Stop, You're Losing Me

We finally arrived at the hotel that Mark mentioned yesterday. The drive took us at least almost the whole day yesterday. He's now currently on the balcony talking to his phone. I'm just resting on the bed, trying to collect as much energy that I can. I remained closing my eyes because the sun was too bright for me.

[Sapphire? Someone entered my mind. Sapphire, it's me. Your brother, Hal.]

I opened my eyes. [What?]

[I felt your energy. You're near. What are you doing here?] He asked angrily.

I breathed in relief. Hal's fine. He's fine. But I need to explain things to him. [It's not me. Mark brought me here.]

[Mark?] He sounded mad.

[I was expecting that Julia had told you everything already or the Commander.]

[We cancelled any connection coming from outside for safety. But what are you doing in Italy with Mark? Why are you with Mark in the first place? No, not that. How did you get here?] He asked.

[I was kidnapped. Long story. Please save me. ]

[What?]

[I was feeling weak. I took a rest in my dormitory. A guard sent by mother came to kidnap me. Please save me.]

[I will. Don't worry.]

[Where's Aaron? I can't connect to him.]

Hal didn't answer. He pulled back his connection from me instead. The connection was cut.

"You're awake?" Mark asked as he entered the room back from the balcony.

I sat up on the bed to face him. He's having breakfast on a breakfast bar in front of the bed.

"Ah, yes," I rubbed my eyes and forced myself up. Everyday is getting harder and harder for me to move. My stomach is acting up again.

"What do you want to visit today?" he asked.

"Pisa. Leaning Tower of Pisa," my mouth blurted.

"The area is dangerous. Have you seen the news?" he squinted his eyes.

"Even a glimpse from a high tower will be fine," I insisted.

"Okay, then fix yourself up. We got to hurry," he's acting really cold towards me.

"Okay," I've got no time to spare. I hurried to the bathroom and fixed myself.

The drive towards Pisa was fast. I wore a blue dress hoping that when Aaron sees me he will be happy. But as we go deeper to the area the atmosphere seems to feel heavier. I don't think that Mark is feeling it though as he just continued driving.

"Checkpoint," Mark announced.

We stopped beside a guard house. Mark lowered down his window to talk to the soldier that stopped us. I studied the uniform of the soldier talking to him. The logos on his patches are the same logos I see in SIA.

]Nica] I telepathically talked to the soldier.

The eyes of the soldier shifted to mine. His face is familiar; I saw him back in the meeting room before. The soldier finally realized who I was as his eyes started to widen in shock. I sense that he's talking telepathically to someone now. On my side of the door, another soldier with the same uniform knocked. I pressed the button that let the window go down, "Yes?"

"Our head officer wants to talk to you," I'm guessing that the 'head' is my brother.

"Uh, excuse me. Where are you taking her?" Mark asked.

"Turn your car around. The area is still forbidden to tourists," the soldier ordered.

"Then why are you taking her?" he pointed at me.

"Orders," the soldier opened the door for me, finally setting me free from Mark.

"This is crazy," Mark muttered under his breath. "I can't allow this. I'm with her and I am taking—"the soldier cut him off by slamming the hood of the car. Mark jolted from his seat and without another word, he started driving away.

"This way, Miss Valoria," the soldier guided me inside a tall tower. The tower looks pretty old. The steps of the stairs are making a noise at every step I make. We finally made it to the top of the tower where I met Nica and Hal planning something on their self-made map.

"Sapphire," my brother hugged me as soon as he saw me.

"Oh…good," I studied his face and the rest of his body. "You're good. A little wound over here," I pointed at his cheek. "But you look fine. You're fine." I hugged him tightly.

He landed a kiss on my head.

"But where's Aaron?" I asked, pulling myself from the hug.

Hal turned nervously to Nica who remained motionless in her place.

"Aaron?" I called his name. I searched the space but there are no other rooms but the one where we are now.

"Sapphire," Hal mumbled my name and held my hand. His hand is cold. Freezing cold.

"Where is he?" I removed my brother's grip from my hand.

Nica lowered her eyes, avoiding my gaze.

"Where is he?" I asked calmly this time or at least calm enough.

"We were ambushed last night. Aaron tried to block them," Hal slowly laying down the facts.

"Then?"

"After that we don't know what happened. We can't connect to him," Hal answered.

"Our telepathy just kept on hitting us back," Nica added.

"Wh…Th…Wh…What now?" I can't form my sentences correctly. I feel tears falling down my eyes.

"We are planning to do an ambush on the enemy. We are currently studying the area," Nica explained.

"Aaron?"

"We are trying our best to get him back, Sapphire," Hal hugged me from behind, keeping me from falling down on the wooden and crooked floor.

Hal tried to make me change my outfit but I ignored him. I hugged myself while staring outside through the small opening on the wall. The Leaning Tower of Giza would have been a nice view now but it just looks terrifying now. The cold breeze entered the room and kissed my skin, making me shiver. A camouflage jacket dropped on my shoulders helping me warm up.

"We are planning to do the attack now. Stay here," Hal left a kiss on my forehead. "We'll get him back. I promise. Nica never lets her team down." Apart from being too far from me when I was young, the only words I trusted until Aaron was my brother's because he always kept his promises. His words, I trust them the most. Because he always keeps them. I will trust them especially now.

"Hal, we should go," Nica opened the door.

"A sec. Sapphire, promise me that you will stay here," he brushed my shoulders and followed Nica outside. It's going to be a long night for me. Very long.

There were a lot of explosions, bombs everywhere. I stepped back, away from the window, giving me a better view on the map. I saw them running their fingers on it when I came in here. The enemy's hideout is just on the other side from us. They're planning to surround it by trapping them inside their hideout.

"Aaron, why are you like this?!" I heard my brother shout. I averted my eyes outside. I saw pieces of different objects hovering in the sky. I'm not sure if it's my brother's or the enemy's.

"Wake up!" Nica shouted.

I leaned on the window trying to search the enemy's ground for the view of my brother. I couldn't see anything. I walked out the space and went down several stairs to reach the door heading outside. Using my hearing to aid me towards their location I run as fast as I can. I threw away my heels so that I could run faster and easier. There was a sudden explosion on my side that I almost fell down but I continued to run.

"I'm near," I murmured to myself.

I could feel my feet bleeding already but too I'm eager to see Aaron to actually acknowledge the pain from the objects that have pierced through my feet. Then something hit me. I fell on the ground and saw a guy standing in front of me wearing a black clothing.

"Aaron," I called.

He slowly turned to face me. It's not him. He looked coldly at me while an object behind him rose upward.

"Sapphire, run!" I heard my brother shout but I'm too stunned to move a muscle. The object started to move towards me but before it could hover above me, my brother, who came out of nowhere, punched Aaron while Nica blew up the object, dispersing it into thin air. I stared at Aaron who fell on the ground and was lowered by my brother who's on top of him.

"Why are you doing this?" he shook him.

"Stay away from me!" Aaron punched him.

"She's your sacred pair! Why are you going to hurt her?" my brother punched back.

Nica helped me stand up and pulled me away from the fight. I removed her hands from me and stepped towards Aaron ignoring the pain from my feet. I dropped myself on Aaron's side. He's now staring back at me.

"Aaron," I called once more.

"Who are you?" he gritted his teeth.

"Please, stop this," I sniffed.

"Stay away from me," he tried to let go of my brother.

"Aaron, can't you remember me?"

He only stared at me confused. This is not how Aaron gazes his eyes at me. His eyes, despite being dark, are warm. They make me accept me for me but now, it only makes me feel ashamed that I'm sitting in front of him looking like this.

"I don't know who you are." He coldly said.

"Please, Aaron. My mother is pursuing my marriage with Mark."

He didn't flinch or anything. Aaron hates Mark's name. He's supposed to hate hearing it.

"You prevented the wedding before. You could do it again," I begged. I heard a car approaching us, it's my family's car heading this way. "You have to remember before they get me. This is my last chance to be with you," I cried. "Even my brother won't be able to stop them. Aaron, I don't know what to do," I continued.

"I don't know who you are," he said strongly. He tried to kick my brother but Nica was able to prevent him.

"Guys, there are more over here," Nica groaned. She's protecting us from objects that are hovering above us.

My shoulders fell down. I can't lose hope. No.

When Aaron looked like he wouldn't fight anyone anymore, my brother stood up but he remained standing beside Aaron just in case he did something again.

Aaron positioned himself to face me, "Stay. Away. From. Me."

"I'm going to marry Mark next month." I'm not going to give up. Not now.

"I don't give a fuck."

"You don't mean that."

"I do."

My throat tightened. What's happened to him?

The car that I've been hearing arrived behind Hal spitting out my mother and other guards that are pointing a gun at everyone except me. Nica and Hal raised their arms in surrender. They can't use their talents now, they can't hurt civilians.

"Please, Aaron. I need you to save me," I cried harder.

"Go back to your mansion, princess," his words, his voice. They sounded like a dagger to my heart.

"You tried to stop me before. At the airport, remember? You can do that again now."

"Get in the car now, Sapphire," my mother ordered.

"Aaron," I called one more time. "I love you," it should have made him feel something but he didn't even react. He only looked at me with his cold piercing eyes.

"I don't know you."

It hit my heart harder than it should. I'm speechless. I don't know what to say anymore.

Someone pulled me up from the ground. "Miss Valoria, you have to get up now," a guard ordered me.

I pulled myself away from him and crawled towards Aaron. He tried to lean away from me but I'm still able to touch his cheek. He froze, giving me a chance to kiss him. One last time. But he pushed me. He pushed me away.

With that, I stopped.

I lost him.

I lost my Love.

I lost my Sacred Pair.