Chereads / Artum Infernum Pt. 1 - The Dreamland Saga / Chapter 12 - Collide! Estranged Souls

Chapter 12 - Collide! Estranged Souls

Michael "Why haven't you told us this?"

Jazmine "Because it didn't matter. Doesn't."

Michael "How does it not?"

She pauses for a moment.

Jazmine "You."

Michael looks confused.

Jazmine "She showed me you. That boy who destroys the world is you."

Michael gets a stunned look on his face.

Jazmine "10 months from now, catastrophe will fall and you will be the center of it all."

Michael, still stunned, is processing this information.

Michael "That's why you showed me..."

Jazmine "I didn't realize it when we became friends those years ago. I don't want you thinking our friendship is based around that. I truly do care about you, all of you. That is why I am doing this."

Michael looks up like he wants to say something but can't. Jazmine sighs.

Jazmine "I tried to talk to you over and over. Did you not realize how often I tried to convince you to stop? Yet every time you convinced yourself that being a hero was the right way to go. So I decided to take more drastic measures."

She stands up and spreads her arms motioning to where they are now.

Jazmine "This world, these worlds, are all fabricated by me. They're almost... dream like. Everytime the message wouldn't get through I halted them. Changed the world. You made them into something worse."

Michael looks away.

Jazmine "Look, we can live a normal life. The 4 of us together forever. Happy. Without these powers causing us so much trouble."

Michael "You don't know that."

Jazmine "But I do. I've seen it. I seem to be the only one in this world who understands the dangers of these powers, the unnecessity. Good, bad, right or wrong, it doesn't matter. All powers should just disappear."

She slams her hands on the table.

Jazmine "I have seen what happens to those with powers. I have seen what happens to those without them. Each and every single path leads to the same dead end."

Michael "What about the others? Did you think how this would affect them?"

Jazmine "Oh, they're fine. You saw it today didn't you? They don't remember a thing. And even if they did, it doesn't matter. They'll just think it was some bad dream."

Michael "What do you want me to do?.."

He hangs his head, being stuck in a corner of logic.

Jazmine "I want you to change. I want you to stop trying to be a hero and just be a normal teenager. Convince the others to do the same. We can all be so happy together if we just... Didn't."

She shrugs her shoulders and drops her arms to her sides. Michael looks down for a moment.

Michael "I'm sorry..."

Jazmine "For what?"

Michael "For making you feel that you needed to do all this. For making you feel like I was ignoring you."

She crouches down besides him and lays on her crossed arms on the table.

Jazmine "Michael, I didn't feel neglected. I just need you to see."

Michael "I do..."

Jazmine smiles a bit.

Michael "But I just can't."

Jazmine's smile goes away. She stands and turns away from Michael.

Michael "I can't just watch this world burn. I can't sit by and let innocent people die knowing I can do something about it."

Jazmine "You know you won't always be able to save them. You know that, you've seen it."

Michael "I know what happened to you was wrong. You shouldn't have been put in that position, but we are different. We are better. If you just let us we can help-"

Jazmine "No! No you can't!"

There is an explosion of energy pouring out of her in a similar fashion to what Michael did earlier to escape the dreams but hers is pink instead of Michael's turquoise.

Jazmine "There are some things even the mighty you can't fix! The only way I can fix MY world is by getting you to see that we'll never be okay as long as we have these powers!"

As she activates her energy the table, chairs and Michael get blown back. He slams into the wall behind him hard. After catching his breath he stands up feeling the immense force come down on him from her. He focuses up and he begins to glow his color, releasing a bit of energy like before.

Michael "Please Jazmine, don't do this"

Jazmine "You aren't giving me much choice! Now that I've brought you here I have to redo the whole thing! But this time we're not leaving here until you see how wrong you are!"

Michael activates his energy fully now.

Michael "I'm sorry."

They begin to step towards each other.

Michael "I shouldn't have ever made you feel that this is needed. I should've been there for you. I should've known."

Jazmine "I've seen it all. 10 months from now you will break and bring about a catastrophe that will destroy everything we have."

Michael "I will change that. I won't let that come to pass."

Jazmine "These powers are the root of it all! The reason my grandparents died, the reason my family left me, the reason you'll die! We can make it all go away! You just need to see it my way!"

She says this while beginning to cry. They take one last step before Jazmine lunges at Michael with intent to overpower his soul and put him back under. Michael lunges as well, trying to catch her and help her change her mind. As they collide the energy surrounding them merges and turns completely white until it's all either of them can see.