It was like a giant cushion in a way, Razes mane, completely enveloping me in blackness as I fell. In all honesty, it was a miracle that I landed in Raze's neck poof. It saved me from becoming a red smear on his wall. Everything is pitch black, and the air tasted like dandruff. I don't have a chance to get acclimated to the taste of Headra skin flakes before I finally hear something again through my deafened ears: The muffled smashing of wood, the snapping of masts. Faint screaming. My stomach drops as I feel Raze's body plummet, and I hear an unpleasant slap as his body hits something hard. Oh god Raze please be alright.
I don't know where we are, I can feel everything moving, and Razes mane is acting as a shield for the horrors I am witnessing like a blanket acts as a shield for a child from the monsters of the night.
“Run” Said a familiar voice. I look over to see Dion glowing in the blackness.
“I can take you away from here. I just need your soul power to perform a teleportation.”
Very nearby I hear another poor Headra scream and beg for his life. It sends chills down my spine. His pleas are met by a sound I can only describe as 'A sentient truck full of bones has a wrecking ball dropped on top of it'.
I want to not be here. I want to go home. I want everything to stop. I want to see mom and dad. I want to hug my dog. I want to play hopscotch. I want to worry about how to fake illness for gymnastics class. I want to spend time with my friends...
“Tara, take my hand, so we can both live.”
Everything stops. I begin to move to grab her hand, but then I hear an instantly recognizable voice. It's my dad.
“Go on then Tara, leave. Get out of my house. Go back to your friends and spend the last of your life with them. I don't care any more. I hope that it helps you forget that you left your sister to die. You make me sick.”
Why? Why does everything hurt? Why am I a bad person for wanting peace? I want everything to end. I want… I want to… I want to die…
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A cacophony of wailing Headra is audible. Still faint, but slowly getting louder.
I hear another voice from behind me. It's my mom.
“No one blames you, honey. I can't tell you how you should have done it because I am a failure myself. Only you can tell yourself whether or not you did what was right. Because, in the end, the only person who you have to answer for is you in the future. When you look back, you can ask yourself: did I do the right thing?”
Did I do the right thing?
...
“Tara, come on! We don't have much time!”
...
Did I do the right thing?
…
The wailing outside has turned into a loud cruel laughter in perfect unison.
...
Did I do the right thing?
…
Something impossibly large is shambling over to me.
...
Did I do the right thing?
...
I hear another voice from behind me. It is my sister.
“Tara, don't cry. It's okay. We all have our seasons, and I suppose winter is coming for me early. But that's alright. I will finally get the chance to rest, and to be honest with you Tara, I look forward to it... I… I have been in pain for so long Tara. The doctors have tried everything but there is nothing I can do that we can afford. I'm sorry for keeping this from you, but I wanted you to enjoy your time in Colorado. I'm sure if I told mom and dad they would have done everything they could too, that's why I love them. But there is nothing to be done. It's going to happen. I love you, Tara. I love you so much. I can't describe in words how much I love you. I want to save you from my problems...”
I hate myself. There is no person I hate more than myself. I want everything to stop. I just want people to leave me alone.
…
I feel whatever is outside pick up Raze and bring his limp body into the air.
…
But even if I hate myself and want everything to end so that I may finally rest, I don't want anyone else to die.
“TARA!”
I finally snapped out of whatever funk I was in.
“I am going to save Raze with dual souls.”
Dion looked at me with a hard expression.
“You're not ready, it sucks but there is nothing we can do here.”
“I don't care.”
“I am not letting you into this armor. We need to leave.”
“...”
The sound of a million gnashing teeth grinding against one another drowns out all noise. We are in the maw of god himself and it is about the bite down.
“TARA, TAKE MY HAND NOW!”
I move to grab Dions hand… but at the last moment I reach over and grab one of the straps on the armor.
“I am going to save Raze.”
“Tara, sto-“
“I AM GOING TO SAVE RAZE!”
And with that, I grabbed the suit of armor, and started putting it on. I am scared half to death, and I don't know what horrors face me. But I will be Raze's guardian.
I will be the bulwark against the terror. I will face all that is evil and roar so that they know fear. I will clear a path into tomorrow so that those who are innocent may run. I stand for all that is good. The armor wraps around me like a second skin, clanking into place with Dion still in it. I feel the power. I know now that no one else shall die, because…
We are dual souls.