The Last Two

I opened my eyes. I stared at the ceiling, but two large dots clouded my vision. I was lying on something soft, and something lightly scratched my head. I blinked and realized what was happening. I was resting my head on Sasha's lap, and those dots were... I sat up quickly and looked away.

"I'm sorry you passed out, and I remembered you liked it when I scratched your head."

My face was burning hot, and my heart was pounding. "I still do, but you know I can't just forgive you. How many people no longer exist because of you?"

"Too many." Sasha inhales loudly and slowly breathes it out. "I numbed myself to what I was doing. This was my life, I can't expect you to forgive me, but I can't bring myself to kill you either."

I turn around and look at her. "Thank you so much," I say, trying to emphasize my sarcasm.

Sasha stands up and closes the distance between us, "Do you think this is easy? You haven't been a member of something like this for as long as me. You will never understand."

I take a step closer to her. I can feel her breath on my face. "Then help me to understand. The Sasha I knew wanted to save people; I don't care how long it's been, you can rationalize killing innocent people."

"I have saved more than I killed."

"The ends don't justify the means."

"That what do you propose I do about it?"

"I... I don't know." 

Sasha backed away, satisfied but still angry. "You can have the moral high ground, but the Preservers are as old as time. If there were another better way, they would choose it."

I was trying to think of a response when a knock at the door froze us both in place. I concealed myself and jumped above the door, wedging between the wall and the ceiling. Sasha composed herself and opened it.

"Commander Richards, hello, sir."

"Hello, Sasha. Unfortunately, we have no leads for Alex."

"That's a shame. Has my house arrest been terminated? Do you need me to aid in the search?"

"I'm sorry, but no." Four men burst into the room and restrained her. I wanted to act but knew that I was outmatched. I could only watch as they put her in handcuffs and a collar. An electrical chain connected the entire contraption. "He came here for you. He has a sense of obligation and will come to save you. You are also an anomaly, Sasha. You were useful in tracking down the others from your world, but after you and Alex are removed, the multiverse will be safe again."

Sasha spit in the commander's face. "You bastard, I trusted you. You raised me and trained me."

"And just like any good pawn, you fulfilled your role, and now your sacrifice will fuel the next phase of the battle."

He left the room without another word. The others grabbed Sasha and carried her out. I waited until I couldn't hear Sasha's screams before coming down from my vantage point. This was bad. I couldn't leave without her, but I would have to walk into their trap purposely. I take a deep breath. She was all I had left; we either find a way out or die together.

The room they held Sasha in was much bigger than needed. Seven seats were provided for the top of the Preservers, which were raised at least 100 meters from the ground. The seats were empty; the situation was not critical enough for them. Sasha was in the middle of the floor; next to these massive towers and oversized chamber, she looked like an insect. The commander stood over her, and the four others were behind him.

"Oh, Sasha, I wish it didn't have to be this way. You were an obedient soldier."

I focused my magic on the tips of my fingers and toes. I could adhere to the ceiling and slowly make my way above Richards.

"Go to hell," Sasha says while spitting in his face.

"I've been there, and it isn't as exciting as you think."

I drop in between Sasha and her captors, cutting her restraints in one fluid motion. Sasha takes a big jump back, and I slowly back up to her. 

"Well, hello there, Alex. It's nice to meet you in person instead of having you eavesdrop on our conversation from above a door." He draws his greatsword and lets it fall to the ground. It crashes and splinters the floor on impact. He rests his hands on the hilt, ready to react to sudden attacks. 

"Compensating for something?"

Richards looks at me with a soft smile, not entertaining my witty banter. "It is time for us to cut out Sasha's heart. Don't worry, I'll let you watch."

"Take me on one on one. The winner gets Sasha's heart."

Sasha grabs my shoulder and tries to pull me back. The commander sticks his arm out, gently pushing his subordinate back. 

"Alex, you can't do this."

"If we are both going to die, I might as well try to have some fun first."

Richards laughs, "I like your guts, kid; maybe I will see what you look like inside."

Sasha realizes I am not backing down and decides to give us space. The other Preservers do the same. Soon, the arena for a showdown is set. The air is still and quiet as we stare each other down. I wasn't sure if he could tell that I was leaving tiny amounts of magic all over the battlefield, but he wasn't moving, and I have the patience of a saint.

He took off toward me, carrying his sword in both hands, and started to swing it forward, but he was slow, painfully slow. I teleported underneath him and kneed him hard in the stomach. He folded over before flying backward, but he recovered quickly. Stabbing his sword into the ground stopped his backward momentum. I could almost see his magic building in his legs as he prepared a super-powered attack.

A loud boom filled the chamber as he flew toward me. Although everything around us looked frozen in time, Richards was still traveling quickly, but he was no match for my speed. I teleported behind him. However, he was expecting it; as soon as I moved, he twisted backward, and his sword was perfectly on target to separate my head from my body. I was equally prepared and swinging both swords to block the attack.

The commander was slightly off the ground while making his move. After I parried his strike, I kicked out his legs to prevent him from recovering. He hit the ground on his back, but with a quick somersault, we are facing each other again.

"Enough games, it is time to end this."

He turned toward Sasha and started running toward her. I was ready for him to break our terms of engagement and already had magic spots all around Sasha. This time, when I teleported behind him, he didn't take a swing at me. Instead, I cut down with both swords, slicing in an X shape. It takes Richard's body a moment to recognize what had happened, but then four meat slabs crash onto the floor with a sickening slop. The other Preservers start to head toward us. They were even slower than their leader, now in pieces before them. Four teleports and four swings, and Sasha and I are all that remain. 

"You know, I was expecting more of a battle."

Sasha had summoned her scythe and was draining the blood of each dead Preserver. Her hair became an even more vibrant red, purple glowing tattoos appeared on her skin and a powerful aura emanated from her body. "You're a cocky bastard, you know that?"

"Before the first attack, I was ready for anything. I was prepared to die, but someone like that wouldn't be able to lay a finger on me. Maybe next time, though."

Sasha rolls my eyes and takes my hand. "Don't get any ideas. I am going to portal us past the barrier they created. We will have to keep a low profile. Any changes to a timeline are tracked, and any major branches will cause the wrath of the preservers to chase us. They won't send one overconfident commander next time."

"Won't they know exactly where we are going?"

"I'll chain a few portals together, but we must keep moving every few weeks."

I sighed; I didn't expect this was how meeting Sasha would go. I had dreamed about this night almost daily for a year, and now I was a fugitive. I gripped her hand a little tighter. "Let's ensure we end up in the same place this time."

A portal opens in front of us. Sasha and I step into it hand in hand, our futures and fingers intertwined as we started our life as outlaws.