They Called Me FIVE

LANCE

I have been running around in circles, no exact destination in mind. I can't see anything except ruins for miles. It's like I've been smacked right into the end of the world where everything just..

DISAPPEARED.

The black mist has finally lifted up. No bodies turned up, except mountain pile of ashes. Dad and Lista are nowhere to be found. Magnus and Seven too. Exhaustion break my limbs. I collapsed on my knees. Feeling my joints giving out on me.

At the farthest corner of the rooftop, right where the wriggling boxes used to be, something crawled its way out of the wooden rubble. A hand of a beast. I recognize the sharp talons and the scales. Seconds later the place explode and a giant fifty foot tall black beast burst out in the open sky. Flapping its wings. It open its hideous mouth and let out a spine chilling scream.

I lost all strength in my muscles. I barely have the energy to stand up and face this bastard. But its glowering red eyes turn itself at me. Its face shape like a bear, with fangs protruding on his mouth. The horns stick out like a bulls. Spikes regrew on its back. It's large membrane wings is covering the sun.

I groan. I forced my knees to support my weight. Thrice I wobbled and needed a support to stand upright. But I was alone. Magnus isn't here to flung his crosswords. Seven isn't here to harness branches and take down that monster. 

Where did everyone go? A thought came to me, so horrible I felt sick in my stomach. But if its true that should explain Death god words. He wants me to learn something from this mess. Talks about being the true Master of Death and the real value of life. 

I didn't want to acknowledge it…but the fact that I'm alone with this beast, that there's no one in here except the pile of thick ashes…it means everyone has died right? That wave outburst was far the strongest I let out. 

I let my emotions rule over me. Let it run wild, letting go of the reins that hold back my shadows. Now the aftereffects is killing me. Tearing me slowly apart. With no one by my side to help. From the Beast mouth, a ball of orange fire formed at the tip of its tongue. 

With a lurch, it bends it's body and fired the orange fire straight at me. I tried to evade the blast but a tendon in my leg snap, bringing me down to my knees. Left with no choice, I raised my arms and pull out the shadows from my black veins. 

A tentative amount came out. Compared to the incoming ball of fire, it looks like a tiny dot of star. The orange hell is raging forward in a ball of energy growing as it conquer space in milliseconds. I tried to use my shadows to shield me from the blast and deflect it to the other side. But it's too strong. 

My shadows were overpowered. Coming into contact has summoned explosion so deadly I'm blasted off my feet. Sending me backwards, rolling, until I land in a pile of ashes with a loud thud. I groan. Except for the occasional scrapes and muscle aches, I'm fine. I did not take serious damage. 

The fire and my shadows vanished. Smoke rising from the spot I was in seconds ago. The Beast roar in anger. Before I knew it, it folds its wings and dived straight at me. I scampered on my feet. I don't know if I could stand.

No. I have to. I scampered for a weapon. Rifles, sword, anything sharp that could help me stop the thing from killing me…

Wait, 

I don't die right? 

I suddenly have an idea. It's totally crazy, risky and pure stupid. But I don't die.  It's worth the shot. I embraced myself. The Beast open its big ugly mouth. The ball of orange fire come out deep from its throat. I pick up what seems to be a metal round lid. It took me a moment before I realize it's the exact lid of the tunnel we came right in. 

I held it close to my chest. The Beast has its orange ball of fire shooting straight at me. I don't know if its stupid too but its coming after it. As if anticipating me burning alive from the blast, it needs to witness me turning charcoal crisp at close range. 

I grin. We're both stupid. With the lid I ran straight towards the orange fire. My leg throb until I felt the bones snap. I endured it. I just have my limbs cut in half. That was much painful than this. I will have my thousand and one death today anyway. 

The ball of fire clash with the lid, my arms burn right through the molten metal. I scream. But I didn't stop running forward. The Beast still has its mouth open. I used that chance to shove myself inside of his throat. 

I close my eyes. Its teeth sank right through my leg. I felt his mouth tremored. Another orange blast was trying to come out of its stomach. It meets the ball of fire I brought inside of his throat with me. I thought it won't work.

But the tremor intensified. The two orange hell fire is screaming for release. A torpedo of orange rage right before my very eyes, a certainty of death is coming to me. I smiled. Despite my arms burning, my ankle detaching, I know. At this very moment. It was my win.

The Beast's body couldn't contain its fire balls any longer and we explode in a loud orange bang. Engulfing me with its hell. My screams were drown from the explosion. I lost all senses. I felt numb all over.

My consciousness fading in and fading out. I keep enchanting, I won't die. I won't die. I won't die.

But maybe I did. Because when I open my eyes, I see Magnus ugly face and two Seven's worried face looking down at me. Everything totally white. 

"Ah, not bad at all." I murmured. I died. I died along with them.