The Nova Ranker - The Sword Almighty

Chapter 28. One Last Day

I sank through this deep whiteness slowly for what felt like hours. The immense pain seemed to recede. It was still there. Just not deep enough to cloud my thoughts anymore. It gave me the chance to finally digest all that had happened. In less than 24 hours, I'd let Calev die. I'd let the leader of Black Reaper kill a little girl. I'd let Franny and Joey throw themselves into the void. I'd let my brother and Avi throw themselves at danger to give me the chance to fight. I'd failed my mission.

I tried to look at it a bit more positively. In less than 24 hours, I pulled the most powerful weapon out of an anvil. I killed a terrorist. For a moment, I had mastered my temperature magic. But those successes rang hollow. I was dying, If not already dead. I wondered if my eyes were closed or open. I wondered if... Maybe if I opened my eyes, I would wake up back in Dawn Home. Maybe I could go back to the day before Calev died. I thought about it, and the white void went black.

I thought this was it. Death finally claimed my sorry excuse of a life. That I had died without the chance to say goodbye to my friends and family. And then there was a cold sensation in my face. Air from an open window brushing against my skin. I opened my eyes, and saw a white ceiling. I looked down and saw myself under some soft blankets. I felt hungry. I had a slight stinging pain coming from the left side of my gut. I felt a very similar pain coming from the left side of my head. I could hear a clock ticking to my left. I looked to my right. An old iPod Touch sat there, plugged to the wall.

I picked it up and looked at the date, careful not to move much. It was nearly 10 AM on the day after our incursion into Devil's Domain. I... survived? I couldn't believe it. I tried to get out of bed as carefully as I could but once I put any effort in my midsection, the pain returned. Eventually, through much fumbling, and using the bedside drawer I was able to sit up and then stand with only minimal pain. This wasn't too bad. I was able to stay on my feet and shuffle them forwards to move, though my left side stung a little whenever I put any weight on it. I saw the Sword Almighty in its scabbard but I thought I'd let it rest. I didn't need to speak with a sentient sword at the moment.

I shuffled out of the room slowly, taking care not to hurt myself anymore than I had been. I was back in Dawn Home. A very empty and lonely Dawn Home. But I could feel something. Worry. Worry seeped out of one of the rooms of the building. It was a feeling that twisted my stomach into knots but... I didn't want to be alone.

I twisted the doorknob and allowed it to swing open. I saw Franny, Joey and Andy sitting on a couch, while Avi stood staring out the window. Franny had a cast around her right leg, while Joey had a cast around his left arm. Humorously, he looked like he was about to ask a question in class. "Hi guys." Was all I could say as I clumsily shuffled into the room.

My brother was about to rush me, pick me up and crush me in a hug, but Joey and Avi stopped him. It was probably for the best considering my wound but, oh my god, did I need a hug. "You're alive!!" he wailed out in joy as I awkwardly shuffled into the closest sofa.

"Are you okay?" Franny approached the sofa and sat beside me. "I-I did my best to heal your wound. He blew a chunk off your ear but I was able to close the would, the knife didn't go anywhere vital--"

"He didn't want to kill me. He was experimenting with a gun."

I started explaining everything. What I saw in the illusion. The little girl. My fight against the leader of Black Reaper. The magical gun that shot blood iron bullets. Using cold magic on command for the first time. Feeling like I had died... By the time I had finished, I was crying again, and everything felt cold.

"Elly, calm down." Franziska gently pressed something against my lips and I opened my mouth. I tasted chocolate. It gave me a very relaxing sensation. It didn't erase the misery, but it somehow filled my chest with an odd warmth. "You're going to make your wound worse."