I went on a mission that Tanoris sent me on with Demaris. This is my first mission and I couldn’t wait. I wanted to go on a mission with Kidet, but he was already on a solo mission. It didn’t matter to me though; it just proves that Tanoris thinks I’m strong enough to do something as hard as this mission. Demaris and I walked through a very isolated and barren area as he explained the mission to me. “We have to get her to talk, make her monologue if you may. I think I would be best suited for that while you use your power, Reflector, to sneak behind her and tie her up and we rush back to base as soon as possible.” I nod looking at him once more. He continues to stare forward to the clouded grey sky forevermore as I think about how he got his scar, so I asked him. “This scar...It came from a mission I did solo. It was my first time by myself, but I thought I could handle it. That was until I hesitated to finish it because of fear.” He never looked me in the eye as he told his story. Something felt cold around him like he hated this subject. But he always seemed like he disliked going on missions. “Completing the task is the only focus,” I said finally looking in front of me. The trees became bigger and thicker, turning into woods. He sighed and rubbed the side of his face, running his fingers down his scar. “I didn’t. And now I know to never hesitate. Finish it while you still have no humanity.” This new side of him scared me slightly. He was usually so kind and warm.

I continued looking forward as it got darker and the forest became alive with noises. Everything moved and shook or cracked and it put me on edge, but Demaris never flinched. He was a truly experienced soldier. We reached a peak where he stopped moving and I stood behind him. There was an old run down shack with moss, mold, and vines taking it completely over. “She’s in there. Stick to the plan and remember, don’t hesitate if I give you an order. Understood?” I nodded again and hugged him just in case I did hesitate. He slightly held me back and, pro plan, I used reflector and went around the back of it looking for another way in. Demaris went straight in, no fear on his face, determined to complete the assignment at hand. I looked through a back window; it was covered in greenage. I could see her sitting there. She had very pale skin and white hair like snow. It was long and went down to the middle of her back from behind. She wore a grey hoodie and ragged jeans; It looked like something was covering her mouth. She was sitting in a lotus pose, waiting, watching. I couldn’t find any opening, but thankfully we had planned for that as well. Demaris said he’d leave the door open. One, so I could get in and two, so we could dash out of there if needed. “You sought me out, didn’t you? He told me you would be here, but you’re later than I thought you would be.” Her voice was smooth like silk but gritty like sand. Somehow, it seemed like she either knew him, or someone was watching us in the forest. “Tell me,” Demaris said with a stern and cold tone, “What’s your name?” She cackled and put her hands behind her back, slowly pulling something from out of her hoodie pocket. I stopped using my power to warn Demaris that she had a weapon on hand and so I wouldn’t die overusing my power. She pulled out a small knife and held it behind her back. “Kenada, that’s what it is.” I lipped, ‘She’s got a knife’ through the window and he looked at me and looked back at her. I quietly walked to the front of the door and again turned invisible as I went in. “And why are you here of all places?” he asked gently like he had genuine care. I think he was beginning to fold. “You really want to know?” She ran towards him and pulled out her knife to strike him. I grab her hand and pull her away from him. She looks around the worn place with a grim smile. “So you’re not alone, huh? Where is your little friend?”

“I am alone Kenada. I came to help you!”

“You’re only helping yourself, you low-life rat!” She started slashing at him while he blocked his arm while attempting to dodge. I couldn’t just stand there. I ran up to her and grabbed her arm again, but this time she grabbed me and threw me down. She slammed me so hard that, added on with the pain and danger of using Reflector, I coughed up spit and blood and became visible again. She looked me dead in my eyes and stepped on my chest. “You’re just some kid. You’re trapped and don’t even know it. I was you at one point, young and naive. They will always lie to you.” I tried to push her off, but she stomped on my chest. Demaris grabbed her by her neck and wrapped his arm around her. “No one is lying to her! She’s not trapped! We freed her!”

It took me a while to get back up. I was in pain and Demaris was fighting for me. It was our mission, my mission, to bring Kenada back. I slowly wobbled up and punched her across the face as hard as I could. Her head twisted to the right and stayed there for a while. “Great. That will give us some time to at least try and make it halfway back home. Make sure you wrap her eyes so she can’t find a way there,” Demaris ordered. I did as told, but this mission made me realize that Demaris is a person of devotion and sacrifices. He did everything he had to do in order to fulfill an order, even if that means pushing his sanity and humanity to the limits. I could tell he was already hurt and leaning now and this is after he pushed down his feelings. But what about before when he was still fresh and new to the whole ordeal? Was he hurting as much as he was now? “Both of you lack sense. Both of you are deceived by the glimmer of fool's gold.” Kenada spoke as these tentacles started to protrude out from her jacket and some completely ripped her hoodie apart. In an instant, she was gone, vanished in front of our eyes. She ended up on the other side of the room. I gazed at her and saw her frozen blue eyes and a mask with an open mouth covering her face. “Your kind killed my family. You ‘ heroes’ aren't what you are! You hurt innocent people.” The mouth of her mask moved eerily as if it had a mind of its own. “I'm not going out without fighting. I will kill you!”

A blue frost started covering her and her form became a mass of pale skin with tentacles, eyes, and a mouth. Her arms and legs were slender, but she was still somewhat short. Her hair was gone and her eyes went all white. She looked at Demaris and charged directly towards me. The only power I know how to use is Reflector, and I couldn't even use that at that moment. Demaris rushed to get in front of me while rubbing his hands together, lightly blowing into his palms. He stood in front of me and pushed his hands out and a gust of wind directly hit Kenada at something of Mach 1 speed. She was blown back harshly, but her tentacles made the impact less dangerous. She used many of her extensions to successfully remain stable, but some of them were blown off. As the monstrosity grew more tentacles, it became even more aggressive as it frantically teleported around the whole house. She was undetectable to my eyes, but Demaris had found a pattern of her movements as he keenly paid attention. She began to slice at us, making deep cuts into my flesh. Demaris grabbed and tugged me towards him squinting his eyes. He stretched out his hands, blew, and separated his arms to wing span. A gust of wind formed, blowing harshly around us like a force field of some sorts. It was violent, uncoordinated, which was exactly what we needed and what he was looking for in Kenada. He was looking for a pattern, an opening. He huffed and called out, “Point.” He raised his hand and suddenly drips of water from the molded shack and from the trees and grass outside rushed in, forming a spear with five sharp, pointed tips and a jagged base. “Confodere!” he shouted and the water spear hardened and pierced Kenada. She gasped and choked for air as she looked at us. “I...know...your...weak..ness..” she breathed as she teleported one last time behind me. I turned to see her tentacles like sun rays irradiating and protruding from her. “I..know...that...you’re being...lied to…just as I.” I looked into her eyes and saw the pain that she pent up inside of her. How she was mistreated and abused which lead her to this. “...Nirandi! ...Now!” I heard yelling from beside me but I could only make out my name and one word.

Now.

I felt a rush of wind push me and what I saw horrified me to my deepest core. Demaris was impaled by a barrage of knives and Kenada’s limbs. Tears stung my eyes and burned my face. My core churned roughly as I sobbed and felt this strangling sensation in my throat. I couldn’t speak nor think as I looked at him. “Tu infirmitatem meam. Fortitudinem meam. You are my weakness. My strength.” I fell over and let out a loud cry of agony. The final word he spoke ended it all, “Exesa…” water surrounded them and the wind shaped the water into a whirlpool of a sphere. All I heard was Kenada’s devastating screams, then it was over. The sphere couldn’t hold it’s shape any longer and the wind and water dispersed. All that was left were the punctured corpses of my friend and an unstable victim. I couldn’t even look at the scene, but I had to put up with it. It was my fault that I let this happen. I hesitated when I saw her pain.

A chill ran down my spine and guilt gnawed at my stomach and heart as I buried Kenada at the shack and took Demaris home with me so I could bury him there. It took me a while to get home, but I let the wind guide me. It was as if he was leading me home; it was like him being there next to me. Through thick and long plains and around refreshing river bends and wooded areas, I finally made it home. I was so exhausted, that I fell onto the ground; i never let go of Demaris as tears pricked my eyes. I heard distant yelling and saw green, fearful eyes bore into mine. Kidet. I gave out and turned to the darkness for comfort. When I woke up the next morning, I rushed to see Arthus. “Isn’t there anything you can do, Arthus? You’re amazing! I know you can do something!” I cried, begging Arthus to try anything. She sighed, wiping tears from her eyes. “Look hun, I’m a doctor, a healer, a scientist. I’m no witch, magician, nor miracle worker. I already checked. He’s…” she choked down a sob and cry and pulled her strength. “He’s d-dead. I can’t bring life to the dead. I can only heal the living.” She walked over to me, huggin me, which made me cry even more. “But he will always be here for us. In heart, mind, and spirit. Believe that.”

We buried Demaris in his favorite spot, the middle of the garden. Everyone except Tanoris, Kidet, and I left after he went underground, back into the dust of which he came from. Kidet looked at Tanoris in anger and glared at him menacingly. “This wouldn’t have happened...if you had did what you said you would.” Kidet spat venom from his mouth, a power of his; it’s called neurotoxin. “Kidet, I never planned for this to happen and you know this!” Tanoris yelled. I put my hands up, silencing them both. “This is my fault. I hesitated during the mission, and he told me to never do that...but I did.” I felt my emotions becoming unstable again. “Did the target get away?” Tanoris asked me, very concerned about what happened. “No,” I said, “Demaris took her down along with him. I buried her near her home.” He looked at the grave and Kidet walked over to me and grabbed my arm. I looked at him and he spat out some venom before talking, “It’s okay. Whether she got away or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re safe.” He pulled me into a tight hug, which felt like he was constricting me. I patted his back and he let go slowly. “We’ll be okay.” I had to be like Demaris; I had to be determined, dedicated, and I couldn’t hesitate. No matter what.