Drew's POV

I knew what I had to do. I wanted people to see me as I was not as some traitor. I guess I am now. But I can't keep thinking of what I left. I left my brother, Lynn, and all of the rest of the others. I can still picture my last moments. If I only I could have warned Alex earlier if I hadn't run off to ask Reese if my brother was okay. I just wanted her to tell me he was fine. I just wanted to hear that he was alive, but I couldn't even have that much. I don't even know if where I am is heaven or the other place. I am alone, isolated. It feels like I am in a waiting room, where there is no time. It's miserable because I can still think about what happened. It's like that is all I can think about. There is nothing else I can do except sit here think about what I could have done. But if someone said I could swap places with Alex, I wouldn't. I don't regret the decision I made. Or at least I don't think I do. But I guess it doesn't matter now that I'm gone.

I have to admit though, I am kinda confused because this isn't what my necromancer 'Friend' described as the beyond. I use the term loosely because I now realize I didn't have many real friends. I guess what I mean by a friend is he didn't try to kill me.

Regardless of that, he told me the- ghosts I guess- described beyond as having two sides, but not heaven and hell like we thought. The first place they said you could end up sounded better than the second though. In the first place, you could see anybody that had passed on and ended up there as well. You couldn't talk though. You couldn't do anything that would be related to emotions or human-like qualities unless you were sent back down to Earth to help the necromancers. But the all of the spirits from there said there was something about it that made you feel at peace. They said that it didn't matter that nothing was happening they knew it was alright. But I question it because, how could they even think? They don't have any human-like abilities, right? But I guess that also cancels out seeing, doesn't it? Oh well, I still know that I'm absolutely not there so I guess that doesn't matter.

The second place is different. In the second place, you feel lost, like you don't belong. The closest thing they could compare it to was permanently losing your mother in a store. But I wouldn't know what that's like. So I'm guessing it's like waking up in a foreign country, which has happened to me. But probably the weirdest thing to me about this place is that you do have human-like qualities. They can see, talk, think, feel, but they can't do things like eating or drinking. But I don't think they are starving, I just think they don't need to do these things.

Wait, can I do those things? Should I try? I think I should try to say something. I thought about what I could say. It had to be something important just in case somebody was listing.

"I don't know where I am or why I'm here," I began surprised I could talk, "but I know I don't regret what I did. I don't regret taking the arrow for Alex, I mean. But I do regret betraying the people that actually cared about me. I can't change that now though." I stood there in the pure white thinking of what to say next. Something seemed to be nearing me, a figure almost.

"I don't regret taking care of my brother and making sure he was safe. I did what was right for us above anybody else. But the one thing I do regret above everything else is not telling Alex what I should have before I died. That he and Zayn don't need to kill Thomas now. I could have told him before I died, but I didn't. I was the second other and I knew it."

I stood there watching the figure drawing closer. It was as if a ball of energy was nearing me. I could practically feel the power radiating off of the figure. I was about to submit to the figure when it boomed, "I am the caretaker of The Beyond. But may you understand you are not fully dead."

I shivered a pulled my head up to look at the figure. I pondered whether or not I wanted to ask the question I had been dreading.

"Why am I here and not in, you know, one of the other places?" My question seemed to hang in the air as the figure released a heavy breath. The figure was coming into the light near me. A few more steps and I could see its face.

The figure took another large step before saying, "Your case is most interesting Andrew. I am not quite sure what to do with you yet."

Three steps. Do with me? What does that mean? Two steps. My heart began trying to break out of my chest. What did I do to deserve this? One step. I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes, preparing for the worst.

"I don't know what any of this means. I don't get any of this and I am scared out of my mind. I will let you do whatever you must to me, but I just have one request."

The figure sighed, still yet to take the final step into the light. "I can most likely grant your request, but I would like you to know first that my intentions are not entirely bad. At least, not toward you."

I was about to begin my request when the figure took the last step into the light. I will never be able to fully describe what I saw, but I can try. This beings skin shimmered a vibrant blue, I'm guessing to symbolize the energy and power he possesses. His eyes look as if all of the souls he had taken resided inside of them. They looked like somebody took the saddest things in the world and put them in his eyes. His face was wrinkled and worn, probably from what he has seen. But the most vivid feature of this creature was his hair. There is yet to be a word in the dictionary to describe it, but if I were to pick the closest word to it I would choose inconceivable. There was nothing about it that was ordinary, but at the same time, it was completely and utterly normal.

Gaining confidence, I took a step toward the man and requested, "I want to see my brother. I want to see that he is okay. As for your intentions, I don't really think it matters what they are since I'm already dead."

The man just chuckled and said, "You are just as they described you to be."

I raised my eyebrow and said, "What do you mean?"

A smirk spread across his otherwise cynical face and he answered, "You're so sure of yourself and your assumptions. I have one word of advice for you. Nothing is ever final, even if you think it may be."

I gave him a confused look taking in his rather puzzling advice. "What do you mean?" I asked him quizzically.

"Never mind that. Let's check on your baby brother. Shall we?"

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Lynn's POV

"How are we going to tell them," Alex asked softly, still concerned for my mental health, "I mean how are we going to tell Thomas? He already hated Drew for a long time thinking that he had abandoned him like everybody else. He just started to trust him again and now-well- you know."

We were currently dodging the battles, arrows, and other war materials as we ran back to the others. I had sent them a telepathic message that we had found him. I didn't tell them the rest though. I couldn't bring myself to say it. To believe it. I shake the thoughts from my clouded subconscious.

Its nearing night time now, so the other side will retreat soon. There's no point in fighting at night. It's too dark to see anything so the fighting would come to no prevail. Like sure there are people with superpowers to do with the sun and light, but like I said it's just a waste.

"Lynn, we're here," Alex stated waking me from my reverie.

We took the few more steps behind the same big tree. Alex and I were the first to arrive luckily. We had taken Drew's body with us, Alex had insisted on giving him a proper burial. I know it seems like I'm underacting since my brother had just died, but I'm not. This had to happen, and now I need to tell Alex that. If I don't all of this was for nothing, and I don't want that. At all.

Alex was placing Drew's body behind a few more trees completely hidden from view when he muttered, "I can't believe this."

I felt so guilty standing there, but I just couldn't think about how I should tell him. I pretended to be sharping the dagger I had snagged from the weapons.

"Attention puny warriors from Carol's side," a loud shrill voice called, "we may be retreating for now because of the night, but mark my words we will be back. We may be back tomorrow or next year, but we will be back. And when we are we will be healed and prepared, so watch your annoying and quite defenseless backs."

The voice paused and I took that moment to come out of my hiding place. I finally saw the real destruction. There were blood and bodies everywhere. The sight was truly sickening. Bodies even hung from the sky-high trees. But most of the trees had been cleared whether it was during fighting or beforehand to cause panic.

"Oh, and one more thing," the voice called and I looked all over to find the source of the voice. Then my eyes landed on the obvious culprit; Alex's mother, "to you spectacular seven- oh excuse me six! Surprised? Word travels quickly around here. Anyway, my two disappointing excuses for sons, this is just the beginning. This was meant to show you what a will happen when you don't give us what we want. There will be more death and destruction if you do not compromise. Surrender yourselves Zayn and Alex. Nothing more has to come of this if you cooperate."

Then, out of no where Alex bolted out from the woods behind me, dark eyes trained on his mother. "Too much has already happened for us to give up," he shouted still charging I didn't dare get in his way, "so forgive me for laughing when you say cooperate. It's hard for me to cooperate with somebody I want to kill."

I could see Alex wasn't kidding. But his mother looked like she was about to- laugh?

"Oh okay I get it," she started laughing, "you're brave now after I killed your friend. You let him take an arrow for you because you're too much of a coward to defend yourself, but now you're brave. You know I almost feel sorry for Lynn being stuck with you and all. She can't possibly care about a defenseless coward like you. But you know she's not exactly out here fighting so maybe you two are made for each other. Weak and pathetic. What a pair ladies and gentlemen!"

I thought her words made me mad but then I saw Alex. No, he wasn't mad he was enraged. His eyes were darker than I had ever seen them. Ever.

Lighting started flashing in the sky, even striking the few remaining trees, lighting them on fire instantly. You could even smell the flesh burning as the bodies hung on the trees caught on fire as well. More weather followed like hail, rain, and even a small tornado. Then Alex began charging again now very close to his mother.

"I am going to kill you!" He shouted maliciously.

She let a high-pitched cackle and then remarked, "I'd like to see you try! Oh, would you look at the time? Bye bye now! " Then her along with her entire army disappeared into thin air, leaving a fuming Alex.

Nobody made a sound. They just stood there watching. Then Aunt Carol pushed through the crowd trying to reach Alex.

"You!" he yelled threateningly, "why didn't you help? You have done nothing! You were there I saw you! You could have helped! You could have helped me, help Drew but you didn't! I'm done with all of this! You know what? I'm done with you!"

Alex began to charge at Aunt Carol. He was just about to reach her when Theo jumped out of the crowd and grabbed Alex by the shoulders.

"Woah there tiger," he said as Alex tried to wiggle out of his grip. Theo tightens his already steel-like grip.

"Keep struggling and see what happens," he warned, "I know you are angry, but you can't keep doing this!"

"But she didn't do anything!"

"What are you talking about?" Theo asked.

I couldn't take this anymore. I started to run to them pushing through the sea of people. I got curses directed at me but I didn't care. When I finally pushed through Alex still looked like he was fuming.

"Drew is dead!" I shouted. Everybody's faces drooped. Not everybody knew Drew, but they could guess what he was like based on Alex's reaction.

"He's dead and Alex is mad because Aunt Carol didn't do anything to help. She just ran away, but she had too!"

Alex gave me a death glare his eyes going just as dark as they were before, perfect.

"No, she didn't! What she had to do was help Drew!" he began to struggle again, but his time he didn't stop when Theo tightened his grip.

"Drew had to die, we both saw it in a vision! We couldn't tell you though or else it wouldn't happen. He had to die protecting you to prov-"

"Prove what!?" Alex interrupted, "What did he have to die to prove?"

I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks as I said, "That he is the second other. That he is on our side! That he is good! He had to die so you could defeat The Killer."

Murmurs broke out in the crowd. Everybody must have been sharing their opinions.

"What does that mean?" a random voice called out.

"Yeah," another person added on, "why is this kids life more important than the one who died."

"Stop talking," Alex roared, "I didn't want this to happ- LET GO OF ME!"

Alex sent a shock of electricity through Theo making him release him.

"Oh, you little brat!" Theo yelled grabbing Alex's arm, "This will teach you to behave. Next time you think about losing your temper think of this."

Then Theo grabbed Alex's arm in two places and snapped it in half. Alex cried out in pain falling to the ground.

"About time!" One of the warriors in the front yelled.

"He deserved it!" Another one with a beared called out.

"What are you guys saying? He's just a kid!" another voice yelled back

More and more options began flying through the air like fighter jets. The Warriors just wouldn't stop. Little fights even broke out because of all of the stress and tension.

"Stop this moment!" Aunt Carl yelled silencing everybody, "Go to your tents and don't come out a second before I tell you to!"

All of the warriors rushed to their tents not sparing a glance back.

"Wow," Zayn commented rushing to our sides with Sammy and Thomas, "you've all done it this time."

Alex groaned in pain clutching his sagging arm.

"Alex was being insane, but Theo, was that really necessary?" Asked Sammy.

Theo glared at Sammy and said, "He stopped, didn't he? It doesn't matter anyway since we're supernatural, he'll heal in no time. But if your worried get a healer. I need to go calm down."

Theo stormed away angrily dodging fallen trees. Luckily the fires had been put out by the water element people.

Then Thomas looked at me completely confused and said, "What happened?"

I sighed and began to explain.

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