«We Could Be Legends»

[FrankieDoodle]

Taylor looked up at him, visibly shaking with suppressed emotion. "They're dead, Toby! They are dead! They fell into the earth!"

"I refuse to believe that. What if they are alive? The more time we spend arguing over if they're dead or not, the more dead they're going to be!" Toby said, determined they were alive.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

"I refuse to believe that. What if they are alive? The more time we spend arguing over if they're dead or not, the more dead they're going to be!" Toby said, determined they were alive.

Taylor sighed. "Do you even know what happens to people who get buried alive?! They run out of oxygen, and they die. Toby, it's not worth it, we'll never get to them even if they are alive!"

 

[FrankieDoodle]

Taylor sighed. "Do you even know what happens to people who get buried alive?! They run out of oxygen, and they die. Toby, it's not worth it, we'll never get to them even if they are alive!"

"But we won't know if they're dead until we get them out!" Toby turned to Indigo and Ash. "Back me up here guys!"

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

"But we won't know if they're dead until we get them out!" Toby turned to Indigo and Ash. "Back me up here guys!"

Taylor let out a frustrating snarl, and suddenly a bush nearby burst into flame, her eyes flashing white for second. "You need to start thinking logically, people! They. Are. Dead."

 

[FrankieDoodle]

Taylor let out a frustrating snarl, and suddenly a bush nearby burst into flame, her eyes flashing white for second. "You need to start thinking logically, people! They. Are. Dead."

"These people are friends and family to us. I won't do nothing if there is a chance they could be alive. I will get them back with or without your help." Toby said, glaring up at her.

 

[HeavensHens88]

Connor was dying.
In truth, he’d been dying all day.
He was certain of it now. All of his fruitless struggles to move had proved to him that he had no feeling below his waist- his back had been broken and he was paralyzed. He likely could’ve lived with that alone, but there was this strengthening weakness that came not from what oppressed him outwardly, but within. He wasn’t completely aware that he was slowly succumbing to widespread internal bleeding, but he knew.

So it was only now did he really come to terms with his fate. Perhaps it was the soil clogging his throat and nose. Maybe it was the utter torture of breathing that betrayed the broken ribs. Though his body was relatively free in the earthen pocket he’d come to rest in, his neck was pinned upward at a horrible angle. The stale air his nose raggedly drew in came with more and more solid particles every time.

This wasn’t surviving.

He’d miss getting to see his little girl walk across a school stage to receive the scroll of paper that was the prize of relentless, eighteen-year pursuit. He regretted that his guidance wouldn’t be there to fight for her way through through the trials of oppressive early adulthood. His arms wouldn’t be able to pull her close when she hit another dangerous low in her belief of herself. He wouldn’t be there to fight off the unqualified suitors and begrudgingly come to an understanding with the only one worthy.

But she’d be able to do it all without him.

He was breaking the promise he’d made to Ash when they were barely more than kids and terribly uncertain of how they were going to find their way in the world without family or funds. No longer would he be there to defeat the remanent terrors from their own ghastly adolescence that came for her in the night. There wouldn’t be any more off-key, radio-accompanied midnight duets atop the most remote hill they could find. His bottomless stomach wouldn’t be there to receive the dubiously edible products of her kitchen concoctions. Now she would be forever taking her jogs alone.

But she’d be able to do it all without him.

He knew it was going to be okay. They’d both be able to go on without him. They were the strongest women he knew.

And then he had a sudden thought of Wolfram. Now that his own ideas were the only ones he had to contend with, he was suddenly certain that Bleddyn was going to have to start dealing in the messy world of negotiably mutual feelings a whole lot sooner.
And he was surprised to realize that he was okay with the negligible potential of Wolfram becoming something more for his daughter. Because, among all of the self-loathing, doubt, and ineptitude that the young man was comprised of, Connor had seen something he’d seen before.
He already knows he’d die for anything of them.
He’d die for her. Just like I was. Just like I would.
And am.

All of that realized with finality, he was put at even greater peace.

Through all of the pressure that was interminably collapsing his innards into themselves, he was able to recognize that, somehow, he’d been approached by much stabler survivors. He curled his muzzle into a grateful smile for the gift of magically generated oxygen, but his breathing had already been far too compromised for it to aid him. For a moment, his eyes fluttered, fighting against his stubborn will to force them open, then they flickered shut entirely for the last time.

He was suddenly overcome with pride for Ash and Bleddyn. His fantastic, amazing, and completely undeserved partner who had pulled, walked with, and run ahead of him through the way better half of his life. Their brilliant girl who’d overcome so much against the worst kind of negativity- her own.

For his last movement, Connor chose to smile again. Hey, Tom, I’ve got so much to tell you, man.

With anticipation for whatever waited beyond this horrible plane, he let himself go.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

"These people are friends and family to us. I won't do nothing if there is a chance they could be alive. I will get them back with or without your help." Toby said, glaring up at her.

"There isn't a chance, Toby!" Taylor shot to her feet, no longer trying to suppress her emotions. Silent tears stained her face, causing her emerald eyes to go glassy. "If there was a chance, I'd tell you. Oh, for God's sake, I'd do anything to make sure no one else died, but there is no way they are alive."

 

[FrankieDoodle]

"There isn't a chance, Toby!" Taylor shot to her feet, no longer trying to suppress her emotions. Silent tears stained her face, causing her emerald eyes to go glassy. "If there was a chance, I'd tell you. Oh, for God's sake, I'd do anything to make sure no one else died, but there is no way they are alive."

Toby flinched. Defeated, he slowly sat down, staring at the ground. She was right. He knew she was right, but it was a lot easier to be delusional over their survival than to accept the truth. "But maybe..." He trailed off. No. They were dead, and it would be pointless to dig them up only to bury them again. He rested his head in his hands. Everything was so messed up. So many people were dead, just because some people had powers and others didn't.

 

[HeavensHens88]

Wolfram hadn't been expecting it. He hadn't been expecting the rush of movement or the impact as Bleddyn launched herself at him. "Dyn, it's—" his voice failed him suddenly. 'Wolfram, I think I did that.
His mind spun suddenly. Bleddyn, who he had taken for a simple human, had possibly just torn a hole in the very being of the earth.
"You think you did that," he echoed softly, one arm coming around to rest on her back. But...but...how?
He felt a creeping sense of dread that his back was left unguarded, Bleddyn completely helpless in his arms. But the extreme warmth in the air told him Taylor was hovering nearby, powers as maximum height.
"Just breathe, Bleddyn. Just breathe. Tell me what happened, and we can figure this out."

"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know!" Bleddyn’s last insistence rose into a strangled scream. She was utterly petrified because of what she couldn’t understand. She couldn't get air to cooperate enough to be utilized by her lungs. Her head was roaring as though she had the very essence of warfare within her, completely hindering her ability to form coherent thought. As she crumpled away from him into a shaking heap, an ominous tear in the rumbled grasses began to spread outward from beneath her into sinuous spider-leg cracks.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Toby flinched. Defeated, he slowly sat down, staring at the ground. She was right. He knew she was right, but it was a lot easier to be delusional over their survival than to accept the truth. "But maybe..." He trailed off. No. They were dead, and it would be pointless to dig them up only to bury them again. He rested his head in his hands. Everything was so messed up. So many people were dead, just because some people had powers and others didn't.

Taylor watched for a moment, her gaze slowly drifting around the clearing. Lily, Ash, Indigo, Toby, Brisa, Jessi, River, Lachlan, Camilla, Bleddyn, Wolfram...they had all lost someone. Family, friends...
Because of Mapleshade.
Fire crackled and snaked from her palms, fury rising in her chest. Bcause of one, jealous and selfish human being...
Four people that were so important to this group had died.
At her hand.
With a barely audible snarl, the flames snaked from her hands, piercing the earth's scar.
But it did nothing more then burn the grass and leaves, leaving the two buried people to die.
And become nothing more then Legends.