt himself drifting to the new. An emotion of regret led him to question the leaving of the old. He remembered the pain and suffering of the old but still was drawn to it. He decided to focus once again on the old to drawn back to it. However, the old had already to fade and now the new appeared to be the only option. He accepted this fate and allowed the new to consume him.

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"Beep……..beep…………….beep……" The boy's heart had stopped along with his breaths.

"No!" Rhys exclaimed.

"He's dead?" David asked fearing the answer.

"Yes, I'm sorry,"

"There has to be something more we can do," David protested.

"His heart has stopped. It's over"

___

The new embraced him and he embraced it. The old had almost completely faded away. He gave up on it and took to examine the new.

"Not yet," a familiar voice called to him.

"Who?" he responded but not with his mouth.

"My time has past but yours has not yet."

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"Even so, I know that even with that, people can still be revived," David argued

"I doubt anything could save someone like him. He was a half-elf so an infusion of manna could jumpstart his heart," Rhys proposed. Rhys grabbed his staff and focused all of his manna into the staff and held it over the boy. David grabbed onto the staff as well and focused his manna into it. David surrendered his control of the manna to Rhys and the manna covered the boy's body. It did not do anything but stay around him.

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"I have watched you for the 13 years of your life. While my time is over there is still much more for you to do," she said to him.

"But without you," he protested.

"I'm sorry but there is nothing more I can do. I will always live in your memories as long as you live. That is why you must live. Even while I am stuck here I can live on in the world through you," she said reaching out and holding his hand. Tears rolled down her eyes as she pulled away. She faded into the new and wondered how he could carry out her wish. Just then, a new spell came to him.

"Manna of the world, fill my body with your life," he said.

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"……………beep………..Beep" His heart began to beat again.

"Did it work?" David asked.

"I think so. I don't understand how his body just absorbed all that. It is flowing throughout his body," Rhys explained, baffled by the results.

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The faded old began to grow again and the new faded away. He could feel himself returning to the only life he had known. He was glad to see her one last time, but knew he would have to continue his life without her. Closer the old returned. He could hear voices of excitement and wonder. The old sights began to return to him.

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Genis, for the first time they had seen him, opened his eyes. He took a brief look around the room and the people that had saved him. He felt the pain all throughout his body. He was going to be alright though. He fell asleep grateful to the strangers that saved him, and to the one that he knew he would not be able to thank for a while.

A/N: A strange chapter and not the easiest to write. I hope you were able to follow and I wish I had more experience on writing about Genis's experiences. Anyway, there should be a review button right about here so now is when you press it and write things. Thanks!