The Jade City

Chapter 48: The Shadow Knight

"Whoops, I didn't mean to do that, sorry," Ruby said as I continued to stare blankly into space, still having not yet recovered from the sight of... his body disappearing over the ledge.

The iron tinge continued to linger in the air, and the idea that the last thing I had left of him was the puddle of blood behind me sent unwanted shivers down my spine. It felt like we had met only yesterday...

He... he couldn't be gone.

Every breath I took felt like needles were piercing through my lungs, and though I was kneeling on the ground, my legs somehow were struggling to support my body weight. I heard someone scream his name from far, far away, the sound of it echoing in my mind, again... and again.... and again...

Then I noticed Ruby about to wipe his blood onto the sword, and with reflexes almost as quick as lightning and surprising even myself, I stuck my sword under hers and flung it backwards out of her grasp. One of the tendrils caught it though, and handed it back to her.

"Oh come on, Rumi, we can do this the easy way. Morro sacrificed himself for this mission, you know. So did Kai and Cole, not that you cared about them."

By now I had shakily gotten to my feet, sword in hand, and her words felt like a punch in the gut.

"You have no right to say those names," I whispered, my voice somehow not trembling as my knees tried their best not to buckle over.

"Do I? At least I'm not pretending to mourn like you are."

I clenched my teeth and narrowed my eyes at her, knowing that I probably didn't look the least bit menacing. It didn't help that my chest was throbbing, and each time I blinked I could feel the tears burning in the back of my eyes, which made me feel all the worse. I hadn't let myself cry in years, and I wasn't going to now. But my throat had never felt tighter, and I could barely hold my sword in my hand, the sweat gathering on my palms making the grip all the more slippery.

"Aww, you're still sad about Windy, aren't you? Here, I'll help you feel better."

Wondering what she could possibly mean by that, I skeptically met her gaze, only to see her slowly grow taller, her face sharpening and skin taking on a darker tone. Her hair began to shorten and turn black, and by the time I realized what was going on, she looked exactly like him, down to the dark green eyes and faint scar on his cheek. I shrank back in horror, my hand shaking so hard that I felt like I was going to drop the sword any minute.

"Rumi? You okay?" the Shadow Knight asked softly in his voice with no hint of mockery, and if my eyes were closed I would really think it was him speaking to me.

I opened my mouth to yell at her, but my voice failed me.

"Please, I don't wanna have to fight you."

That wasn't him, that wasn't him, that wasn't him...

I willed myself to meet Ruby's eyes, thinking that I'd be able to find some difference, only to feel as if a gust of wind was trying to knock me backwards. The black fog between us began dispersing, revealing a ring of smoke, the center of which was a swirling blue thing, though the clouds surrounding the platform remained in place. I tore my gaze away from it and back to the Shadow Knight, who was stepping closer.

"It'll be alright, I promise. I don't wanna hurt you."

Holding out my sword in front of me, I backed up a little, my heart pounding against my chest. My head felt swollen and seemed to be pulsating, and I had to remind myself every few seconds that it wasn't him standing in front of me, as much as every muscle in my body wanted me to jump forward and sink into his arms.