Chapter 16: Sailing off of Reality
*a few days later* Andrew was walking down the hallway, minding his own business and enjoying the afternoon sun. he turned a corner and ended up face first on the ground. "What the?" he asked and was rudely flipped up onto his back. "I know you," he said to what held him down. "Malachite," Andrew smirked and blasted him with a shot of power from his hands. He got up to his feet and produced a sword. "I'm back here for Mina and my child." "Your child? I think not. That child is mine." Malachite grew enraged. "First you steal the love of my life and then you steal what should have been my child?!" "She was gone long before I came around. Mal, buddy, wake up. You don't stand a chance here." "But I will try," he said charging Andrew only to be deflected. The fight raged on for a few minutes and Malachite got a hit on Andrew. Andy laughed. "Merely a flesh wound. Mortal that is," he said and the wound healed right before Malachite's eyes. He grew angry again and the fight continued.
*Mina* I heard the clanging of swords and knew without thinking that it was Andy and Malachite. I ran and right as I slid to a stop, Andrew dropped his sword and steadied me. My jaw dropped as I felt the cold, hard, blade of a sword go through my back and come out my stomach. There came a second push in which it went further into me and, as if it all happened in slow motion, I looked up in time to see the look on Andy's face as what was sticking out of me went through him. My blood ran down the blade out of my wound to mix with his blood and we slowly descended to the floor. I didn't feel the initial impact but I bet Andy did. Flat on his back and me on his front. I started to breath shallow and he coughed a few times. "Mi...Mina," he choked out. I tried to talk but only blood came out. "Oh god, Mina. It hurts," he said and I began to go into shock. I let out a scream. "Andy," I paused. "I'll always love you." "No," he protested. "No, no, no. don't leave me. Don't say that. Please. Please Mina. Please. I don't want to lose you. I...I love you." I looked into his eyes and then all went black and I was at peace. Andrew screamed and yelled in pain. He withdrew the sword and rolled me over on my back. "Mina!" he cried. "No!! No! No, no, no, no. please, no," he cried as he cradled my mess of a body. "You can't leave me. You can't..." he broke down and cried. A silver glow entered the room and at one end stood the goddess Selene and at the other, Azrael, the angel of death. "Azrael," the goddess said. "Leave this one to me." The angel bowed and left. Selene gracefully flew over to Andrew and placed a hand on his shoulder. The silver glow spread down his arm to my body and Andrew began to glow gold. 'Andrew,' the goddess said in his mind. 'Do you choose a mortal life for yourself? or an immortal life for her?' "Goddess," he said. "This has to be some trickery. For if I choose immortality for her mortality shall be placed upon me." 'it is still your choice.' 'So, what will it be?' "I choose a mortal life for me and resurrection for her. let her continue on in a mortal way." "So be it," she said aloud and both Andrew and I were lifted off the ground in her silver glow and his gold glow. The winds wrapped around our bodies and my body was healed. I opened my eyes and looked into Andrew's. He smiled but he was still in pain from watching me die. He put his hand up and I put my hand up to his. He laced his fingers through mine and he wrapped his free arm around my back and held me tight. The light around us brightened and some later said that it was as if a star was being born right there in the palace. My eyes turned a bright gold and Andrew's turned a brilliant blue. He smiled. We were slowly lowered back to the ground and I had trouble standing up on my own. Andrew cradled me in his arms and the goddess smiled at him. "Be gentle with her for the next few days Andrew," she said. "I shall. And I shall tell her also. Good luck to you sister on your latest problem. If you ever need advice or help I am ready and willing." "Not to be cruel but, what would the god of death and destruction know about teenagers?" He laughed. "Former god of death and destruction." "Oh, excuse me," she said. "I shall call on you if I need your assistance. Especially with this boy. I don't know why he's so ardent and relentless. He's wearing me out." "Rest well, your majesty," Andrew said and I fell asleep in his arms on the way to our quarters.
*meanwhile* "I failed you," Malachite said as he stood before the dark being. "Failed? Failed?! You couldn't take back the girl and the child?" "There was this, this-" "God. Andrew. I will hand it to you, you had guts challenging Andrew, especially with as bloody a history as he has. You would not survive another round with him." "The girl, she stopped me from the kill and I almost killed her." "The kill? stopped you? no. There is no such thing," the voice laughed. "He can take anything you throw at him. Especially with that bitch Selene backing him. No. You will have to get around Andrew somehow. You must get the child. He is our only hope to succeed. He will bring the end and us to power over all!!!!"
*following Rei* She took the knife and made an incision on her left wrist from one side to the other and she watched the blood drip. "Heh. I can bleed again." As she spoke the words her body healed up. "Damn," she said. She took the knife and a section of her hair. "well, if i can't bleed and die i can at least do something else." Still bloody, she used it to cut all of her hair off up to just below her shoulders. Completely satisfied, she snuck out of the room with Jadeite sleeping in the bed. She was walking in the darkest areas of the garden with the most trees and black roses when she bumped into tree, or so she thought. "Omph," she said when she made impact. "Um, miss?" the figure asked. She looked up and saw the godly figure of a man with deep green eyes and black hair that was kept like Andrew's. She stammered for a minute and then said, "hi, who are you?" "My lady," he said nonchalantly, "my name is Draco and who might you be?" "Rei," she said rather meekly. "Rei, as in the Fire Princess?" she nodded. "I have heard much about you. Not all good things either." "Not many good deeds of mine get around." "Mine neither," he agreed. "What happened?" he asked holding up a lock of her hair. "Oh, I uh, thought it needed change." "So you cut it with a bloody knife?" "Yes?" "Who'd you kill?" he asked. "How do you know I killed someone?" she asked showing him the numerous scars on her arms from cutting herself. "Like I said, who did you kill?" She sighed. "A sixteen year old girl." "Really?" "Yes." "Why?" he asked concerned. "Because I get a kick out of people begging for their lives in vain," she snorted at him. "Hey," he said throwing his arms up. "I didn't mean to offend you." "You haven't. It's just that... you wouldn't understand. It's way too complicated." "I have a very bloody past myself," he said looking at the ground and beginning to walk around her. "I killed my entire family." "Why?" she asked looking back at him. "Power," he replied. "Absolute power." "Did you get it?" "Yes," he said and a ball of blue lava erupted from his hand. He held it up for her to see. "Ah. You have a different kind of power than I had expected." "You underestimate me. I have both. I have the power to rule and the power to destroy," he threw the ball at a tree and it burst into flames. "I know of your power," he said and touched her forehead. She swayed and blinked. Her pupils dilated to cover her iris and she drew in a ragged breath. "You are not weak. I know who you are. I know what you are. And," he paused, standing behind her. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I like it." She gasped again and her head rolled around. "What are you doing to me?" "It's incredible isn't it?" "Yes," she gasped. "Let's just say, I'm somewhat of a reverse of your friend's lover." "Andrew?" "Ah, the great Andreus. I don't know why he likes to travel in disguise like that. It's not like you can't see him glowing for miles." "You're a god," she stated and he continued circling her. "Yes. A god. And as there is Andreus, or Andrew, the god of life. There must be Draco the god of death." "Death," she breathed out. "Where have you been?" "You know, you are really perceptive when you are like this. I've been following you for a while but it is not your time. Besides, I'd like to get to know your race better before I take you under." He snapped his fingers and released her from her trance. She regained control over herself and glared at him. He simply smiled. "Bastard," she muttered to herself. His smile widened. He laughed. "What makes you think I won't kill you?" "You have the power but you don't know how to use it. And besides, you are under my control. You wouldn't be able to even if you wanted," he said standing behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders. "I know how to kill you," he whispered in her ear. "You'd like it. It's right up your alley." "Tell me. Tell me how." "When you're ready...." he trailed off as he vanished into thin air.
*a few days later* Andrew was walking down the hallway, minding his own business and enjoying the afternoon sun. he turned a corner and ended up face first on the ground. "What the?" he asked and was rudely flipped up onto his back. "I know you," he said to what held him down. "Malachite," Andrew smirked and blasted him with a shot of power from his hands. He got up to his feet and produced a sword. "I'm back here for Mina and my child." "Your child? I think not. That child is mine." Malachite grew enraged. "First you steal the love of my life and then you steal what should have been my child?!" "She was gone long before I came around. Mal, buddy, wake up. You don't stand a chance here." "But I will try," he said charging Andrew only to be deflected. The fight raged on for a few minutes and Malachite got a hit on Andrew. Andy laughed. "Merely a flesh wound. Mortal that is," he said and the wound healed right before Malachite's eyes. He grew angry again and the fight continued.
*Mina* I heard the clanging of swords and knew without thinking that it was Andy and Malachite. I ran and right as I slid to a stop, Andrew dropped his sword and steadied me. My jaw dropped as I felt the cold, hard, blade of a sword go through my back and come out my stomach. There came a second push in which it went further into me and, as if it all happened in slow motion, I looked up in time to see the look on Andy's face as what was sticking out of me went through him. My blood ran down the blade out of my wound to mix with his blood and we slowly descended to the floor. I didn't feel the initial impact but I bet Andy did. Flat on his back and me on his front. I started to breath shallow and he coughed a few times. "Mi...Mina," he choked out. I tried to talk but only blood came out. "Oh god, Mina. It hurts," he said and I began to go into shock. I let out a scream. "Andy," I paused. "I'll always love you." "No," he protested. "No, no, no. don't leave me. Don't say that. Please. Please Mina. Please. I don't want to lose you. I...I love you." I looked into his eyes and then all went black and I was at peace. Andrew screamed and yelled in pain. He withdrew the sword and rolled me over on my back. "Mina!" he cried. "No!! No! No, no, no, no. please, no," he cried as he cradled my mess of a body. "You can't leave me. You can't..." he broke down and cried. A silver glow entered the room and at one end stood the goddess Selene and at the other, Azrael, the angel of death. "Azrael," the goddess said. "Leave this one to me." The angel bowed and left. Selene gracefully flew over to Andrew and placed a hand on his shoulder. The silver glow spread down his arm to my body and Andrew began to glow gold. 'Andrew,' the goddess said in his mind. 'Do you choose a mortal life for yourself? or an immortal life for her?' "Goddess," he said. "This has to be some trickery. For if I choose immortality for her mortality shall be placed upon me." 'it is still your choice.' 'So, what will it be?' "I choose a mortal life for me and resurrection for her. let her continue on in a mortal way." "So be it," she said aloud and both Andrew and I were lifted off the ground in her silver glow and his gold glow. The winds wrapped around our bodies and my body was healed. I opened my eyes and looked into Andrew's. He smiled but he was still in pain from watching me die. He put his hand up and I put my hand up to his. He laced his fingers through mine and he wrapped his free arm around my back and held me tight. The light around us brightened and some later said that it was as if a star was being born right there in the palace. My eyes turned a bright gold and Andrew's turned a brilliant blue. He smiled. We were slowly lowered back to the ground and I had trouble standing up on my own. Andrew cradled me in his arms and the goddess smiled at him. "Be gentle with her for the next few days Andrew," she said. "I shall. And I shall tell her also. Good luck to you sister on your latest problem. If you ever need advice or help I am ready and willing." "Not to be cruel but, what would the god of death and destruction know about teenagers?" He laughed. "Former god of death and destruction." "Oh, excuse me," she said. "I shall call on you if I need your assistance. Especially with this boy. I don't know why he's so ardent and relentless. He's wearing me out." "Rest well, your majesty," Andrew said and I fell asleep in his arms on the way to our quarters.
*meanwhile* "I failed you," Malachite said as he stood before the dark being. "Failed? Failed?! You couldn't take back the girl and the child?" "There was this, this-" "God. Andrew. I will hand it to you, you had guts challenging Andrew, especially with as bloody a history as he has. You would not survive another round with him." "The girl, she stopped me from the kill and I almost killed her." "The kill? stopped you? no. There is no such thing," the voice laughed. "He can take anything you throw at him. Especially with that bitch Selene backing him. No. You will have to get around Andrew somehow. You must get the child. He is our only hope to succeed. He will bring the end and us to power over all!!!!"
*following Rei* She took the knife and made an incision on her left wrist from one side to the other and she watched the blood drip. "Heh. I can bleed again." As she spoke the words her body healed up. "Damn," she said. She took the knife and a section of her hair. "well, if i can't bleed and die i can at least do something else." Still bloody, she used it to cut all of her hair off up to just below her shoulders. Completely satisfied, she snuck out of the room with Jadeite sleeping in the bed. She was walking in the darkest areas of the garden with the most trees and black roses when she bumped into tree, or so she thought. "Omph," she said when she made impact. "Um, miss?" the figure asked. She looked up and saw the godly figure of a man with deep green eyes and black hair that was kept like Andrew's. She stammered for a minute and then said, "hi, who are you?" "My lady," he said nonchalantly, "my name is Draco and who might you be?" "Rei," she said rather meekly. "Rei, as in the Fire Princess?" she nodded. "I have heard much about you. Not all good things either." "Not many good deeds of mine get around." "Mine neither," he agreed. "What happened?" he asked holding up a lock of her hair. "Oh, I uh, thought it needed change." "So you cut it with a bloody knife?" "Yes?" "Who'd you kill?" he asked. "How do you know I killed someone?" she asked showing him the numerous scars on her arms from cutting herself. "Like I said, who did you kill?" She sighed. "A sixteen year old girl." "Really?" "Yes." "Why?" he asked concerned. "Because I get a kick out of people begging for their lives in vain," she snorted at him. "Hey," he said throwing his arms up. "I didn't mean to offend you." "You haven't. It's just that... you wouldn't understand. It's way too complicated." "I have a very bloody past myself," he said looking at the ground and beginning to walk around her. "I killed my entire family." "Why?" she asked looking back at him. "Power," he replied. "Absolute power." "Did you get it?" "Yes," he said and a ball of blue lava erupted from his hand. He held it up for her to see. "Ah. You have a different kind of power than I had expected." "You underestimate me. I have both. I have the power to rule and the power to destroy," he threw the ball at a tree and it burst into flames. "I know of your power," he said and touched her forehead. She swayed and blinked. Her pupils dilated to cover her iris and she drew in a ragged breath. "You are not weak. I know who you are. I know what you are. And," he paused, standing behind her. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I like it." She gasped again and her head rolled around. "What are you doing to me?" "It's incredible isn't it?" "Yes," she gasped. "Let's just say, I'm somewhat of a reverse of your friend's lover." "Andrew?" "Ah, the great Andreus. I don't know why he likes to travel in disguise like that. It's not like you can't see him glowing for miles." "You're a god," she stated and he continued circling her. "Yes. A god. And as there is Andreus, or Andrew, the god of life. There must be Draco the god of death." "Death," she breathed out. "Where have you been?" "You know, you are really perceptive when you are like this. I've been following you for a while but it is not your time. Besides, I'd like to get to know your race better before I take you under." He snapped his fingers and released her from her trance. She regained control over herself and glared at him. He simply smiled. "Bastard," she muttered to herself. His smile widened. He laughed. "What makes you think I won't kill you?" "You have the power but you don't know how to use it. And besides, you are under my control. You wouldn't be able to even if you wanted," he said standing behind her and putting his hands on her shoulders. "I know how to kill you," he whispered in her ear. "You'd like it. It's right up your alley." "Tell me. Tell me how." "When you're ready...." he trailed off as he vanished into thin air.