Adonai:
I started running, sprinting towards a desperate situation, running towards a man at the brink of collapsing.
There are no words that need to be said, no emotions that need to be displayed... only a single look at his face could tell you that his eyes become duller by the second. His own essence, what made him whole is slowly crumbling in and on itself. He probably had dreams with, dreams shared with these two, aspirations, hopes for the future... but now, one of them is laying in a pool of blood possibly never to walk again and her sister is laying half burned, half of her soul shattered.
In this moment the reality wraps its ugly claws around him and shreds him to pieces. From inside out he wants to scream but he has no voice, he wants to cry but his tears become dry. The feeling of helplessness, pain... the fear of losing one who you hold dear... the thoughts, the wonder of 'what if tomorrow never comes'. What if it all ends now.
And I've been there... I'm still there... I want to help- but not him, I want to help myself. I can't let him go through this. Maybe he'll be reacting differently, most probably will, but the grief will be nonetheless the same. And the thought of letting this unfold on its natural course, sickens me.
After I reached him I sat down and smacked him on the face. "Get a hold of yourself!" I said, my white blood bathered scythe in one hand, and my eyes fixated on the monster that doesn't intend to stop just because he's in pain.
I hesitated, not knowing if what I was about to say it's right or wrong... but I knew I had to at least get him going.
The worst he could do right now is just watch... for himself as much as for us, we have to get out of this alive.
"That's just how it is, your friends, lovers, whatever they are to you, I don't care, but they are in this state right now because of you. You had a duty, as a warrior.. no, as a leader, to protect those under you. And you failed."
...
"Sitting here doing nothing won't change the situation. If you're gonna stay here and wallow in regret while this tragedy unfolds... I might as well put you out of your misery myself. But if you wish to move, then, pick up your arms and start fighting... I didn't have the chance to fight but you DO!... even if it's the smallest chance, the smallest rays of sunlight dripping through the unending clouds that roam above this ungodly situation... you have to keep going."
...
I couldn't see him, as my eyes are fixated on the beast but I could feel him gripping my hand, trying to get up, struggling to hold back tears, wishing for a different course, wishing for a chance to change this. Hoping for a good ending despite the sorrowful state he's in.
I don't have the heart to tell him that at least one of them is probably not gonna make it back... but he should know by now.
He was well aware what soul-forgers are... and from his reaction he's more than aware of the risk. But at the end of the day this decision wasn't his to make.
Everyone must pay the price for their own choices, the only thing we can do is accept and move forward.
"So stand up, move into the future... cause if you're gonna stay here and not take actions... you'll regret it for the rest of your life..."
I could feel his arm reaching my back as he was standing up... and undeniable rage cursing through his veins right now.
I don't need special powers to be able to read his emotions, some people are just connected by tragedy itself.
And to avoid another sorry case like me, what we have to do right now is kill the pack leader of the headless mules.
"Maverick! Start attacking from the back, use long range spells."
"Got it!" Maverick shouted, spells already ready to be thrown.
I turned to face Cleidsman. His eyes angrier than ever, more determined than ever yet his face was a display of sadness...
"Cover for me, I'm gonna kill it."
But of course that didn't work... because one in such a state wants only one thing... to be the one who killed the source of the pain. And so he stopped me. "But!"
I knew better, his judgment is still clouded, he's a long rage fighter, and to deal a final blow would require to overpower this entity completely. Our best show is to deal with it by sneaking. And he can't do it... but I can.
"No buts, do as I say otherwise I'm gonna let you die here. Listen, I have no obligation to help you, or them... I'm just doing this for myself... because what I felt back then was what you go through right now, a despair covered in powerless thoughts. So cover for me."
Just as I thought the beast moved its attention to Maverick who became essentially a spammer, throwing whatever spells he could. After all this strategy is about the quantity not the quality.
But isn't he going a bit overboard? I'm looking at the mix of spells he's using and I have to say I'm impressed, fire, water, wind alone, there's even bits of lightning, ice and even poison. I don't know when or what kind of training he undergoes but it sure feels like he's evolving weirdly fast.
I don't know what I can do... pure mana, soul-shapers were told to create weapons to fight but is that all there is to it? If mana is a part of my body then...
As I thought, I tried to redirect the pure mana from my mana pool into every part of my body, wanting to achieve one thing and one alone... speed.
This might not be the equivalent of having lightning go through your body to enhance your nerves but it sure did something... I feel lighter.
The mule is still chasing Maverick, the advantage of having such a small body in comparison is the distance you can take from your enemy, and so I started running.
Cleidsman:
The weight of his words still linger onto me ... That was a hell of a lecture but he's right. I can't possibly make a good judgement call right now so I better try to asses the situation and do what's possible.
I can't let these rookies teach me on how dangerous life can be... but the face of that dude... Adonai? I think it was almost like he's still in pain.
*Whoosh*
I jumped.
Oops. The tail almost hit me, even if he's not focused on me, that giant body is a problem. Seems like the 'little' leader went to wait for the moment to strike...
While that dude attracts his attention... I guess I should try to do the same and make the beast not know what to chase.
The problem with having just a bit of intelligence is that it gets in the way of natural instincts... so while the mule is preoccupied with us then the chance to strike.
I should've thought of that sooner... instead of rushing in like that.
Maddie, Madie... I'm sorry... I promise I'll find a way for both of you to get better and... I promise I'll make our long lasting dream come true... we will escape this war and...
*Whoosh*
Piece of shit... "At least let me finish my train of thought won't you?" I said, while instigating the wind to take me up, making the illusion of flying... my magic is an incomplete type of storm magic... but it is this way because I've been holding back...
Now that they are both unconscious there's no reason for me to worry about instigating trauma... I'm sorry... I promised I won't go and use this but I have to... not to kill like my father but to protect like I've always wanted.
Clasping my hands together I envisioned... envisioned the monster skeleton, every bone, every muscle, every vein, drop of blood in it, everything... "Everything must be unraveled in the storm fury."
The beast sensed my gaze and probably my mana building and stopped chasing, but just as we suspected he blocked, not knowing who to choose after. The one who keeps spamming it's body or the one ready to unleash a destructible attack.
...
But we underestimated it, the mule chose neither, instead launched a fiery breath in the air while rotating with its whole body and body to mimic a vortex of fire that protects its user inside... but to me this is nothing more than a coffin.
The moment my spell was unleashed, violent burst of wind and lightning erupted from the mule insides, small tornadoes making quick work, shredding their muscles and veins, erupting through the skin, outside... But the bones... the bones were harder than I thought and my lack of mana couldn't compensate for it... it stopped the rotation but it didn't collapse, and I could only take care of about half a body before I was completely depleted... but this is enough.
The Headless Mule wailed in pain... a smirk formed on my face at this sight... I might not be the one to deal the final blow... but I'll enjoy your miserable end to the fullest.
Gently gliding down with the wind I saw something... or did I?
It was so fast I couldn't even get a clear picture, it was even faster than lightning itself but after it reached its destination it was all clearer to me.
Barely holding myself together, trying to stay awake and not pass out from exhaustion I saw a scythe... an almost pure white scythe... the blade of the weapon had a red curve going on it... blood. And the one holding the weapon was someone who I thought it's not fitted for the battlefield...
But in this scenery, a wild, mythical forest, where we fought a headless mule leader, where our comrades suffered injuries that might never be healed... he seemed the most appropriate... almost like he has been born to bathe in bloodshed.