"The day I got everything I ever wanted was the same day my brother died because of me."
Not with blade and spears, but with hopes and dreams. The dream to make something so powerful yet balanced, led us to make a mistake we couldn't take back.
"Prototype 'X' Ten also called, Mark 10. Was supposed to be our breakthrough a weaponized armour power by soul crystals. It was our dream, our goal and also our gamble."
*****
"Dylan, get out of the armour, N O W!" I screamed, my voice through the comms.
"It isn't moving, looks like a solar wave fired the whole unit." The testing unit, prototype number ten. Stood frozen, the unit we made from our heart and soul, was shutoff, with nothing but an unexpected solar wave.
"Everything's fried—controls, shields, the whole system's dead!" Dylan spoke as he was trying to open the hatchet of the cock-pit to get out.
"Mark, can you access the central console for the missile redirection." Dylan asked me.
"I cannot do that, all systems are offline, most of the things that were powered are fried." I couldn't help him, even if I wanted too. I was just a Soul, trapped in a Soul Crystal. Who needs to be carried, who need someone to just convey my message.
At this point, I was just thinking of how useless I am. And then we were hit with the missel.
The missile, was strong enough to damage our mana-powered energy core. Making the whole testing unit unstable. But it was able to give us window of power surge, where the entire system of the unit worked once again, or maybe one last time.
The Mana core became so unstable, it led out a radiation wave which was never seen or heard of. Our whole unit got consumed in the blast yet we were able to survive.
And when my consciousness came in I felt wrong, in fact everything about me was wrong.
My body was heavy, too heavy and yet it felt alive. I got pulse, got a heartbeat and a need to breath. It felt strange but it was like, I was free for the very first time.
And then it hit me, the pain. It was then I realised, I was not having my right arm. But I wasn't even supposing to have a body, then the ash cleared and I saw the reflection of the one looking back to me in the broken glass of the Armour unit. And then I realised, I was in Dylan's body.
With the top of my lungs, I screamed "Dylan, where are you." Only to be heard with his voice him my Head, like the telepathic link I used to make with him.
"Mark, are you okay?" Dylan spoke to me directly.
"Where are you?" I frantically asked again.
"It just happens to be, that for some reason I am in the crystal and you are in my body."
"What?" This was the very first moment, I ever felt terrified, lost and confused.
"Calm down, and stop the bleeding. Stay alive." Dylan spoke, before the crystal lost its glow.
And after that, I blacked out.
*****
I woke up, a view of white and green walls. The machine was monitoring my pulse and heartbeat. I was smelling the scent of Iron and antiseptics in the air for the very first time.
And then it hit me, I could smell, I could hear, I could taste and I could speak. The world around used to be where, I would be taken too. But I am free now. I felt free, I wanted to scream the joy of things, I can now do.
And then I realised, what this overwhelming feeling costed me. I tried to take control of my body and sat in a normal human position. After a few attempts, I finally knew how I can move a bit. I saw the stump on my right hand. And the pain in my bowl. I was in fact in a human body. I never imagined, it was even possible.
The nurse came in to check for my vitals and saw me in a sitting position.
"Sir, please lie down or call for help. When you want to move, you were in a coma for almost 10 days now. Please take it easy. I will inform your family right away." She was about to leave.
"Sorry to ask, can you please help me with the pain in my lower stomach." I asked her as politely I can.
"It must be the urine, just release it in the catheter bag. I will be back in a few minutes." She left me alone in the room, with the machines and me on the bed. I noticed another bed by the window. By the looks of it was likely for the family member who was staying with me in the hospital. I knew who would that be.
"Dylan, you are awake." The voice had a gentle tone to it, a tone that defined, care and appreciation for me being okay and doing well. It was our elder brother Brian. He came into the room and reached for me.
"I thought I lost you; I am so glad you are okay Dylan." Brian hugged me and nearly broke down.
It was the very first time, I sensed this emotion. And I was not sure if I was doing it right or wrong. I broke down started crying and I for the very first time, lied.
"I am okay Brian." I didn't tell him that I was not Dylan. I played along and started to act like Dylan.
"Looks like you are awake." The second known voice that I heard from my ears was of Servana. Servana was Brian's Fiancé.
"Hey there, Sis. Yeah, just woke up." I kept a steady smile and said that.
"I am sorry, we couldn't save your hand." Servana said, with a slight unhappy face.
"Nah, it's cool sis. I can build a prosthetic now. Much cooler and all." I replied, trying to sound like Dylan.
"So, can you move around?" Brian asked me, as for them Dylan was in coma for ten days now.
"I haven't tried to move that much." I told them, while I was trying to move my legs down to stand.
"Here, grab my hand." I grabbed Brian hand, as he assisted me in standing up.
"I can stand alright. But how do I walk." I fell to the ground due to this being my very first-time walking. Only I knew, it was from inexperience rather than being in coma for 10 days.
"Maybe a little physio will work. I will add it in your calendar starting tomorrow." Servana replied.
"Yeah, I really felt like walking for the very first time." I was happy for this, but sad for the fact that, I was impersonating my best friend.
They saw their Dylan learning to stand again. I knew the truth: I was learning to stand for the first time—and in his place.
*****