Xian doesn't feel right about leaving without his friends. He can't do it. He won't. Not this time, he run off to the direction where his friends went to as he keeps calling for their names.
"Listen to me for once."
He yelled as his friends turned to face him. They were confused when they saw him looking so helpless.
"We have already decided. There's nothing you can do about it."
Enzo replied as he sighs. It was hard for him too, to see his friend like that.
"No. You don't understand. This place. Is not safe. We are not safe. And the longer we stay here, the sooner we die."
Xian responded making his friends flinched when they hear the word "die". Making them remember, about their other friend, who recently died.
"How are you so sure about that? Answer me. I need answers. TELL ME."
Kyran yelled making the others shocked. He's not being himself and his friends know it.
"I am SURE, and I needed you to believe me. There are answers out there and staying here won't guarantee our safety."
Xian explained but Kyran doesn't seem amused.
"Those things live OUT there. The only answers out there are deaths. I don't care if you call me selfish or what, but I'm done. I had enough. And what makes you think that OUT there could guarantee our safety?"
Everyone was silent. Xian doesn't know how to respond to him since he too knows, there's also no guarantee that they will survive outside. It was a difficult choice to make.
"I need you to trust me."
Xian finally spoke as Rebel stares at him with sad eyes. He had been silent this entire time, he doesn't seem to enjoy watching his friends bickering.
"I did. All along. I trust you with all my life. And I am thankful that you NEVER leave any of us behind. I am indeed indebted to you. But not this time, can't you just let me decide for my OWN life? Can't you not interfere with my choices?"
Kyran sighs as he too had a sad look on his eyes. It was hard for him to say that. Hearing that, hurts Xian even more. Those words. The same words that she used to say to him.
[783 days earlier]
"Xena, where do you think you're going?"
Xian raised an eyebrow as he watched his twin sister looking so desperate.
"Mind your own business."
She replied not minding to look at him.
"You are my business."
Xian glared as she flinched in surprised. Telling him to go away, as she walked last him.
"Not anymore. I'm old enough to make my own decision. Can't you just let me decide my own life? Can't you not interfere with my choices?""
Xena replied as she ignored her brother calling for her name. She doesn't care. All she cares right now, the only thing on her mind was to leave that place. She can't stay there any longer, because she knows. She's going to be the next one to be brought to The Norm. And of course, her brother didn't know about it.
"I'm sorry."
That was the last thing Xena said to her brother before he found out about her being the next to be sent to The Norm.
When Xian found out about it, he was furious. He was angry with himself that he never gets the chance to stop her. He hated himself for leaving her, not stopping her. Those sad eyes, he was enraged. He doesn't do anything to stop her. Even when he knows, her eyes were calling for help. She wanted to be saved. Still....
He did nothing.
[Present]
"Why are you not saying anything?"
Kyran voice made Xian woke up from his consciousness. He was stunned to his feet that he remembers those days. The last day he met his sister.
"I can't let you do that."
Xian took a deep breath as he turned his gaze towards Kyran. He was dumbfounded as Xian never showed that kind of expression before.
"I can't let you guys die too."
Xian said in a faint voice, almost like a whisper.
"Why the heck are you crying now?! Is the world ending or something?"
Kyran sighs as he still manages to crack a stupid joke. Xian doesn't laughed, Enzo and Rebel doesn't feel amused too.
"If that will make you guys to go with me then yes. The ending is near."
Xian breathe as he finally regains his composure.
"Why are you doing this?"
Rebel finally spoke as everyone turned to him.
"Even if we die, what's wrong with it? At least, we know. We're the one who choose to be like that."
He added as Xian face turned into a grimace. He grabbed Rebel by his collar and pushed him to a wall. Glaring daggers at him. Looking so miserable.
"Tia was never meant to be here. She was never supposed to be awake. Her world, they don't exist. She doesn't exist without Tetiana. And the only way to NĪRVANA was for them to become one. The woman, the queen. She knows about this, that's why she killed Tetiana. She doesn't want NīRVANA to be found."
Xian explained as everyone shared a confused look. As if, didn't believe him.
"How? What nonsense is this?"
Enzo blurted out, sighing desperately.
"Tia got another vision. And the woman, she's evil. We believe that Gally had something do with this too."
Xian replied as he finally let his grip to Rebel collar go. The other boy sighs in relief.
"Why? Why are you only telling this to us NOW?"
Rebel sighs.
"We wanted to make sure that we were right before telling the others. That's why, we need to leave this place."
Explaining things is hard. Xian feel restless, he felt like the longer they spent talking, the dangerous the situation will become.
"What do you mean Gally had something to do with this? What is THIS that you're talking about?"
Enzo butted in as everyone too was waiting for Xian to answer.
"I don't know the details yet, that's why we needed to get Tia. RIGHT NOW."
Xian replied as he tried his best to make sure that his friends follow him. All three of his friends exchange weird looks before finally nodding to each other. Xian breathe out a sighs of relief.
"You should've said that important thing from the beginning."
Rebel shook his head in disbelief as they started to make their way to Tia's room. As they were walking, they were surprised to find Tammy and Serina looking worried.
"What's wrong with you people?"
Enzo raised an eyebrow as Tammy made an eye contact with him.
"Something's wrong. I could feel their presence."
Tammy replied with Serina in her arms looking horrified. Xian was confused with what she meant but he too realizes that something isn't right.
"We should get going then. It's not safe for us to be here. Let's go and I'll fill you on the way."
Xian urges the girls to follow them as he told both, Tammy and Serina about their plan.
"So that wasn't a lie?"
Tammy was surprised when Xian told them about the queen being the one behind Tetiana death.
"It wasn't."
"I still can't believe that Tia... is a clone."
Serina finally spoke as everyone stayed silent. Probably still wondering, how is that even possible. But them having special ability is not something ordinary too.
"Are we really leaving tonight? Where's Aiden?"
Tammy asked as Xian told her that he's already with Tia. Hoping that, he really is with Tia right now since he started to feel uneasy. It was oddly quiet, not a single guard could be seen walking around. It was worrying. Before any of them could speak, the ground suddenly started to grumble. The lights are flickering as everyone shared the same worried looks.
"I don't like where this is going."
Kyran sighs as he looks around, searching for the cause of this sudden change.
"What the FUCK is happening?! Run!"
Rebel yelled as soon as he notices a group of Syüxa running towards them in full speed. It was terrifying.
How did they get in?
It's impossible.
"Guys, wait for me!"
A voice screams out from behind that left Xian and his friends to shudder.
It can't be.
"What the heck."
Enzo breathed out as his eyes gaze towards the voice calling out to them.
He shouldn't be here.
"What the heck is happening?!"
Kyran yelled as his eyes began to water. Xian too was shocked to see the person standing there, calling out to their names.
"Help me. My leg hurts."
The person begged as everyone flinched in surprised.
"Chester."
Xian breathe out and was about to run to the boy, but Rebel stopped him.
"What is wrong with you?!"
Xian argued as he pushed Rebel hands away from him.
"That is not Chester!"
Rebel voiced echoed leaving everyone else shocked and finally, come to their senses.
He was right.
Chester died.
Everyone watched him die with their own eyes.
"It's Syüxa."
Rebel whispered as he raised his fingers motioning something, causing the boy who look just like Chester to fall backwards.
"Why are you doing this to me? It hurts."
Chester, or Syüxa. Cried as he stared at them with sad eyes.
"No. It's not him."
Xian tried to remind himself that every time he wanted to go there and just hug his friend. He looks so real. He looks...
Alive.
"I'm sorry, please don't hurt me. It hurts. My body hurts so bad."
When Chester look alike said that, Xian was enraged with fear. He stared at him for a moment before his body is surrounded with flames.
"What is wrong with him?"
Tammy yelled as everyone watched Xian burning in flames, in his own flames.
"This is bad. He’s losing himself. He’d gone inferno."
Rebel said as he told everyone to back away from Xian.
"WHAT?! Why is that happening?!"
Tammy was worried as she saw this. She had never seen someone lost control before, and not to mention the feeling of his powers are enormous. It was scary. Murderous.
"We shouldn't be near him. Let's go."
Rebel added as he urges everyone to hide within the wall and watch from a distance. Just in case, Xian might needed their help.
"Are you going to kill me now?"
The boy, Chester spoke. He stared at Xian with sad look on his eyes. Xian of course, doesn't reply since he knows. The person Infront of him is not Chester, his friend. Xian rushed towards Chester direction as the other Syüxa run off. Scared with the flames that's covering his body. But to everyone surprise, Chester just stands there without moving an inch.
"I guess this is the end."
Chester said as he smiled. Opening his arms for Xian. Almost like he's ready to die.
It was weird.
If he's Syüxa, why is he not running?
Why did he not run away from the flames that's burning his body?
Almost as if...
He wanted to tell everyone that he's really Chester.
"It can't be."
Enzo said as his eyes went wide.
"No. Xian. STOP!"
He yelled and tried running to Xian, but Rebel stopped him. Saying things that he doesn't want to believe.
"It's him!"
He screams but Rebel doesn't let go. Because he believes, he saw it himself. How his friend died.
"Chester is dead!"
Rebel yelled and that makes Enzo to stopped in his track, he was confused. Sad at the same time. He doesn't understand why he wanted to save the person who's already dead, so badly.
It hurts.
Everyone watched as Xian burned the person Infront of him. Although, they look alike. Chester is already dead. For a moment, the flames were blasting like crazy but suddenly it stopped.
"What happened?"
Kyran said biting his fingers. He doesn't want to watch as he can't bring himself to see Chester, or the person who look like Chester die a second time.
"Something's not right."
Rebel replied as he took a step forward to see better. When he did, he was shocked to find Xian bleeding badly. His skin was red.
"Got you now."
A voice echoed across the hall as everyone wondered what it supposed to mean. Before they could react, Chester, or the imposter smiled wickedly at them. Caressing Xian arm before twisting it.
Rebel was stunned to see that.
The Syüxa don't have a single burns on it. Xian was the one who's injured badly.
"I can't believe you fall for that."
Snickering, the Syüxa smile at them.
For a moment, everyone was horrified. Why? Because this is the first time.
It talked