The attacks came from everywhere, there wasn't enough attacking range for either Thane or Kayden to move about freely, with every stroke of their blade, blood was spilled, bowels were disemboweled, and body parts were maimed.
Thane continued in his onslaught. He had blocked the humane part of him, putting his survival first against any other thing. That was how he had always survived. Some may have called it cowardice, a fool, or a man without Honor, but he knew deep down, What was honor to a dead man? Pride to a man with no arms? Bravery to a man who gave his life to those who would forget him in two summers?
It was all pointless, survival and strength were what he needed to live, to gain his freedom, to do as he wished, but he restrained himself from his desires lest he be misjudged, for now, he just had to focus on getting out of this situation alive, that was his priority, living.
The numbers around him began dwindling, he was glad that Kayden finally had enough sense to join in and put his survival behind his damned morals and beliefs, he blocked an overhead slash and cut off the arm of the man, then drove his blade into the neck of the man spitting his head in two, then he cut down a woman coming from his flank.
After a few moments, the other ones that had surrounded them stopped and backed away in shock or fear, they took a few steps back watching the two men breathing heavily as they were covered in blood, Kayden looked at his bloodied hands, then at his feet, he tried his best to ignore the constant reminder in his mind, the part of his mind screaming at him, questioning him if he was a beast or a man.
"Let's go," Kayden said suddenly, he swung his blade to his side to take off the blood stains, then looked to Thane who looked at the other villagers, as though he wanted them all dead.
"Thane" he called out once more.
"We should really finish the job, not having them come at us once we're weak or something" he replied to him and he took some more steps towards them.
"Thane stop this madness, we've already done enough" he shouted, " They don't want to attack so leave them be".
He chopped off the head of a man who had begun running away as Thane came closer, "You think they stopped of their own will or they were made to stop?" He asked Kayden.
Kayden rushed forward and held the arm of Thane, "It's enough, we've killed enough Thane, please" he begged his friend, Thane shrugged off his hand and walked away from Kayden.
"My survival first before anyone else, if you can't move your blade to save yourself then stay right there," he said pointing at where Kayden stood, "Don't move a muscle, I'll be done before you know it" he turned his back to Kayden and chased after the villagers with a mad look on his face.
Kayden watched in shock, he had never known this part of Thane before, he was usually calm and collected, mostly playful when with him but now, now he looked like a warrior, a man-made for battle, but Kayden could do nothing but watch his friend cut down, slice and kill the remaining villagers, none could escape his rage, none could outpace him in strength and speed, they were all mundane humans after all.
After a few breaths, he heard the footsteps of Thane approaching, he carried the head of a man in his left hand and then threw it at Kayden's feet, "Look at it Kayden" he said in a rough voice.
Kayden unwillingly looked down and saw the dead eyes of the man's head, his mouth opened slightly with vines coming out of his mouth and neck, "That is the life you have chosen, choose to kill or be killed, there is no good or evil on the battlefield Kayden, it's either kill or be killed and a moment's hesitation is all you need to die" he said calmly in a cold voice.
"Why are you showing this to me?" Kayden asked in a shaking voice.
"Because you do not understand Kayden" he lifted his blade and pointed at Kayden, "The worst monster or beast you could ever face on the battlefield is a human being" he finished then turned around.
"Come on, let's get this over with" he stated as he walked away, Kayden forced himself to pick up the head and looked at it, he couldn't have any hate towards these villagers, if anything they were the victims, so how could Thane kill them without compassion, just out of necessity.
He looked into the eyes of the head in front of him, trying to accept the reality, the essence of battle but he just couldn't, he threw away the head in disgust and began following Thane behind him, he had something he could really pour out all of his frustrations on, the Blood Vine itself.
They both walked back the route they took in silence, neither said a word to each other, the only sound that could be heard was the crunching of snow under their boots, the whirling of the wind as it froze the blood that dripped from their cloaks.
Soon enough they stood in front of the tallest building, they felt the presence of the monster inside, with vines spreading all out, Kayden felt at his soul core, it was filled to the brim with essence, without a word to each other they both stepped into the entrance.
Before then stood the body of Lyda, sitting on a chair in the center of the hall, vines spread from behind the chair as though they came out from her back but it was unsure at the angle at which he stood.
"You managed to survive" she laughed hysterically, "Tell me, warriors, how did it feel killing your own kind, knowing you could have done something to save...."
Before she could complete her statement, Kayden covered himself with Aura and shot towards Lyda with his Odachi blade drawn, He ran it through her chest and sent a charge of electric bolt through the entirety of her being.
"I promised you I'd kill you" Kayden smiled wickedly as he drove the blade deeper into her chest, watching as blood dribbled down her lips with a wild smile on her face.
"Yes, you did".