I AM DESTINY'S MISTAKE

Chapter 100: Loss 2

Derek's eyes opened wide in shock. He instinctively grabbed Maria and jumped into the Zodiac gate. They appeared on a beach. "No! NO!! NO!!!" Derek panicked. His hands were visibly shaking in fear and shock. He was confused about what to do. Maria was in his embrace bleeding through the holes that had now opened up in her body.

"Whyyyy... whyyy? Why did you have to dooo that?" He stammered as he spoke. Choking back on the tears that were already leaking down his eyes onto her face, his fingers held her tight in his embrace as his mind scrambled for a solution. The others rushed over.

"Wait! I can ... I can get you help."

"Shhh!" Maria shut him up with a finger on his lips. Her voice was low and evidently, she was trying her best to talk, "After what I had been through, seeing you is beyond rewarding. You have grown so strong. I can feel the rise of your aura." She gave a gentle smile as her palm cupped his face. "Derek! I am not going to make it."

His face leaned into her hand. "No! No!! No!!! Don't say that. Please don't say that." More tears fell from Derek's eyes. His lips quivered as he held back the urge that was slowly building up to cry out.

"Tiny, Aesir Madeline." She called to them and they came close, Kneeling with Derek by her side. "I know you guys worried about the others from the orphanage. I relocated them before I came to the school that day." They nodded in understanding. "You all have come so far together. Derek has a whole lot of hurdles to face and even inherited enemies from his father. please stay by his side. He is going to need you all more than ever." She touched each of their faces. Madeline could not hold it back and burst into tears as she held tightly unto maria's clothes.

Even Walter had woken up and watched as Maria gave her farewell. "Walter!" Maria looked in his direction and nodded. He nodded back in understanding. She turned back to Derek, "There is so much I want to tell you. But I am already out of time." She stretched out her hand and a rune shining in blue light appeared on it. the moment Derek saw the rune, he did not need to be told about what it was. He already knew. He had been working with the likes of it for a long time now. It was her soul rune. The direct definition of what made her a writer. "Take it! All you have to know is within."

Derek placed his palm on hers and the soul rune slowly disappeared into his body. She stretched her hand to hold his face one more time, but unfortunately, her hand did not reach before it fell back down. A teardrop down the corner of her eye as she breathed her last. She had died with her eyes opened. Derek's hand shook as he helped her shut her eyes forever.

He could not hold it back anymore. He screamed loudly as tears fell down his eyes like a waterfall. They all had tears flowing down their eyes. Even Aesir and Tiny that were usually acting tough could not bear the pain of the loss and shed tears. Old man Kofi bowed his head. Although he never knew Maria, it was obvious that she was someone quite important to them. Also, the feeling of loss due to death was something he was all too familier with.

This was a woman that had cared for them for most of their lives. She was always so kind and gentle. Her smile was so innocent and comforting even when they wronged. Thoughts of her continually played through their heads.

Derek stood up and walked into a group of coconut trees. Resting his head on one of them, his tears dropped like tiny raindrops on a cloudy day. Why? Why Did she have to die? He had tried so hard just to save her life but still, she had been taken from him. Yet another person close to him had lost their life on his behalf. This was not what was supposed to happen. She was not supposed to die. He was going to bring her back and tell her all about his adventures. listen to her laugh and then frown at the craziness of his stories and how he and his friends had struggled to make it so far.

Why? Why had the universe decided to take a shit in his life? Why couldn't he just be at peace and be happy? Was it a sin to be born?

The pain ate him deep and he did not even know how to express his hurt.

Meanwhile, Aesir and Tiny went and got coconut leaves which they used to cover Maria's body. As they did, Aesir conversed with her. "Miss Maria's death hit Derek the most. She was practically his mother."

"I know. This loss is different from that time at the cafeteria. I can only imagine what he is going through now." As they talked, Tiny suddenly saw a very big coconut tree that was all too familiar to her. Where had she seen it before? Her fingers traced its trunk as memories she had suppressed so far down she thought she had forgotten them resurfaced.

"Oh! Shit!" Now she thought about it, her mind was in chaos during the fight at the fort. she had visioned her safe zone, but this safe zone was not all that safe. Well, It was safe when she was like twelve, but not anymore. That was because she had precious memories of her mother here. But right now, This place was too dangerous. "Aesir! listen to me. I can't explain now, there is no time. Just trust me. Get the others out of here." As she said this, she ran in the direction Derek had left.

She saw him crying against a tree. "Derek, I know you are hurting and this is probably the worse time. But we have to leave this place."

"Why did she have to die?" Derek questioned as he sobbed some more.

"Derek, please, I want you to listen to me. We have to leave..."

"AHHH!!!" A scream came from the beach. Both of them looked at each other, "MADELINE!"

They hurried to the beach. There were some men there. About thirty of them to be precise. They wore full-body black tights that covered even their faces. Their sharp weird-looking swords were pointed at old man Kofi, Mr Walter and Madeline. From the looks of it, Madeline had tried to resist and was knocked out.

Surprisingly, Aesir was also being ushered to the beach with a blade to his neck.

One of the men in black walked forward before Tiny. Derek tried to hide her behind him, but she stopped him. the man in full black removed the mask from his head and took a knee to the ground, "Princess Augustina!"

Tiny nodded in understanding, "Let them go, I'll go with you peacefully."

The man also nodded in understanding.

"Wait! What the hell?" Derek tried to stop her, but she turned and punched him in the belly. As he arched in the pain, she whispered into his ears, "Don't come for me."

She immediately turned and followed the man as he advanced toward the water.

And then, the man pushed a button on his hand and spoke into it. "The princess has been secured. We are bringing her home now."

What looked like a submarine from fantasy books came out of the water and she went onboard it. Taking one more look at Derek, she entered inside and the submarine submerged into the water.

The men in black withdrew their swords and jumped into the water. There were gone.

Derek looked on as Tiny had been taken away. Adding to the events from the fort and the heartbreak of losing Maria and now Tiny before his eyes. He was already at his limit. That punch she gave him just pushed his already tired mind. "No!" He whispered as he fell fainted on his face.