Sorrow

Zander lay crumpled on the unforgiving ground, his body weakened by the relentless loss of blood. The encroaching darkness blurred his vision, threatening to engulf him completely. In the midst of his fading consciousness, he could discern the distant echoes of frenzied footsteps and anguished cries. The voice of Aqua, filled with fury and desperation, pierced through the chaos. "GET FUCKING BACK HERE!" she bellowed, her voice laced with a potent mixture of rage and determination. She had witnessed the horrifying act that had befallen Zander.

Reacting with swift resolve, Aqua turned her gaze towards Zander's motionless form and propelled herself forward, sprinting with unwavering determination. Sliding to her knees beside him, she gathered him up in her arms, summoning every ounce of her strength. Rising to her feet, she navigated the labyrinthine hallways, her steps fraught with urgency, barely managing to keep her balance at times. Her uniform and hands, stained crimson with Zander's blood, bore testament to the severity of his condition.

Finally, Aqua burst through the doors of the infirmary, her heart pounding in her chest. "HELP HIM RIGHT NOW!" she implored, her voice resounding with desperation. Doctors swiftly converged upon her, their faces etched with concern, as they took charge of Zander, immediately rushing him away for critical medical attention.

As the doctors tended to Zander's grave wounds, Aqua, standing at the threshold of the infirmary, anxiously surveyed the scene. Her mind raced with a sense of urgency, knowing that time was of the essence. She turned to one of the doctors, her voice trembling but resolute. "Send Lando, Bale, Mara, Akura, Marco, and Hana here," she implored, her words a command wrapped in a plea. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the doctor nodded solemnly and hastened to the intercom, urgently summoning the requested individuals to make their way to the infirmary.

Lando, his brow furrowed with concern, was the first to arrive at the infirmary. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead as his gaze locked onto Aqua, demanding an explanation for the nightmarish ordeal that had befallen their comrade. "Can you tell us what the fuck happened?" he implored, his voice tinged with a mixture of anger and worry. The others soon caught up, their chests heaving with exertion from the urgent rush.

Aqua took a deep breath, her voice laden with unease as she recounted the harrowing events. "That guy Zander walked out with... he stabbed him and ran off. I couldn't hear their conversation, but he stabbed Zander," she relayed, her words hanging heavily in the air. Lando's eyes widened in disbelief, while Bale stood frozen in a state of shock. The urgency in their collective inquiry was palpable. "Where is he?!" Bale exclaimed, his voice laced with desperation.

A doctor stepped forward, assuming the role of guide, leading Lando through a labyrinth of corridors and into the heart-wrenching scene. The room was a flurry of activity, doctors and nurses frantically working together to save Zander's life. The monitors emitted an incessant chorus of urgent beeps, a dissonant symphony of a battle against time. One doctor's voice cut through the chaos, its urgency permeating the space. "WE ARE LOSING HIM!" they exclaimed, their determination evident as they fought to keep Zander from slipping away.

In the midst of this critical struggle, Zander's consciousness flickered back to life. His eyes fluttered open, but to his bewilderment, he found himself no longer in the confines of Titan City's walls. Instead, he was surrounded by a mystical mist that enveloped a serene forest, a sight unfamiliar to his eyes. The verdant foliage swayed gently, bathing the surroundings in an ethereal glow. Suddenly, a melodious chirp reached his ears, the sweet song of a bird piercing the tranquility.

Startled, Zander's eyes widened in astonishment. The existence of such creatures had become a mere legend in the world he knew, on the brink of extinction. He observed the avian creature gracefully taking flight from a nearby tree, a spectacle that evoked a sense of awe within him. Transfixed by the enigmatic beauty of this enchanted forest, his gaze shifted toward a path that beckoned him forward. As he approached, he noticed two figures standing amidst the mist, their identities veiled by the ethereal haze. Intrigued, he took tentative steps, drawn toward the enigmatic duo that held the promise of answers and revelation.

Zander's eyes widened with an overwhelming mix of joy and sorrow as he beheld the familiar faces of Milly and Johnson. Tears welled up, glistening in his eyes, as he embraced the reunion with his long-lost friends. Milly's radiant smile filled his heart with warmth, while Johnson's wave carried an air of camaraderie. Milly gently reached out and touched Zander's face, her tender touch evoking a profound sense of reality. "You feel so real," Milly whispered, her voice carrying a bittersweet melody.

Zander held them tightly in his embrace, overcome with a flood of emotions. "I've missed you guys so much," he confessed, his voice quivering with genuine affection. A glimmer of hope ignited within him as Milly extended an invitation. "We're cooking some truly exquisite food that you haven't tasted yet. Would you like to come and stay with us for a while?" she offered, her smile illuminating the path ahead. Zander beamed with gratitude and nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I would love that," he replied, a renewed sense of purpose animating his steps.

Meanwhile, in the infirmary, Lando's eyes widened in horror as the monitor unleashed a shrill and unrelenting screech. Tears streamed down his face as he sprinted toward Zander's bedside, his anguish overflowing. Bale, his own eyes welling up with grief, followed closely behind Lando, his voice cracking with desperation. "Bro, wake up!" Bale pleaded, his heart breaking at the sight of his closest friend teetering on the edge of oblivion.

The doctors, their efforts proving futile, reluctantly ceased their attempts to revive Zander, their eyes shifting toward the anguished group surrounding the bed. "Don't stop!" Lando cried out, refusing to surrender to the encroaching despair. With a surge of determination, he began performing CPR, his hands rhythmically pressing against Zander's chest. "Don't give up!" Lando implored, his voice filled with a potent mix of love and desperation. "We need you!" Bale's heart shattered, tears cascading down his cheeks, as he stood alongside Lando, silently pleading for their friend's return. Hana, her own grief overwhelming, stood by the doorway, her sobs echoing the anguish that engulfed the room.

In the midst of the chaotic scene, Zander's progress was abruptly halted by the ethereal figure of Milly. "Not yet, Zander. You are still needed," she whispered, her voice carrying an otherworldly wisdom. Zander froze, his eyes fixed upon her, torn between his longing to be reunited with his dear friends and the enigmatic path laid out before him. "But I want to be with you guys," he pleaded, his voice filled with a longing born of immeasurable loss. Milly shook her head gently, her essence beginning to fade. "Not yet, Lightning Head," she chuckled, a hint of nostalgic affection coloring her words. "There is still a purpose for you here." With those cryptic words, she dissipated into the mist, leaving Zander in a state of longing and profound uncertainty. "No!" Zander cried out, his voice echoing through the enigmatic forest, his desperate attempt to chase after them met with an ethereal resistance he could not overcome.