Readjustments

Jayden saw a new face in the class that day, it was Ryanne, while in the canteen he saw Rose laughing and talking to him at the same table.

"Are you alright?" Ivy seemed surprised about something.

"Yes of course why what happened?" Jayden asked when he noticed Ivy's eyes stuck on his hand, when he looked down he noticed he squished the coffee cup so hard that made the coffee leak out through the cracks "Shit!" Jayden threw the cup inside the dustbin and stumped his way to the bathroom.

He carried a lot of water in his hands and splashed it on his face, he did that two more times. He was burning inside watching her with Ryanne. He knew he needed to move on, and for that, he decided to get into a relationship.

He knew there was only one girl who could understand him, and that was Ivy, because they have been friends since forever, and also he thought they had both recently broken up with their exes if this is what you call breaking up.

According to him dating a childhood friend is better than dating a person who you hardly know, and what happened with Rose taught him a big lesson.

So even though he had no feelings for her still he decided to ask Ivy, but as soon as he went out of the bathroom Ivy and Henry asked him to visit the sanatorium.

"A better way to flush out the frustration is to learn to fight," Jayden said and lead the way, Jayden had to go there one way or another.

Ivy and Henry were enjoying seeing him learn, while the people around were entertaining Ivy and Henry too.

"Do you want to learn it too?" Swan asked Ivy and Ivy hopped in with excitement, it didn't take her a lot of time to realize that this fighting is awesome but just when you watch it, not when you do it.

"I gave up!" She bowed down with her hands joined together.

Afterward, Swan caught Jayden and grabbed him with his arm, "What is it?" He asked.

"You are a quick learner I heard." She took him away from the sanatorium.

"Thank you? I guess?" He smirked.

"But only in physical fights! Are you ready to get yourself tested in a fight of heart and soul?" She smiled as they reached a big tree, it was sparkling with the small fireflies under it, even though it wasn't dark yet, the shadow under that tree was dark enough to make them light up.

"According to Brigid if the big war is here then you may have to be strong, both physically and mentally!" She smiled.

"Behold the Dire Gress The Tree of Delusions" She stood while still her arm around his arm.

"Okay, so what do I have to do?" He asked,

She made him stand under the tree while resting his back on the trunk "Okay now whatever happens! Just know that I am here! And you have to trust me when I say it, but as long as I live, I won't let anyone harm you!" She was serious more than she's ever been.

Jayden was now starting to feel nervous, not because of what could happen, but because of what she said, the way she looks at him makes him nervous and sweaty, he lowered his eyes and smiled, he didn't want to run so fast and end up being fall on his face again, but otherwise, Swan was everything any guy would ever want.

After making him stand their she stepped back and two strong vines dug out their way through the ground and wrapped around his feet, two came out from behind the tree and tied him to it. Two more dragged his hand up and tied them to the tree.

He squirmed with his entire body shaking, struggling to move but he failed when two of those vines struck him on his forehead, it felt as if they pierced through his skin and made a connection with his veins.

His eyes rolled back toward his brain, and now they were completely white, when they turned back to normal he realized that those vines were not wrapped around him anymore "Swan!" He called out when he realized she was not there where she was before.

He stepped forward and noticed the ground has turned dry and cracked, he turned back and saw a tree with long branches and twigs but no leaf on it.

There was just desolated and dry land as far as the eye goes. "Emric!" He yelled out loud, but his voice echoed right back in his own ears.

After taking a few steps he heard someone running as he turned back he saw Rose coming his way, running very fast barefoot, she cried and buried her face in his chest.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Everyone is gone! Nothing is left!" She sniveled holding his shirt and pushing herself in his embrace.

"I've got you… It's okay!" He comforted her kissing her on her head.

Afterward, she led him toward the town, there was no town left what they saw were just ruins, and clouds of dust covered the most of the town.

The lively town they live in once was now crumbled to dust. On the ruins were standing crows, cawing and presenting a view of a graveyard.

Jayden rushed to his home where he saw a crowd surrounding his house, as he approached a man spat on him.

"You have the audacity to show your face after what you did to everyone?" Emric makes a good grip around his sword.

Jayden looked at everyone not knowing why they are so upset, "Jade…" He heard his mom moaning with pain.

He pushed everyone aside and saw her body stuck under the pile of rocks and bricks, she stretched her hand to reach him. He rushed and teardrops slipped down his cheeks.

"Son… I know what you did was never intentional but you must understand… the only key to save us is your death! I am sorry, my heart aches but you must die." She clutched his neck with her hand.

Her grip was so tight she was strangling him

"Slice him into pieces!" Someone else said.

He heard a slashing sound as the grip around his neck loosened he stood up and saw Hawkbone with a sword in his hand.

Blood was dripping from his sword, he sliced his mom's arm, "What did you do?" Jayden punched Hawkbone so hard that he made his nose bleed.

Jayden was shaking, he tried to push off the rock she was stuck under, but it was heavy, he looked at Emric "Help? Please?" He begged.