Dead Future

Chapter 13: The Fragile Light (U)

Ariana had arrived at the aftermath of the battle in the ruined city. Not much destruction, in this already destroyed land, could be seen except the deep groove in the land made by the path of the energy beam "look at that" she stepped in the groove "Whoever that guy...really went at it. So that means that blue light I saw...was Shadow moving on" Ariana took out her note which read out a single sentence "take care of what's left behind...just what did he mean by this?" she went in the direction of the beam and came to a fairly deep crater.

There at the base "whoa...no way" was Shadow lying motionless "it can't be" she walked over to Shadow's body "but...how can he be here? Shadow moved on...didn't he?" she knelt next to him to see him with his mouth open "what did that guy put him through? He has many tears in his clothing and...he's completely covered in cuts and bruises...even his face is covered" she looked at his hand "His glove has even gone"

Ariana slowly reached for his hand and picked it up gently in her hand "it feels...so warm" then she felt it twitch "huh? Did he just?" she leaned down and pressed her ear on his chest...and she heard a soft beat "he's...alive? He's alive! But...I saw him move on so...whose this?" she then pulled out the note again "take care of..." she looked at him "what's left behind. Well whoever he is" she held out her hands coating Shadow in a green light "I can't leave him here like this...I'll do what I can"

The world...was dark and cold. The dark was like a thick poisonous fog which choked any fragment of light it could find. The light...that was once present was slowly had been consumed by this darkness until only a small fragment remained. This small and fragile light did it's best to evade the darkness which threatened to engulf it...but it was futile. No matter where it went the dark fog was all around it slowly surrounding it. Then...the darkness struck.

The Darkness was overpowering as the light fought for mere survival...then...as it's life began to fade...a flash of orange lit up the dark world. Screams and cries of pain could be heard all round as vapour rose from the fog. Almost as if the fog was being purified it eventually began to disperse leaving the small and weak light on its own.

With barely any strength left...all it could do was lay there...to peter out into nothingness. Then...a soft and caressing green light shone over it. It was warm and gentle as it began to float off the ground...to the source of the light "Shadow?" a voice echoed "Shadow...come on wake up" as the light grew closer...it saw...a sky of stars.

Shadow opened his eyes...the world was dark with only the stars and full moon illuminating the world. They shone brightly through a gap in the normally cloudy sky coating the land in its silver light. As he looked up "Shadow" he looked to his left to see Ariana "Shadow?"

"Ari...ana" he said in strangely slightly higher and friendlier tone "Where..." as he began to move his whole ached in pain

"hey...careful" she supported him up "you took a lot of damage in that fight"

"The...fight?" he tried to remember "I was...fighting...that man...then he shot...a beam"

"A beam? What like an energy beam?"

Ariana looked back the groove in the land and then back to him as he gave a weak nod "well that explains the carving in land but...what happened at the end?"

"I...don't know" he said and then he cringed

"it's okay...I'm here now" she said gently "come on" she said standing up and taking his arms "let's get you some place to rest" as she prepared herself for her heavy load...she found he was barely even heavy "you feel...as light as feather" she let go and went to his front "Shadow...get on my back" she lifted him up on to his back but he was taller than she is so his feet dragged on the floor "there you go" and with that she carried with ease.