Blend the Light

Maps

He twists around from the force, and falls from the top of the water fountain. Jay catches him before he can hit the ground, and lays him down on the edge. I curse as I run over to him with Rex hard on my heels. An uproar erupts from the crowd as people fall on the Wasteland guard in a flurry of flashing fists and snarls of anger. "Are you alright, Adrien?" I ask weakly. He laughs.

"Of course I am, Hawk. I don't have an arrow sticking out of my arm or anything."

"Jay. Get Karla. There's something on the arrow." I push my brother into motion, and he's gone in an instant, running as fast as he can and pushing the limits of his speed. Black veins spread like a spiderweb from where the arrow's embedded in Adrien's arm. I tremble as the sense of hopelessness washes over me. Adrien grimaces, curling his lip as sweat beads on his forehead. He writhes on the stone, panting for breath as his fingers curl into fists. What am I supposed to do? I'm no doctor, but I want to help. Do I pull the arrow out? Do I leave it in? It's poisoning him, so take it out? What do I do?

"What do we do?" People crowd around the water fountain, echoing my thoughts as they strain to grasp any idea of something that can be done for Adrien.

"Silence! Move back, and give me some space!" Karla shoos people away as she sets down a bag of supplies. She doesn't waste a moment as she pulls the arrow out, and lets it drop to the ground. Jay stumbles, and I catch him as he falls into me, gasping as he hunches over with his hands on his knees. "I don't think I've ever run that fast. Is Adrien going to be alright?" He forces himself upright so he can watch Karla.

"Karla's here." I don't say any more.

"What was on that arrow? The black's nearly doubled in size since I left a minute or two ago." Jay looks on in horror. I reach out and place my hand on his shoulder. He doesn't move. The only sound is the muffled cries that Adrien tries to hide. Sweat has soaked through his shirt, and his hair is plastered to his skin. He's alive. He's alive. He'll be alright. He can't die, right? He's been leading T-LOOT-D since the very start about sixteen years ago. Karla continues to try to help him, but she's getting desperate. The black has taken over his arm, and thin tendrils creep up the side of his neck. Adrien's gaze is unfocused. "You're going to win," He whispers as his chest rises and falls in uneven breaths.

"No. We're going to win. We're going to be there when Guthrie Harper falls. We're going to defeat the Wasteland guards. We're going to help the Gladiators get a normal life." Jay leaves my side, racing to Adrien in a blur.

"You're going to win," Adrien repeats.

"He's going to be ok, right?" I look down to see Remy tugging on my sleeve.

"I-I..." My voice trails off. What do I say? Remy catches onto my hesitation, and his face falls. He shouldn't have to see this.

Adrien continues to struggle for breath. A twisted grimace hasn't left his face since he first got shot with the arrow. His body is locked in pain. The agony he must be in. "Karla! Do something!" Jay grips her shoulder.

"I-I... I can't. Nothing's working." Her voice is soft, defeated. A tear leaks from the corner of her eye.

"No," Jay whispers.

"I don't know what to do." Karla's gaze falls to the ground.

"No! There has to be something! Something has to work! He's not-... No!" Jay roars as his blue eyes blaze with desperation.

Tension falls over the crowd when Kayla's words sink in. Remy holds onto my shirt with a death grip that gets ever tighter as Adrien's cries get softer and his breaths become weaker. I barely react when his chest stills and his eyes glaze over. I just stare in horror, my eyes watering, but not crying. Rex whimpers once he realizes what has happened. He's not going to be there when Guthrie Harper falls. He's not going to be there to see his dream get finished. He's not going to be there for any of it. Kayla sinks to her knees, tears spilling from between her fingers as she buries her face in her hands. "NO!" Jay screams. His hands tighten into fists. Rage burns in his eyes like an inferno. "How could you? You... Y-you have to be there!" He chokes on the words as tears pour like a river from his eyes. I pull Jay into a hug, one arm wrapped around my brother and the other around Remy until the boy goes to find his parents.