Oh anon... I do WANT angst~ So much delicious angst~ I went overboard with this... HEH.
Air was thick with the smell of smoke and blood, the cacophony of battle was disorienting. One couldn’t pick apart the sounds around them, whether they belonged to enemy or ally. But Forsyth steeled himself, eyes fixed on one cantor that summoned an unending stream of foes and commanded them to attack the Deliverance. The nuisance had been heavily guarded by its thralls, leaving no opening for a huge portion of the battle. Everyone had been worn down, killing the cantor would turn the tides of battle in their favor. The thought of it made him restless, Forsyth itched to charge straight towards the cantor.
Suddenly the air picked up and grew hot, Luthier and Delthea had combined forces to deal with the growing swarm of terrors. ‘At last an opening.’ Forsyth thought as he gripped his lance and shield tightly. An awesome display of power and technique right before him, an angry flurry of flames thrashed through the terrors, clearing a path for the charge. Forsyth breathed deeply, his focus fixed on the cantor, with tunnel vision and no hesitation he charged forward.
Forsyth was so close to the cantor then he felt all the hairs behind his neck stand on alert followed by laughter and the crackle of lightning. He whipped his head back to see a witch had teleported right behind him, light crackling at her finger tips, hastily creeping towards him. He’d be hit point-blank and he was sure that’d be the end of him. He could almost hear Python cursing him for being so fool-hardy as he squeezed his eyes shut and whispered a prayer to the Earth Mother.
His eyes flew open at the sound of your voice. You took the bolt of lightning for him and Forsyth had the displeasure of watching you get electrocuted on his behalf. The overflow of lightning arcing away from your body as you crashed into the ground.
CLANG! He dropped his shield and lance, his legs gave out as he watched you twitch uncontrollably but your eyes were glossed over and empty. His surroundings spun out of control, as if whirling and mixing into a chaotic murk. Forsyth weakly called out to you, he reached out to you but you didn’t respond.
Far too many battles had chipped away your supplies, desperate times called for desperate measures. Alm opted to enter some mysterious ruin in the hopes of scavenging for weapons and provisions. Of course, he wasn’t the only one who thought of that but no one anticipated a large group of brigands within the ruins. To complicate things further, a few spectres roamed the abandoned halls.
You and Lukas had the misfortune of running into one particularly strong spectre, there was no glory dying in a forgotten ruin, better to flee and live another day. Both your laboured breaths and frantic footsteps echoed through the halls though the ungodly sound of the spectre’s pursuit grew more distant. “I think…” Lukas panted “It would be best if we go back to the entrance…” he took a quick glance back “… and wait for the rest there.” Then looked back at you for your approval. A sound idea indeed, you’d actually forgotten how expedition group had been separated. As you were about to agree, you caught some movement from an opening behind Lukas. You had only a few seconds to decide if it was friend of foe as both of you made your approach, could it have been Gray? Maybe Tobin? The movement seemed cautious but whoever they were they could’ve been injured. Lukas was quick to notice your distraction and followed your line of sight.
A glint of an axe, that was neither Gray nor Tobin, you pushed Lukas away. A sickening “THUNK” soon followed and your right shoulder grew heavy and limp, the impact knocking you off your feet. Pain and warmth followed as you lay flat on your back, the wind knocked out of you. You took a tentative glance to your right shoulder, registering an axe buried into your flesh.
The brigand yelled as he charged towards you but his battle cry turned into a yelp of pain. Lukas blocking him with the length of his lance, and with all his might, pushed the brigand back and sent him crashing against the wall. He rushed to your side, in the dim light of the ruins, checking on your wound. Blood, so much blood had pooled around you, your breathing laboured. You did your best to hide the panic in your eyes from Lukas, you forced yourself to smile as you looked up to him.
Blank, stiff, cold, and terrifying. Those are the words you would use to describe the look Lukas had on his face. His gazed trailed from axe then to the blood, his jaw set and his whole body shivered tensely. You swore you could hear him grinding his teeth. Lukas snapped his attention to the man who had injured you and slowly made his way towards him, dragging the tip of his lance against the floor ominously. His target picked himself up, yelling curses as he pulled out a dagger. Lukas swiftly disarmed him, a deft spin of his lance smacking hard against the brigand’s arm. He spun it one more time and impaled his foe right through the chest, pushing with all his strength once more, smashing the brigand against the wall.
Wounded and without any options left, the brigand pointlessly begged for mercy but Lukas remained quiet as he ripped his lance out from the wounded man’s body. He howled in pain as he clutched the gaping bleeding hole, desperately begging for mercy but Lukas would have none of it, the knight in red possessed with bloodlust and rage. Lukas gripped his lance tightly and started stabbing the brigand repeatedly. The sickening sounds of flesh being punctured repeatedly, a dying man’s pleas, and Lukas’ angry grunts bounced through the halls.
The body was indistinguishable once Lukas was done taking out all his frustrations, he was splattered with blood, an eerie accessory to his cold expression. He made his way towards you, picking you up, registering how cold you had become. “Worry not my love… nothing will hurt you. Not anymore, I’ll make sure of it.” Lukas made his way back to the entrance with you in his arms, an unearthly calm enveloped him. “You won’t hurt anymore, I promise. Nothing can hurt you. No one will hurt you. They can’t hurt you. I won’t let them.” He muttered as he walked.
Python cursed his damn luck, a sword blow to the shoulder rendered him incapable of drawing his bow and being useful out in the field. You and Python made a mad dash towards one of the trenches for some cover. Once you thought you both were secure, you started patching up his wound. A warm green glow radiated from your hands and Python felt the sting of the wound dull slowly. He noticed how your brows were furrowed and how nervous you looked. He tilted your head to meet his gaze and gave you a playful wink. “You’ll get wrinkles worrying too much about little ol’me sunshine. I’ll be alright, wound’s far from the heart and the guts.” He chuckled. You let out an exasperated huff before pinching his cheeks. “Perhaps this will motivate you to miss less mister-I-can’t-aim-for-shit.” Python loved your feistiness, he feigned surprise “Mila’s knickers! You’ve got quite the mouth young lady!” You lightly flicked at the wound on his shoulder “If you can joke around then you’re well enough to fight.” You planted a quick kiss on his forehead.
He’d be lying if that little gesture didn’t make his insides melt a bit, he wanted to return the show of affection but noticed how your eyes had grown as wide as saucers. “Py-Python! Behind!” You managed to stammer out, the archer fluidly loaded his bow, drew it and turned his body around. One of the enemy grunts had managed to follow and sneak up on the both of you, his javelin primed to be thrown. Python fired one shot, the arrow sinking into the enemy’s arm but they were undeterred. The grunt threw his weapon while Python’s body dodged instinctively, the archer quickly firing two more shots. One landing on the grunt’s neck and the other burying into his eye, they falling to the ground with a loud thud. Python was impressed with himself and pridefully turned towards you “How’s that for ‘can’t-shoot-for-shit’”.
He didn’t hear you laugh, you couldn’t, not with a javelin impaled on your stomach. “SHIT!” Python stumbled as he made his way towards you and cradled your form in his arms. “Py… it hurts…” you clutched at the fastening of his armor. “He… got me in … the guts…” “SHH! Don’t talk! Save your strength!” Python whipped his head around looking for any of the other healers. “I… I’m sorry…” panic began to overtake Python “I gotta…” he gently pressed around the javelin “St-Stop the bleeding! Mila help us, please hold on!” He saw you squirm in pain from the added pressure.
Should he leave you and look for one of the healers? Not an option, he’d never leave you, not like this. “SILQUE!!!” He yelled at the top of his lungs. “FORSYTH!? LUKAS!?” He frantically looked around him, hoping to spot one of his allies who could help you or call for help at least. Python’s heart dropped when he felt your grasp loosen “No! No! NONONONONONO! You! You stay with me!” He clutched you closer to him and angled your face so he could look into your eyes “Look at me! Please look at me!” He saw you blink, albeit weakly. “I.. am…” you croaked then your faced twisted into pain and anguish “Py…thon... I’m c-cold…”
Python let out a long frustrated shout then proceeded to yell the name of every member of the Deliverance repeatedly till his voice grew hoarse. “SIIIIILQUE!!!” He lost count of how many times he’d circled through his ally’s names, he bit his lip in frustration. “TA-“ he couldn’t get her name out through his tears. “TATI-“ his voice broke again “TATIANA! ANYONE!?” He pressed his forehead against your “please… help.” Python’s tears dripped onto your face. “Sunshine… I ain’t gonna leave you here…” he sobbed “So please… don’t you leave me.”