i'm with you 'til the end of the line.
THE CONCLUSION TO THIS. Trigger Warning: Violence, Blood, Death.
     It was the wait, rather than the fear that knotted inside of her and the gnawing guilt at what she had done, that most unsettled her -- the aching time that stretched into an abundance of minutes from the primitive cry they had heard to when the first beast appeared. The ominous silence was murdered by a ravenous howl to her left where a hellhound sprung from the trees, it's razor-sharp claws slicing the empty quiet. Her spear was up, intercepting the best's internal organs before it could lay a talon on either Roxie or her brother, and it collapsed into a pile of dust at her feet. Her chest heaved and she collapsed to the floor, spinning her into momentary confusion, before she could get back on her feet and fight again.
     Never before had she frozen out like that. She was a daughter of war; she had been born to protect the camp. She faced death on a daily basis. She never hesitated. So why was she stumbling with fear? Her sword sliced again, decapitating another beast as she attempted to pull herself together, clearing her mind. She felt a chill on her back, though the whether was warm, and vicious memories pried at her mind, threatening her downfall. "No! Roxie screamed, stumbling back from the gathering hellhounds that circled her like prey. She could see Ryan on the other side of the clearing, eyeing her with suspicion as he quickly dealt with another hound, his sword already thick with blood.Â
     The beast dived. She drove her sword up. Blood rained down on her small figure as the hellhound froze and fell. She sucked in a breath, and began again, efficiently dealing with the next three beasts. If she didn't think about it, it was easier to fight them off -- easier? Since when had it ever been a hard feat? Only a few minutes previous she had relished in the thrill of the hunt; the forests were her kingdom -- hunting was a game in which she excelled. Her thoughts drifted back to the body of the child who now lay six feet under the ground because of her dagger. A single word filled her mind, conquering all other thoughts with it's ferocious yell. Murderer.
     Across the clearing Ryan was fighting two beasts with his usual playful aggression. Unbeknownst  to him, a third approached, gingerly toeing it's way across the clearing. It was going to attack him from behind. While he was distracted, this nefarious evil would pounce, and take from her the one person she needed most in the world. He would die on the forest ground, and her heart would die with him. She couldn't lose Ryan. They were two sides of the same coin. Through thick and thin, they helped each other out. She could not count the number of times he had risked his life to protect her and now, in the heat of the moment, she could not protect him.
     And then the splintered fragments of her mind fell into place as if the missing pieces of a jigsaw had suddenly been recovered. Ryan didn't have to die. She wouldn't let him die.
     Before she had made the decision, her legs were moving beneath her, arms pumping, adrenaline rushing as she unsheathed her sword and charged towards the beast, it's open jaws slashing towards her brother. She thrust her sword up inside the beasts mouth, feeling the blade hit home, the beast crumbling before her. She felt the breath go out of her, a strangled gasp escaping her throat, and glanced down at her chest where the bloodied fang of the beast protruded from her heart.
     For a moment it was as if time itself had stopped. It was the shock, rather than pain, that caused her eyes to fill with involuntary tears as she stared, motionless, at the tooth piercing her heart. She had never before imagined how she would die -- but dying in the place of a loved one seemed like a good way to go. Sacrifice was heroic, at least. The daughter of Ares crumpled to her knees, gasping for breath. and wiped the tears from her cheeks, streaking her own blood across her haunted face.
     "Don't cry. Don't-- Don't do that. No matter how you feel, don't do it. I don't want anyone to cry, Ryan, I'm sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't..." She stopped, a ragged breath escaping her throat as she blinked away the salty tears that threatened to cascade down her lips. "Will you do me a favor? Find Toph... Tell him -- Tell him I caught it. He'll know what it means." A small chuckle escaped her lips, pain shooting through her chest, and another tear fell from her eyes, her soaked eyelashes matting as she attempted to blink them away. Her hands gripped feebly at her brothers shirt, staining it with blood. "And if you see Dalton, tell him-- Tell him not to cry. Tell him I loved him. Tell him I'm happy now." She smiled, her lip quivering and her brows furrowing, and she gave up trying to hold back tears. She could feel herself slipping away, an intense desire to sleep overwhelming her mind. Not yet, she pleaded with herself. I'm not ready. But she had to be brave. For Ryan. And for Dalton. And for Toph.
     "Because I am, Ryan. I'm happy now. I'm happy." Her breath hitched, her chest convulsed, a lump rising in her throat. She didn't want to die. The fresh emotion ripped out of her and dragged her down, like a wave convulsing over her body and carrying her out to sea as the tears fell from her face. The pain in her heart faded, her trembling lips quirked into a smile, and squeezing her brother's hand, she slipped away into the abyss. Life's puppeteer cut her strings. Roxie Cooper's lifeless body fell limp. Somewhere in the forest, a nightingale began to sing.Â
stormborns
areudirty
izzy806
