“How do you know we can trust!-"

Before I could even finish Zack started firing his hellfire in my direction. I quickly summoned a shield and blocked the oncoming fire. I was still worn out from summoning so many weapons earlier, I couldn't hold my ground against him. The rapid flares of green fire erupted against my shield and I was blown away. I crashed hard against a tree knocking the wind out of me. I fell to the ground and tried to catch my breath as fast as I could, I knew Zack was still coming.

I activated my eyes and as soon as I did I could see fireballs heading my way. I forced myself up and dodged the incoming fire that rained from the sky. Each one erupted with an explosion as they landed on the ground. I used the smoke from the explosions to escape and hide behind a tree. I was panting heavily and drenched in sweat. It really did feel like I ran a marathon. What was that idiot thinking! He's gonna burn the whole damn forest down!

I started to think, I needed a good retaliation plan. He probably has a limiter to his magic. If I used my eyes to evade his magic I could tire him out. Wait that's stupid, all he knows is range attacks as of right now. I could use my eyes to evade his shots and go in close with a blade. Or maybe I should play it safe and snipe him with arrows. I probably have bad aim being this worn out, plus summoning arrows would be a lot too. I manifested a hunting knife and turned to look to my left to see if I could spot him. Out the corner of my eye, I saw him leaning against a tree panting, then I almost jumped out of my skin.

I turned toward a sound that could only be described as the howl of a wildebeest. I turned quickly toward the sound and almost crapped myself at the sight before me. It was bean,but he didn't look the same. He was gigantic, at least seven feet tall, he had big muscles and a slimy slippery look to him. He had rows of stained sharp teeth like a shark. It reminded me of the creature from the Black Lagoon!

He lurched back and leaped at me, my eyes made it child's play to dodge him though. I dove to the creature’s side as he grabbed for me, I rolled to my feet and slashed at his stomach. I hesitated though, the reality was I was going to kill him if I attacked. I forced the idea of his rebirth in my mind to shut off my conscience and thrusted my blade into him.

As my blade entered his stomach however a light red mist shot out of him like steam from a kettle. I was taken back by it at first but I kept going and slashed his stomach open, causing loads of red mist to spew out of him now. The thing roared again exploding into the red steam. I didn't have time to relax though, I could hear Zack running toward me panting and chanting something I couldn't understand.

Suddenly the ground below me began to rumble and shake like an earthquake as vines shot out from under my feet. I easily dodged them and dove behind a tree again. I stopped there and decided to catch my breath. Even using my eyes was taking a toll on me. What should I do? If I attack Zack he might not come back. I don't know if I should trust them or not to bring us back. And Zack is dead set on killing me now. I sighed in frustration. Maybe if I can make it end in a tie, but how am I supposed to do that? Maybe if I get him to waste all of his magic...

My thinking was interrupted by the sound of footsteps running my way, I needed to think faster. Either I lose or we tie, those are my only two options. I took a deep breath and ran out from behind my tree. As soon as I did I was greeted with his fireball frenzy. I easily dodged them but I felt myself getting more drained. I had used too much of my powers, I won't be able to keep up anymore. I kept dodging and diving trying to think a way out of this. Then vines suddenly grabbed my legs and held me tight like a snake coiling around me. I couldn't focus on dodging them and his fire. I was held down by the vines before I could even think I was bombarded by Zacks rain of fire.

The blast knocked the air out me plus the unbearable heat made me howl in agony as the fire ate away at my flesh. I spazzed in the vines grasps trying to escape. But I was helpless. As I was bombarded with an intense barrage of fire. I couldn’t think, It burned! It just burned so much! Soon my sight was nothing but the green flares of Zacks flames. Then the heat just vanished, and it was black.

It was cold and I couldn't see anything. It felt was like I was underwater, was that it? Am I really dead? I looked around at the endless darkness that surrounded me. Just when I started to lose hope. I saw something small and blue glowing in front of me, like a firefly. Soon that one turned into hundreds of them flying around, consuming the area with a comforting blue light. Then, I heard my Godesses call out to me.

"I don't appreciate you holding back, my knight."

It sounded soft and gentle. Yet I could hear the underlying frustration in her voice.

Then the blue light slowly faded away. It was replaced with the green foliage of the forest, and the golden aura of the sun.

I could feel the ground beneath me appear, and I just dropped to my knees and gasped for air.

My whole body freezing and numb, I moved my arms around myself trying to gain some warmth. From the base of my stomach, I could feel the heat rising up to the rest of body. Until I felt warm enough to not be curdled in a ball.

"Dude! You re-spawned just like a Call of Duty character!" Zack cheered running over to me.

I felt my eye twitch at the sound of his voice. And I remembered the burning agony I faced. As soon as he was in reaching distance, I clock him in the face as hard as I could. He flew back and slammed into a tree, and dropped into the dirt floor.

"What the heck is your problem! What if they tricked us! What if I really had died!" I yelled furiously at him. He got up rubbing his bruised face slowly with a smirk and a chuckle.

"Well, I'll take this pitiful little punch. Because I destroyed you!" He yelled with a triumphant giant smile on his face and a bleeding nose.

I felt my eye twitch again at his bragging.

"Shut up, you gopher brained idiot!"

"Oh, is little Stryder mad he lost to big buff Zack? Not only did he lose his girl but-" Zack stopped in mid-sentence.

He realized what he had done, but it was way too late.

"Oh, what was that?"

"N-nothing. Man isn't it hot out here? Hehehe" he laughed nervously as I put my hand on his shoulder ever so gently.

Don’t kill him Stryder, don’t kill him...

"Well mister big and buff needs some big buff armor right?" I summoned the heaviest plate armor I could think of. The blue sparkles appeared around his body as the armor formed around him and Zack fell flat on his butt.

" Ahh! What the hell is this? It's like fifty fat chicks are holding onto me!" He groaned trying to wiggle his way out. I smiled as I turned from him and began to walk away whistling.

His screams for help music to my ears.

"Well weak pitiful Stryder needs some time to think about life. Since you know I just died and all!" I kept walking and walking, soon I couldn't hear his cries for help anymore. Pure bliss.

I looked up toward the sky for a moment. It was getting late, I bet Lux is getting worried. I looked down at my hand thinking about the fight. Zack actually killed me. I actually died today. I thought about my mom again. Is that what it felt like when she died too?

When I arrived home no one was there. I took this opportunity to take a shower (I was starting to smell like Zack’s life choices.)

As I sat in the shower and leaned against the wall. I watched as the steam from the water fogged up the area around me. I couldn't shake the thought of my mom. That cold emptiness that filled my body, the seemingly endless black void that surrounded me until I saw the blue lights. I can't believe she went through all that for me. Then dad's words resonated in my mind.

"The cursed boy," I whispered to myself.

Do I really have the right to try and be a hero? I tried to ignore the words, but they kept circling in my mind. I can't keep doing this. I needed to deal with this head-on. I needed to talk to mom. I needed to visit my mom.