The Slayer

15 - Out of the Woods

It jumped onto me. I stood there, frozen. I felt warmth creeping up my feet. I felt its slimy limbs on me, I heard its ragged breathing and its growling. Just when I thought it was going to go for the kill, it was knocked back by a strong wind. It fell back about 6 feet away from me.

I got up, trembling from the near death experience. I looked back, expecting to see Axel. He must have copied Airen's powers. Instead, I saw Ren sitting up clutching his chest with a pained expression. He fell down again, panting. Axel, who was halfway to him took his hand, copying his power.

"Ren, just rest. He'll take care of it," Lena said.

"Lena, quick! Hand me some Terra!" I yelled.

"I'm all out of it! We finished using it way back! Just heal him!"

"I'm not good enough," I muttered, applying pressure on his wound as he grunted. I concentrated. This was even more fatal than Axel's wound. I needed to do this the thorough way. I closed my eyes, and I saw the extent of the wound.

It had barely missed the heart, but his lungs had a bit of damage. I willed the nerve endings and veins I saw to connect and join, the tissues and muscles to repair. I guess Miss Salas's classes weren't totally useless.

He gasped in pain and tried to move, but Lena held him down. It took time, as it always did. I focused on the wound alone, managing to not get distracted by the perilanter.

After some time, I was half done. I was panting, too. This was taking a toll on my body.
I noticed that Lena wasn't there anymore. Where had she gone?

Focus, Rita, I told myself. After repairing the epethelial tissue, I was finally done.

Airen grunted, "M-my finger..."

I'd totally forgotten about it. I grabbed his hand, and saw that his little finger had been completely ripped off. If I still had the finger maybe I could have healed that too, but it had been chewed up by the monster.

But I couldn't let him be in pain. This way, at least he could go peacefully. I felt angry at myself. Maybe if I hadn't yelled at him, maybe he wouldn't have been attacked. Maybe and if really were the worst words.

I'd finished healing him. I hugged him, setting him upright.

"You're fine?"

"I'm sorry..." He croaked, his voice hoarse. He tried to get up.

"Give it some time."

"As if," he scoffed, "I don't have time, Rita... Might as well kick some perilanter butt before I run out of it."

He steadied his arms in front of him. Axel was pushing the perilanter back with wind.

"Hey, steering-head. Still want to fly?" He gestured at Axel.

Axel looked back, smiling. He nodded and gave the perilanter a big push. It was thrown back. Lena and I gathered around both of them. For a second, I felt nothing. But then, I felt the thrust under my feet. I was floating in mid air. Airen's face was pale and his hands were sweaty. Almost as if he was afraid.

The perilanter leaped upwards, but we were too high, at about 10 metres from the ground. But then I realised something.

"Axel! You don't-" I began.

"Not now! I need to focus!" He cut in.

I kept mum, knowing very well what was coming. I needed to warn him.

'He's not covering the cameras anymore!' I telepathized to Lena.

'Oh god, we're so done. Axel, Airen, lift us above the damn canopy!' She replied and told them.