MATURE CONTENT - LANGUAGE AND GORE
“Is that what that weird flash in the sky was?” I dared to ask Ezekiel. He hesitated, but then nodded. “May I ask what happened?”
“Godius has not given permission to say.” He confessed. “Have faith in the god and goddess, everything they do they do it for you.”
My head spun from confusion. Questions repeated themselves then created more questions which caused my stomach to turn more. Time seemed to stand still as I contemplated the odd happenstance that the underworld was lost. What does that mean? How could I even begin to assist my beloved god in achieving his request?
The angel bowed to me then his light slowly disappeared.
“We need a plan.” I spun on my heels. Hearing the angel say what he had about the demon must have calmed Amy a bit. But her jaw glided side to side as she ground her teeth. “Xanthius, can you ride?”
He looked at me with reddened eyes, tears followed a large scar down to his jaw. “I can.”
“Good. You’re going to rush Felicia to the Marnettie Cathedral. Amy you are going to accompany them just in case those demons are in the forest. We don’t know where they went. They could be close.”
She nodded and then cradled Felicia in her arms while Xanthius mounted his horse. When he was settled Amy nestled Felicia on his lap. One hand held tightly to the reigns and the other wrapped around his fragile wife. Looking at the large man his horse began to look very small. Poor thing.
Amy curled her back and landed on her hands as some bones grew and others became stout as she transformed into her full animal form. Her clothes broke apart into tiny particles and gathered into a small little ball of yarn that hooked onto a necklace made of twine and bone. The magical threads in the Akiras clothes allowed the Akira to transform without worrying about where their clothes have gone. Unfortunately, not every family had the money for such a luxury.
Amy cast Xanthius a look and they raced off into the dark night without giving me a single glance or goodbye. My heart ached and guilt overcame my thoughts. I really fucked up this time.
I turned to Arion. He must have seen something in my eyes because he spoke before I commanded him to do something.
“I can fly… It hurts, but my wings were mended by Felicia before we had to rejoin the fight.”
“Ok, flying to the cathedral will take half the time. We need someone to help us with Leonard and Howard. They needed a healer thirty minutes ago.”
Arion shot into the sky.
I assisted my remaining comrades. Howards wound was deep against his neck and he nodded off. He looked dead already, but I held onto hope. I patted his back when his eyes closed. “Don’t sleep.”
Howard gave me a lazy smirk, “I’m trying…”
His voice trailed off and I couldn’t make out what he said. I didn’t want to ask him to repeat it because he needed his strength. I nodded, pretending to know what he said then checked on Leonard. He was more calm than before. But his face winced with pain and he was getting deathly pale. He held tightly onto Elia’s hand for support.
“How are you doing” I asked Elia. She looked more tired than damaged.
“I’m ok. I only got clawed at a couple times.”
“Good.” I looked at the bloody mess around me and knew there must be medicine or potions around here somewhere. “I’m going to look for supplies. Yell if anything happens.”
I pounced to my feet then bolted towards a shop that was still intact a block away. Leaping from the top of townhalls staircase risked a broken ankle. I landed in the mud and slipped but quickly jolted forward again paying no mind to the twinge in my knee. I had to hurry. Leonard and Howard were severely wounded and might not last until Arion gets back without special care. Bounding over bodies and intestines I splashed mud and blood everywhere. Bothered not by the grime I kicked an imps body out of the way of the shops front door. Its green blood splattered all over my legs.
Bursting through the front door the aroma of flowers and herbs filled the air. It was pungent considering the only smell I inhaled in hours was blood, mud, horses, and the smell of my armpits wafting through my armor, even my own helmet trapped the odor of my greasy hair.
Leading into the store were large cabinets filled with bottles of every color. The counter had dried herbs tied to a long string across the entire shop. I was surrounded by hundreds of plants, my mind raced and I felt stuck. My heart sank with an overwhelming feeling.
I should just grab something.
I read the labels to the bottles first. Most were made to alleviate the common cold and the flu. This shelf was no good. I moved down a shelf, more cold remedies and headache pills. Most of the stuff at the beginning of the shop would be for common ailments. I needed to look further back.
I slid over the counter, my armor scratching large gashes into the wooden shelf. Underneath the table top were more serious potions, cleansers, serious pain killers, and jellies used to keep out bacteria from the outside world.
To my right was a counter with sheets and towels. I shoveled them into my arms and opened one and put all the potion bottles in it. I tied it shut and gently placed it over my shoulders. The bottles jingled against each other as I walked. I softened my step with fear one of the bottles would crack against the others.
At the top of the stairs I unloaded the medicine.
“Nice find!” Elia picked up a blue bottle. “I’ll care for Leanord.”
I sat next to Howard with a towel and a potion bottle that was labeled for wound cauterization.
“This is gonna hurt like a bitch.” I removed Howards hand revealing three large gashes and a piece of a devils nail still lodged into his throat. The nail would wiggle but not budge as the flesh clung to it.
“I’ll have to cut this out.” Howard did not respond. His complexion was pale, he sweat profusely, and he struggled with keeping his eyes open.
Snap! My fingers flicked before his face. He jolted forward.
“Stay awake.” I said. He nodded. I pulled out the golden handle from the knife that I had hidden behind my greaves and picked away at the course nail. It plucked out, and blood gushed from the open wound.
The clear liquid from a potion bottle soaked through the thick towel and I quickly slapped it against his throat. He groaned with pain and his face winced. I held it tightly until the wound was soaked with blood then replaced it. When the blood stopped gushing through I removed the towel and applied herbs to clean it and the jelly like substance to seal it.
“I’ll be back.” I patted his shoulder, he gave me the thumbs up. I returned to Elia and Leanord. She had his wound clean.
“Are we going to pull this out.” Elia pointed at the shaft to the spear.
“We can’t pull the spear out. I’m afraid it might be keeping him from bleeding out. But this long shaft is going to be a pain.”
“How can we take it off without hurting Leonard?” She asked.
“I could try burning it.”
Elias face was written with uncertainty, but the giant pole protruding from his chest had to be removed. She nodded and with the small little sun amidst my axe I pointed it at the base of the shaft. I had just enough power to perform small spells like this. A thread like magma streamed from my axe and the wooden pole caught fire. It burned for a few minutes until the shaft was weakened and used my knife to saw it off until it came off cleanly.
Leanords face wasn’t contorted with pain anymore, his complexion was so pale he almost looked blue, his eyes were closed and his chest didn’t move, it could have been the armor concealing his breath but my stomach dropped with worry.
“Leanord!” I shook him. His eyes shot open, “are you ok?”
“I’m doing alright actually. I don’t feel the pain anymore.” He started to lift himself up but I placed my hand on his chest and pushed him back down.
“Regardless, don’t move.”
“I think I can take this out,” He grabbed the spear head and began to pull. My hand jolted forward and held him still.
“No! Not until we have a healer.” I stared him down until he reluctantly agreed. I went to Howard, he too wasn’t showing signs of pain and began to glow a pale bluish color for someone with exceptionally tan skin. “How are you doing?”
He didn’t speak but made a face that I assumed he said the same as Leonard.
“No pain?” I asked to confirm my suspicion. He nodded.
I was alarmed that the potions had worked so quickly. A sinking feeling in my gut told me something wasn’t right but they were showing signs of improvement although their faces gathered frost around their jawline. I had to get them in front of a fire before they died of frostbite.
“I’m going to start a fire.” I said to Elia. “Keep an eye on them.”
I bounded down the stairs again and started pulling planks of wood from the damaged houses. One building was still on fire and slowly dwindled. Before it died I tossed the planks against it and it grew hot again.
Back at the top of the stairs Elia struggled to straighten Leonards arm. Leonard seemed angry, if he hadn’t lost so much color in his face I would say he was beet red, shit, he was practically purple.
“I can’t… m-m-move.” He sputtered his words with difficulty.
“It’s stiffer than a wooden plank.” She said looking at me with a frightened look.
Howard too, seemed frustrated and he couldn’t move well either. I grabbed his arm and tried to help him bend it but it was surprisingly stiff. If I applied anymore force I feared his elbow would snap off.
“What the hell.” His skin was more blue than before and had little particles of frost covering his forearm. They were covered in blankets and sheets yet they still froze.
“Let’s get them to that fire.”
“But their wounds!” Elia argued.
“If we don’t get them warmth they’ll freeze to death.” My stare was sharp and demanding. I needed her to understand and she had. We each took one of Leonards arms and heaved him onto his feet and assisted him down the stairs.
“I’ll be back for you.” I turned my head to speak with Howard. His legs shook and his knees popped when he tried to move them, his hands cramped into a frightening claw, and his head shook. He was convulsing with anger as he tried to move. I doubt he heard me. I had to move quickly.
We carefully brought Leonard closer to the fire at the bottom of the stairs. As we neared it he began to shake and writhe.
“N-no.” He wiggled more.
“Leonard, stop! You’ll freeze to death if you don’t.” Elia tried to convince him but he continued to fight. He screamed, he kicked, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head revealing a blue like rot behind them. His mouth stretched impossibly wide as if he had no jaw and his teeth became yellow. A glowing like substance seeped through his skin until he was almost bright blue.
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