My Inner Code (Rewrite)

|Chapter 73| Embrace

Sabre

Thunder rumbles in the air making me wake from exhausted sleep. I struggled to open my eyes as every part of my body ached for me to sleep again. A cold wet feeling across my back. My hands burned in a dull pain. My legs were stiff against the rocky ground. The sound of rushing water near me was replaced by the growing sound of thunder. I forced my eyes to open, and with blurry vision, I could see clouds of ash above us. Fire glowing in an orange light in the distance, most importantly though.

Time.

"Time?..." I groaned out with my scratchy voice. I felt sick even saying that. He needs my help. Whatever Demon Steve did... It must have been harder than anything I have gone through. I struggled to push myself off the ground. My hands cracked with the pressure of the stone against my large blisters. I looked over him seeing any blood that was spilled was now fully dried. His mask is still gone like when he was shown to me by Demon Steve. I rested my face slightly above his mouth and nose. My eyes looked towards his chest.

I watched carefully as his chest would rise and fall slowly. I could hear his weak and cold breath against my face and ear. He was still alive. That's all I needed to know. I looked at the jacket I used to cover his wound. I slowly removed it seeing the wound had closed on his own. No sign of infection. I hobbled onto my feet. To the river. I dipped his bloody jacket into the water letting it get cleaned. The water was warmer than before. A sign that this curse over the world is affecting the water too. I went back to Time kneeling beside him, wringing out the cold water over his shoes and hands. Letting go absorb into the rest of his clothes. I dipped the jacket into the water once more before putting it back on him. It will help cool him down. Even here the air felt warm. I took off my jacket and did the same. Letting my pullover jacket soak into my shirt and back. Then I rested my hands in the semi-cold river. I hisses in pain feeling tears well up in my eyes. The pain stinging of the water hurt more than holding onto those fabrics.

I waited in silence. The sound of thunder grew closer to me and Time. I wasn't sure if I should go over to the sound or not. Maybe it's a trick of the ears? Or possibly a way Demon Steve is trying to lure others into the flames. One strike of lightning struck close to me, I jumped back nearly falling into the river as a panic gasp escaped me. I then groaned in defeat and tried not to curse as my burned back hit the rocky ground.

Footsteps. I got back onto my feet quickly. I got in front of Time ready to protect him with my life. My stance is not very steady from where I stood. I felt out of breath already. Feeling my breath slowly heave with my heavy chest. I glanced up to see Faceless and Memory. Faceless had their normal large trench cloak off and was now wrapped around Memory like a blanket. It was dripping wet. Memory signs to me quickly.

"Sabre!? What happened are you okay?!" Memory rushed up to me.

"I..." I paused and stepped away from Time. "I found Time..." I mumbled not wanting to answer their question. Memory kneels by Time quickly looking over him.

"Time?! How is he here? Did you find him here?" Faceless stands by my side and then slowly helps me down back to the ground. I sat on a large smooth rock.

"Demon Steve... When we were separated I found him. Well... he found me. He had Time and told me he wanted something from me. If I didn't give it to him he would have killed Time!... I know I shouldn't have but I did. I couldn't let Time... despite everything- I don't want Time to die..." I found my voice breaking in front of the two of them. My vision went blurry as ash and tears mixed into the fabric of my blindfold.

"He... He knows what I am. I don't know how he knows I am a Code Jumper." My voice breaks into sobs. "He asked for my code... He wanted it since he needed another light spirit. He will be able to do it now- Anyways we could have stopped it is now impossible!" Anger. "He's won... He's won because I chose Time's life over everyone else! I shouldn't have... I..." I felt my tongue go numb as I lost my words. The world is going to end now. All because I was selfish. Losing Time would have been hard... but why did I choose myself in that single moment? Why did I choose him over everything? Why... just... why...