Distortion

 

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Chapter One

 The rain drummed against the corrugated metal roof of the abandoned shack as it cascaded through the dense forest trees, the grey skies fueled with a never ending torrent of water. The air was musty and moist, the stench of mold and the rot of something long dead assaulted Aurelia’s nose. The shack was filled with old furniture that had been scattered about the room, the drawers of a old dresser lay on the floor emptied of their contents with a wardrobe in the back corner, it’s doors cracked and hanging by a hinge. On one side, there was a broken wood burning stove, a cast iron pot still hung next to it filled with the remnants of what would have been someone’s dinner. On the other side of the room, a wooden bed only large enough for a single person. Rusted coils poked through the thin cloth material of the tattered mattress and one of the wooden leg frames had broken off, leaving the bed sagging to one corner. A large, frayed, ornate rug covered the wooden floorboards of the hut, dark rust colored stains muted its once vibrant blue and gold designs. It’s hard to believe that this was once someone’s home. 

Aurelia found a chair near the front door, it was a bit cracked and warped from years of exposure but it would do to allow her to catch her breath and relax just for a moment. Up until now she hadn’t been aware of how tired she had become,, not just from running and defending her and her friend, but mentally she was drained, her emerald eyes burned from the exhaustion of trying to stay alive. She looked over at her childhood friend of nearly thirteen years(maybe longer). He was tall and tanned with blue eyes, his short, well kept dark hair seemed perfect even with everything they had been through in the last forty-eight hours. He was by all accounts attractive, even she could notice that, it was no wonder so many of her classmates swooned over him. If it hadn’t been for his the rip in his shirt across the chest, and the once deep wound underneath which seems to have healed relatively quickly even for a “Ward”(This is his class) it would almost be nearly impossible to tell that he’d recently had to fight for his life, for both of their lives. His appearance was a stark contrast to the small girl. While he at least looked somewhat presentable, Aurelia, on the other hand looked as though she has been through a hurricane (which is exactly what she had been doing). Aurelia was short in comparison to Declan, the top of her head barely reaching his chest. She had blazing red hair, which at the moment clung to her fair-skinned, freckled face. It was wet from a mixture of sweat and rain and blood, she wasn’t even sure if the blood was her own. 

“His stupid hair doesn’t even have a strand out of place, he doesn’t even seemed to be phased at all!” 

She scoffed to herself, her annoyance at how unaffected he seemed to be by the near death encounters they had been experiencing started to anger her. She turned away from Declan and she could feel her blood pressure begin to rise as she thought about it all. With every step they gained in their travel, they lost a mile it seemed. Something kept going wrong with every turn on their journey. They’d left the Citadel walls and gotten past all the security measures, or so they thought. For the first day everything seemed to be going smoothly, but even then Aurelia felt uneasy, as though they were being watched the entire time. Not long after, her feelings were validated when the damned RED Knights showed up, and even worse they helped lead that monster to them! 

The sound of furniture being slid across the wood floor snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Declan clambering about the cabin she finally had a moment to notice how weak he had become. She could feel that his power was all but sapped from him, no doubt from fending off the previous onslaught of the beast.  Not to mention neither of them had slept nearly two days.

 She noticed him searching the cabin, Aurelia pondered his motives; was he looking for something to fight with? Or another way to escape the inevitable death that charged for them in the distance.  She then realized he was moving any piece of heavy furniture he could in front of the flimsy wooden door, she didn’t understand why he doing it, knowing full well that it wouldn’t help if the creature found them, he knew as well that his attempts to barricade would be in vain. 

 

The exhausted pair knew that they wouldn’t be able to stay here long as the Falevorun was an expert hunter, even now Aurelia could sense it closing in, beginning to hone in on their precise location. The only saving grace now was the caustic rain that vaguely hid them in a veil of burning water. 

 

“So, what now?” 

 

Aurelia sighed as she attempted to hide the fear in her voice. She knew he didn’t have any answers, not this time. 

 

The two have been in many less than safe situations throughout the last ten years, and she looked to Declan for guidance. Maybe it was the loss of her father that caused her to draw into him, or maybe he was just the last person she felt she could trust. Either way she wanted to believe he had a way out.

 

“I’m thinking give me a minute,” 

 

Declan’s voice was strong and unwavering, he almost convinced himself that he had any grasp on the situation. He knew their only chance was to run, but to say the Falevorun was fast would be an injustice to the beast.

 

 He wasn’t going to allow Ari to see that he felt hopeless now, not after everything. He felt that it was his duty to protect her, no matter what and that’s what he was going to do. His feeling of duty born from the guilt of his father’s actions and what had been done to her. To everything. 

 

Ever since the incident at the Templar Genetics labs the world they once knew had become warped and twisted, forever changed; genetically mutated animals roamed the wilderness, their deformed mangled appearance showed very little resemblance of what they once were. The World’s once plentiful bounty of livestock and farm land now almost nonexistent; the dwindling amount of mildly or nearly unaffected areas had been taken under government control so as to keep the commoners from wiping them out completely. Mutations also began developing in people, some more benign than others. Since that day the weather had become highly volatile; howling winds blew with a force so great that they could topple even some of the strongest of structures, biting snow now fell in areas that before never saw much moisture, dust storms that blocked out the sun, causing an almost instantaneous darkness, and the rain that was now so caustic that it would sear the skin off of any plebeian -- those who were not blessed with mutations-- who was unfortunate enough to come into contact with it. Aurelia could feel the hairs on her arms come to attention as she recalled how much the world really had changed. 

“Blessed!” Aurelia mocked. “They act as though we’re deities,” whispering to herself unaware of Declan’s concerned stare penetrating her to the core.

“Still contemplating your role in all of this, Ari?” Declan laughed with feigned humor, overlaying the sense of dread as he could feel her pain and anger pulsing within his veins.

“Don’t call me that!” Her clenched jaw threatening to shatter her teeth. She hated when he used her nickname, it made her feel childish and weak, but that part of her died when the world as she knew it ended. “I just can’t understand how so many people seem to accept what has happened,” She said while staring blankly out of the window, her eyes focusing on the fog forming on the cold glass as she spoke. She began to run her finger through the moisture, drawing obscure shapes and even a smiley face, and for a brief moment she had forgotten the seriousness of the situation. Her annoyance from Declan’s comment came back and she began to heat the air around her, the condensation on the glass to boiling away along with any evidence of her artwork.

“It’s like anything else, people want a sense of security, they want to feel safe. So they turn to any source that can provide it, they have no other choice Ari, I mean Aurelia,”

Declan realized his poorly timed reply as he felt Aurelia’s anger and frustration distorting the air around them. She turned to him, her once emerald eyes now glowed in an amber orange that seemed to burn through him.

“Don’t patronize me Declan!” Her annoyance at the comment caused her to seethe with anger. “They are just too pathetic, too weak to think for themselves and to do anything about the situation. Everyone just runs and hides, but I guess it’s to be expected,” 

How ironic Aurelia thought bitterly as she pondered what she could have done or rather if she could have done anything differently to change the outcome of all this, how she should have stopped her father from doing his job. She really shouldn’t be so hard on those people though, before the incident changed everything, she ran and hid, obeying her fathers last words for her to stay put as the alarms from the labs panicked and confused her. She was just like everyone else, a normal girl, frightened, wiping away tears as she awaited her father’s return, but he never came back. That was nearly a decade ago. Ten years since she saw her father in his white coat rushing yet again, to another emergency. He was always the first to go, always dutiful in his work to make the world a better place. He fought to free the world from disease and unnecessary death, he was noble in his pursuits, if not reckless. But he was always a father first, even when her mother died, Aurelia knew her father would always be there to teach her and pick her up when she fell. But when he left for the final time, he strained to hide the panic in his voice but his eyes couldn’t hide the dread he felt. His voice quivered and he told her he loved her one last time. Somehow she knew she’d never see him again, yet the hope that he might return one day lived in her, she longed to see him walk through the door of her childhood home, confirming that this all had been a cruel nightmare.

 

“They were the ones to cause this, yet they strutted around as if they were White Knights, acting as though they did a great deed,” her eyes rolled at her thought.

Declan furrowed his brow in confusion. “What do you mean to be expected? How can you expect them to protect themselves with all the new dangers that are out in the world? Most of them are lucky to find edible food or clean drinking water and you expect them to protect themselves from the horrors that lurk out there? They should be so lucky for the protection of the Citadel, ” Declan said authoritatively, but soon realizing the error in the words he chose once more. 

“Lucky!” Aurelia began to step towards Declan, her anger now all she could see. “Temp-Gen caused all of this! If your father hadn’t been playing God, there would be no need for the Citadel!” 

The small shack began to rattle and creek with ever step she took, the rotting planks of wood now beginning to crackle and pop from the from the air that heated around her. “How can you excuse them for what they did to those people? For what your father did to me! For what he did to us!” Her emotions had overcome her logic, her distortions now becoming violent and uncontrollable. 

“Aurelia, that’s enough!” Declan’s voice boomed as he raised his hand and pressed the small girl to the ground before she could get any closer to him, the sudden force dazing her and bringing her back to reality and her eyes reverting back their bright green pigment. As Aurelia regained her focus, her sites set on the smoking wood around her, her cheeks turned red as shame and embarrassment set in. “Declan I’m…” an attempted apology choked her throat. “It’s okay Ari, I know it’s been getting worse, ” Declan did his best to hide his worry from her, but she knew as well as he did that she was progressing too fast. 

 

 

“I am sorry Declan, but I think you know very well what I meant” Aurelia’s voice became softer, more recognizable to the sweet fiery haired girl she once was. “It was your father who did this; he was the one that approved the exper--”

“Quiet!” Declan interrupted “Do you hear that?” The deafening silence caused them both to widen their eyes in terror as they realized their sanctuary would soon be overtaken; the rain had ceased and the color drained from Aurelia’s face as her breathing quickened she could hear he harrowing screech of the Falevorun that pursued them; far in the distance, but not for long.

Declan yanked her to her feet. “We are only half a kilometre away from the Citadel, if we move quickly we might make it.” She jerked her hand from his and made her way to the door, her eyes once again turned to embers and she smashed the barricade of old furniture that secured the door, splintering them against the cabin walls.

“It’ll be here soon, if we move now we might have a chance!” Aurelia quickly peered out the door opening it just enough to stick her head out, glancing in each direction, her vibrant, red hair whipping around her face. “Declan, if it gets close--”

“I’ll do my best to distort its vision,” He assured her “but I’m still weak from our earlier encounters. If I can’t hold it you have to go without me,” His gaze cut through her and she averted her eyes, as if that would stop him from discerning her every emotion.

“I’m not leaving you behind,” She insisted adamantly as she slammed the door open and took his calloused hand in hers, guiding him as they made a last desperate flee to salvation.

They weaved through the dense forest trying their best not to attract the attention of anything else lurking in the shadows all while embracing the sting of the remaining acid droplets that fell from the tree tops. Tired and injured they could hardly outrun this monster, eventually they would need to stand their ground against it and pray they could fend it off long enough for someone to spot them, but they were still too far away for the Citadel’s sensors to detect them. Their only option was to save their remaining scrap of energy on a single, last stand.

Aurelia’s legs were burning from exertion, every breath tore from her throat as they sprinted towards safety, but the creature caught up to them faster than they could have ever anticipated. A deafening screech sounded as the Falevorun closed the distance between them, causing their legs to buckle as they covered their ears against the sound that penetrated their minds, dazing them for a moment. “Dammit!” She thought, “they had been so close.”

“Declan, listen to me,” Aurelia panted “you need to focus on your power, you need to block it out!” She used every ounce of her willpower to fuse her thoughts to his; a compulsive demand ricocheted within his mind.

Declan slowly stood up and outstretched his hands in front of him in preparation to knock the Falevorun back, his skin began to turn an off shade of gray and a blue aura formed around him. He used all the strength he had left to deter the monstrosity from them. Blood began to drip from his nose as his mind tore in his last attempt to save them, but he forced himself to push through the pain, but as he did so, a boulder was hurled at him. He was so focused that he didn’t notice it.

“Declan!” Aurelia screamed in panic as she rushed towards him, tackling him out of the way. The sudden break in his focus caused Declan to lose consciousness. Aurelia stood up, preparing herself to meet her end. She lifted trees and rocks around them to form a barrier in an attempt to hold off their attacker for only a few moments longer. The beasts four powerful arms swatted the objects to the side, a mere inconvenience for it.

“They will be here soon Declan!” She yelled hoarsely “Just stay with me!” His lifeless body splayed on the forest floor. The Falevorun charged in and with its four powerful fists smashed through her remaining tenuous defenses. The world around her began to slow as it raised its fists once more, the killing blow was imminent. The Falevorun screeched again in a cry of sure victory, this time causing black spots to dance in her vision the last thing she could see was its massive form towering above the two helped prey. Suddenly, as its fists were just centimetres away from obliterating them, a green haze formed around where she crouched protectively over Declan’s lifeless form. A figure materialized in front of them and she could vaguely hear the muffled sound of someone yelling in the distance, not a moment later darkness consumed her consciousness.

 

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Chapter Two

     Braxton looked over at the two beds that were occupied by Aurelia and Declan. The room was small and stark white, housed by a table and a few chairs that were lined against the wall. There was a wash station and a cabinet filled with medical supplies that you would expect to see in any hospital room. There was nothing out of the ordinary about it. On the surface, nothing in the Citadel seemed out of the ordinary, as long as you didn’t peer too closely.

The Citadel was huge; built into the black rock of the mountain in order to provide it with the best defensive position possible. It was complete with a seemingly impenetrable 15 metre tall wall and surrounded by a laser grid that would kill anything that came in contact, it was only ever shut down to recalibrate the system and even that was very rare, not to mention strategically random. On the top of the wall housed six main guard towers complete with Gatling laser turrets. The flawless design excelled at keeping any uninvited guests –and prying eyes-- away from the perimeter, but to Braxton, it felt more like a prison than a sanctuary.

The entire facility was very plain with the exception of the great hall that was lined with Pro-Templar Corp paraphernalia, and the Commander’s Office, which was filled with trophies, medals and other awards that he’d earned back in the days before the world took its turn.

There we numerous machines and devices attached to each of his friend’s to monitor their vital signs, seeing them in this state filled him with such regret and sorrow. Their bodies were battered and broken; some wounds so deep that you could see the bone. Aurelia had a large gash that reached from above her right eyebrow down to her cheek. A thick bandage had been wrapped around Declan’s head but blood was seeping through from a wound on the side of his head, no doubt caused by a severe blow to the side of his skull. The cast that went up to Declan’s left thigh indicated that it was broken.

“I can't believe I didn’t try harder to stop them, I should have done a better job at keeping them here!” Tears of anger rolled down Braxton’s face. He sat down in the chair next to Aurelia's bed. “I promise I’ll never allow this to happen to you again, I’ll protect you.” He reached for her hand; it felt cold to the touch, almost dead. The only sign of life was the slight pressure of her curling her fingers within his.

The door opened forcefully as a large burly man came barging in. He had to duck slightly to even fit through the door way. He glanced at the two beds then shifted his attention to Braxton. The man’s nearly seven foot muscular frame towered over the seemingly tiny boy.

Braxton was the smallest of the others in his class which granted him the nickname “Little One” by his peers. He was slim, but muscular; his silvery hair fell to the top of his shoulders. His teary grey eyes all but dry now that Ronin, the Sentinel Captain showed up.

“Braxton!” The giant of a man bellowed, his large braided beard swung as he turn to face him. “Why are you crying? I thought you were a Sentinel, not a child.” Ronin sneered in annoyance, his large arms crossed in front of his chest. “How could you be so careless?” Ronin exclaimed incredulously. “I gave you one task, Braxton. You were ordered to keep watch on these two.” Ronin gestured over to the still unconscious Aurelia and Declan.

“I understand sir, it will not happen again.” Braxton replied apologetically.

“Let's hope not” He retorted harshly as he paced the small space “How do you expect to ever become a Sentinel if you are incapable of completing such a menial task?” Ronin mocked as he exited the hospital room.

“I'm glad I let them slip past, maybe next time they’ll take me with them.” Braxton sneered. His agitation quickly faded as his gaze landed on his two friends. “I told them it was a stupid idea to go out there, especially with the weather turning into complete shit. You would think they would heed my words more carefully, but why on earth listen to a Clairvoyant.” He scoffed shaking his head in dismay.

“Why would anyone listen to a novice who can't even remember how to lock the window?” A smug, high pitched voice mocked from the doorway.

Braxton snapped his head around, his once deep grey eyes now obscured by burning white flames.

“Now, now Little One, no need to vaporise me” The petite blonde haired girl poked fun at the fact that he couldn’t even conjure up a sandwich let alone harm another being, especially an advanced Blade Caster such as Elle. She placed her soft hand firmly on Braxton’s shoulder, her violet eyes reassuring him that she was only joking with him.

Elle was a beautiful girl; she was just under five foot four inches tall and had olive skin. Her long, wavy blonde hair was tied into its usual ponytail; she could never be bothered wearing it any other way.

“So tell me little one” She smirked as she walked over to the two beds at the other end of the room. “How did these two manage to avoid your sight? I can't imagine it was so easy for them to give the all mighty Braxton the slip.” She giggled and winked.

“Stop mocking me!” Braxton growled. “First off, I'm not little!” He realised he was a bit shorter than the other guys in his training class; he stood at only five foot --on a good day. “Secondly, they didn't slip passed me, I let them go!” His eyes widened as he recognised what he had just confessed to.

“I knew it!” She exclaimed wicked with glee. “You may not be a master, but you are still more skilled than most of the others in your class!”

Braxton was caught off guard by her comment “Thank you?” A look of confusion crinkled his brow. Elle never gave compliments to anyone.

“But you still need to focus more. You always seem to be so distracted during your training. No doubt daydreaming about someone” She winked as her eye flicked meaningfully over to Aurelia.

“Ahem” He coughed nervously. “She... they still haven't woken up yet, but their state is improving, slowly.” Braxton said reassuringly.

“Good to hear they’re improving.” Elle uttered sincerely “As much as it seems that I came down here for a status update on these two, I'm actually more interested in obtaining a favour from you.” She paced around him, running her fingertip delicately along his chest.

“What do you want?” His annoyance from the idea of her request was far from hidden.

“Straight to the point I see. I admire that about you Braxton, no bullshit, just right to business.” She placed her hands on her hips, teetering back and forth on her feet, tilting her head slightly so that her long, thick braided hair fell across her shoulder “You are going to help me sneak out of the Citadel” She ordered as her eyes now narrowed and her voice sharpened.

“Excuse me? But who are you to demand anything of me, especially something so... ridiculously stupid!” Braxton protested.

“I meant, I would appreciate it if you could grant me assistance in the matter of guiding me out of these walls.” She replied, her tone now more sincere.

“You realise how crazy of an idea it is to attempt to sneak out, don't you? Why on earth should I risk getting caught sneaking you out?” He questioned amusedly.

“Because” Elle paused “I may have located something of dire importance, something that will give us insight into the things that took place at the TempGen Labs, it could finally help me... help us to better understand our abilities and even reverse so much of the damage that has been inflicted upon our world.” She turned to look out of the window to the stark corridor. “Braxton... I have been chasing down any bit of information about what happened to us and find a remedy that could reverse all of this” Her usually buoyant demeanour stilled, her face taking on a haunted look as she spoke of the memories that still plagued them all “I want the world to be reborn, to be how it once was before the...” She stopped as her voice began to quiver and tears began to build behind her eyes. She whirled around to face him. “That's why I need your help” Her voice barely above a whisper, so quiet that it would be lost in the slightest of wind “This is the first time that we could have the upper hand on the Templars. Whenever I get close to finding out any information, those damned R.E.D Knights come in and seize it” She began pacing the small room in her agitation “They destroy any evidence that might link the Corporation with the events. But this time is different, this time I am one step ahead of them. I've discovered a location that even The Templars don't pay attention to. If I hurry, I can retrieve the documents, but I need to leave as soon as possible. You see, this is why I need your help Braxton. I need you to get me through the main gate and passed the laser grid.” Elle pleaded to Braxton.

“Oh, is that all you need me to do?” He scoffed sarcastically. “You do realise what will happen to us if we are cau--”

“We won’t be” She cut off his pessimism “I've made arrangements and pulled in some favours.”

“Okay, so what if I refuse to help you?” Braxton’s demeanour was rigid as he prodded Elle.

"Braxton, you are the first piece of the puzzle. Without you, there is no hope to recover whatever information lies within that facility. If you refuse then we lose our one chance to repair the distortion that has plagued the world. TempGen wins... again. They will continue to go unpunished for the atrocities they have committed and more people will die!” She exclaimed, clenching her fist around her knife, her face turning red with anger. “And just imagine what Aurelia will think of your bravery.” She winked at him, her fury beginning to dissipate.

“You know Elle, I really hate you sometimes” Braxton scrubbed his palm over his face as he considered her words, the truth of them and the underlying danger and pitfalls they’d be faced with if he were to accept her outrageous request.

What she was offering were answers to questions, he knew, a lot of them still secretly asked themselves. They would be hunted, the R.E.D Knights  --short for the Recon and Elimination Deployment team-- would stop at nothing to apprehend them once they discovered what they were after, perhaps even the Templar’s themselves... was it worth the risk?

Only one way to find out Braxton mused to himself.

“Fine I'll help you, but under one condition.” He finally conceded.

Elle smirked at Braxton as her interest piqued at the response. “Okay then, what is your demand Master Braxton?” She gibed as she dipped forward in a playful bow.

“I'm coming with you” He stated resolutely as he met her stunned gaze evenly “I haven't been outside of these walls in years.” --Sentinels were required to stay within the walls of the Citadel-- “I'm sick and tired of this whole Sentinel business, these birth assignments can go to hell, I should be able to choose my own path, not have a machine calculate it for me, and I will do just that.” He explained passionately.

Elle had never seen such animosity from someone who was chosen to become a Sentinel. It was a very prestigious position and a powerful one at that. She was mesmerised by Braxton’s vigour.

“It's settled then” She agreed with a sharp nod “Prepare yourself Little One, we leave in one hour.” With the deal struck she strode from the room, leaving Braxton alone with only the muted beeps from the monitors pushing against the silence.

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Chapter Three

 

Silence seemed to have overtaken the once clamorous forest. The once deafening chirps and bellows from the mutated occupants of the woods have now become eerily quiet. "I have the strangest feeling that someone or something is watching us, but I can't sense anything near us. "Aurelia attempted to sharpen her gaze, trying to locate the source of her uneasiness, finding the lack of anything.  "Where are all the animals?" She thought to herself. "You worry too much, the only one that know's we are gone is Braxton, and he wouldn't dare invoke the wrath of the mighty Aurelia!" Declan's placed his hands on his hips while placing one foot on a nearby fallen tree in a mocking heroic stance, his quip threatened to provoked the girls annoyance as she willed herself not to turned her sites on the boy, all the while, a toothy grin painted his face from ear to ear. She was all too aware of his true meaning, the other students used to single her out during class, more specifically during their Mutations Studies lecture. While most of the other students in her school were able to more or less control their mutations, she on the other hand found it much more challenging to restrain her gifts. Her abilities seemed to become much more spontaneous with each passing day, triggering much more often and usually against her will. Aurelia had lost count of how many time's her temper flared and resulted in some sort of incident where either she or another classmate woe up in the infirmary.  "Shut up Declan, you know that wasn't my fault!" She pleaded. "Braxton should know better than to surprise me like that, especially since... well you know." Her eyes soften and she could feel her face turn a shade of red only outmatched by her ember locks, turning away from him feigning interest in a nearby tree's bark as to not show how agitated she was becoming. "I do feel bad for him though." Declan confessed. "You damn near took the guy's hand off when he handed you your books! Poor guy still tried to be your friend despite how mean you are towards him." Aurelia felt her blood start to heat up as she tried her best to ignore his annoyance. "You know, I think he has always had some little crush on you. I see the way he looks at you and how he always tries to be around you." Declans words caught Aurelia off guard, her embarrassment mixed with her annoyance. The surrounding trees began to bend inward and the air quivered as the air around the small girl began to heat, dried pine needles and branches immediately ignited under her feet and stones lifted around her. "Ari calm down I was just making a joke!" Declan did his best to maintain his composure while guarding his face from the distortions of heat in the air. Aurelia didn't say a word, her eyes once again burning with annoyance, she stepped closer to Declan. "That's enough!" Declans booming voice echoed in her mind as his own, powerful distortions grounded her, causing the levitating objects to drop to the ground with heavy thumps. Again she was dazed, looking around almost confusion, she almost forgot how she ended up on the ground, looking up at the towering figure of Declan than instantly remembering what had just happened. "You need to learn to take a joke, Scouts are supposed to keep their cool after all." Declans voice soften as her reached out his hand in an attempt to signal a truce, but the air cracked as a blinding flash ignited in front of him. Declan quickly recoiled his hand just moment's before her distortion could cause any permanent damage. "I can do it myself!" Aurelia's shaky voice revealing something how angry she had become. Declan sighed and began walking forward, allowed the angry dragon of a girl some space to cool down.  

Aurelia waited a few moments to allow her anger to dissipate before following Declan. She sat down on a nearby rock to cool down, she could see heat marks seared into one side. "I know he's right, I need to be able to take a joke. I used to be able to, but these stupid powers... What is wrong with me?" She quietly thought out-loud. Off in the distance, she could see Declan, he was hunched over, examining something on the ground. "Why does he always push my buttons? He knows  I can't control myself sometimes yet he insists on pushing me to the edge." Aurelia knew he was right, she knew that she needed to find a way to stay calm but each day her temperament becomes more and more easily triggered. "I wish I could just make him understand! For him to see that's this isn't what I want. I don't want to hurt people, I don't want to almost take Braxton's arm off when he is just being nice to me, being a friend." Tears began to form in her eyes but she quickly wiped them away, attempting to camouflage her pain. Declan felt a tightness in his chest, his throat felt like there was a ball in it and a tear fell from his left eye. He could feel her and he knew exactly what she was going through. He felt her fear and anger towards him as she stared through him just moments before. And now, he could feel her sadness and confusion. He wanted to help her, like he always had but he had no answers this time. Declan didn't know how to confront a her demons for her. But he wasn't going to give up on her. Aurelia felt Declan in her mind, she could feel his confusion and worry and something more that she couldn't understand, as she pushed him out she saw him stand up. He wiped the tear from his eye only to realize it wasn't a tear at all, it was blood.  

"You know you can't stay in someones head that long, it's not good for you." Aurelia chastised the boy while offering him a towel from her pack. "I'm Sorry Ari, I can't help it sometimes, it just happens. You aren't the only one finding it difficult to control their abilities." Declan responded, wiping his face clean. "Thank you" Aurelia looked up at her friend, and he could feel the sincerity in her eyes, for a brief moment, he could still feel the girl he once knew deep with in the pain that plagued her. "It's getting dark, we should consider finding a place to camp for the night." She suggested.

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