Nicoleta's mind was whirling, her heart was pounding against her rib cage, and anxiety had become a blanket around her, yet still she felt cold.
She panted out breaths as if she was running, and couldn't get May's fearful eyes out of her head, her trembling hands that slipped away from hers, Charlotte's panic which she tried to mask.
Nicoleta tugged at her hair so hard she tore some. Jackson bought her hands away from her hair.
"What are you doing?" She wanted to scream from worry, scramble out of the croft, and somehow fly back to Westinsenson and help her friends.
"My friends" she muttered hopelessly, he sighed, gripping his seatbelt, "evacuations are still ongoing- your friends will be fine"
A robotic voice sounded loudly all through the croft, "The croft is headed to Switzerland to Base Twelve"
The other kids listened, just as scared as Nicoleta, some were even trembling.
The TV edged into the upper corner of the croft, turned on, and news broadcasting appeared on it.
"Attacks unknown destroy numerous countries in the last twelve hours, Italy, Greece, and Spain are the most affected nations as of- " Nicoleta tuned out everything else when she heard Greece. Her father was in Greece, her family was in Greece.
The chill that surrounded her increased, making her shiver, and despite the coldness, sweat dripped down her forehead.
She stared restlessly at the TV at images of cities brought to ruin. They switched from destruction to destruction. Atop the corner of the TV she saw Athens marked above a red line, Nicoleta's heart dropped into her stomach.
She had never been more afraid, she had never felt anxiety at such a magnitude, her heart could have beaten down her ribs cage.
She gripped her shirt as the camera gave a general overview of houses that had been destroyed.
They passed over numerous neighbourhoods, Nicoleta pleaded with anything that heard for her neighbourhood to not show up, for her father to be fine, and brought to life if otherwise.
But thinking he was not alive, thinking her last call with him was two months ago, she couldn't bear it, she couldn't breathe properly.
Her breaths hitched, eyes blurring with black dots. Nicoleta's head spun around, her hands trembled.
The flame that burned ever small within her had been extinguished by anxiety.
She inhaled but air did not stay in her lungs.
When the new broadcasting came to an end it was because they were also attacked, it cut out a loud beeping sound piercing her ears.
Then the TV was turned off, Jackson placed a gentle hand on Nicoleta's hand, squeezing it lightly.
"Everything's gonna be fine," he whispered. Nicoleta nodded, though she didn't quite believe it.
The flight to base twelve lasted for hours.
It was quiet, with only small sounds of kids sobbing, some trembled so hard Nicoleta heard it vividly in her ears.
Her hand fidgeted upon nervous habit, she tore skin as soon as she started, and each tear made her hiss, it made Jackson glance at her, he would complain, but she didn't stop.
About Four hours into the flight, they hit turbulence.
The croft shook violently, and they were thrust east when a loud bang sounded on the side of the croft.
Everyone screamed, Nicoleta's heart raced so hard she thought surely that would be the death of her.
The captain spoke through the speakers. "The croft has been compromised- be prepared for an emergency landing in Base Nine"
Nicoleta panicked, the seatbelts around them automatically unbuckled. A tall muscular man appeared from the captain's quarters, he wore military wear, and behind him followed four officers.
The croft shook more, and the man in military regalia shouted for the kids to stand up.
They all listened, trembling with fear. The croft shook again, knocking many off of their balance.
"We are going to make an emergency landing in Base Nine, all of you gear up in the suit chamber" the kids were led away to four different doors inside the croft by the officers.
Nicoleta's arm was grabbed harshly by a masked woman who led her into one of the four chambers.
Inside she was layered with the same gear the officers wore.
Black suits with metal plated shoulders, metallic kneecaps, and leather boots. Over all of it was a guard, one over her chest, then some wrapped her legs, and another around her arms, the lady made her wear a helmet.
Nicoleta was trusted outside, where she joined the others, trying to walk normally as the croft shook every few seconds.
Nicoleta's heart raced. Her eyes darted around in search of Jackson. He stood with the commander, listening to something she couldn't hear with all the turbulence, and the noise of kids screaming.
She felt small pressure at the small of her back, and slowly she was guided to the front of the doors.
"The doors will be opened in just a moment." Said the commander, as they strapped everyone with a parachute, Nicoleta's parachute was strapped around her by Jackson who also secured it for her.
"Thank you" she murmured, he tapped her shoulder twice, standing beside her, and keeping a firm hand on her shoulder.
It was almost unnoticeable, but his hands were shaking too, and when she looked at him closer she saw the same fear in his eyes.
The doors began to open, and right in that instant the croft shook more.
"Calm down!" The commander barked, but it was of no use when a giant landed at the foot of the doors.
The man stepped forward, and was blasted relentlessly with bullets from the officers, Jackson and some of the other guys attacked him but it was of no use when he advanced forward showing that their attacks scratched not even a hair on his head, not even his clothes.
Jackson transformed as he ran up to the man knocking him over the same time the rippling sound of his flesh transforming sounded.
Nicoleta watched in fear, unable to move.
"We are getting near the drop zone. Everyone get ready" Nicoleta swallowed her own saliva, thick and slow to go down.
Ten seconds was up before she could think, and before she knew it she had been thrown off of the croft.
The wind resistance was violent against her exposed eyes, she pushed the visor down, heart racing as she fell past some of the kids.
She heard the commander's voice in her ears, "someone latch unto Vivienne" Nicoleta tried to blink away the panic in her stomach, she dropped her gaze down to Jackson.
He flew all around and nowhere all at once, his movements were flamboyant, but Nicoleta could barely admire him when she was scared her life was slowly slipping away from her.
She managed to catch his wing on her way down, and with his assistance she climbed on his back.
He spit fire at an incoming attacker, and swished around making Nicoleta fall again.
She screamed, "open your parachutes" said the commander as he opened his own. Nicoleta grabbed onto the pull, with her life, and pulled it.
It pulled her back, and as she looked down in search for the commander, one of the giants tore him apart.
She could almost hear the tear of his skin coming apart.
Nicoleta couldn't scream as she landed in a forest with the rest of the kids.
Still pursuing them the giant launched a ball of flame toward them, Jackson defended them in the air.
Some of the other kids helped him as best they could.
Nicoleta removed her parachute, hand trembling.
She followed her mates deeper into the forest as they defended themselves against the giant that attacked them restlessly.
Along the way, a loud pitiful whimper coed through the air, Jackson fell amidst them, they all watched him fall, then turned to attack the giant, but he was no longer there.
Nicoleta fell by Jackson, grasping his muzzle, his eyes flattered weakly, the phoenix whimpered, and leaned into her.
Before she knew it she was holding unto Jackson.
She held him close, and looked down against her will to find a big gush in his waist, blood spewed out as if he were a drink being poured.
Nicoleta trembled, clutching unto him even tighter, as if it would save him from the reality of his situation.
"Can anyone heal him?" She asked, voice trembling. No one answered.
"A force field?" Silence again. Nicoleta looked up at the sound of the wind wrestling. Upward was the giant.
The kids began attacking him before he could make a move, yet one by one he dodged each attack as if they were nothing.
Nicoleta stood up on her feet, following his movements, observing him as he came closer to them.
She reached inside where her flame had been dimmed by anxiety, and grasped the heat of the scarlet flame.
When the giant lifted up an arm, Nicoleta shot fire at him, so big she couldn't see him, and just scarlet enough for her to know that he was dead.
She trembled, he was dead- she killed him. She turned around to face the tragedy that was Jackson.
She looked at all her mates, they were all shaken up, all scared, all looking at Jackson.
"Where is Base nine?" A small girl asked, Many of them shrugged, a boy raised a hand, "I was given brief instructions and directions" he beckoned for them to follow him, Nicoleta stopped one of the boys, as they all began to go with him.
"What about Jackson?" She asked, he looked at her, convinced Jackson was already dead.
He didn't let her say a word when he stooped down, and scooped Jackson into his arms.
His wounds were bleeding too quickly, she needed to do something.
Nicoleta roamed around for the zipper of her gear, when she managed to find it, she took it off halfway, and removed the top layer of her sector 2 uniform.
She wrapped it around his waist, getting his blood all over her hands as she tied it tightly to stop the bleeding by at least a little.
She heard the moist, soaked sound of torn flesh, as she secured her top on him.
Jackson groaned, but did not move as she tied it around him.
They followed the group deeper into the forest, everyone glancing behind them to see whether the giant had come back.
Nicoleta however kept her eyes forward, knowing that he was already dead, that she had killed him.
And the universe was showing her what would have otherwise been the blood of that giant with the stain of Jackson's blood all over her hands, and arms.
The boy leading them stopped in the middle of the forest at one point.
And when they all started to question him, the ground beneath them started moving downward, and before they could panic a voice rang out in their ears.
Saying. "Welcome to base nine" they all turned around and found a neat facility beneath them.
Waiting for them were at least dozens of military men and women. All of which had westinsenson son batches attached to their breast.
They all rushed to the kids. One man took Jackson away from the boy that carried him.
Out came nurses with a stretcher, which they placed Jackson on. He groaned.
Nicoleta broke through the small crowd that had gathered asking the kids what had happened.
She followed the nurses and doctors as they led Jackson into the infirmary.
She stood by his side, gripping his hand as they rolled him away.
Jackson's hand had grown cold, his eyes lolling as they slowly slid to the back of his head.
She slapped his cheek in a panic, "don't sleep don't" her voice trembled. Jackson was breathing heavily, he dropped his head to the side to look at her.
"I'm sleepy" trepidation seeped into her blood stream at the sound of his words.
One of the nurses looked down at him, "don't sleep- " she gestured for Nicoleta to slap his cheek again.
She did so, Jackson tried to stop her but he was too weak and his protest only lasted a second before his arm fell on the stretcher beside him.
When they reached the ER, Nicoleta was stopped and left behind the door as they took Jackson inside.
She stood by the glass doors, heart racing, head whirling.
She dropped down on one of the benches by the door, letting out a hopeless, fearful breath.
She tried not to pay attention to her shaking hands, tried to catch her breath but she seemed to be running out of breath by the second.
A minute later a soldier found her, she looked up at him with questions going through her mind.
"What's happening?" She asked, the man sat across from her, rubbing his face, frustration pouring from him.
"Last night there were some minor attacks. At first we thought it was some mistake from a nuclear site but then they continued. We still don't know who the attackers are, but we know they are extremely powerful- they don't seem to have a specific agenda other than just destroying things" she registered the information as best she could.
When she remembered Greece, she hoped they skipped her Neighborhood in Athens, she hoped they would just look down at the houses and find no interest in doing any harm.
"What is your name?" The soldier asked, she looked up at him again, "Nicoleta Ariti" she choked a little when she said her last name. The air around her decreased, she took in gulps of whatever was left with a need to stay alive.
Her vision blurred, she clutched her heart, wrapped her arm around her waist, panting for breath.
A beeping sound echoed in her ears, then someone spoke but she couldn't hear the words.
"Ho- how how- are you go going to? They have powers?" the soldier grabbed her shoulders and shook her lightly, Nicoleta's eyes cleared, she looked at him.
"We are all waiting for commands," he stared at her, eyes softening, "you should rest"
"No!" She shook his hands off of her, wrapping her arms around herself.
"I'm fine," she whispered. Not believing it herself.
Nicoleta waited all night for news about Jackson, she fell in and out of sleep multiple times as she waited, her heart was still racing, refusing to settle for even a second.
She turned left, and right, hung her head, tugged at her hair, tore flesh around her fingertips. Bit her lip until she drew blood.
Through it all she didn't feel pain, only the stinging, aching, trepidation in her gut. Only the heavy weight of worry on her shoulders, anxiety in her stomach.
She trembled from the cold, and sweated from the heat of her apprehension.
She found herself zipping and unzipping her gear every few seconds.
When her eyelids grew heavy, she welcomed sleep like an old friend.
But the moment she closed her eyes, screaming, sounded, the ground shook beneath her, feet stomped about as people ran.
Nicoleta woke up abruptly, her fire blazing around her arms.
She looked around, but no one was screaming, or running. The earth wasn't shaking, and save for the officer that walked by there wasn't a soul in the halls.
She leaned back relief far from what she felt. She wiped the sweat away from her brow, and zipped her gear up again as a coldness settled into her skin.
Her eyes landed on the door, Jackson. Then Greece popped into her head, and she couldn't help tugging at her hair with her newly blazing hands.
A loud sound, similar to popping a shaken bottle of frazzled soda being opened, echoed all around the small facility.
Nicoleta's flame died down. She stood up and ran towards the entrance.
There she found numerous kids had arrived, they all looked shaken up, some were covered in blood, their own, and others along with it.
They, unlike her group, however , had their commander still alive, and three officers out of four stood amongst them.
She searched the crowd in search of either May or Charlotte, though she secretly wished to see them both.
Nurses and doctors took hold of the injured kids, them being many in the group.
The crowd slowly dispersed, and Nicoleta searched through the small group that was left one last time.
No May or Charlotte.
But there was one white haired girl amongst them that looked familiar.
Nicoleta ran to her and engulfed her in a tight hug. Her tears fell immediately along with Zylith's which she could feel falling down on her shoulder, and wetting the cotton part of her gear.
Zylith trembled horribly in her arms, clutching onto Nicoleta as if she was her life line.
Nicoleta pulled away against her will, and looked at Zylith's unblemished face, she wiped away her tears, and went in for another hug when a nurse disturbed their reunion.
"Are you the healer?" Zylith looked at Nicoleta before answering. "Yes" she answered voice trembling so much it was hardly feasible to understand her.
The nurse immediately pulled her away. Nicoleta watched her go.
She turned around and walked back to where they had taken Jackson.
Along the way she met a doctor coming out of the ER.
She rushed to him. "Is he okay? Is Jackson Vivienne okay?" The doctor looked unsure.
She stared hopelessly at him, "I've never worked on the body of a phoenix before- " he tilted his head lightly, "he's stable"
"What does that mean?" She asked, praying to whatever would hear her that he meant he was okay. "He's neither getting worse or better" was there a worse to his situation? Wouldn't the next stage be death?
Despair had become a cloak over Nicoleta's shoulders.
She remembered Zylith, "Zylith could help him, she's a healer" the doctor furrowed his brow. "There's a healer here?' she nodded.
"I will see to it that she treats him then" Nicoleta let out a heavy breath, she relaxed her shoulders a little.
The doctor walked away from her. And following after him was the same soldier she had spoken to some hours ago.
"You again?" he said. "You should eat something kid" she shook her head.
"I'm not hungry" she settled down on the bench again. Fell in and out of sleep again, tugged at her hair, wiped away sweat again.
She was restless, weighed, worried, stressed.
Her head began to ache.
Nicoleta stood up after two hours of discomfort. She roamed aimlessly through the halls, passing by officers, and kids alike.
Eventually she found her way into the canteen where everyone was eating, or pretending to eat.
The TV in the corner, documented more horrific things done by the attacks, cities turned to ruin, bodies charred and destroyed. Nicoleta shivered.
"Sixty nations have been affected negatively by the ongoing attacks, approximately five million people have been reported dead" the news reporter said from inside the helicopter.
His report came to an abrupt stop when an attack exploded the helicopter, the TV cut off and it was turned off.
Nicoleta's heart dropped to her stomach.
She turned around and went to the main desk. Behind it was a nurse.
"Where is Jackson Vivienne?" The lady lifted herself up from whatever she was doing beneath the desk. "are you a family member?"
Nicoleta nodded, "yes I'm his sister Jackie Vivienne" she nodded, typing something down on her computer.
"He's been taken to room 4B" Nicoleta nodded, she smiled tightly at her.
In room 4B Jackson was on oxygen, his arm was pierced in with a needle transferring blood into his system, his stitches looked butched, the doctor didn't lie when he said he had never worked with a phoenix before.
He was breathing slowly, and painfully. Guilt kept her in her place by the door.
If she had helped sooner he wouldn't have gotten hurt, if she had stopped being so scared, such a coward Jackson would be fine, he would be okay, maybe eating with the others in the canteen.
She fell on her knees beside him, and gripped his hand, crying, begging, hoping he would be okay.
"Please wake up" she sobbed, her body trembling, heart aching so badly she was sure it was being torn apart.
His hand twitched lightly in her grasp. Nicoleta's eyes lit up, and she looked at his face.
She let go of him to go and call for a doctor when the door burst open. Inside walked Zylith and the doctor Nicoleta had spoken to some hours ago.
He had a firm grip around Zylith's arm, leading her weak form to Jackson's nearly dead person.
Zylith looked tired, her piercing yellow eyes had dimmed into a Shaw shade.
Her movements were slow, and messy, she stumbled over her own feet, and blinked slowly, as if her eyelids were too heavy for her.
"Miss. please exit the room" said the doctor. Zylith placed her weak hands on top of Jackson's gash, her eyes lulled to the back, as her hair glowed.
Nicoleta had never seen Zylith whenever she healed, she had always had her eyes closed, too deep in the feeling of being healed to look at the healer.
Nicoleta walked out of the room. And as she closed the door a thudding sounded in the room. She turned around and found Zylith on the floor.
numerous strands of her white hair had turned black, and she panted for breath. Nicoleta fell by her side, and held her head in her arms.
A warm hand was placed on Nicoleta's shoulder, and before she knew it she was being pulled away from Zylith.
It was a nurse, "we will handle it" Nicoleta protested, another person took hold of her arms, and pulled her outside.
The doctor and the nurse came out of the room soon after with Zylith in his arms, slumped, unmoving.
Nicoleta's eyes grew hot with tears. She watched them take Zylith away, knowing Jackson was still inside, still hurt, still in pain.
The TV that had been otherwise off the whole day turned on, and upon the screen was a dark tall female figure.
A stern deep female voice echoed through the speakers.
"I seek my child, the princess. This is my plea to humanity to bring me my child."
"Return my child to me or face my undying Wrath" Nicoleta's breaths hitched, her heart pounded against her chest, her hands trembling. Chills ran down her spine.
The very same blue eyes that had been taunting her, the blue eyes that she saw herself through, the very same stared at her through the screen.
Her heart sank into her stomach, anxiety blanketing around her in its cold, awful embrace.
The TV switched off, and a chilling silence settled into Base Nine.