Chapter Seven
*Ariya*
There’s so much pain. It’s sharp and it’s shooting through my chest. A rod is sticking out. Why is it there? I don’t get it. One second I was standing. The next flying through the air. Now, I’m suspended in the air a bit and my chest hurts. Mya and Link screaming. Why? Please stop. I don’t want you guys upset.
My eyes get heavy. Darkness.
Someone is grabbing my arm. I open my eyes.
“Ariya! Hang on! I’ll heal you! You’re going to be ok!” Mya says through tears, “Everything is going to be ok!”
I try taking a breath but choke a bit. There’s a metallic taste in my mouth.
“I know it’s hard to breathe but you have to, Ariya. So keep trying for me, ok?” Mya tells me.
I look up. My left eye still closed shut. Looking for Link. He’s fighting. Throwing all sorts of poles and rubble using his ability. Trying to keep the vampire away. My eyes get heavy again. Darkness.
“Ariya!? Ariya!? Wake up! Come on! Wake up, Ariya!”
That voice. It sounds familiar. Whose is it?
I try to force my eyes open but only the right eye opens. Link. He’s holding his right arm. His shoulder is bleeding. Did he win? I look around.
“It’s ok. I got him.” Link tells me.
A movement catches the corner of my eye. I look over. The vampire is on the ground. A beam in his stomach, holding him there. He’s not done yet though. His hands grip the beam and he pulls it up to unpin himself.
Behind you. Link, Mya. Behind you. He’s not dead! It’s not working. They can’t hear me.
“B...eh…” That's all I can manage. I am helpless to tell them.
“Ariya, save your strength. It’ll be ok. Mya will get you all healed up.” Link says.
No! They have to listen to me. They have to understand.
“Be...hine…d...y...ou…” I gargle out, coughing up blood.
“What? Calm down. Save your strength. Tell us later.” Link said.
“No...wait, Link. I think she has to tell us now. What is it, Ariya?” Mya says.
I use all my strength left inside me.
“Behind...you,” I finally manage to wheeze out.
Their faces drop in horror as they realize what I say. My eyes become heavy again. I force the only working one to stay open. The vampire is walking towards us. Mya looks at me with terror in her eyes. Link turns, getting ready to fight again. He lifts his left arm and launches a piece of rubble at the vampire. The vampire easily knocks it aside. Link bends down and grabs a metal bar off of the ground. Knowing it isn’t enough to stop the vampire but refusing to give up as well.
The world was beginning to fade. I forced myself to keep my right eye open. This is it. It’s over for all of us. I thought. The vampire stood about 15 feet from us. Grinning. The vampire tensed but before he moved a figure appeared behind him. The figure had his hand pointed and similar to the black dome I put over Link, it covered this figure's hand and up to the elbow. The figure pulled their arm back and struck right through the center of the vampire’s chest. With that, the vampire dropped to the ground. Dead. Link dropped the bar he held. As the figure approached us, I could vaguely make out his short, dark hair, and his red eyes, the pupil a black slit. The world faded out more. Link and Mya dropped to their knees. Hopeless. Realization hit me. Drake… the world went to black and the burning pain began.