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I can't really see straight. My thoughts are jumbled, my bones are jelly, and my eyes won't focus on anything. There's a throbbing pain inside my head that just won't go away, and I feel like I'm going to vomit out my whole stomach contents.

Yeah, no that's a lie. I'm actually feeling the exact opposite. In reality, my eyesight is 20/20, my bones are as strong as ever, there is no pain whatsoever, and I'm feeling like I'm the king of the world. Which I probably am, because you know... have you seen me? Ok, I'm getting off track here. Where was I... oh yeah.

Why, you might ask? Because Kamaria exuded her very powerful and very hot illumination on me. Because she was trained as an Eribiss, her illumination can't hurt other Eribissians, unless re-trained otherwise. Her illumination gave me energy and power and I honestly had never felt stronger.

Of course I had to pretend to die because that bastard had tricked Kamaria into believing Abigail and I were Slyder. He not only manipulated her through words, but used his stupid mind persuasion to convince her it was me. It hurt to know she picked the wrong one, but it is understandable, she was confused and it had put on a great crusade.

I force my hands to relax from the white-knuckled clinched position they were in.

And now Slyder is with Kamaria, tricking her into thinking that it is me.

It has probably already drugged her. She's probably already dead asleep on the passenger seat, halfway to his secret place.

I smash my once again clinched fist against the hard, cold ground, ignoring the throbbing pain that came afterwards. I failed her, I let her get taken and I didn't do anything to stop it.

I quickly get up and walk over to Abigail. Just by looking at her and her frail body I can tell just how bad all of the torture and abuse was that she had gone through while Slyder had captured her and how she is barely holding on. Her breathing is hardly visible and her eyes remain closed.

I gently press my ear to her chest, listening for a heartbeat.

I have to press my ear as hard as I can against her while holding my own breath just to hear the faint, sluggish heartbeat. It's there, but it won't be for long if I don't get her to a hospital soon.

But what am I supposed to do about Kamaria? I can't just do nothing, allowing Slyder to take her away, possibly for good. I have to save her, I have a duty to save her. But I promised her that we would save Abigail.

I squeeze my eyes shut and press my hands against my face as I think everything over. Not even a minute later my phone rings.

I sigh and quickly answer, already knowing who it is before I even hear his deep, raspy voice.

"Do inform, how did the mission go? Is Kamaria safe?" The voice on the other end interrogates.

I let out a disappointed sigh "she-I-Slyder kidnapped her. At the speed they were going, she's probably fifteen minutes away by now" I inform him, each word stacking a new hundred ton stone in my stomach.

I can't believe I let Kamaria slip right through my fingers. She was right here, right here and I let Slyder take her away. Who knows what's going to happen now. Who am I kidding, who knows what's already happened.

I shake my head, clearing these thoughts. I can't allow myself to get into that mind set, if I do, there's no chance of saving Kamaria or anyone.

"WHAT?! No, this isn't good. Do you know what Slyder will do to her? She'll be unrecognizable in just ten minutes after arriving at his hidden torture cell." The voice angrily spouts, his words clear with alarm.

I feel like I'm going to throw up. "I know" I croak, my voice scratchy and hoarse.

"You better figure out something, we didn't hire you to quit mid-mission and I definitely didn't hire you to fail" he warned me.

"Don't worry sir, I'll make sure she returns home safely" I assure, even if my mind doesn't fully agree.

The call ends but I don't move the phone from my face.

Stupid Eribissian's Safety and Protection Program. After training with Mr. Komachi for ten hours every day for a year, the ESPP creator contacted me personally. He explained how I couldn't tell a single soul about it, and how I'd have to leave without a word to anyone. He explained how I probably wouldn't be able to return home for years, that the job was intense, rough, as well as extremely dangerous. He told me all of the risks, he explained to me every single rule and precaution, and I had all of the warnings laid out in front of me. But younger me was just so stupid. I was impulsive, and irresponsible, and worst of all arrogant.

I had hardly even listened to the risks and warnings, my thoughts were focused on only one thing. Finally getting to leave the Eribiss. Little did I know that I would end up jumping from state to state to protect every self-absorbed, whiny loser the ESPP sent my way.

I soon learned to become robotic with the way I lived. Never growing a connection to anyone, just simply protecting them, and then leaving, over and over again, never letting anybody in... Until Kamaria.

Mother freaking Kamaria.

I had planned to do my paid duty and protect her from Slyder, and as soon as that was done, I'd leave and forget all about her just as many others I've helped.

Well that was the plan anyways, but as we all know, plans never seem to work out quite the way they were planned, or maybe just not for me.

Kamaria ended up breaking down every single one of my rock hard walls, unknowingly crashing them down as though they were made of nothing more than a thin sheet of glass. Taking away any robotic nature that I had learned replacing them with life, joy and even love.

She broke down all of my walls and went straight for my heart, grabbing and stealing it away from me.

I hate her for doing that. It makes my job so much harder when I have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. I know that I'm going to have to leave her as soon as I'm done protecting her. I don't have a choice. ESPP will relocate me and I will have to leave her behind. As soon as I convince Slyder she's dead, I will have to be out of here, never coming back.

I know this sounds selfish and horrible, but I purposely waited to fake her death, just so that I could stay with her longer, making sure she is safe. I put her life at risk and now she's paying the price.

I scream out a long, frustrated scream and shoot my light blue brilliance up at the sky.

I force myself to calm down after and moment and look down at Abigail's frail body and sigh. What the hell am I supposed to do? Abigail's near death, and Kamaria's captured by Slyder.

Do I save the girl I'm supposed to be protecting's best friend? The girl Kamaria loves and adores. The girl Kamaria spent every minute of the past week training to save. The girl Kamaria would put above herself. The girl that Kamaria would hate herself forever if she died?

Or do I attempt to save the girl I came here to protect? The girl that I've stupidly fallen for. The girl that never leaves my mind. The girl that took my heart without permission. The girl that can make my crappy days better just by a single smile?

If I did end up saving Kamaria, then that would mean her best friend would die, which also means she'll regret everything she's ever done, she would blame herself, she would hate herself, and probably go into a deep depression. But if I save Abigail and Kamaria dies could I live with myself?

What the hell am I supposed to do?

I should have convinced her I was the real Adelram. I should have tried harder. I should have made her believe.

I sit down on the grass beside Abigail and grab her into my arms. Her body is cold, her heartbeat is slowing, and she's starting to lose her color. She's slowly dying, she'd die if I saved Kamaria before I brought her to a hospital.

Just then I hear the sound of a car driving quickly down the road. This is my chance, if I jump out into the road and stop the car, I can pay who's ever in it to let me borrow it.

I gently set Abigail back into the grass, and run out onto the road. I listen closely, it's coming from the left. I turn to the left only to be suddenly blinded by bright, white lights shinning brilliantly at me.

I squint until my eyes are almost closed and begin flailing my arms wildly "Stop! Stop!" I yell pleadingly.

The car screeches to a halt just mere inches from my body. I let out a sigh of relief.

I'm still completely blinded by the light when the driver side door opens.

Oh great, here comes the angry buff guy, pissed that I stopped his race driving.

I'm wincing and getting ready to throw a few punches when I hear one word that instantly brings relief through every part of me, instantly brings a smile to my lips despite everything going on, instantly makes me walk forward and wrap the small, warm body I know all too well into a hug.

"Adelram" her voice calls, a slight crack breaking her soft whisper.

I immediately step forward and wrap her into a tight, grateful hug afraid to let go. She's okay. She's really okay.

But almost as soon as the thoughts enter my mind, another thought enters along with it.

This is Slyder, he's tricking me. The sick bastard is forcing hallucinations onto me.

"Stop it!" I demand, pushing the Necrif off of me.

"No Adelram, it's really me" her voice assures me. I can't really see anything even still, but I feel her small, soft hands grab onto mine, pulling me away from the car, and under the moonlight.

Being the pansy I am, I feel my heart begin to thump wildly in my chest, crashing into my ribs forcefully.

She's breathtaking.

Maybe it's the moon shinning down on her, which is supposed to give her extra beauty, maybe it's because I was scared I'd never see her again, I don't know. But at this moment, she looks more gorgeous than I've ever seen before.

Her hair shines down her body in black, long layers. Her eyes a brighter blue than I have ever seen, twinkling with shiny small sparkles. Her plump pink lips curved into a relieved smile.

She takes a step towards me, tears burn the back of her eyes "is Abigail alive?" She asks, the smile instantly leaving her lips as she considers the possibility.

My eyes land on the cold, splayed out body, laying on the grass.

Kamaria follows my eyes and gasps when she sees Abigail. She quickly runs towards her, falling down on her knees. She presses her ear to Abigail's chest. Tears sliding onto Abigail's ripped shirt when she hears the almost gone heartbeat.

I watch her, unsure of what to do as she stands up, turning her body to me, a stoic look on her face. "Adelram, promise me you'll do something for me" she pleads.

I stuff my hands into my pocket "What is it, Princess?" I question, sure that she's going to ask me to do something I won't like.

She takes a step towards me, pushing us back under the moonlight. "Adelram, please, I'm begging you just say you'll do it" she begs, her eyes show desperation.

"Princess I can't-" I begin to say but she interrupts by stepping even closer to me, filling my nose with that familiar sweet vanilla lavender scent I've come to rely on.

She looks me straight in the eyes, a pleading look morphing her expression.

"Adelram please, please do this for me. Just say you'll do it. Promise me" she begs

I sigh deeply. I don't know if it's because she's standing right here in front of me, or if it is her intoxicating smell surrounding me, Maybe it's her stunning blue eyes pleading with me, or her body mere centimeters away from mine, but the words are out of my mouth before I can second guess them.

"Of course Princess" I yield with a sigh.

Relief is evident in her expression when she hears this.

"Okay, Slyder is on his way, as a matter of fact he'll probably be here in five minutes or less. I need you to take Abigail and bring her to a hospital. I'll stay here and hold off Slyder, I'll try my best to end him. When you've brought Abigail to a hospital and you're sure she's safe, then you can come back for me, but not until you know she's safe, okay?" Kamaria explains.

Woah, hell no. I wouldn't have agreed to do whatever she wanted if I knew it was to leave her here all alone to face Slyder.

"There's no way I'm leaving you alone" I tell her.

"Adelram please. If Abi dies, I-I don't know what I would do, I don't think I could live with myself." She looked away the guilt she was feeling was evident on her face. She then looked back up at me "I can take care of Slyder. You said so yourself that if anybody could take down Slyder, it's me. You know I've been training nonstop for the past week for this exact moment. You just have to trust me Adelram, I can do this but Abigail has to be saved" she assures me.

My heart is jamming against my chest at full force. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to her. "I-I can't. Princess you can't ask me to do this" I growl, my eyes glued to hers.

"Please, I'm begging you please. I'll be okay, I promise. Just please get Abigail to safety. This is why we came here, to save her. Don't let me be the one who killed her."

A million thoughts are running through my head at the moment. With that car I could probably bring Abigail to the hospital and be back here in maybe twenty minutes. Then I'll have saved Abigail and Kamaria

I know that Kamaria can take care of herself. I've seen the way she fights, the way that she uses her powers with such confidence and ease, she could take Slyder, I'm sure of it.

Even though my heart is screaming at me to say no, to forget about Abigail and protect the girl I love, my mind is reminding me that she's more powerful than me, that she's more capable of stopping Slyder than even myself. So finally, reluctantly, I give in.

"Fine, but as soon as Abigail is in the hospital I'm coming back for you" I confirm.

"As soon as she's in the hospital" Kamaria repeats.

Even though the plan has been made, she doesn't step away from me, instead, she takes another step toward me, pressing our bodies together "and Adelram?" She speaks softly.

"Hm?" Is all I can bring myself to mumble as I stare into her baby blue eyes.

"I love you" she confesses before bringing her soft, sweet lips to mine.

The kiss is short, and as soon as her lips leave mine I want more, I need more. The kiss wasn't long enough, it was a simple taste test, a tease, gone as soon as it came.

She loves me. She said she loves me. Her words finally clicking in my mind. I want so badly to smile, to grin and pull her into my arms, pushing my urgent lips onto hers, and under normal circumstances I would have done just that, but this isn't normal circumstances.

She doesn't give me a chance to tell her I love her too, instead she steps back and licks her lips, averting my eyes to them.

"Adelram, you need to go now. We don't have much time" she warns.

"But-" she interrupts before I finish "Adelram, she's dying, go. There's no point staying here any longer. The longer you stay here the longer I have to face Slyder alone" she interjects.

A low growl from the back of my throat grows louder for a moment. I step closer to Abigail and lift her up bridal style, her body cold and motionless.

"I'll come back for you soon. You better be safe Princess. Don't you dare get hurt" I demand, my voice pleading.

She gives me a small, almost unnoticeable smile "I promise" she assures but something in the way she says it worries me. I shake it off not wanting to go down that road.

With that I bring Abigail into the passenger seat and buckle her in.

The realization of what I've done doesn't fully set in until I'm already driving away. I am leaving the girl I love and have sworn to protect all alone as Slyder bait.

What the hell is wrong with me?

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