Chapter 8

chapter Eight

*Ariya*

I wonder what they'll chooseWill they stay or will they leave? Will they live or will they die? Will they help me or try to kill me? Will I live or is the damage too great? I wonder

A growl comes from the right. My eyes open up. I know that growl. Caleb. He's here. Link and Mya land on their butt as they spin to see Caleb. Caleb growls in warning to them as he gets closer to me. Mya stays where she is, refusing to leave my side. Link starts to back away, fearful of Caleb and Drake. His hand hits the metal rod he dropped and in one swift movement he grabs it and swings it.

"Get away from us!" Link screams.

Caleb growls in response to Link but doesn't move closer. When Link stands his ground, Caleb looks at me, then to Drake, then back to me and whines.

"We're not going anywhere. Not without her." Drake says, unaffected by Link.

"You think we're gonna let you do that?!" Link said.

"You don't have a choice. What? You think you can heal her and bring her back? You have no idea." Drake replied.

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" Link asked confused.

"You really don't know, even now. Look at her. You think you can save her? The second you pull her down from there, she's going to bleed out. No one can heal her. Not you. Not your friend. Not even me. The only thing that will save her is if she turns." Drake said matter of factly.

"You're wrong!" Link shouted.

"Then get her off of there." Drake told them.

Determined to try, Link looked at me.

"It'll all be ok, Ariya. Trust me." Link said as he grabbed me and pulled my body from the metal rod sticking out of my chest. I coughed and spat up blood as he did. The pain in my chest was agonizing. It burned as he pulled me off. I looked at Drake with fear and pain in my eyes. As Link placed me on the ground I began bleeding out, the damage too great for Mya to heal.

"Ariya" Mya said through tears.

"No, no no!" Link shouted, "Ariya! You can't die here!"

"I told you, no one can heal her now. All she can do is turn." Drake said.

Link glared at Drake, "Then why not push us out of the way and do it?!"

"I don't have to. She'll turn on her own. It is her birthright after all."

Link's glare changed to confusion then understanding. My blood began to boil and my nerves caught fire. My body tensed up and I screamed in agony.

"What's happening?" Mya asked, concerned.

"She's turning." Drake said simply.

I continued screaming. My hands balled in fists and my body arched withering in pain. Every nerve ending screamed inside of me. My eyes flew open and I could feel them change. It felt as if someone took a torch to them while stabbing them at the same time. As I cried out in pain, I felt my lip curl above my canines. My canines forced their way out more. A burning in my throat.

"You both have a decision to make." Drake said looking at Link and Mya, "Will you help her, kill her, or run?"

Darkness.