Lastland's Last Stand: The Prince's Ascension

Both Feet in the Grave

"Do you think we're ever getting out of here?" Iris rasped, head in Scarlet's lap. Every breath rattled against her aching ribs.

What's worse, knowing that many of them could be broken, or knowing that none of them could be broken, and yet it still hurts this bad? She wanted to sob, but the fear of the pain kept her silent. She hadn't sobbed in... how long? Hours, days, weeks, months? How long could the Gifted last before even their advanced physiology and healing factor failed? What was once a blessing was now a curse.

What if they're healing wrong?! Iris' heart thudded painfully, and she couldn't suppress a whimper. If only Everett...

"I don't know, Iris, I don't know..." Above her, Scarlet whispered, running her fingers through Iris' coarse, curly hair. It was getting more and more matted by the day, and Scarlet's heart twisted for her. Oh, my poor, sweet, little dolly...

Of course, Scarlet's heart ached for all of them, but she felt the softest for Iris. Maybe it was because they'd known one another the longest. In the seconds before the collapse, Scarlet tried shoving the younger Gifted out of the way when a large, falling boulder threatened to crush her. Iris and Scarlet stayed stuck together, almost literally, for the rest of the collapse, Scarlet shielding Iris' body with her own.

As well as being the most experienced of the group, both with Gifts and leadership, Scarlet was also the least injured, so she became the unofficial "leader" of the buried squadron. In her opinion, though, it was a hollow title. She was just as helpless as any of them. In the beginning, she was able to herd them, taking stock of inventory and preserving rations, but as the days dragged on, everyone grew weaker and weaker, both in body and spirit. How much longer would the emergency backup generators last before even they died, leaving the Gifted with no way to see, and no way to preserve what little food, water, and medical supplies they had left?

Already, the Gifted spent most of their days and nights in near-total darkness, rationing the remaining power of the generators as carefully as possible. Of course, that made it harder to judge the passage of time, but conservation of electricity was far more important. If there was any silver lining, the perpetual darkness made it easier to sleep, and the Gifted were so weary that they didn't have much energy to do anything else.

Oh, Mallory... Scarlet's heart twisted again as she thought of her apprentice. The girl was curled up beside her, completely still and silent. Scarlet bitterly regretted every single time she ever frightened the younger Gifted. Mallory put on a tough front, but Scarlet knew that her heart was good. She truly aspired to be exactly like all the heroes she so looked up to, and that included Scarlet, or was supposed to.

And I failed her. I failed all of them. Scarlet sobbed once, but she bit her lip to keep any of the sound from coming out. While one of her hands was still buried in Iris' dark, matted curls, another rested on Mallory's cold, bony shoulder. She was curled up in fetal position beside Scarlet.

She's so young... They all are... The dread and horror made Scarlet dizzy, sick to her stomach. She was the oldest Gifted there, and she wasn't old either. Oh, please, Theo... Help us! Save us...!

She knew he was trying his best for her, but it terrified her to think that if help didn't come soon, all of them were going to die.

Emerald sat on the other side of the lab, alone with her back against the wall. She drifted in and out of consciousness, only flickers of anger keeping her alive. Just like all the others, she was standing with both feet in the grave, shoulders rising and falling with every shallow gasp.

Quincy... Isabella... I'm sorry... Like Scarlet, she couldn't help but berate herself for failing as a mentor, leader, warrior, and protector. She was not the oldest Gifted, but she was one of the more experienced, and yet even she was as useless as Iris and Scarlet. It was humiliating!