Fallen

"You are...the WORST flier I have ever seen. How the hell do you crash through an entire aircraft- I've never witnessed anything like that!"

Jai was livid for hours; from the moment everyone had regrouped by noon, she transpired into an unbelievable rant; it was now late evening. The makeshift camp we managed to set up was bathed in darkness except for the light of our burning campfire.

The crash ended with no mortalities; everyone on board had been healed and was either sleeping or chatting noisily by the fire; Jai sat facing our group; Leifa, Resa, Thalia, and I venting her anger despite calling the four of us over under pretenses to help figure out a plan before morning.

"Seriously, is this karma, some bad luck? I nearly died twice in the one hour I bought you guys from Tak, and now here we are, possibly stranded. WITH. NO. SHIP!"

"On the bright side, at least you're very much alive!" Resa joked, Jai quickly snapping her neck addressing him with a killer look, sending him squirming behind me, his attempt at lifting the mood failing spectacularly.

Jai closed her eyes and took a deep breath before sitting on the rock next to mine. Turning to us with an unreadable expression, she crossed her legs, pinning her left hand under her chin, the shadows cast by the fire highlighting the sharp sparkle of her eyes in deep contemplation.

"With the scouting team still surveying the area for nearby towns, it wouldn't be smart to relocate, but... Do any of you know about this area? I've flown over it before, but I'm always gone by the afternoon. Are there beasts that roam at night?"

"No clue; none of us have ever been outside the country. I'm afraid we're blind just like you."

"...Splendid. With our numbers this low, I suppose I don't have much choice. Reis..."

Jai turned to me, seemingly coming to a decision based on Leifa's response. Shortly rising to disappear behind a makeshift tent, Jai returned, sluggishly pulling a string over her shoulder dragging five body bags behind. All of them were bloody, in addition to being torn and patted with dirt from the fall.

Placing them at my feet, Jai stepped away; hands held out in grand display as she pointed at the bags.

"I was hoping to save this part until we safely docked at our hideout, but the extra numbers might be needed if we're in a pack of animals hunting ground. ...You know what was agreed upon; revive them, Reis."

"...Yeah, I know."

"Now, hold on a minute!!!" Leifa shouted, quickly placing herself between me and the bags gazing up at Jai pointedly, her hands pushing back against my chest.

"I don't know what agreement you're referring to or why you rescued us, but Reis's power isn't something to be used lightly. So, on his behalf, I'm asking you to renegotiate whatever terms were decided."

"Frankly, I don't care how dangerous his magic may be. The person behind you willingly proposed to use his abilities to revive my crew members in exchange for helping find the blind girl and keeping you safe. Your master and the other boy; their reckless actions ignited the fight. The moment that siren went off, I could've killed you to pacify Takata, relieving myself of suspicion for arranging the attack, or even ordered you dead once I left you in the custody of my crew."

"It's unreasonable to aim any regrets you feel towards me, servant girl; instead, blame yourselves for having to force your master to save your lives a second time."

Leifa bit her tongue, turning back to stare at me with worrying eyes before moving them to Thalia. Grasping the hand on my chest, I softly held it stroking Leifa's head as she looked away at the earth beneath our feet.

"Don't look so down, Lei. None of this is your fault; everything up to this point has been out of our control. You might feel these words are a little insulting, but you did great, so stand down, ok, Leifa?"

Enveloping her in a brief hug, Leifa began shaking, silently moving to the side upon releasing her from my grip. Opening the first body bag, the revolting smell of death hit me immediately. Blood was dried up around the victim's head, with red splatters covering the top half of her blouse. In place of where her brain should be, a massive hole capable of fitting a fist was blown through her head, confirming her deceased.

Stretching my hands above the body, I felt for the first time how cold they were. Trembling uncontrollably, they shook nervously, just enough for only me to notice. Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes, feeling somber.

(So, this is how I'll be found out. Whether or not they saw anything through the camera, there's nothing that will hide my true identity this time. ...Sorry, mom.)

Calling forth the power from the depths of my heart, I feel my body gradually get warmer, then suddenly fade away until everything is sapped away. Not even a spark of power crackles from my hands.

Despite the warm heat of the fire being so close by, I breathe out a cloud of cold air visible in the darkness. Focusing even amongst the waves of chills traveling through my body, I try calling the power again; three, four, five times, each trial failing and unexplainably draining my body heat, leaving me feeling sick and weak.

I felt unnaturally chill, like an undead. The surroundings began spinning, or my body finally gave in, threatening to collapse. As things faded somewhere in the depths of my consciousness, a swallowing sensation came over me.

Falling away from the bag, I looked up at the beautiful sky, the black night. The shining stars vanished completely as my body and soul were consumed by a dark, unnatural force leaving me lifeless on the ground. The panicked yelling of Jai, Resa, and Leifa was the last thing I heard as something inside me shattered.