Chapter 43: The Graveyard Massacre
There was nothing I could do about the injured, my only objective would have to be taking down the Fury.
"Kath, see if you can heal them!" I yelled, the girl looking back and nodding. She vaulted away from the enemy, our positions swapping instantaneously as I began my assault. There was no way my body would physically survive two integrations in the short span of a few days, so I knew that I had to rely on my own power, and not Asthia's.
I electrified my body, appearing right beside Rom. I looked into his eyes, the life inside him almost faded. The Fury wailed, confused as to where its opponent went. I used the few seconds I had gained to comfort the dying healer.
"Darck," he muttered, all of his strength going towards the hushed voice escaping his lips.
"I'm here," I said, watching the Fei smile at the presence of another individual.
"You better not blame yourself," he said amusingly, his wound worsening from the weak chuckles.
I let out a small smile, something he would never see because of my mask.
"Rest now," I whispered, accepting my inability to help him. There was nothing I could do, nothing anyone here could do. If the healer went down, the entire party was powerless to help him. All I could do was watch him, his short breaths becoming longer and longer, tears trickling down his face.
He didn't want to die.
And yet, he didn't have a say in the matter. A current that swept you up, wrenching you from the life that you tried to hold on to with everything you had.
"Thank you," he finally said, closing his damp eyes one final time. I looked at his expressionless face, my mind accepting reality.
I had been a witness to the cruel effects of death countless times, but for some reason, this didn't feel the same. I lay Rom's head delicately back on the ground, sensing the presence of the Fury closing in.
I stood up, controlling my emotions, and focusing solely on the one task presented in front of me.
Kill the Fury.
The ground beneath me ruptured as I launched myself at the Fury, manipulating the bind around me.
I rammed right into the beast with the full force of my lightning, a massive shockwave spreading from the impact. I jumped back, leaping right back at the enemy.
A bombardment of energy echoed around the battlefield as I attacked, momentarily retreating before striking again.
I avoided the massive mace, swerving around.
A massive explosion of frost burst underneath me, freezing the legs of the Fury. It wailed, smashing the newly-created ice with its weapon. I stepped back, maintaining complete control on the slippery surface.
Ice shards appeared around me, shooting right at the enemy with blinding speed. Sharp whistles echoed as the Fury's flesh was cut, roars echoing throughout the entire graveyard.
I appeared above the Fury in an instant, a burst of heat surrounding me. I drove my foot into the nape of the monster, slamming its head into the ground. I jumped back, summoning two pillars of stone and locking the squirming beast in place.
I put my hand forward, closing my eyes.
"Ignite."
BOOM
A massive spiral of flames erupted on my designated target, thick smoke spreading across the battlefield. I expected a cry of rage from the Fury, but an eerie silence followed the sudden blinding of vision.
My body trembled, sensing the aura of the Fury vanish.
It had outsmarted me.
Realizing I was an opponent it couldn't possibly hope to match, it waited patiently, waiting for the opportunity to unleash its anger onto another target.
The only two remaining survivors.
"Katherine! Ava!" I yelled, heading towards the auras that were already familiar to me.
Failing to sense Drav's betrayal, failing to understand the Fury's tactics...
What am I doing?!
I arrived at the scene of the first aura, my heart dropping.
Ava's body was frozen on top of her sister's, her final action protecting the body of the person she loved more than anything in the world.
Fuck!
I heard the sound of metal clashing, my body immediately dashing towards the source. I saw the outline of the beast ahead of me, lightning crashing around me as I drove myself into its head. The blast from the impact sent the Fury staggering back, dazed.
I looked at Katherine, the girl lying on the floor injured.
"Katherine!"
"I'm okay, thank you," she said slowly, grabbing my hand and standing back up.
I knew I was capable of keeping the Fury occupied and surviving, but defeating it entirely on my own would be significantly more difficult. I clutched my partner's hand.
"Let's do this," I said confidently, ignoring the crater of sadness and guilt that had been formed in my heart.
Katherine nodded, smiling, and twirling her daggers. This was no place to fight with a bow, and the girl understood that perfectly. I felt the neverending flow of bind, converting it into a gentle breeze.
The smoke dissipated gently, the calming wind that preceded the storm. The Fury finally came into vision, the beast battered and bloody, but still standing.
I reached into the void, pulling out midnight. I would not let Katherine die, I had already lost too much.
I didn't shed any tears, but that didn't mean I felt no pain or remorse. I could barely move my body, the lives of those around me slowly vanishing before my eyes.
I readied myself with the two weapons, midnight in my preferred hand in a reverse grip, and my sword in my other with a normal stance.
I threw myself at the murderer of my friends, all the pain and anger flowing through me and into my weapons. Katherine attacked first, a violent gale surrounding her and blasting towards the Fury.
She evaded the counter-attack, slipping underneath the beast's legs. Before it could turn around and react, I launched myself at its chest, planting my swords into its skin. I swung outwards, ripping the strong flesh of the Fury.
It bellowed in anger, swinging its mace around furiously. I noticed Katherine moving slower than usual, realizing she wouldn't make it out of range in time to avoid the attack. I exhaled slowly, steam escaping my mouth as my body became as cold as ice.
I planted my sword into the ground, concentrating.
"Blue Rose!" I roared, ice shards erupting around my sword. The weapon acted as a beacon, the shards of ice enwrapping the Fury's arm midswing. I pulled the sword free, immediately charging towards the beast.
I electrified my body, dashing right into the frozen arm.
I inhaled, feeling the current flow through me with unparalleled precision. My eyes glowed a bright turquoise, the energy overflowing around me.
BOOM
A massive boom echoed throughout the valley, the sound made when something broke through the sound barrier. I appeared on the other side of the Fury, reality slowly realizing what happened as the mace-like arm slowly came off.
The Fury shrieked, realizing what had just happened.
I slowly approached the monster, its head-turning towards me and freezing up.
"How about you shut up?" I asked, raw hatred resonating in my voice as the beast whimpered ever so slightly. All the negative emotions that had built up inside me were unleashed, immobilizing the monster in glacial fear.
I appeared right in front of the beast, looking straight into its soul. I put my hand forward slowly, the Fury merely watching without any reaction.
A swirl of energy began forming in my hand, neutral bind being condensed into a single orb of power. A small crackle sparked an ignition of the energy, the swirling sphere igniting with lightning. I brought my arm back, the Fury understanding that there was nothing it could do.
I brought my hand straight into the monster's chest, a massive shockwave bursting outwards as the raw electric energy collided with the Fury. I watched as the monster that had killed three of my partners slowly fade away, its death not making me feel better whatsoever.
Good job, Kath-"
I looked over, the girl was lying on the ground in pain, her breaths getting slower and slower...