• tab I was barely aware of Lazarus calling my name. I could tell he was saying something, but I wasn't sure what. I couldn't respond to him. The storm was beginning to control me.
    tab "Aurelie! Snap out of it already!" his voice was full of concern, his eyes confused. I gazed at his beautiful face, his sharp jaw and the sleek hair that fell around it, trying to keep myself under control.
    tab "What?" I asked.
    tab "Are you sure you're in the condition to go anywhere? It looks to me like that storm is trying to control you," his voice was quieter now.
    tab "I'll be fine. Let's keep moving." I was well aware that I wasn't alright. Something was happening. I wasn't sure if it was the storm or just Lazarus being so close to me. The ghost had gone, something she had to do every now and then, and Lazarus and I were alone. We walked for a long time, until the sun began peeking over the trees. It slashed the clouds above it deep orange and pink. I looked above me, seeing a few of the brightest stars glittering.
    tab "Maybe we should stop for a bit," Lazarus suggested gently. He tugged on my arm, trying to get me to sit on the ground next to him. I eventually did, but I sat on his lap instead.
    tab Let us lead you. We know how to help., the storm called to me. I lightly shook my head trying to get it to stop.
    tab "I know what is going on you know," Lazarus said.
    tab "What's going on?"
    tab "I know how it controls you. It wants to control your body and mind. Please allow me to fix that for you." I didn't answer him, just lay my head on his shoulder. He apparently took that as an opportunity to help me. He turned me to face him and gripped my hematite necklace. I locked eyes with him, seeing the storm give his irises a blue tint. He was taking more than he needed to.
    tab "Lazarus, that's enough. Don't take it all." Him taking more than half of it from me would weaken me considerably, possibly kill me.
    tab "I know." His voice was barely a whisper. I felt him let go of the necklace as he moved closer to me. "I see what absorbing other energies does to you. How can you think I don't?"
    tab "Lazarus..." My voice was so soft I wasn't sure that he had heard it, but he had.
    tab "Yes?" I could feel his breath on my lips, chilling my whole face. His top lip brushed mine lightly when he spoke. A twig snapped to my right and we both shot our gazes to it.
    tab "They found us," I said quietly. I didn't have time to stand up, Lazarus had already began running, carrying me with him. The power he had taken was helping him run faster. He had taken too much, considering I was starting to feel weak I knew he had.
    tab "Do you know a safe place to go?" he asked.
    tab "No. As far as I know they'll find us anywhere." He pulled me closer to him just as an arrow shot in front of me. It wasn't just any arrow. It was a silver arrow. Standard issue for ryoushi. They knew what I was and they had sent the ghosts to kill me.
    tab "Ryoushi. Wonderful," Lazarus said as he began weaving through trees.
    tab "It was them. They sent the ghosts after me, which means she was on their side doesn't it?"
    tab "That it does. Do you feel okay? Your heart rate is slowing down a lot." My back and neck felt sticky with sweat and my breathing was slowing down.
    tab "You took too much of that storm at once," I replied.
    tab "I had to. You would have died otherwise." What was supposed to keep me from dying now? I was starting to lose my senses. I couldn't hear what he was saying to me, not to mention I couldn't respond. He had stopped running and was leaning over me on the ground. Tears were dripping from his cheeks and landing on my face. I stared into his silver eyes, losing myself in them.
    tab You can't leave me! His voice was loud in my head.
    tab I don't know if I can stop anything, I told him.
    tab If you die I swear to god, Aurelie. I slowly closed my eyes, feeling him pull me to him. I love you, he said as slipped into a quiet dream.