After Darkness II

by J. F. Johns

  He? Terra thought.

  Before she could ask, everything vanished once again.

  ...

  Kalem's eyes fluttered open. Petra was no longer there, but the screams and gunshots still shook the building. Getting back up onto his feet, Kalem glanced around. Where was Terra? In this mess, it was hard to tell.

  Just ahead the ceiling and walls seemed to be breaking off. Frowning, Kalem moved closer, unsure of what he was seeing. His head was bleeding and that was probably why he was imagining things. Walls and ceilings didn't just peel off, particles of paint and material turning to dust and floating up, up, up.

  How hard had he hit the damn wall?

  The tingling in his hands was telling him to turn around and walk away from what he was witnessing up ahead. But in the chaotic world he lived in, such strange things meant something. And there was only one person he could think of that could create such madness.

  Scarlet.

  Kalem followed the disintegrating walls, the tiles coming off and floating up towards the ceiling. The destruction grew thicker further down the hallway and Kalem paused, afraid momentarily of walking into a trap. Swallowing his fears, he turned towards the very last door, which was almost non-existent now.

  What he saw inside the room almost brought him to his knees.

  Scarlet had her back towards him, and even though he couldn't see her face it was impossible not to recognise her. Power emanated from her like rays of a sun. The world seemed to move slower in her presence as if it were frightened she might miss something important. Her white blonde hair floated around her as if she were trapped in water and Kalem was pretty sure those black veins swirled across her pale skin.

  The Destroyer was standing over a body. A body that wasn't moving. Kalem's heart stopped beating as he kept his eyes on Scarlet, unable to look down at the person on the floor.

  'Is she dead?'

  Scarlet turned, those black eyes watching him carefully. 'Not yet,' she said. 'But soon.'

  Kalem looked down.

  It was hard to recognise Terra. She had lost a lot of weight in such a short amount of time. Blood coated almost every surface of clothing. Scratches and bruises covered her bare arms and her legs looked swollen. Her trousers had lost their original colour and Kalem could tell from their state that Terra hadn't been washed or cleaned. Her skin was a sickly grey and her brown hair had thinned, parts of it had even fallen out.

  It broke his heart to see her like that, on the brink of death. She had been such a strong girl with so much will and determination. And now...

  Kalem took Terra in his robotic arms, his chest tightening at the realisation that she didn't weigh much at all. He kept his eyes glued on her chest, making sure it still moved up and down. A lot of blood was trailing out from her side and was now leaping across his arm. Too much blood lost.

  'Hurry,' Scarlet said. 'You must leave.'

  'Come with us.'

  'Do not be mistaken,' she said. 'I am no longer Scarlet.'

  Kalem wanted to stay and argue, but fear for Terra's life brought him to nod and run. The entire building felt as though it was collapsing. He ran as fast as possible down the hallways, following the sound of gunshots. A staircase appeared, and he jumped down two at a time, almost tripping. The gunshots got louder and Kalem realised a little too late that he was in middle of the chaos. Through it all, he tried shielding Terra's body as best as possible against his own as he rushed through, unable to recognise anyone in the sea of faces.

  In the distance, he spotted the main entrance. There were still a few fighting nearby, but he'd be able to sneak by. Without giving it too much thought, he sprinted forward, praying he wouldn't get shot.

  Climbing through the broken shards of glass, he lunged forward, the rays of sun caressing his face. It would've been such a welcoming sensation if not for the fact that Terra was in his arms bleeding out. Her breathing had slowed.

  'Kalem!' He heard his mother's voice in the distance but couldn't quite figure out where it was coming from. Terra stirred within his grasp and her beautiful mismatched eyes opened for a fraction of a second. She stared at him, something like recognition flashing in those beautiful eyes of hers until something else took over and she seemed to be confused and almost fearful of him.

  Camille appeared along with Hooky and a few others from down the street. Kalem had no idea how they'd managed to get out of the building, but he didn't really care. 'She's badly injured,' he informed.

  'We need to get her home immediately,' Camille said.

  Kalem glanced back down at Terra, but by then her body had slumped back into unconsciousness.

  Nodding, he followed his mother down the alleyways, away from the Government's Headquarters, Petra and her evil crows...

  ...and Scarlet.

  Chapter ten

  Petra had transformed into a crow and had flown up towards the roof of the Government's Headquarters. The entire structure seemed to be crumbling, walls and ceiling slowly vanishing into thin air. Landing on what was left of the roof, she morphed back into her human form. Scarlet was close, she could feel her.

  They shared a connection through the monster known as the Destroyer of Worlds, but Petra intended on making sure such a connection ended. She would get the monster out of Scarlet even if it was the last thing she ever did. It belonged to her.

  'Ooooooooooh Scaaaaaarlet,' she sang in a teasing tune, making her way across the roof. 'Come out, come out, wherever you are.' The power of the Destroyer would be hers, and once it was, no one would ever be able to stop her. The desire to be the most powerful being in the capitals contaminated her veins and blinded her with desire. The need to destroy Scarlet ran thick through her soul, the hatred so venomous it almost choked her. She loved the sensation. The power it gave her.

  Everyone had questioned Petra so many times as to why she hated Scarlet so much. No one knew the dark secret they shared. No one knew the truth. Not even Scarlet herself.

  The memory of what Scarlet had done to Petra brought a flash of pain to tug at her broken heart. It didn't last long as a black mist appeared in front of her, slowly swirling together to form a shape. Memories of the past vanished at the sight of Scarlet materialising in front of her.

  'Did you call?' Scarlet asked with that strange voice that wasn't entirely human nor from this world.

  'I want what is mine.'

  'And what do you believe is yours?'

  'Scarlet's life.' Petra stepped closer, unable to help herself. 'And the Destroyer. I am far more powerful than her. I would help you destroy everything. I know she's resisting you, fighting you within. But I wouldn't. Allow me to end her and I will grant you what you most desire.'

  Scarlet's lip twitched.

  'What makes you believe that you can grant me anything?'

  'I am stronger than her!' Petra shrieked, losing patience and control. 'Come to me!' She reached forward, eager for the Destroyer to take her hand and pass over its power.

  The monster tilted its head to one side thoughtfully. Its wavy white blonde hair was wild, unbrushed and tangled. Petra pictured herself pulling at those strands, ripping them off Scarlet's scalp.

  'Very well,' the Destroyer said. 'As you wish.'

  Petra's blue eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't truly expected the Destroyer to go through with it, and now all her doubts were replaced by glee and greediness. She moved forward in two strides, grabbing Scarlet's hand forcefully.

  Nothing happened, and Petra glanced down at their intertwined fingers. A gust of wind suddenly surrounded them and her body arched backwards with the intensity of power flowing through her. Petra laughed hysterically as the power coursed through every inch of her body.

  And then it was yanked out of her.

  Petra fell face forward, her knees cushioning her fall. 'What did you do?' she asked, trying to find her voice as the shock of what had happened settled. Her hands began to shake. 'You took my power away! You tric
ked me!' The little part of the Destroyer she had managed to obtain was now gone.

  'You don't deserve our power,' the Destroyer said, lifting its hand and bringing Petra up into the air. She slammed the Prototype against the floor, the air knocked out of her.

  'I don't need the Destroyer to end you,' Petra muttered, staggering to her feet and leaping into the air as she transformed into a crow in midair. The bird crashed into the Destroyer and they fell backwards, their bodies landing against the cemented ground. Petra's beak tried breaking through Scarlet's skin, but it missed each time as the Destroyer dodged every single attack. Lifting its hand up, the monster sent Petra flying back across the roof.

  'I cannot kill you because you are immortal,' the Destroyer said, making its way towards Petra as her body morphed back from crow to Prototype. 'But you can suffer, nonetheless.'

  The X-Prototype glanced up, those blue eyes emanating hatred and disgust. 'This isn't over,' she spat.

  Scarlet stared down at her with boredom.

  'It is for now.'

  She lifted her hand and twisted it to one side.

  Petra's neck snapped to one side, broken.

  ...

  Terra opened her eyes.

  Two people stood over her. One with eyes as red as blood and the other with eyes as white as snow. She recognised them immediately; Curtis and Charlotte. Even though she didn't know them very well, seeing their faces brought her joy. She was finally away from Petra and her evil claws. She wouldn't suffer a single moment more.

  Terra began to sob, which caused Curtis to lean in closer. 'What hurts?' he asked, lifting the sheets to check her wounds.

  'Nothing.' Terra's voice sounded different, raspier and croakier. She'd never particularly loved the sound of her own voice, but what she heard now scared her. 'I'm just happy to be here. Safe.'

  Understanding flashed in those red eyes. Curtis nodded. 'Your wound was deep, but I managed to stop the bleeding and stitch you up. We had to do a blood transfusion. You lost too much.'

  Fear settled in Terra's stomach. 'Am I cyborg now?'

  Charlotte snorted.

  'A cyborg?' Curtis was unable to frown due to the amount of cables and wires across his face, but Terra was pretty sure that was what he was trying to do. 'I'm afraid it doesn't work like that.'

  Sitting up, Terra reached for the covers but hesitated, afraid of what she might find. How destroyed could her body be? Would she be able to even recognise it? Those questions paralysed her with fear, so instead she focused on the room. They were in the infirmary in Scarlet's old battered home. It wasn't a large space. There were a few counters completely covered with objects Terra had no idea what their use was for. Cabinets were filled to the brim and a chair was stacked with piles of blankets and sheets. The walls, which were a soft yellow, needed to be scrubbed clean.

  When Terra finished inspecting the room, she felt a little more calm and proceeded to pull the sheets that covered her body away. What she saw next made her want to lean over to one side and throw up, but she kept her lips pressed tightly together as her eyes filled with tears. Her body was terribly abused. Bones protruded out in sharp angles. She had lost a lot of weight. Bruises and scars covered every inch of her pale legs and arms. The bruises would go, but the scars wouldn't. Not entirely.

  The worst was her stomach. The stitches were ugly and the skin was very red. It had been a deep cut Curtis had said, and it would surely leave a very nasty scar. One more to add to her body.

  'It'll take some time for you to speak properly,' Curtis explained. 'Your throat is badly bruised and your leg was also damaged. You can walk on it, but it'll hurt.'

  The door to the infirmary opened and Camille and Hooky appeared. The sight of them made Terra want to burst into sobs, but she tried to put on a brave face. Someone else was behind them, but she didn't recognise the boy.

  'Glad to see ya made it, kid,' Hooky said. He was so big that Curtis and Charlotte had to step away to leave him some room. The large cyborg grabbed a chair and sat down, huffing and puffing. 'Damn house and the amount of stairs it has.'

  Terra couldn't help but smile. She was so utterly pleased to see him again. Camille reached the foot of the bed and smiled. She beckoned at the boy by the door who stepped in, looking worried and angry, annoyed and desperate.

  What a peculiar cyborg, Terra thought at the sight of him.

  'We ought to leave Kalem and Terra to catch up,' Camille said, her eyes bright with happiness. 'Come on, Hooky. Let's go get drunk in the kitchen.'

  Terra opened her mouth to protest. They'd just arrived, why were they leaving so soon? And why did she need to catch up with this boy named Kalem?

  Everyone filed out, even Curtis and Charlotte, who promised to be back as soon as possible. And then the door shut and Terra stared at the boy awkwardly.

  He was beautiful to look at. His hair was as dark as the night itself, his skin a milky white that reminded Terra of all the milkshakes Sasha and herself would buy during the summer. She immediately shook her head at the thought of her dead friend.

  'You're safe,' was all the boy said.

  His almond shaped eyes were like blades. They cut through her, as if he could see everything she was thinking and feeling. She didn't like it. But at the same time she did.

  'You saved me.' It was true. She didn't remember much, but she did remember him carrying her out.

  'I would do it again.' When he spoke it was more like a growl. Deep and low. Guttural. Dangerous and beautiful. 'I'd rather I didn't have to, though.'

  'Well, thank you.' She didn't know what else to say, and now the situation was becoming a little uncomfortable. Why was he staring at her like that? Why didn't he just nod and leave? If he had come for a thanks, well, there he had it.

  'You don't have to thank me, Princess.'

  Terra frowned. 'My name isn't Princess. I'm Terra. Terra Underwood.'

  Something flashed in those silver eyes of his. 'I know who you are, Terra.'

  What was there to say to that? She didn't know, so instead she just nodded, waiting for him to grow bored and leave. He didn't. He approached her, and then sat down at the end of the bed. He kept his focus on the blankets, his robotic fingers caressing them. It was beyond bizarre to see him do that, and yet, it was also extremely comforting.

  'I thought... I thought you died,' he growled.

  'I thought so, too.'

  His attention drifted upwards, landing on Terra. 'What did she do to you?'

  Terra opened her mouth to explain, then the memories of everything Petra had done came back and the room began to spin. Shaking her head, her body began to tremble. The boy's expression shifted into worry and he leaned forward. 'Don't. Stop it. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked something like that. Not yet.'

  His robotic hand took hers within its grasp and she gasped, surprised. Why was this complete stranger holding her? She didn't like it. She fumbled to release her hand, ignoring the pain and confusion settling over his expression.

  'Princess, what's wrong?'

  She buried her hands beneath the blankets so he wouldn't try to hold them again. 'Why do you keep calling me that? I told you that my name is Terra, not Princess.'

  'Prin- Terra, look at me.' His voice, even though a growl, was soft and caring. It made her do as he asked, and her stomach began to hurt, but for completely different reasons. 'What did Petra do to you?' The question was clearly not directed at her, but his own thoughts spoken out loud. Terra remained silent, staring at the boy sitting inches away from her, wondering who he was, and why her heart hurt at the sight of him.

  Those silver eyes focused on her again. 'Do you know who I am?' he asked, his jaw tense. It was a nice muscular jaw in Terra's opinion, and she felt herself blush at the thought of such a thing.

  She shook her head.

  'This isn't a game,' he said.

  'I know it isn't.' Frustration took over and she added, 'Look. I have no idea who you are.
I'm thankful you helped me get out of that dreadful place. But... I don't feel like sharing my experiences with someone I don't know.'

  The boy abruptly stood up as if he'd been burnt. His silver eyes flashed with hurt and something else, something she couldn't quite tell what it was.

  'You really don't remember me,' he muttered, stepping away as if her mere presence was torture. 'How is that possible?' His forehead furrowed in thought. And then he was across the room in a matter of seconds, his robotic hands on either side of Terra's face. 'Princess, try. I know you can remember me.'

  Terra broke away from his hold, her face red as tears filled her eyes. 'Stop it! Leave me alone! I don't know you.' He moved away again, the motion so fast she almost didn't see him. Suddenly, a horrified expression appeared on his face. It didn't suit him. Terra wanted to wipe it away, to make his usual scowl return.

  How would I know that? she thought. It didn't matter. She didn't know him. He needed to get out. Now.

  'Please, just go.' The pain that flashed through those silver eyes choked Terra, and she looked away, annoyed by how much it bothered her to see him in such a state.

  'Terra...'

  'Go away!'

  A part of her was crying out for him to stay, and she couldn't quite understand why. His expression hardened, his jaw clenched and his body stiffened. He nodded and turned to leave. She expected him to slam the door shut behind him, but the way he gently closed it, almost as if he didn't want to disturb her or cause her any more pain broke her heart. Terra cried, unsure of why she felt so much pain for a complete stranger.

  Chapter eleven

  Capital Four was a fascinating place to visit, full of bars, restaurants and shops. The streets were narrow, the buildings old and crumbling from a different time. Beautiful temples could be found in each neighbourhood with tall columns adorned with dragons, green jade tiled roofs and gardens that once upon a time would've been natural but were now imitating its original glory with holographic blossom trees. People still came to visit the temples, their eyes focused on all the small details and their mouths open in fascination.