Hey, guys! I know this isn't an update to the main story, but things have been hectic at my place. An old family friend died just last week, and after that, I got this little plot bunny that just refused to leave me alone. I hope you guys like it. :)
Death (Callen's POV)
It all happened so fast that I didn't know what had happened at first. After being taken down with the bullet, Maya had rapidly taken care of the wound, extracting the bullet and healing the wound. Then, after that, I felt panic through Kit's side of the Advent Bond, and without thinking, I summoned an Advent Portal, my armor flying on without words. I heard Tylan's screech of warning, and then I felt Advent Beasts attacking me, trying to reach Kit. My sword rushed to my hand, and I blocked off one but then felt harshest snap rush through my spine when my armor flickered, making me choke out, "Kit. Get outta here now!"
"Callen." Kit's voice was horrified, and I knew that his eyes had to be wide under his visor. I felt uncontrolled rage boil inside him, and then he was surrounded with Light, bright and brilliant. It whipped around Kit, angry and furious, and he used that to lash out, disintegrating any mirror monster within a pretty big radius. It was then that my armor vanished, and I became aware that Kit was catching me, cradling me in his arms while Tylan rushed to my side, whimpering fearfully. Kit's armor snapped away, and I saw the horrified look of pain and fear on his face as tears ran down his face, wracking his body with sobs. "No. No."
His sobs shifted my body only slightly, but it was enough to crack something else. Then, I tried to move my legs, desperate to get comfortable so that I could calm him down. When my legs didn't move, I let out a terrified mix of a scream and a yelp, making the horror on his face even worse. "My legs." The whisper was a rasp now, weak and fearful. "I can't feel them." Something in my mind whispered that I had broken more than one part of my spine, and I realized it was Kit, his thoughts loud as he lost control of the barriers hiding them.
"No," Tylan whimpered, and as my gaze met his, we both knew that this was the end of our Contract. I was dying. "No, I can't." He'd caught onto the tail end of my thoughts, and I silently begged with my eyes, pleading.
"It's fine," Kit whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears. "You're gonna be fine." I gave him one of the looks that I'd always given him when I knew he was giving me bullshit and prepared to chew him out as best as I could.
"Don't tell me that crap, Kit. We both –" A shudder tore through my body, and I rolled over at the waist, hacking violently. I covered my mouth with my hand, feeling liquid splatter it, and as the pain started to seep through the adrenaline, I realized it wasn't just my spine that was broken. A rib or two had to have been broken and had punctured a lung. I pulled my hand away, finally giving up and just coughing my head off, feeling like I was about to pass out. I felt the bond with Tylan weaken, heard him whimper, and then I rolled over as best I could, slumping in Kit's arms.
"Promise me one thing, Kit." I didn't have much time, and both of us knew that. Kit's hand brushed my hair, smoothing it down like Mama had when I was little, and I leaned into it for the briefest second, feeling a sudden wave of calm rush through me like the adrenaline that had only minutes earlier. "When you get to Ventarra – and don't, don't you dare say you won't, Kit Marcus Taylor – give the Gauntlet to Len. It'll respond to him, right, Tylan?" I turned my head just enough, about to scream from the pain that came from the little movement. Tylan nodded, giving in to my orders.
"Yes," my partner, my Advent Beast, sobbed, "But only because he's the only other one that I would ever think to choose as my Rider." We both knew that wasn't true, knew it was because he was the one that I had requested he bond with next, but Kit needn't know that.
"Then give him it, Kit," I rasped, a shuddering breath ripping through me and making me rasp. "Swear it; swear it on your Gauntlet."
I saw the way Kit's head shook, his eyes closing as he silently begged. "Callen, no, anything but that. Len will never, ever be able to take your place," Kit whispered, his face tear-streaked, eyes red.
"Kit, please," I whispered, using my eyes to beg. When he had nodded, I continued, "Promise me one other thing, too."
"What?" He said that as he got caught in between sobs, and his voice cracked.
"Don't mourn me for long." I knew that he was about to protest, but I plowed on. "The team needs you as the strength, the heart of it. Don't let them down. We both know Earth's fate already, even though I know you don't want to admit it to yourself yet. Don't let Ventarra fall to the same one." I raised my hand, wincing from the pain that came from the movement, placing it on his cheek to force him to meet my gaze.
"I promise."
That was all I needed to hear. I smiled weakly, letting my head rest on his shoulder. In my mind, it felt ironic that he was holding me like I had held him when he was a little boy, but I could tell from the way my head was spinning, from the way the Gauntlet was slowly losing its grip on my arm, that my time was up. I just needed to get this last little bit out. "My only regret is that I can't say goodbye to the others. Kit, tell them, will you?" I wanted to hear his response, but I knew that time wasn't going to allow it. "I love you, my brother. Take care of yourself."
I closed my eyes then, letting go. The Contract broke, shattering in the Advent Void as it became null and void. I knew that the Gauntlet had to be falling from my hand and knew that Kit had to be sobbing, breaking down. But I couldn't do a thing. I couldn't draw in a breath anymore; I couldn't move. Blackness enveloped me, and I waited for emptiness like the Advent Void to pull me in.
"Cal, wake up." I blinked, and the face above me swam into view. Light brown hair, a stocky build. Warm eyes that had been like that of an older brother to me for so long that it hurt.
"Vic!" I shot upright, my head whipping from side to side. "Where – "
His hand covered my mouth, and warm laughter filled the air. "Relax, Cal." Vic's arm went around mine, pulling me to my feet. "Let's go."
"Where?" We were in a disorienting whiteness, like a blizzard, and as my senses came back, I shivered, realizing that it was indeed a blizzard. Vic clucked his tongue, wrapping a long, warm cloak around me, wrapping one arm around my shoulders.
"You'll see."
Through the white haze, I couldn't see anything. Then, after what felt like forever, a building came into view. Vic ushered me through the thick back door, a door that had a frosted glass inside framed with beautiful cherry wood. My attention was quickly pulled back to the present as Vic removed my cloak, making me realize that my clothes had changed to warm moccasins, jeans, and a dark navy turtleneck. "Vic?" The voice sounded vaguely familiar, and it had sounded like it had come from the other room. Vic grinned, pulling me along with him into a splendid kitchen where a woman was cooking. And from the smell of it, I just knew. "Did you bring him home?"
The woman turned around from the oven, allowing me to see a slender frame with auburn hair and my dark brown eyes. Those eyes were sparkling, and I saw the grin split her face. "Hey, sweetie."
"Mom." I sounded like I was about three, but I could've cared less. I flung myself forward into her open arms, and she laughed, the rich sound tinkling in the room with tall ceilings, surprising for a kitchen. I felt her squeeze me tight, much like she had when I was ten, not long before she'd been killed. I pulled back, my jaw dropped. "How-"
"Long story." This voice was a man's, and I nearly went down on my knees as he walked in. He had my dark brown hair, a grizzled beard, and blue-gray eyes, the trait that went through the Taylor family. I hadn't inherited them, getting Mom's, but he had never minded. Tall and muscular, my dad came over, pulling both Mom and I into hugs. "Welcome home, son. We've been waiting for you to join us."
"What about Kit? And all the others? Where-" My mind was filling with questions, but a gentle voice cut me off.
"Relax, Callen. They'll join us when the time comes." Marian stepped forward, Teylar's arm around her waist. "Frank'll be here soon, though." Eyes dulled, and I realized what that meant.
"But he can't! They need him!" My mother let out a soothing murmur at that, pulling me close. I leaned my head on her shoulder, soaking in the warmth and comfort of being in the presence of my loved ones.
"They'll be fine on their own. It's time they leave the nest, anyway." Teylar's voice was calm and soothing, easing my frayed nerves. "Now, your mother has cooked up some wonderful smelling cookies and cupcakes. Why don't we have some of those?"
Almost immediately, everyone had let out a chorus of, "Yeah!" I joined in, eager to taste Mom's cooking again. It had been so long it was scary, and even though Frank's death was imminent, it was hard to not be drawn into the warm atmosphere of love and peace.
Later, as the sky darkened, the blizzard hadn't let up. I was curled up in one of the chairs with a cup of hot chocolate in my hands, and Vic sat next to me, quietly explaining why the blizzard was still going on. "According to Marian, whenever someone's about to die, the blizzard acts up. It doesn't help that it's winter, so there's pretty much always snow, but this is a nightmare."
"Who greeted you?" I asked softly, sipping at the chocolate. Vic grinned, his eyes amused.
"Your dad. Most of the time, it's known who will come home next, so the appropriate person is chosen."
"Who's going to bring Frank home, then?"
"We were thinking of letting you two, actually." Mom's voice floated through the doorway, her eyes light and amused. I heard footsteps and then heard my name squealed as my little sister came rushing in, her gray-blue eyes excited.
"You shoulda told me Brother was home!" Lily had been only six when she'd been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and despite the vigorous treatments and growing survival rate, she'd died when she was nine. While here, she'd grown up into a young teenager, but thankfully, she didn't have to mood swings (at least, according to Mom. I was skeptical) "When did you get here?"
"Not long. Now hush! Mom was telling me and Vic something!" I couldn't help teasing her a little, and she quieted down almost instantly, burrowing herself in the crook of one of my arms.
"Oh don't worry, Cal." Dad's voice was light and pleasant, and he continued on, "Frank'll be here in the morning. Why don't you and Vic get up early and bring him?"
"Sounds good," Vic and I chorused, and we exchanged looks before heading up to bed early, wanting to have plenty of energy for the trek.
Frank was lying near where I had been when we found him. His eyes were closed, his breathing even, and I knelt in the snow next to him while Vic stayed standing. "Hey, Frank. Wake up," I whispered softly, lightly shaking his shoulder. He stirred, and Vic and I both waited, grinning when his eyes opened. They were confused, but the confusion turned to shock when he saw us.
"What are you two doing here?" Frank inquired, sitting up slowly. I wrapped the cloak around him, using Fire to warm in a bit.
"We're here to take you home."