Reversal (Camren/Norminah)

Chapter 48: Born From a Battle Lost

XLVIII.

My family had grown with confidence, and as I looked around at the laughter and playful bickering, I knew there was only one thing missing. It terrified me to think that one day it could be missing forever.

Clara was there; she was close. She sat on the ground, back straight and eyes closed. Shimmering just in front of her body were two triangles, linked together and glowing as if they had all the answers. Lauren started off into a run through the dark, expanding the saw cleaver and slashing her way through the conglomerations of shadow.

The answers were there, but they were unreachable. There was too much darkness, too much of a blockade. Lauren's frustration grew as she slashed at the obstruction with the new, unfamiliar weapon, only to have the shadow crawl up and cover the things she truly needed. She knew why, and she knew what she had to do to fix it. Everything had begun with a storm, it was going to end with one as well.

Despite the internal struggle, everything else was going according to plan. Lauren's eyes grew more bleak each passing day as she pushed away her friends and rejected help from those she cared for. She could feel the world around her growing dark, and her mind freeing up albeit little by little. It wouldn't be long now until the result of her heartbreaking plan would come to fruition.

Camila was the only thing standing in her way; Lauren had known it from the start, and knew it now. The green eyed girl spent her days alone, finding small corners of the underground base to exercise her brain and her body, sharpening her skills to the point of raw exhaustion.

"Lauren, come patrol with us." Camila said one gloomy afternoon as the green eyed girl was busy practicing with Jade's saw. The weapon was new, and different to wield in every way, but she was determined to at least give it a shot.

"Maybe some other time." Lauren didn't even turn around with her reply. "I'm not really feeling it right now."

"Are you sure?" Camila's beautiful, smoky voice grew closer. "We were all going to head out there together, we would love it if you would come along."

"Some other time." Lauren repeated, collapsing the cleaver and setting it down on the ground. She drew out her iron rods, satisfied at their reduced weight and versatility.

"Dinah's trying out a whole bunch of weapons today, we're going to see which ones fit her the best." Camila pressed as Lauren felt an open palm land on her shoulder. "She's actually getting really good with the fire, I bet she'd want to show you everything she's lear—"

"No." Lauren cut her girlfriend off. "I need to work on my own today."

"But we miss you." Camila's arms fell around Lauren's shoulders. "I miss you."

"I miss you too." She replied as a sense of dread passed over her. "You have no idea."

"Then come with us and take a little bit of a break." Camila's lips found her cheek. "You're exhausted and you just made a full recovery. If you work yourself this hard every day you're just going to get sick again."

"I'm alright Camila." Lauren moved away. "Go and have a good time, I'll see you tonight."

"Should I be afraid to leave you alone?"

"What do you think I'm going to do?"

"Run away like you did before so the five of us have to chase you down and cover you in a net to bring you back home?"

With a grunt of dissatisfaction, Lauren rose from the ground and gripped her weapons hard. "Just go Camila. This conversation is over." She heard the girl release an audible sigh, and fought the urge to turn around and start an argument. There had been too many of those one the past few days, it was growing to be a hearty source of fatigue for the both of them.