Chapter 12: Chapter 11: Menace
The air was still heavy from the aftermath of the battle.
The smell of blood and flesh, and the sound of military communication equipment filled the background.
Amber and I sat on a large, jagged rock at the edge of the battlefield.
The others were busy tending to their weapons, patching up their wounds.
Amber handed me a canteen and offered a weary smile.
"Sky," she began softly, "thank you. For helping us out there. You weren't obligated to save him, but you still did, not many people would do that, especially you, after what he has done to you… and even yet he's too proud to admit it, or even bother thanking you."
I took a sip from the canteen and shrugged. "It was nothing. I don't need his thanks, i just did what I could do."
Amber shook her head, her golden eyes fixed on mine. "No. It wasn't nothing. You strained yourself using the weapon to target directly at the infected beast eyes. That's something to be proud of, not everyone can do that, others could have missed the shot."
Her sincerity made me uneasy.
It wasn't just the praise, I could see her searching my face for something, trying to make sense of me.
Before I could respond, my gaze wandered and caught Edward's.
He was standing by a supply crate, glaring at me like I personally insulted his entire bloodline.
I returned his stare, letting my expression harden.
If he wanted to play this game, fine I'd be glad to join.
We locked eyes for several tense seconds before Edward scoffed and turned away, clearly annoyed.
Amber sighed, drawing my attention back to her.
"Sky... You seem different today," she said suddenly, her voice laced with curiosity.
"You're not the same Sky I've known all these years. You act… sharper, stronger and more brave. What happened to you?"
My chest tightened at the question.
"What do you mean? I'm the same person I've always been," I lied, my voice steady.
She frowned, clearly not convinced, but didn't push further.
Instead, she leaned back, her gaze drifting toward the horizon.
Silence fell between us, but it was the kind that had unspoken thoughts.
The moment didn't last long. Edward stormed over, his boots crunching against the dirt with purpose. He loomed over me, his face a mix of fury and disdain.
"So you think you're a hero now?" he spat, his voice dripping with venom.
"Don't let it go to your head, you pathetic weakling. If it weren't for that fancy lightning core, you'd be just another corpse on the field."
I didn't respond. I'd already pieced together why he was acting this way.
He wasn't just only angry because I saved him he was furious because a so called weakling like me, had saved him from the hands of death.
It seriously ate at his pride, and now he was lashing out.
"Edward, stop it," Amber said, standing between us. "This isn't fair, and you know it. He saved your life, atleast have some respect"
"No," Edward interrupted, his voice rising. "He doesn't belong here! He's dead weight, and you're defending him like he's worth something!"
I clenched my fists but kept my mouth shut.
Engaging him would only escalate things.
"Say something, you brat!" Edward roared, stepping closer.
When I didn't, he grabbed my shirt and hoisted me up effortlessly.
His face was inches from mine, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Who do you think you are, huh? So you think you're better than me now?"
For a moment, I didn't react.
Then, slowly, I met his glare with an expression so cold and emotionless face.
I let the silence stretch, watching as his anger faltered under the weight of my gaze.
"Put him down, Edward now!" Amber yelled, pulling at his arm.
But Edward didn't move.
He was frozen, staring at me as if seeing me for the first time.
Then I grabbed his wrist that held my shirt and i slowly tightened my grip on it and let my own glare turn menacing.
The shift in my demeanor was enough to make him hesitate.
"Wha… what is wrong with you, who are you?" Edward stammered, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
I didn't answer.
Instead, I glanced pointedly at his hand, then back at him.
His grip loosened instinctively, and before he realized what he was doing, he let me go.
I adjusted my shirt and turned away, my anger simmering beneath the surface.
"I'm going for a walk," I said curtly, ignoring Amber's protests as I stalked off toward the forest.
"Sky, wait! It's dangerous--"
Her voice faded as I disappeared into the trees.
The forest was very quiet, the silence broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves.
I stomped through the undergrowth, muttering curses under my breath.
"Idiot… pompous jerk… can't believe I have to deal with this nonsense," I grumbled, kicking a loose rock.
Finding a large boulder, I sat down and buried my face in my hands.
My anger slowly gave way to exhaustion, and I let out a heavy sigh.
My thoughts drifted to the real Sky the one who belonged here, who had been mocked and belittled until his death.
I pitied him, even as I resented the mess he'd left behind.
"He must have suffered soo much, and yet didn't achieve his goals"
But as I sat there, lost in thought, a low growl shattered the stillness.
I froze, my heart pounding as the sound grew closer.
Slowly, I turned toward the noise, and my breath caught.
In the darkness, a pair of glowing eyes stared back at me.