Chereads / Dark Crow Rising / Chapter 426 - Incline 38: Vigilante Nin

Chapter 426 - Incline 38: Vigilante Nin

"No... No... I won't let them stop me anymore... If he wants me, I will come for him... I will!" I growl in frustration as I started to get dressed. If no one would help me then so be it. I would save the woman I loved with or without them. After that, I had no idea what I would do with them...

The way they have behaved, it was unacceptable. Our dear friend, their friend! She was being held hostage by a madman who could harm her without interruption! And they all just wanted to let someone else handle it...

They hypocritically put my safety ahead of hers... It was her life at risk, not mine! And even if it was, it was clearly a fair deal! IT WAS ONLY EVER HER THAT ACCEPTED ME ANYWAY!

Rose feared what I became and still does... Einervaene ran away at the first opportunity because she did not want to associate with me... Vadei has always hated me for such petty, dishonest reasons... They all were willing to turn their back on me...

But I would not be like them, my friend needed help! So the consequences of it should be damned to despair for all I care! If this Smiling Jhurack wanted me, he could have me! I will tear him apart!

"Nin?" Tiyanat called after knocking on my door. However, I did not answer, I could not have her trying to stop me... None of them would... I will save her...

Lari will smile again, laugh again... I could hold her again and she could dance about once more. It would all go back to normal. It would all come back...

If it cost me an eye, that was fine. If I had to lose a limb again then that was perfectly acceptable! If my last moments were to be saving her... That was fine...

Even if I did not want to die again... I just wanted to see her be safe. She was all that mattered. If my reason to live was to not live with me, then I would join her...

"Nin, please open the door." Tiyanat asked me just before I charged out the window. At first, that creature's presence confused me. But I did not let it stop me. And I ran and ran with all I could.

The drain on my magic would not stop me. The blurred voices behind me would not either. Not even the wall of this city would. That creature wouldn't either!

"NO, YOU WON'T!" I roar at it as it suddenly flew at me. To my surprise, however, it moved under me and threw me over the wall. And, with a thunderous thud and sharp pain in my legs, I landed. I panted heavily, but I quickly got moving again.

Was there a way I could get Smiling Jhurack's attention? Could I do anything to find him? Was he near Lari? Or was he elsewhere?

However, these thoughts all came to an end when I heard that laughter. I could never forget that laughter. So I started running again. Charging past and sending what I could tumbling and falling until I reached an open space.

And, atop a fountain, there he was. Without a moment's hesitation did I charge. Reaching out for his leg before it suddenly kicked me away. I snapped my jaws at him and got back up.

"Oh? How inhuman." he commented as he swirled around my every attempt to grab him. He was toying with me... He tugged away at my bandages and tore my cloak. My hat would be taken off and put back on.

"STOP IT!" I roar in frustration before just barely missing his neck. My anger would briefly exert itself in a punch against a wall. That did not stop me, however, so I charged again. Finally grabbing him after catching him between a bench and me.

"Now, I wonder why this is the case?" he asked after somehow escaping my clutches. And, with strength I could not resist, he twisted my arm and brought me down. Then, he played with my caught claw as I roared in pain. His cane even smacked at my knee joints.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" I declare before his cane strikes my eye. I back away roaring in pain once again and he raises a brow.

"Yet your eyes are like mine? Well, that is odd indeed." he mocked while tapping his cane in thought. On my next attempt to charge him down, however, he brought me to the floor. I was pinned and unable to move and he eventually took my hat off. Then, my mask.

"GET OFF!" I demand while trying to rip him apart.

"So that is why it did not work... You are not a species I could have ever predicted entering this city." he exclaims before he suddenly vanishes.

"WHERE'D YOU GO!? GET BACK HERE!" I scream furiously after my clothes were suddenly put back on. Then, all I could do was scream in pain as dozens of deep slashes suddenly appeared about me. Pieces of broken carapace were falling off and a pool of yellow appeared around me. The pain was so bad I even stopped trying to reach out for him.

It was too much, so many new wounds in so short a time. Each one was as painful as the last. It did not take long for my voice to break and I was spasming in pain. Yet, eventually, I was able to somehow stand.

It may have hurt, but it did not even compare to the pain I felt when Lari was not around. I missed her so much and that fueled my last desperate bid to grab him. He was always one step too far, though. And soon, I fell down, unable to keep myself up.

"Tell you what, be my new dance partner?" he offered as I flailed away at his feet. My own blood lubricated my advance from now on until he stabbed me. It was just one more wound, however. So I just stared up at his as his wedged that sword into my arm.

"I... Will... Kill... You..." I tell him as I came to terms with the fact he had defeated me. Lari was going to die and I could do nothing.

"Sure thing, Dance Partner, see you soon!" he told me before he vanished. I, however, struggled to figure out where I had reappeared at.

"What...?" I soon let out as well as the injuries all suddenly vanished too. However, my mind still read it all. So they were most certainly there. My clothes were even soaked in the proof...

However, despite that drive to kill him still being inside me. A different drive started to fill me. And I slowly trudged away from the city. A looming sensation of fear in each stumble I made.

Why was I running away like this? Lari needed me... She needed me to save her... So why was...?

"Somebody help me..." I weakly begged as I started to be seen by the few still up at night. And, I had a feeling I knew why some of them were running off the way they did. I could even hear joy in their voices as I came back covered in blood. The only people who even seemed to care were even all waiting for me at the dorm entrance.

"N-Nin... WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?" Einervaene screamed as she took ahold of me and violently shook me. Tears were in their eyes as well as anger. But, Tiyanat, however, she was disappointed in me. And how could she not be...?

I came back without her sister... I only came back with a broken spirit and damnation for myself. It didn't take long for them to all try and heal me, but, they caught on quickly. My injuries just weren't there right now...

They only existed in my memories and in the yellow-stained bandages.

"How could you...? After everything we did to try and..." Vadei started to say before she broke down crying. Eventually, many of them just backed away. They were upset and furious.

"I need to rest..." I muttered before I failed to even push one of them aside. They just pushed back in disbelief at my actions.

"Nin... Run... Just run!" Einervaene begged me as lights began to light up behind us. The eagerness many had for my demise made it all the more believable they'd be this ready for it.

"Osibindah, leave Suhurlodst Academy of Arcane Learning and Understanding!" someone proudly declared to a cheering crowd as armed men approached. Within moments I was being beaten away and forced away. Any pretence of civility disappeared and I started to run as fast as I could. It was Tryhpeltzweig all over again...

They were shooting at me with all they had to kill that monster. Even the students around me were trying to slaughter me in their spells. Yet, I kept on going. I escaped each call to Undwote until I found myself at the edge of the mountain.

"Wait for me, Lari..." I weakly said towards Thrurstradtur before I leapt down the mountainside. Sliding down it despite each cut and scrape I endured. Then, once I got close enough to it, I flung myself around. I slowly backed away into a cold, dark cave as snow screamed around me.

I kept my breathing under control and I made sure to hold my magic in. Their eyes might miss me, but that wasn't the only thing they had. However, I did not cry, I just tended to my wounds however I could. Growling into the openness of my mouth while keeping one arm ready to fire upon them.

If I had to hide like this to save her... I would... Lari would smile again... I would make sure of it.