The Fifth World

Cynric: There are no words to describe the relief and... love I feel for the world knowing that Bo is here, right now. Even if we are so close to death, she is still so close to me, at this very moment.
Today could be the end of all days, the last few breaths my body will take could be on this day... but it would mean everything to me having spent these last few minutes of my life with Bo
by my side... rather than a lifetime without her. There is just something about the hearts affections that only few in this world can understand.

"Cynric!" I hear a voice call as I defend myself from a woman.

She is a Thorne, obviously, and the look in her eyes... it's just something inhuman. I can't explain it. This woman, well, girl, since she is only a few years older than Bo, clearly appears as a human... but the look in her eyes, the cravings for blood on the tip of her tongue... she's like an animal. Her body is tense, prepared... she's so young and it is as if her entire life has come down to this moment. It would not be surprising if that were the truth.

"Stand down, Thorne," I command her. It would be wise of her if she did. She may be strong and fast but I think that if I choose the right Angelican spells... I could take her.

"I can smell your fear, Angelican," she hisses, "tell me, does a slow and painful death sound pleasant to you?"

I feel the left corner of my lip tilt upwards. A small smile is all she needs. Her feet move in perfect motion, so swiftly and perfectly... it is as if we are dancing. She takes a few steps to the right, quite quickly, but I can see her. What has gotten into me today? I can defend myself... but it is as if something has possessed me... spirit or something. I feel invincible. Suddenly, she lunges forward, her entire body thrusting itself against mine. I cannot be certain what she does but my body falls back, straight to the ground and I feel like I weigh a thousand tonnes. My head flicks back, feels the earth beneath cruelly slap at my flesh... my head begins to ache. The Thorne smiles at me. She takes another step closer and stands over me. I stare up at her as I struggle to take a breath. Her hair is long and dark, it almost looks dirty. Her skin is pale, almost a complete white. She places her boot, her large and heavy combat boot, atop of my neck. I think I underestimated her.

"Beg for your life, Angelican," she says to me, her words piercing and sharp. She grits her teeth and presses down on my neck. I begin to choke. "Do it."

A hand is at her boot, my fingers trying to push her away from me but it's no use. She's got me. She's too strong for me and I don't even know where my dagger is... but where is everyone else? I choke even more as she pressed down at my neck. My other hand searches along the grass for my dagger. I groan loudly as she puts so much pressure on me. Any further and I'll be done. I can barely breathe. It's getting harder to think. My fingers are reaching. Reaching. Reaching. Reaching. Hurry up. I can feel the blood rushing to my head. My eyes begin to sting. I cough. I choke. I can hear her laugh. Her disgusting laugh. It echoes. I cough. Air. Air. I need air. A sharp shooting sound almost distracts me from the pain. The same sound goes again and again and again. I am finally given the ability to breathe. I choke and choke but it finally happens. Her big, fat combat boot is gone... it hurts but it is the best feeling. Air runs through me... oxygen, sweet oxygen, in my lungs.

I sit up, quite quickly, I don't have time to be slow. This is a battle. The second I see my dagger it is in my hand. I look at the Thorne, see the shock in her eyes, actual emotion. Four arrows stick out of her body... one in her thigh and three in her torso. I quickly look behind me and see great, big, fiery red hair. Janine stands at least twenty metres from me, her eyes on both the Thorne and I. She pulls out another arrow, places it and releases it from her bow. The last sound I hear is the arrow entering the Thornes body, her breath coming fast and sharp... I am done with her. She is done with today too. I run and as I look back expecting my opponent to still be standing, watching, as I go to find another, I see her lying on the ground. I do not think about her again.

Bo: I have not held a weapon for a few days now... nor have I had many lessons. I can defend myself, yes, but only to a limited extent. So, why is it I haven't been hurt yet? Why is it every Thorne I have come across I have killed?
Who is helping me right now? Who, in this world or another, is guiding me? Or watching over me? Or is it nobody? Is it just myself? Am I naturally skilled at combat?

I drive my dagger into a Thorne, she barely feels it. My dagger is covered in blood... I do not even want to know the amount of people who have had their blood shed from my dagger today. I look behind me and spot Cynric. He is fighting a man, another one is coming up behind him. I must help! Bodies are dropping everywhere... Thorne, Time Jumper, Shape Shifter and Angelican.
This woman is just getting in the way... she is trying to hurt me but I know for a fact that she isn't trying to kill me... otherwise I would be dead already. I think she is trying to capture me. The Thornes have lost me and need me again. Gosh, they want me to carry out their plans. They are insane if they truly think I will do that.
I drive my dagger into the Thorne again. She squeals, very loudly, and in a blur she whisks passed me and soon is standing directly behind me. She thrusts a fist into my back and my body launches forward. I swear I hear something crack. I scream but I barely hear myself. There is chaos everywhere. Sounds are so loud that they are mute. I pull myself up from the ground and can't help, even with this Thorne coming straight at me, to look over at Cynric to see if he is okay.
I can't even tell you what I do to the Thorne... it's probably too graphic. All I feel... is my blade taking a swipe at her, so quickly and carefully that she dies almost instantly. Her blood spatters across the bottom half of my face and neck. I quickly wipe it and run as quickly as I can passed everybody in order to get to Cynric. Before I even get to him he is with me, his hand taking mine. He urgently pulls me through the forest... and then something happens... I begin to remember... that time when I first came here... to this very clearing... this very place. It was not today, no it wasn't. It was many days ago now. I look to my left and see a Thorne, as dangerous as a monster, jump... not physically jump but teleport jump as he fights an Angelican. I remember Calhoun's words... chemical engineering.

"W-what are we doing?" I ask Cynric.

He keeps running, sprinting, actually, "it is too dangerous. I won't have you out there any longer."

"No!" I yell at him, "I can take care of myself, Cynric. I can. I promise you. I cannot even count the amount of lives I have taken today. It scares me but I can do it!"

"No, no, I can't stand losing you, Bo. Not again."

I stop running and he almost trips, "you won't lose me, Cynric. Please. We must go back!"

I can't even find the words to tell him exactly why... it is confusing yet it all makes sense. I do not simply want to go back to the clearing. Not to fight... at least not yet. I just need to get further towards the clearing but remain in the trees... because somewhere in here, in this very forest, the other me, the younger and more naive me will be there... screaming for Cynric because he will be calling my name... but it won't be Cynric. It will be a Thorne.

"Bo! Bo!" I hear the voice, Cynric's voice, he immediately looks at me when those words are screamed, "Bo!"

I begin to run, just as I once did that day when I jumped here... to this very day... back before I had even come to the Fifth World, officially. It was the time when I hurt my arm, or sprained it or something. I was running through the forest because I could hear Cynric screaming for me. I found him and there he was. It was the first time I had ever been introduced to chemical engineering... during that time the idea would have never crossed my mind. With all of the magic in this world, who would have thought that science would play a big part?
Cynric chases me. He doesn't speak or even try to stop me because I know he suspects what is going on... at this very moment, there are two Bo's in this world and one of them is very close to death, therefore the both of us could die if I am not there to save myself.