Gold That Appears To Be Silver

Chapter XIX: Reversed

~The moon is the sun's downfall, but it also is its strength since the sun will conquer the entire sky when it rises

I open my eyes and look into the eyes of Alex. My heartbeat has become slower and I just know that this is the last time that I will breathe. I'm in Alex's arms who looks at me in a mixture of sadness, pain and anger. Alex seems to have managed to get me out of that fog, but the sacrifice has already been made.

The others are probably there as well, but I only have the time to glance at them once.

'It seems like you're about to rise,' I tell Alex, my voice sounding raw. My breath has almost become non-existent, especially after my talking. Alex presses a kiss against my forehead while her beautiful eyes are glistening with tears.

I gather all of my strength that hasn't faded away yet. There are still some words that I have to say.

'They tested me here and asked if I...' I pause for a moment to try to catch my breath.

'would sacrifice myself for the one I love most. I said no.' I smile at Alex, choosing my two last words with care.

'I lied.'

My breathing has become so staggering that my brain is starting to think weird things. I focus on Alex's eyes instead, the ones that promised me a happy ending and gave me one, a heroic death. Blue and green embrace me until it are the last colours that I witness, black taking over.

Cinder

After Jaydee had entered that door, the purple fog threw her out like a doll. Alex managed to catch her before she fell on the ground and it took a while before Jaydee opened her eyes, only to have to close them again after a minute.

Alex wanted Cynthia to distract everyone while she would sacrifice herself. I wanted to protect her, but I couldn't.

We are staring at Jaydee, who is in Alex's arms. I want to go to her and pour my heart out. Looking at Darwin's face, the same thoughts as mine are running through his mind right now. But Jaydee has given her life for Alex, and even the unsubtle Fearwyn realizes that Jaydee's last words are for Alex.

'I lied.' And then she died, her light slowly flickering until she became nothing but an empty body.

Something odd is happening. Alex is cuddling Jaydee for the last time and when she pulls back, she also looks like a she. Alex has long, dark blonde hair, a very feminine face and body and her eyes are containing green, blue and all the colours between those two.

Darwin has a look of disbelief, but also a look of recognition on his face when he sees Alex.

Fearwyn is extremely surprised, his brown eyes having grown dark from his sorrow for Jaydee.

I quickly wipe my eyes with the back of my hand, having forgotten that I have it in me to cry too.

'Alex,' Darwin carefully begins while walking towards her and the body that belonged to Jaydee a few minutes ago.

Alex looks up, sadness clouding in her eyes together with angry lighting contained in those clouds.

'You have become you. The best version of yourself. The drawing that Jaydee showed you.'

Darwin is almost stumbling over his words, his thoughts running faster through his mind than his words are leaving his mouth.

'This has to be because of her. Somehow, the way she has always seen you is the way all of us are going to see you, starting after her death. You...you were her downfall, but her love for you wasn't her weakness. You were the first one she could love without any doubts, reluctance or trust issues because she saw you the way we are finally able to see you now. Her love was her strength because she finally admitted that she was able to fully love someone with that heart of hers and with those eyes of hers. The first friend that she could love. I...' Darwin looks down on the ground in shame.