" NOOOO!"
But that didn't stop her and she drops the baby down, toward the alligator-filled river. Amon leaps over the bridge rails and grabs the baby in his arms. Out of the river, an alligator leaps out of the waters, mouth gaping wide, its sharp white teeth glistening against the light.
" *Sharp inhale* Ohhhh, F!"
" Aboooo weeeeeee"
The small baby squealed in excitement reminding Amon that he was in the presence of a very impressionable bundle of pure joy.
" Ffff... Frog... *croak* ?"
Amon questioned, wondering if that was good enough to hide the fact he almost swore in front of a baby. Fun fact, that was also how Amon croaked as he dove head first into the alligator's jaws. Amon yelped in pain as the alligator bit down on his ankles that stuck out of the creature's powerful jaws. Shockingly, the alligator's insides were completely see-through, making Amon realise that the creature was made out of light magic. It also reminded Amon that the water contained holy magic, which made Amon panic as he watches the alligator flop back into the river.
The water hits Amon's feet and ankles first, making Amon bite down on his own arms to prevent himself from screaming into the baby's ear. His feet and ankles felt as if they were on fire, he could feel the water seeping through the gaps between the jaws of the creature, burning his legs as well. Amon's inner demon shrieked in pain as it quickly moves deeper into Amon. As the demon did so, the fire that Amon felt scorching his legs suddenly felt like normal water.
" Oh."
" Ai! Ai! "
The babe claps his hands as he pressed himself against the alligator's head, wanting to see more things underwater. Amon could feel the alligator slowly pushing him out a bit, just to bite down onto his lower legs and roll, trying to break Amon up into little pieces.
" WEEEEEEEEEE!!"
He squealed as if on a wonderful theme park ride as he waves his little hands in the air. While Amon holds him in a way where the baby doesn't bump against anything.
" We're being eaten alive! Why are you so happy??"
Amon exclaimed as the alligator keep rolling, round and round. Amon couldn't help but feel dizzy as the world around them spins so many times. Because Amon was holding the baby in a certain way, instead of feeling like clothes in a washing machine, the baby felt like he was floating. Which made him even more excited, waves his little hands and kicked his little feet. Amon who was right behind him, on top of feeling dizzy, was getting slapped and kicked while struggling to keep the squirming baby safe in his hands.
" Enough of this! You! Bad holy magic overgrown lizard!"
Amon exclaimed, with carefully selected words while trying to wiggle his way out of the rotating alligator. The spear tied around Amon's back, scraps the inside of the alligator causing it to scream in pain as it stopped rolling and coughs Amon out a bit more. Amon bends his leg, kicking the alligator's throat as many times as he can in a second while using his spear to stab its upper mouth again.
The alligator finally coughs Amon and the baby, back out. Amon immediately stoop up, fearing that his inner demon would get hit by the holy water again. The alligator snaps its teeth angrily at Amon and lunches toward him. Amon, kicked the alligator hard on the throat, choking the creature and it made it gasped for air. Amon took this opportunity and backed away from it, making his way toward shore.
The Alligator bit down on Amon's legs causing him to stumble forward his upper body falling onto the pathway. Pain shoots from his right leg and his elbows. He could feel his bones tremble against the impact of the hard pavement. Amon puts the baby down on the ground, turning to the creature.
" Back, you reptilian dung beetle! Back to the depths from whence you came!"
Amon yells at the creature kicking at its eye with his free leg. Soon Amon had enough and summon his inner demon. He snarled at the light creature, breathing his evil atmosphere at the annoying beast. The alligator seeing so much dark magic in one place was spooked, it let go and glared at Amon as it swims away.
Amon seeing the stupid thing swim away, lets out an exhausted sigh before collapsing onto the ground.
" *Panting* *panting* panting*"
His muscles throb with such ache, everything hurt, every last single part. He closes his eyes trying to ignore the pain.
" Ai du du. fuuuuu noi!"
The infant gurgled as he touches Amon's face, pulling, pushing, and beating down on it like it was a very fun toy.
" *Panting* *panting* panting*"
Amon, struggle to open his tired eyes and looks at the bored little child. His sky blue eyes stare back at Amon as he drools onto the ground.
" Reeeee ah!"
He angrily yelled as he pushes down on Amon's face and rolls it back and forth a bit. Trying to tell him that he wants to go on that ride again. Amon suddenly inhales sharply, picking up the baby and getting up in one quick move.
" Ow."
He winched at his right leg which was chewed up the most by that useless alligator. He let out another sigh and takes in a determined breath.
" Ow, ow ow, ow,ow ow, ow, ow."
He muttered as he ran up the pathway and up the bridge back to where he last saw Philomel.
" What the actual hell, Mel?!!!"
He yelled at her as soon as he saw her back. Philomel was hunched down in a ball as her shoulders shook. She turned to look at Amon and that made Amon almost trip at the sight. Tears streamed down her face, her eyes were puffy and her blue eyes were now more red than blue.
" Don't make me do it again *Sobbing* please not again. *Sobbing*"
She muttered under her breath and some other things as well but through her heavy sobbing Amon could only hear "Ba**** Asclepius" and something about killing him.
" I'm sorry *Sobbing* I'm so sorry *sobbing* It's okay if you never forgive me. *Sobbing* Just kill me now. Just kill me now. *Sobbing* "
She screamed with her hands covering her eyes as her whole body slumps to the ground.
" Why did you do it?"
Amon asked, just so utterly confused at everything and extremely frustrated at the lack of information.
" The tribe *sobbing* was threatened *sobbing* by the birth of *sobbing* the Messiah that will *sobbing* bring about peace *sobbing* by purging all dark elves. "
Philomel sobbed uncontrollably as she curl up into a ball and lay on her side. At that moment, the light bulb in Amon's mind finally lit up. As he finally, realizes at that moment, who he was holding in his arms. The Messiah of the light elves foretold to deliver the chosen blessed elves to the promised land. Freeing them from all their woes and troubles.
" Eruuuh?"
The baby curiosity stares back at Amon with a tilted head. Amon silently panics as he realizes that he, himself was one of the problems of the light elves and that the very same baby he was holding, is destined to be his end. Amon swallow the nerves stuck in his throat. Unfortunately, while Amon was having an epiphany, the Holy Knights spotted them and this time they were prepared.
" Daylight remember its call, speak its true name and behold it's might as it smites."
Sparks of lightning suddenly ripple in the distance, lighting up the whole pathway in its brilliant deadly glow. From the reflection of the baby's eye, Amon noticed the sudden glow of light as the baby stares at something behind Amon.
"How are your eyes golden right now? What are you looking at?"
Amon subconsciously glances over his shoulder at first, wondering what the baby was looking at but then was more interested in how his blue eyes suddenly have a golden glow to them.
"Oh, holy knights. How are your eyes so fancy? Are you truly a Messiah? Wait a minute... HOLY KNIGHTS?!"
He immediately turns to back just to see a holy mage amongst their ranks.
" Holy revelation!"
" * GASP*"
Amon quickly dove onto Philomel as the lightning struck the exact spot where Amon stood just moments ago. Amon silently thanks that they weren't aiming at Philomel or he would have a gaping hole through his chest. Amon shoves the baby into Philomel's arms and picks Philomel up, bridal style as he ran across the bridge. He glanced behind just to see the Holy party gaining on them. Alligators that saw the glow of the holy mage's staff, join their party and charge toward Amon snapping at his feet.
" That's just cheating!"
Amon whined as leap, dodging the snapping alligators. He pushes his aching legs to run faster but he was already exhausted, mildly injured, and carrying two passengers. It was impossible for him to escape and he knew it. He was about to panic but then he recalled the last time he panicked and all of his "If only". Amon closes his eyes focusing on his inner demon.
His inner demon seeing that Amon was in such a dire state that it covered Amon's entire legs and lifted him upwards, making him taller and faster, now that his legs were bursting with energy and felt no pain. Amon glided down pathways like a young excited stallion seeing a wide open field for the first time. Amon was going so fast that he had to leap off walls in order to turn.
With each turn and corner, he came across alligators that all targeted him. It was like the holy mage knew his exact location and was controlling the nearest alligator to leap at him whenever he turned a corner. Amon narrowly escape the first few but soon he started expecting them and kicked them out of his way. He soon came to a dead end that had a ladder leading up to the surface. Amon leap upwards, banging open the trap door as he launched up to the surface.
Amon kicks the trap door closed and then leaps onto the closest rooftop. He then scans the area for a safe place to rest and picks the stables that were just a distance away from the sealed metal city gates. Amon drags himself in and shuts the door behind him before putting Philomel down. He falls to his knees and then onto the ground, dead exhausted.
" *sighs* *panting* *panting*"
Philomel puts the baby down on in front of Amon.
" You deserve a say in this mission. Whatever you decide now, I will follow."
Philomel whispers, completely dejected.
" Isn't there a way we can keep our tribe safe without killing the child?"
" As long as he breaths our fate is sealed. All we can do is delay the inevitable."
Amon slowly sits up.
" There must be another way, maybe if we raise him as a dark elf. He might not wanna purge us?"
" You really wanna bet the lives of our whole tribe on a huge if?"
She questioned and Amon fell silent for a moment but then remembered something.
" Wait... there were two babies in that crib. How do you know that this one is the Messiah? What if we accidentally killed an innocent child?"
" I have already tried to make my peace with that, for killing the Messiah is killing an innocent child. I'm never going to even think about trying that again. Which is why I'm giving you the choice because you'll have to do it."
" Me?!"
" You promised that you would help me and that we would face whatever consequence together. "
Amon wanted to take back his words but seeing Philomel already so broken and defeated, he knew that he couldn't.
" Must I make the decision now?"
" ... No... but I'm sure that home will call out to you as well."
" We wait until daylight, confirm that we truly have the right child then... then... I'll decide. Until we have the Messiah in our hands... then .... we think of our next move."
" Very well, just know that, all I want right now is to go home and skin myself a snake."
Philomel said with a growl as she turns away from Amon, pulls her sack full of wool, and lays down on it.
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