Her claw-like nails dig into my skin and drag across my arms which guard my much more vital throat, I scream out in pain and just as I do another figure exits the black hole in a rush of white, the colored blob is rushing towards us, I'm not sure if my inability to see is due to their quickness or my loss of blood but I find myself grateful as they pounce on my cat-like attacker.
It is only in the slow moment when they hit the ground together that I can see the powerful warrior before me, the woman who visits the moon. Her eyes are nothing like the serenity I've seen in those dreams and instead are filled with determination and anger, her teeth clenched together as she nearly growls at the cat woman she's pinned by her throat. Her voice is thick and deep with anger, "This is not the way! I share your hatred for them but they are not deserving of our rage!" Her words are clear despite the loudness and deep tone, almost perfect control- which make the trembles of her body all the more unbelievable, her sapphire eyes never leave the woman, almost in solidarity as she flails about beneath her. "Calm yourself, Alista. Don't make me hurt you, I value your passion but this disregard for morality is not our way and I won't tolerate disobedience in battle. Is this understood?" The tone completely changed from a moment before, this voice was calm, steady,yet had a note of pleading, of compassion and certainty, so much so even I could even understand the exchange as I cradled my wounded arms to my torso to stop the copious amount of bleeding. The woman is making it quite clear, even without ever saying the words. She wants them to leave peacefully together, but it's clear she won't compromise on the matter they are fighting over, which I can only assume is the status of my survival. If Alista, my attacker, does not comply, I can see that despite her tremors, the woman I am so used to seeing under the moon in peaceful loneliness, will kill this girl and end all her desperation filled rage.
Looking at the face of my attacker now subdued, despite her flailing, she too is beautiful and her face twists in pain as her focus is no longer on me, I feel a twinge of regret, or panic, that I don't understand but before I can stop myself I plead, "Please don't kill her."
I curse myself mentally, why or how could I feel any sort of pity for the monster who attacked me, who was determined to kill me just moments ago. Regardless of my inner monologue, the women heard me, the desperate cat-women's eyes somehow widened even more in surprise and some other emotion I couldn't name. The other woman, the angel from my nightmares, set her jaw firmly and her eyes narrowed, but as they did I could have sworn I saw her eyes water with wavering emotion. I watch as she slowly releases her hold on Alista.
Alista gasps wildly, clawing up the floor and pools of tears falling from her golden eyes. The next time her eyes meet mine, they are not filled with hatred or bloodlust, instead I see something more that I had in my nightmares. Somewhat sorrowful, somehow grateful, hopeful even as she makes the effort to stand on her own. The still nameless woman offers one smooth pale hand out to Alista's aid, her voice is raspy and hoarse, "Thanks for bringing me back, boss, I was just so determined to stop them." She turns her head slightly to me almost as if to apologize, she even winced once she saw my arms. For a moment, her mouth opens like she wants to speak to me so I stare at her, I can't find it in me to blink. As afraid as I should be, I just don't want to be wrong, to close my eyes and open them to my empty room without any proof that this is reality. Just as a small squeak escapes her lips, a dagger pierces her from behind and that soft sound became a bellow of pain as she doubles over, exposing the copious amount of blood and the daggers leather handle, a ruby sticking from its base, unique by any measure of imagination. The boss woman steps in front of Alista and draws her sword from her hip, I hadn't noticed in before despite it's obvious sheath that sticks out of her coat from an elaborate hip belt. I realize two things as she stands in the pooling blood of her comrade, drawn and still, firstly, that she could have killed Alista at any time, that her hesitation was abnormal for her, and secondly, that she is not as merciful to the armored man stepping from the darkness, like a knight only more capable than anything I've ever read of. I always thought of knights as the jocks of medieval times or the valiant star of a fantasy novel but these three knights don't look like valiant men on a quest, they look like soldiers on a mission, detached from any form of emotion, any form of compassion for the enemy. The same can be said for the women prepared to strike. I'm not sure if the knights want me alive or dead but I can only assume from the glancing cold looks of the middle knight, that I, in one way or the other, am the objective.
The knights, in blood dripping dented gear, form a wall in front of the black hole, which has begun to shrink and widen randomly with a loud sound of vibration, like the sound of a thousand bees. Anxious and torturous minutes pass with this standstill.
From the look of things there isn't much of a fight, Alista is down groaning on the group five feet away from me, there is one girl with a sword and three big armored men with gadgets and weapons I've never seen blocking her way and yet as I look at them all, I can tell the knights are little more sacrificial lambs someone sent to stall time or die. I don't even know why I have that impression but I know these off-putting knights are nothing compared to her.
As the first knight steps forward to strike, the woman lunges with such power and control at them. I don't see who hits first however and I use the commotion to rush to Alista, I grab her by her clammy shoulders and pull her back from the action, I lean her slender body against my bed. She groans lightly, almost as if apologetically. The blood from my arms drips down her collarbones, I cringe slightly at the gross sight of my blood mixing with hers on a pool forming in the lower part of her chest below her tightly bound chest and her small stomach.As soon as I know she is away from the fighting and clashing of metal I find myself sprinting out of my room into the loud hallway that echoes the battle. I'm not sure how my mom isn't reacting to the sounds at all but I don't have time to really think about it as I grab the first aid kit from the bathroom and start my trek back to Alista, who I've grown used to mentally referring to as cat-girl. As if on cue, I hear my mom's loud voice through the house, "I told you to stay in your room! I can't handle talking to you right now!" and he loud stomps up the stairs. For a moment I'm frazzled and angry, is that all she has to say? There are obviously people in our house and she doesn't even bother to acknowledge them? I could be hurt, I AM hurt, why the hell doesn't she care! I shake my head, trying to focus on what matters most right now and that is Cat-girl. I rush back to my room to see the battle is almost over. As I predicted our female savior is winning, having taken out two of the three opponents. The two are bleeding out on the floor and yet I can't seem to find any compassion for them as I did for Alista. It's as if my cream carpet is being dyed red as I get out the bandages. Once I do though I sort of just stare at the wound, what the hell am I supposed to do with it? Do I take out the blade? Do I even have the strength to do that? It's going to hurt her so much. My quivering hand inches towards the blade handle but just as I am about to touch it Cat-girl's hand grips my wrist "No! Don't, it's the only thing keeping me from bleeding out. Just wrap it around...please." The pause told me that she too, wasn't used to this type of situation, having to coach someone like me, or maybe having to ask for help was new...either way her manners were awkward and cute. Ah, right, sorry uhm just hold onto my arm as I sit you up." I say to her and cast out my arm from her to use as a crutch. Her short dark hair is frizzy and wild, some spots clumped together by blood- was this not her first injury of the day? I grunt as I hold her body weight away from the bed frame so I can better wrap around her back. Her arms fold around my neck to allow me the use of both hands. My arms sting with pain from her claws and I am reminded of it as her claws lightly graze my upper back. Our proximity is hard not to notice as I can feel her ragged breath on the edge of my shirt, her bound breasts rise and fall with her movement, I focus and look beyond her chest to her side wound, I'm not a doctor but it's not near any of the vital organs I know of- granted I don't know what the anatomy of Cat-girl is. I wrap tightly, maybe too tightly, as Alista stabs me painfully with her nails and grinds her teeth together. Her eyes are shut and her face is scrunched in pain. I loosen it a little before continuing to wrap. I find myself panicking more and more as the blood keeps bleeding through. "We need to get you to a hospital, I should go get my mom or…" or who? Who would I know who could help her? Absolutely no one, I'm the only one here, the only one available who would even believe what I'm seeing. Am I actually seeing this? I mean, is it real? Did mom not respond because it's fake? I feel the sting in my arms as the wrapping grazes my own wounds and it acts as a reminder that delusions can't do this to me. I feel a warm pand on my shoulder and I look up to see moon girl's face, cleaner than it should be considering the dead men on the floor, "I'll take it from here, thank you, Rayen." Shock stops me from moving or responding, this woman said my name, or at least something resembling it. She said it as it's spelled, with an 'A' but nonetheless, she knows me. I'm not some random dude caught up in their battle, it's like confirmation that I am- or was- the target. I watch speechlessly as she helps Alista to her feet and limps her through the shrinking buzzing blackness. She had already dragged the downed men through, leaving nothing but bloodied trails, before she steps through she looks back at me with a soft smile. "Don't worry, I won't let them get you." I try to scream after her, and in a moment of pure instinct I run to catch her but she- and the black-hole- are gone and I do nothing but hit loudly against the wall with my hands balled into fists. The only trace of them is the blood on the floor and the marks on my arms, although there is no silence in their absence as my mom screams and bangs on the door a moment before she enters to find me bleeding from my wrists in my destroyed room.