Jaiden Lightning and the Heart of Darkness: Chapter 2

 Hello! Dreamstar here! This post is actually a collab between me and Nia K

Jaiden woke in her bedroom the next morning as if nothing had happened. Had she dreamed it all?

Sunlight gently dappled across her face, and she felt something warm and soft on her feet. She looked towards the end of the bed, and what she saw made her heart leap. It was Storm, her light gray cat with white paws and underbelly. He purred peacefully and rolled over, revealing the long scar that trailed down his leg. Jaiden shifted herself so that she could pet him. He blinked his round golden eyes at her.

“Hey boy,” she whispered as he purred at her touch. She pulled her covers back and dropped out of bed, deciding that if there was any chance the weird Atlantis city thing being Aiden’s home was a dream, she’d take it. She blinked a few times before getting dressed, realizing she was wearing the same clothes she’d worn to the park, only they were clean and not torn up. She could hear quiet voices outside her door, now. “Do you think she’s awake?” “She must be.” “Should we wake her if she’s not?” “No. I’m pretty sure she was awake past midnight, she needs her sleep.” “If you say so.” “It’s Saturday. She can sleep in.”

Jaiden pulled her clothes on as quickly as she could, shoving the door open and startling her parents, who were still outside her door talking about her sleeping habits. Which she found annoying, for some reason.

“Morning Mom! Morning Dad!” she said mock-cheerfully, stretching.

“Morning, pumpkin,” Her dad ruffled her already messy hair.

“Breakfast is in the kitchen,” her mom offered. Jaiden smiled and raced off down the hall.

She felt a little guilty, eating her pancakes. She had the distinct feeling Oceadore wasn’t a dream, and that meant Aiden was suffering through his punishment while she smiled and ate breakfast made by her awesome mom. Maybe she would randomly make him pancakes to make up for it later. As she chewed her food, Jaiden thought about what she’d heard in and out of her drugged haze. Her brain hadn’t been able to process them then, but now that it was getting food and energy again, she was realizing what had been happening. Aiden had apologized to her for not reading the signs. He was being punished by being kept away from the surface and her. Conner had said somebody named Rowan had organized a team to take her back home. She had to get back. Gulping down the rest of her pancakes, Jaiden flew out of the house, yelling over her shoulder that she had to go do something important. Mounting her bike, she pedaled furiously down her suburban street.

She stopped after a while, taking deep breaths. She probably had a look in her eye that made her look like a wild animal, but she didn’t care. A 16-year-old boy with vivid red hair and intense brown eyes was smiling at her. He had a bandage around his head, and he winked at her when he saw she was gawking at him.

It was the same boy she’d seen yesterday with a cut above his eyebrow in Oceadore. Either she was being watched, or it was just a coincidence. She decided it was the former, jumping off her bike and marching towards the crazy Atlantis kid.

“Hi,” he greeted her as she approached him. Where to go from there? “Um, hi,” Jaiden echoed. “Um… do you know somebody named Aiden, by any chance?” A dark look flashed across the boy’s face. “Why?” “I’ve gotta find him.” “No. I haven’t seen anyone named Aiden.” Jaiden narrowed her eyes. “Why are you here?” “What are you talking about? I live here.” “Don’t lie to my face!” Jaiden hissed. “I know you were there, in the kingdom, sparring with that other boy—” “Shh,” the boy said, looking uncomfortable, “don’t go blabbing about Atlantis in public! Do you want us to be found out?” So it wasn’t a dream at all.

“Aiden! Now!”

The boy looked like he wanted to strangle her, and he let out a weird noise before grumbling, “Fine. But I’m not making his mistake and taking you home, so follow me.”

He led her towards a secluded alleyway, and she suddenly didn’t think trusting the guy was a good idea, anymore. He turned and gave her an impatient look.

“It’s perfectly safe, I have… protection spells.”

Jaiden nodded and followed him into the dark alley. “What’s your name?”

He considered her for a moment, then shook his head. “You can call me Al.”

“You know my name, I want yours,” Jaiden demanded, not satisfied by a nickname.

“Alroy,” he grunted. “And listen up because I can’t tell you much. You weren’t even supposed to see me.”

“So you are following me!”

He looked at her like she was crazy. “The Heart of Darkness is after Aiden, of course, we’re making sure it doesn’t hurt you to get to him.”

“How’s—How’s Aiden?”

It came out barely a whisper, but Al heard her.

“He’s handling it worse than we thought he would, and he’s forbidden from coming up to the surface. He’s stuck doing dishes and cleaning crazy amounts of throwing stars. He can’t sleep at night because he worries the Shadow’ll get you.”

Jaiden was stunned for a moment, so she decided to go for safer questions. “A, when can I see him again, and B, how do you know if he doesn’t sleep?”

Al snorted. “We’re in the same dorm. And I don’t know when you'll see him, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

Before Jaiden could ask anything else, he disappeared in a blinding flash of white light, leaving her alone in the alley. Rude. Well, if Al wasn’t going to help Jaiden find Aiden, she would have to do it on her own. What to do first?

Suddenly, a pair of glowing golden eyes peered out from the darkness, and out crept Storm, meowing in greeting. “How did you get out?” Jaiden asked, then remembered that the window in her bedroom had been open. Jaiden sighed and picked him up, stroking him in her arms. She could go and find the Oceadore kingdom, but, assuming it was somewhere in the Atlantic, she would not only have to sneak out of the city but through at least four states as well! And even if Jaiden miraculously found Oceadore, Aiden would probably be punished even worse if anyone saw her in the kingdom!

She could go home and pretend nothing had happened. Jaiden quickly shook off this thought. Definitely out of the question.

But… She should probably take Storm back home since there was no way she was lugging her kitty around the city with her. She sighed in defeat, plopping him down in her bike’s basket and pedaling back toward her apartment.

On the kitchen counter was a note from her mother:

Dear Jaiden,

Dad and I had to leave for a sudden shift. If you're hungry, there are grapes and juice in the fridge and cookies on the counter. If Storm asks for food, give him a bit of cheese.

Love, Mom

She set Storm on the couch, deciding she might as well come up with a plan at home. She stumbled towards her bedroom, pushed the door open, and nearly screamed.

There, standing at the foot of her bed, was Aiden. His face was covered with new scars and there were dark circles under his eyes. He smiled weakly, “Hey.”

His voice was full of melancholy, but at that moment, Jaiden didn’t care. He was here. She rushed forward to give him a hug, but her arms went right through him, his image rippling.

“I’m not really here,” he said regretfully. “It’s a projection. I need to talk to you, but I don’t have long.”

“Okay,” Jaiden hesitated, surprised to hear the thickness in her voice, “...I miss you.”

He smiled that incredibly sad smile. “I miss you too, but—”

He took a shuddering breath, “I need you to promise me you’ll take precautions against the shadow, and whatever you do, do not try to find Oceadore. Got it? You’ll get us both in trouble and then we won’t be able to see each other for way longer. This is the best way. The only way.”

Jaiden shook her head vigorously. “No. There has to be a better way! Being a coward won’t help anything, and if I don’t do something to stop the shadow, who knows what destruction it’ll cause!” Aiden’s face hardened.

“There’s a difference between cowardice and self-protection.”

“Why can’t I protect myself and show courage at the same time?”

Pure sadness showed in Aidens expression again. “Jaiden, I’m telling you to do this because I want both of us to be safe and if you do what you want you’ll be risking both our lives.”

Jaiden winced, but her mind was made up. “I’m sorry Aiden,” she said, staring into her friend's eyes. “But I have to do it. For all of us.” Aiden’s projection flickered. His face grew even more sorrowful.

“Jay, I have to go,” he said. “I know I can’t change your mind, but remember what you’re risking: countless lives, including yours.”

Jaiden nodded sadly, and then the projection vanished. “I know what I’m risking,” Jaiden said to the empty room, “but I’ll risk all of it and more to stop the shadow.”

She lay on her bed, thinking about what she’d done. She had no way to save anyone without Aiden and his knife skills, or at least some information about the ‘Heart of Darkness.’ She didn’t even bother to undress before she hit the sack and decided to figure it out in the morning. Maybe she could find a way to send a message to Atlantis, to make a compromise with Aiden. He was probably suffering enough without having to worry about his best friend risking it all, but she wasn’t sorry. He was hiding something, and all of this was putting a strain on their friendship. No matter what happened, Jaiden definitely didn’t want to think Aiden was somewhere under the sea resenting her. Yet, that thought decided to haunt her dreams that night.

The dreams turned to nightmares in which she single-handedly destroyed the world, and she woke in cold sweat, breathing heavily. Her pounding heart skipped a beat when she noticed someone leaning against the bedroom door with his arms crossed.

Aiden’s projection was back, and she couldn’t even punch him for watching her sleep.