FicWad

"Everyone move," said a hurried voice. Its owner tried to break through the crowd, but it remained as solid and steadfast as a brick wall. He gave up and circled around it, finding someone lying against the wall. He gasped and rushed to her side.

"Nex! What happened to you?" he asked breathlessly. Miraculously, she lifted her head and tried to look at him, but she couldn't open her eyes. A mumbled word escaped her pale, parted lips, but he couldn't understand it. He slowly lowered her nearly lifeless form to the floor, trying his best to ignore the smeared, darkened blood trail painting the wall.

"Don't try to talk yet, Nex. Just rest. I'll get you out of here."

"Nn..." Nex took a shallow, shuddering breath and tried to lick her lips. "No..."

He quieted her, placing one arm behind her shoulders and the other beneath her knees, and picked her up as if she were weightless. She winced in pain, still unable to open her eyes, but tried to move anyway. It only hurt more.

"...Stop...you have to...go back," she whispered, letting out an almost full breath of air on the last word.

"I can't. You're hurt, Nex, and you need to rest," he murmured back. "I would teleport, but it would risk harming you, and I wouldn't want to do that."

"Shade!" He jumped at the sound of his voice and turned around, sighing in relief. "You have to help him!"

"Help who?" he asked quizzically.

"Davey. He's in trouble. Zio's going to kill him!" Shade glanced around wildly for another option, but only saw the man standing in front of him.

"Here, take care of her for me. She's hurt," he said quickly. The other man obligingly took her, holding her as Shade had.

"Be careful, Shade," he called as the black-haired boy ran the opposite direction.

"You too, Jade!"
-
This time, the crowd parted for his entrance, forming a neat pathway leading towards the fight raging in the center of the room. Shade quickly assessed the situation and immediately fired a blast of black fire at Zio, but it failed to penetrate the force field. Zio laughed at his attempt.

"You will not save him."

"You're wrong, Zio," Shade shouted. He looked around at the Despair Faction, still glowing with angry blue and black flames. "You're wrong." He closed his eyes and focused, drawing every ounce of power he could. He knew it wasn't going to be enough, but suddenly felt a burst of energy flood his heart. He opened his eyes and saw a black beam of energy coming toward him, and looked toward its source.

"Ash, what-"

"We're going to help you, Shade," she responded, not allowing him to finish. Her eyes closed as she channeled her power toward him. "All of us."

A look of awe crossed his face as he felt his power increasing ever so slightly. His hands seemed to have the faintest of flames encasing them. Several other people of the Despair Faction gave him their power as well, but Shade was unable to keep control of it and could only release the untamed energy in the direction of the pale-haired man about to finish off their leader.

The magic flames shattered through the force field as if it had never existed, knocking Zio off his feet. Davey remained motionless on the floor as Shade used the energy to keep the Ghost from getting away. The Despair Faction kept adding their power to his, but Shade suddenly changed its focus to Davey. The black flames became blue as they restored the rightful leader's energy.

"Davey, you have to finish him off! I can't do it for you!" Shade shouted. His arms were starting to quaver from the enormous amount of power, but he fought against the weakness threatening to overtake him.

Davey stood, and crackling orange flames and sparks suddenly encased his hands. He stepped towards Zio ominously. The Ghost could hardly maintain consciousness.

"This is for what you've done to us, Zio," Davey said in a low voice. "For all the pain you've caused. For all the people you've hurt." He felt the power growing with every word he spoke. The heat was intense, but it was a part of him now. It no longer caused him pain.

Zio turned his head towards Davey just enough to let out a happy, tired smirk.

"I should warn you," he whispered. "If you kill me, you kill all Ghosts. Including your little friend."

Davey's heart fell, but his face remained stoic. Only his eyes narrowed at Zio's words.

"That's right. It hurts, doesn't it?"

"Davey, don't listen to him!" shouted Shade, trying to hold on to consciousness. "Nex will be fine."

"He doesn't want to believe the truth. There will be nothing you can do to save her."

Davey snarled at him, showing several teeth.

"Enough." He put both hands together and shot the fire at the Ghost. Zio smirked at him for one more second before disappearing. All the energy flowed out of Davey like someone opening a floodgate, but he was content. Zio was gone. They were safe.

His thoughts quickly turned to Nex, and though his body protested, he ran back to Shade, who had since collapsed to the floor. He was still awake when Davey reached him.

"Where's Nex?" Davey asked. "I don't see her."

"I gave her to Jade," Shade said with a light cough. "I told him to take care of her."

"I don't know where he is," said Davey, feeling a small tug at his heart. He had never apologized to Jade for their fight. For hurting him. Shade raised a shaking hand towards Davey's eyes, and there was a faint flash of pale green light. His hand fell back to the ground as if that had been the last of his energy.

"Just think about finding him, and you'll see the world through his eyes," Shade managed to say, closing his eyes and murmuring something about sleep. Davey thanked him and stood, seeing everyone in the Despair Faction staring at him as if expecting him to say something.

"What should we do now?" asked Ash.

"I...I have to go," said Davey, struggling to find words. "Take care of Shade." He ran down the hallway, the thought of Jade strong in his mind. Ash carefully approached Shade, making sure he was still alive.

"Guys, I'm going to need your help," she said to the rest of the Despair Faction. They seemed to close in around her in one mass of darkness, but it was a relief to her. Someone much taller and stronger than her came and picked up Shade's sleeping form effortlessly, and set off down the hallway, knowing exactly where to go. After all, he had once lived here. Many of them had.

Their large group began to disperse, splitting up into their usual groups of two or three. They wandered around the hallways, looking around at familiar sights. It was good to finally be home.
-
Jade watched from a distance as Nex stirred in her sleep. He wanted to know what had happened to her, but he knew she needed to sleep, and as of yet had not said anything.

Just then, the door opened, and Davey stood there, looking breathless.

"Jade-"

"Shh. She's asleep," Jade muttered, motioning to Nex. Davey nodded and sat next to Jade.

"Jade...I'm sorry about what happened to you. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just...lost control," Davy said slowly. He realized his hands were shaking.

"Davey, I don't really want to talk right now," Jade said curtly. He looked away so Davey couldn't see the scar.

"Jade, I don't know if she's going to make it," Davey said sadly, staring down at the floor. "I killed Zio...and he said it would kill her too." Jade looked back at him with shocked, horrified eyes.

"Davey...how...how could you?" he asked incredulously. Davey met his eyes with a dark look.

"Because Shade told me she would be fine-"

"I knew it. Of course Shade would say that," Jade said bitterly, crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall.

"You didn't let me finish, Jade," Davey said quietly. "Zio said it would kill all the Ghosts if he died. Nex is not completely a Ghost anymore. I trust Shade, even if you don't. I couldn't have done it without him, Jade."

"That's my point," Jade said through gritted teeth, trying to keep his voice low. "Why does he end up surviving when Nex doesn't?" Davey sighed quietly. This was more complicated than he would have thought.

"I had to do it, Jade. The Despair Faction is safe now. So are-" His breath caught in his throat, and Jade glanced back at him listlessly. "So are Hunter and Adam."

"It doesn't matter...It's not fair," Jade mumbled, almost speaking to himself.

"Just give it time. Everything will work out," said Davey, attempting a sad smile. Jade merely sighed and turned away from him completely. Davey stood, taking a glance at Nex, then quietly left the room. He had to go find his friends.
-
(This is not the end, I swear.)