CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE. Scarlet Dream.

He glimpsed his reflection in the pool of blood slowly spreading across the ground, its source unknown, but the image that stared back at him wasn't one he recognized. 

His eyes were lifeless, enshrouded by a pale blue luminescent glow. 

His face looked older, cold, as if he had witnessed a world of nothing but pure agony and had given up trying to fight it, had grown to accept it.

In his right hand, he held a large sword. Its sharp edge dripping with blood that echoed with each rippling drop. 

Engraved into the centre of its broad, tapering blade were symbols he'd never seen before yet, strangely, seemed to understand.

His hand felt like it had been melded to its hilt, like he had been holding it for such a long time it was a part of him now.

"Jaden," a familiar voice called, shattering the shrilling quiet that had previously engulfed him. The voice sounded weak, like whoever had spoken was presently holding on to the last strands of his life. 

Instinctively, he responded, taking his eyes off the floor to find... 

His father sprawled across the scarlet ground, surrounded by a sea of bodies. Not one of them stirred.

"Jaden," he called again, straining to get up.

Arud winced in pain. Speaking seemed harder than it had ever been.

"This isn't you, kid" he said, his teeth chattering. "I know you can hear me. Fight it.

"You have to fight it."

Jaden gazed at Arud, vaguely wishing he could help him, but then he couldn't move, his body wasn't listening to him.

He hefted the sword. His grip on the hilt felt easy, natural, like an extension of his body.

Its blade glistened in the dark as he took one step forward. And then another.

Slowly, he lifted the blade in the air. 

'No!' He screamed at himself.

"Stop!"

Arud groaned, somehow managing to bring himself to his knees, though his breathing came harder with the effort.

"Jaden. Don't do this."

'Dad.'

The blade came down.

———

"No!" Jaden screamed, sitting up sharply on the bed.

His heart beating so fast, it threatened to break out of his chest. 

He was panting. Sweating.

He stared at his hands, they were clean. 

No blood. Not even a speck.

He closed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath. 

"It was ... just ... a dream," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else, trying to calm down. His mark began glowing again, mocking him. 

'Is it though?' 

He raked his fingers through his tousled hair.

"Stupid dream," he cursed.

For a moment, he couldn't recognize where he was, then he realized he was in his new room.

The early morning rays, floated in through the open window. 

The harmonious chirping coming from the band of peadragons that danced feverishly up and down the tree outside were a sharp contrast to the dark, ominous world he had been plunged into a few minutes ago.

"Are you okay?"

Jaden flinched at the sound of Cherry's voice.

He looked up to see her peeking round his door. 

Feeling slightly embarrassed, he muttered, "didn't anyone teach you how to knock?"

Cherry smirked at this, pushing the door open all the the way. "Sorry to wake you up, grouchy.

"I heard you screaming, and made a big mistake by bothering to check on you."

"I wasn't screaming," Jaden snapped, "and I'm fine."

Cherry rolled her eyes, it was then he noticed what she was wearing. None of it looked familiar, but it resonated her beauty in a way Jaden had never witnessed before. 

"You ... look nice," Jaden said.

Cherry beamed before letting out an ear-splitting squeal that made Jaden feel like sinking his claws into the sheets.

"Well, classes start today so, got to make a good impression," she said.

Jaden frowned. "I'm sorry... classes?" 

His sister stared at him like he'd just asked if she ate a rock.

"Hold on, you weren't listening to anything dad was saying last night, were you?"

Then it came to him.

Of course, they were supposed to start attending classes today. 

The Capital had a school here set right in its centre. It was the largest one in the kingdom and was being funded by the Greater Leader herself. 

Arud had told them all about it last night.

Jaden's imagination had been running wild ever since then, and in a bid to get some sleep he had opted to simply blot it out of his memory. 

On the outskirts, they'd been homeschooled by Eva. Letting them attend a real school was just too dangerous back then. Now was a different story.

Jaden pictured a hall full of kids his age and fell back on the bed without saying a word.

"Jaden?" Cherry called, tentatively.

"What?"

"You...I was just wondering...."

Cherry walked into his room and closed the door quietly, then began chewing her lips in the way she always did when she was nervous about something.

"I ... I know this might sound selfish, but .... I've never ..... I've never been able to....." She paused, taking a deep breath to steady herself, before she continued, "I've never been able to attend a real school before, 'specially after the whole ... Ren thing, so I was wondering if we could, maybe, pretend not to know each other for a few days? or a week, maybe?"

Jaden sat up slowly, his eyes snapping up to meet hers.

He was stunned. He hadn't seen this coming. Back on the outskirts, they had been very chose. Yeah sure they argued a lot, and had very little in common, but they had each other.

It was then he realized that the only reason it had stayed that way was because of him. 

Cherry had no idea what it felt like to simply make friends and live like a normal teenager because everyone had avoided both of them due to what he was. 

He felt angry all of a sudden, angry that his very presence acted like a hindrance to those he cared about. Angry that he couldn't have been someone else, anyone else, just for his family's sake.

His gaze fell again, he studied the details of the crumpled sheets, trying to hide it all.

"Yeah," he croaked. Clearing his throat, he continued speaking, "as long as ... you're sure you'll be fine on your own."

Cherry's voice lightened up at this, "really? Thank you so much. I promise I'll pay you back, okay. I got to go, bye."

With that, she was gone and Jaden had to drown the sudden loneliness he felt at her absence.