The Keys Part 2

Collin stumbled his way through the crowd. Until Nikki grabbed his arm, and dragged him to her bar table.  “For the last... time… I’m fine.” Collin said.

Nikki continued examining his face opening Collin’s eyes for him a few times. “There's herbal tea for nightmares, a cherry one for falling asleep, and um… I’d prefer you pick me for more… private troubles.” Collin blinked a few times. Nikki pressed her chest against his before pointing down. “Ow.” She rubbed her shoulder. “Well, if i’m that bad of a choice...” She grumbled.

“I’m fine.” Collin repeated collapsing on to a stool. “I need to do this myself.”

“Collin, you can’t even stand!” Nikki stomped. “Whatever you’re trying to do. You can’t.” Collin’s protest was interrupted by his own yawn as he dropped back on to the counter.

“Maybe a night off..” Collin said. “Herbal.” He drank the tea as it was handed to him. Nikki grabbed the cup as it was slammed down. I… said…”

Nikki propped Collin up in her before walking him off to bed. “Custom blend on the house.” She said as she tuck him in before walking away.  “You can thank me later.” She stopped and turned around. Staring at him. “Never did like her.” She said closing the door behind her.

Hours later Collin woke up, and jolted out of bed. For the first time in a week, he hadn’t had a nightmare. He sighed, got out of bed, and got breakfast before he slammed a fist down on the counter. Concern glaces eating as they watched. He took a deep breath, and began eating again. Drowning out the whispers as he lost himself in thought.

“I took an oath.” Nikki said as Hannah walked in.

“You really didn’t.” Hannah replied. “And even if you did, you’re just making it worse, you know?”
Nikki sighed. “You of all people should understand.” Both stared at each other. Judgement leaking out of them. Past decisions colliding in the air between them. A few people approached, but turned around. 

“You can’t interfere.” Hannah said. “You agreed to the rules, and you can’t back up the moment you have to follow through.”

“He’s going to get himself killed at this rate!” Nikki rebutted. “WE were elected to protect people.”
“We were elected to protect OUR people. That does not include people trying to leave, by law.” Hannah said.

“You’ve never followed that before.” Nikki crossed her arms. “Why do I have to start?”

“Well…” Hannah paused. “That’s a fair point… Still he’s only more determined.”

“I know…” Nikki sighed. “I didn’t think he wanted to leave this badly.”

“Feels like I missed something.” Hannah said looking towards Collin’s room. “I knew he was dealing with a couple months worth of emotion, but nothing this intense.”

“It makes sense. Given it’s him.” Nikki yawned. “Get out of my room. I’m heading to bed”

Collin tumbled into bed a few hours later, and woke up on a floating stone. Walking towards the door entangled in chains he grabbed the padlock marked 16 once again.

“Ugh. You’re already back?” The feminine voice began as an echo in two different tones before it merged into one. “Do us both a favor, and go back to bed before you bore me to sleep.” The walls panel started spinning, and both walked on to the battleground. “How many times do you have to lose before you understand?” Inka asked before walking through a wall without coming out the other side. Collin anchored himself, and scanned the area. She did this several times every fight, but a swift kick to the stomach reminded Collin of his inability to read it. “You? You want to get out of here? You can’t even handle your own mind.” She taunted before vanishing again as Collin got up.

Collin grabbed one of the spinning sections of wall, and threw it. Missing as Inka came at him. Collin shouted, and watched as his shout rippled out in front of him. The soundwave visibly traveled past Inka. He stared at her coming towards him. Launching a punch towards him in slow motion. The sound of ticking picking up speed as the world around him sped it way back up to regular speed. Collin sidestepped just a blue tint broke, and Inka tumbled on to the ground. “What?... How did… Did I?”

Inka sighed. “And here I thought you were learning, this was almost going to be fun.” With a snap of her fingers 5 walls stopped rotating, and flew towards Collin. 

“Okay… I can do this.” Collin took a deep breath, and anchored himself again. This time he heard the ticking of a clock slow down. Extending his right arm he sent out ripples that inched one of the walls backward before doing the same with his left. But the ticking sped up again, so he hopped on the lowest door. Inka leg armor pulsing and she stomped down, and sent a shockwave across the ground. Collin rode above the lighting on a makeshift surfboard as two doors plowed into Inka. Inka backflipped before landing. She pulled up 5 pillars from the ground as Collin surfed toward her jumping with the door just as the lighting ended. 

“Look at that, he can learn.” Inka said teleporting to the other side of the room. “I think we’ve played enough games.” She got out a whip, and bent the door with it. It came flying toward, and she turned to the side. Only to see Collin running straight for her. This time she saw the world around gain a tinted blue as she whipped Collin. Letting go as he grabbed it. She charged toward him to get it back. But Collin has wrapped the whip around the door, and sent both flying toward her. 

Nikki jolted awake before smiling as she got out of bed. Taking a deep breath as she made some tea. Lights strobing away outside her door. The music leaking its way through the walls. She sighed as her body shivered. Flinching as something pounded at the door. She stood staring at it, and bracing herself. The illusions sinking into her brain despite her best efforts. The shouting of a single mother as the door was silently pounded on again. A young girl stood where she did as several papers were thrown at the little one. Crawling to her bed as sleep became her only escape, and her emotions became the fear of her nightmares. The music came to halt before Nikki held a beer to a roaring cheer. 

(So he actually won.) Hannah thought. (Well done, Collin...)

“Others have won.” Thor noted. “Why him?”

“Maybe she’ll tell us one day.” Hannah replied. “For now it seems 2 people are moving on tonight.”