Revive

Terror runs through me as I open my eyes only to be met with pure darkness. As I rapidly blink a few times, I can not feel anything covering my face obstructing my eyes from seeing. Suddenly like an elastic band random images of people and places I do not recall flash across my mind. Then ever so slowly I'm able to short the random people and places, they snap together like a jigsaw puzzle. My memories fill the blank space that was once the former occupant. Just as happiness fills me, as does horror and anguish. For not only the good memories returned but I had to lose the people I had previously lost all over again. Just as I would remember them I would lose them just as quickly. Then the worst one came of them all. The warehouse battle rushed back to me. I died, saving Draco. How can this be? I died; I know I did. Yet if I died, why do I feel alive? I feel a breeze tickle my check and the most delicious smell fills the air but what is that smell! It smells heavenly, my stomach growls and gumbles with hunger. Am I missing something? Is this some type of hell? How am I hungry, if I died? Wait a minute, if this is hell, where was I before? I remember being full of peace, I felt warm, safe, and I knew everything and everyone I loved was okay. Surely hell isn’t that cruel. Right?

“You’re awake. Thank God. For a minute there I was worried it didn’t take. Welcome back to the land of the living! I imagine you’ll feel some stiffness. I’m truly sorry for the blindness you’re most likely experiencing, it couldn’t be helped. The world needs you back. I honestly couldn’t find a better host body, since your soul is beyond powerful, most bodies will deteriorate simply from the mere brush of your soul taking possession. However, I am positive that with your abilities, you will be able to overcome this difficulty. You may even be able to heal your eyes fully.” In the murkeyness of my mind, I recall the male voice speaking to me from the right side of whatever surface I lay flat on.

“Jackson? What is going on? What happened? Where is everyone?” I feel confused, my head feeling heavy, foggy, and numb. My voice comes out scratchy and unfamiliar to my ears. How do I not recognize my own voice?

“Try to stay calm, I only recently recycled your soul. If you get too worked up with any type of emotion the body can and most likely will reject you. We cannot afford another rejection, because this is the last time I will be able to perform this incantation. The ingredients are beyond rare. Oh, I am getting ahead of myself, aren’t I? Obviously, you died, can’t exactly survive the way you were killed. You know? Also, everyone is fine-esh, but…” Jackson seems hesitant, which has got all the worst-case scenarios running through my head. I swear, if I could move, I would strangle his ass. I take a few deep breaths to calm myself before speaking.

“I SWEAR JACKSON IF YOU DO NOT TELL ME RIGHT THIS INSTANCE, YOU WILL HAVE MORE WORRIES THAN THIS BODY REJECTING ME!” I snarl, losing a bit of my temper. Guess I needed a few more calming breaths. Surely it can’t be as bad as what I’m imagining. Right?

“You’ve been gone for five years.” He rushes out. Say what!! Five whole years? No way. that’s got to be impossible. Right? Then I got to thinking. What if the place I was in was not affected by time. I honestly felt as if I was there mir seconds before being brought back, definitely not five years.

“Your family, your team, they don’t know I have been trying to bring you back, or that I even could. Heck, you’re the only one I ever told. I didn’t even dare tell a soul upon becoming a disciple of the High Priest of light. Where you were, time passes differently, but for the rest of the world, time has not been kind. I know it is hard to grasp things as they are right now. I hate that I had to bring you back sooner, but current circumstances forced my hand. Honestly, at first, I was not planning to bring you back. I knew it would devastate you to see how things had so drastically changed, but you are literally the only one who can gather the clans. With Draco still refusing to take the throne after your death. Your brother took your sacrifice hard, and he wasn’t the only one affected. Everyone fell apart, the team, your siblings, and the Kingdoms all separated. You were the foundation, the bridge of peace between all of us, without you we crumbled burning to ash. With your father still in power after what he did, the Kingdoms are at war, and Roman with Rue’s help is at the forefront. Both set to destruction. Roman isn’t the man you remember. In fact, he is nowhere near the man we fought alongside. Your death affected him more severely than any of us could have grasped. When you died, everything good in him died as well. He has fully embraced his vampire nature, and he will not stop until he has your father’s head on a pike. No matter the innocents caught in the crossfire. I believe only you can get through to him, stopping his rampage before it gets any worse.” Jackson speaks with such despair; with each word he sounds more and more defeated by these events. Roman. A deep sense of longing, and pain, forms within my heart at hearing his name. I never wanted to know what would happen to the others, to Roman especially. I always refused to even entertain the thought. I simply hoped I was doing what was best for everyone. I truly can’t believe things have got to this point. I attempt and fail to move my body into a sitting position so instead I use my right hand to signal to Jackson that I am ready and to continue. For I am curious to know Jackson’s plan.

“Okay, let’s say I am on board with this plan. How do I get close to everyone, if everyone is at war? How can I get through to him? He doesn’t know I am back. You put me in a different body. Plus, I am willing to guess my new host looks nothing like I used to. He won’t be able to recognize or even believe it’s me.” Sad truth is no one will. My foggy brain clears just enough for the situation to finally settle in. I died; it was supposed to be over. Meaning no more fighting, no more unnecessary deaths, I literally took my final bow. The clans should have peace. It was our dream, it is what we fought, and killed for. Now it seems only Jackson, the outcast of our team, stayed true to our mission. I get enraged and less depressed with my thoughts. How could the others have let things get this way? I wonder. With Jackson’s desperation to bring me back, I know things have nearly reached the point of no return. Yet I know even if I fail, I have to at least try. What’s the worst that can happen, I die. Haha. Been there, done that, and have a postcard to prove it.

“As corny as this sounds, you’re you. It doesn’t matter what you look like, as long as it is you. I know it will work. Back then we listened to you not for your looks but for the words that came from your heart. Besides, you and Roman have always had a deep spiritual connection, your two halves of one hole. Soulmates. That doesn’t go away because your looks have changed.” There was such confidence in his tone that it actually started to make me think this could work.

As for getting close to everyone, that’s where we are lucky. For one month, out of every year, the clans have a truce of sorts. A celebration if you will. Roman just happens to be hosting this year, everyone will be there. Well, everyone except your father, he is smart enough to know not even a truce would stop Roman from ripping him apart. Anyways, you or should I say my blind cousin happens to be my plus one to this possible bloodbath in the making. If she hadn’t passed on last night, it would have been much harder getting you in.” I scrunch my nose up with disgust, as a shiver goes through my body. I’m in a corpse. I believe I am going to be sick.

“Don’t give me that look, Ronny. It’s easier this way, trust me.” I can hear him chuckle under his breath. I doubt he would find it humorous if HE was the one in a corpse. I understand though that it is for the best but that doesn’t make me any less grossed out.

“Jackass.” I chuckle as well, remembering a joke we once shared, over a similar topic. Suddenly, I feel drained, and I find myself struggling to keep conscious. Jackson immediately takes notice, as I yawn rather loudly.

“You need to rest, it is hard on your soul to come back, let alone on the host body. Both need time to adjust, you’re a strong force in a normally weak body.” He responds with worry in his tone. I decided he is right, and I take his advice allowing myself to slowly drift off into a deep dark sleep.