4 Rock Bottom

The blackness of of his mind dominates his vision. After a while his consciousness starts to stir from the void.

Not before memories can flood through, not wanting Blake an easy exit. The nostalgia of his father and the time they spent together comes into view. Until the memory cracks apart and the bloody visage of his father is all that's seen.

"Dad"!? The horrified shock fills every part of Blakes being.

His dad musters everything he has to address his son. Looking at him with half dead eyes. The determination to deliver his final message is paramount before the embers of his life burn out. Hunters surround him pinning there captured prey in place.

"Listen….. To me son, the city has been attacked. I have an inkling as to why but you have to get out of here now". The grave urgency paints his fathers expression as he yells out to his son.

"Forget about me, I'm already one foot in the grave. Protect your sister, son, she will need you more than ever now". His fathers life force goes still as his words leave his mouth letting his eyes drift into unconsciouness.

"Now lets collect his Kin"! A malevelont smile paints one of the hunters faces. Seeing the succesful capture.

Before Blake can scream out, from the loss of his father. He's given a cold awakening, as a bottle of water is poured on his face now. Stirring his bodily sensations, jump starting the return of his consciousness.

"Hello"? Responding in his disorientation all Blake can get out is. Starting to realize where he is.

"Finally, you're awake. You're in a hospital, kid. Took you quite a while to wake up, but I don't blame you considering what you went through. How do you feel?". Getting a response almost immediately, a caring but logical expression is caught by Blake followed by a wave of ocean blue hair and deep blue eyes.

"Slammed, my whole body feels bruised". Blake says fidgeting in place trying to find a comfortable spot through the pain.

The atmosphere the woman gives off starts to relax Blake a little. Like everything will be okay. A warm sense of comfort surfaces, one that he has not felt since the loss of his closest friend.

"Expected really considering the level of the strike. Don't worry about it too much though. My power has sped up the healing process for you". She says not looking away from the vital holo-screens in front of her.

"Otherwise you would be bed bound a couple weeks after that". The woman delivers a cold reminder to Blake, just how bad it could have been if the military were not giving free medical care to anyone participating in the finals. A courtesy of sorts, a rare one at that.

"My power works by taking all of your existing bodily energy and directing that into one task of my choosing, that being your healing process. That's why you feel a lot less pain than you normally would.

"You are lucky, kid. I only needed to use my power with you, no medical equipment required. Not many have that much bodily energy for me to work with. Thank yourself for that, otherwise you'd still be here, probably in a pod". The woman's voice fills with a sense of bewilderment over the bottomless amount she had access to.

"That being said you might be exhausted for the next couple days".The woman says this without much attention to Blake himself, mainly focusing on his vitals on the holographic screens hovering in front of her.

Finalizing her check through of Blake, she introduces herself. "Now that we got the urgent work out of the way I can introduce myself. My name is Azure. I'm one of the head doctors in the military".

"However, for the finals they've assigned me at the exam sites as my power can eliminate a lot of potential deaths or injuries". Azure says Obsessively checking over her patient still

"You surprised me out there, not many can push Pyre that far even if he didn't use his powers". Her surprise makes itself known in her expressions.

"More surprising is the arm you debuted with. Don't think anyone was expecting you to create an arm in the time you had". Her slightly excited tone gave an inkling of her feelings on the match.

"It's a pity you didn't pass though". Azure's words leave her mouth like a death sentence for Blake. His mind comes to a complete halt hearing these words, he asks again for clarification with clear desperation in his voice.

"Are you sure, i…i didn't pass"? Blake says feeling the encroaching abyss form as it comes to claim its prize full of despair.

"You got a C, while it's a decent score for your situation". Azure says trying to detach from the emotion about to surface from Blake.

"It's not enough, kid. You didn't pass but you may have an opportunity for the retake but I wouldn't recommend it considering how much you already pushed your body". Her logical tone carries the finality of the situation without remorse.

Blakes whole world comes crashing down on him like pieces of a mirror cracking apart leaving him to pick up the pieces. The silence deafens the ward they're in.

Azure flicks away the screens displayed in front of her and sees Blakes despair in the corner of her eye, taking a break from the files and work scattered everywhere she addresses him.

"You should get some rest kid". A sincerity is felt within her words.

"I am sorry you didn't pass, kid, but this isn't some super power highschool that's why these exams are so cruel. You need to be able to survive out there. We can't risk you bringing down everyone or yourself". Like the final nail being struck into the coffin, Blakes fragile ego cracks apart. Playing over future scenarios of what his life will be. Stuck in the torment of his own powerlessness.

"You did a good job, all things considered, even managing this grade with no powers, you should take pride in that kid". As she breaks away from her Holo-screens, all she sees is an empty bed where the wounded boy was.

"He's going to have to resolve that inner turmoil, all it will do is get in the way of his goals". Azure says to herself before checking over the files of the hospital one more time, a familiar home screen with two people smiling joyously comes into view for Azure.

"Just hold on, I'll find a way to get you back". Azure voice fills with longing and determination.

A prosthetic is seen in the corner of her eye drenched in blood and ripped flesh. "In so much of a rush you forgot your arm, kid. By the looks of it wearing it wouldn't have helped you much anyway you need time to heal".

Muttering to herself once again as she multitasks. She props the prosthetic up in her line of sight. Making sure not to lose it.

Blakes mind is a mess, the emotions he's experiencing run through him at such a fast rate to the point he can't process any of them. Sadness, despair, hopelessness and disappointment.

They crash together like the coming of a tide. His mind can't bear the brunt of this outcome. Everything, all of his efforts and suffering for naught. Not even his last cigarette can do anything for him.

Meandering his way through his pain, Blake stumbles upon a vending machine. His anger spills out making his actions more erratic. A fist is sent into the vending machine screen, cracking it in the process and leaving behind some of his skin.

A cruel sign of pity is received by Blake as cans shoot out of the vending machine. Lady luck seemingly gave him mercy for today.

The world around Blake dissolves now, a budding sense of panic forms realizing the path his life will go from this. Following this his mind is being even more cruel. The image of his father once again flashing through.

"Protect your sister, son, she will need you more than ever now". Tears stream down his face, falling to his knees now the words of his father pound his mind.

"How am I meant to protect her now, I can't even pass this exam. Every single time, I give it my all and I come crashing on my face. WHY, WHY, WHY CAN'T I SUCCEED, WHY DO MY EFFORTS ALWAYS FAIL". He grips the dirt through his fingers as his voice breaks.

His vision now starts to blur and close in. A sense of breathlessness follows, struggling for air, Blakes whole world is coming apart at the seams. His mind is filled with the overwhelming sense to run. Run from it all.

Before he realizes his legs are already moving, tears streaming down his face he just runs, not knowing where just letting his legs take him away from the pain.

Becoming more and more exasperated Blake continues not wanting to stop even at the demand of his body. Resentful to it even. Running through traffic and pedestrians in the process.

A streak of ginger peaks out from round a corner. Before Kiara could zip in to greet Blake he vanished, only the sight of him in his torn clothes running, running. Even without shoes, his bare feet slap against the wet regencrete as a storm starts to brew in the sky.

A malevolent energy streaks and splits throughout the grey plumed clouds. Static starts to chaotically jump between the clouds. A dance of energy is seen as a crash of rain begins to follow throughout the city of Boreal.

''It may not be expected of me, but he's my friend and he needs someone right now ''. Worry about Blake fills her mind, sitting in turmoil of what to do. Not having any experience in supporting a friend. She decides to go with her gut.

After a while of aimlessly running, Blakes mind processes the scenery around him, a stark contrast from the skyscrapers and rapid traffic. One of the few forests left in Boreal is met by Blake.

His mind, still not caring about anything else, he continues to run. His feet getting torn up in the process as gravel and the like tear through the flesh of his soles.

After running for what felt like an eternity, Blake finally runs out of steam allowing part of the panic to fizzle out. Finally processing all of his surroundings, his eyes are met with a raging storm. Static crackling throughout the air. As the brutal gale of rain pierces his face.

Apathy overwhelms him as the feeling of hopelessness seeps into every corner of his being. Everything finally comes to a boiling point, his bottle bursting he can no longer hold back the swell of emotions coming forward.

Crying out in despair, looking at the malevolent storm. Its electricity spread out like webs in the clouds. His hair starts to raise in response to the amount of static charge being built up.

"WHY MUST I SUFFER, WHY MUST I BE POWERLESS". His scream of grief breaks as the hoarseness of his voice sets in.

"Am i always going to be like this, a spectator in my own world not able to do a thing". Forcing his voice to grow louder.

"I SWEAR I'LL DO ANYTHING, ANY PAIN YOU THROW AT ME. I'LL PERSEVERE IT, IF IT MEANS I CAN FINALLY HAVE THE STRENGTH TO DO SOMETHING FOR ONCE". Shouting out one last time the sorrow fills his hoarse voice as he slips into complete nihilism.

The chaotic energy within the storm begins to stir in response. The electricity rapidly changes colors. The clouds bulge with energy to the point they look to explode.

An ungodly green bolt of lightning strikes down piercing the skies and splitting away the clouds. Followed by an almighty roar of thunder. A torrential downpour followed in its wake.