𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄

Pt 33: Rewind and Recap

The creature landed directly atop Griffith, letting out a loud, ferocious snarl. It dug its claws into the Atlantean's shoulders, purple blood welling up and flowing from the wounds. He struggled, trying to throw the beast from his body, but he couldn't. Kingston held the sword before him, hands shaking, trying to figure out what to do with it. The elf leapt to action, pulling out his pistol and shooting the creature, but it didn't even flinch, simply absorbing the bullet into its body. As it dug its claws deeper into Griffith's skin, the endling gave a muffled scream of agony. Quentin shot it again, with the same result.

"The sword!" Griffith tried to yell. His voice was strained and panicked. The beast retracted its claws, moving them to the Atlantean's chest to dig them into his Core. Kingston overcame his petrification, lifting the sword. It seemed lighter, easier to carry now. He ran forward, the monster lifting its head to the new threat. The librarian closed his eyes as the blade made contact with the creature's paw, cutting it clean off. He'd sliced too low. It screamed in pain and rage, rearing up off of Griffith to face the offender. Well, not face him, since it didn't have a face — to no-face him? It didn't matter. The injury dripped black fluid, until, to his horror, the paw reformed, and the monster lifted it, taking a swipe at him. Kingston jumped back, the white sword trembling in his hands. The beast stuck out its slimy purple tongue again, showing its white teeth in a gruesome grin and snapping at him. Its teeth grazed his arm as he lifted the weapon and imagined he was just chopping a piece of wood. He let it get close, so close he felt its foetid breath on his neck.

The breath was cold and smelled of death and decay, sending chills down his spine. He saw its teeth, about to grab his throat and snap his neck.

He brought down the blade.

The monster let out a scream so loud that it would have ripped the skin off a peron's throat had they uttered it; a scream of death that was cut off as its head fell to the ground at Kingston's feet. It didn't grow another one. It's body stood for a moment, then collapsed, oozing the disgusting black liquid. Kingston couldn't hear anything; that scream in his ears had temporarily deafened him. He'd just killed something. It was a horrid death monster, but he'd killed it by his own hands. His mind clawed about for familiar ground. He'd never felt like this when he'd eaten chicken,probably since he had never held the knife. Not that he liked chickens.

The white sword was dripping with the black fluid, and he was shaking harder now. He wanted to throw up, or faint, maybe scream. Maybe all three. He didn't do any, though. Instead, he dropped the sword, stumbling over to Griffith's inert body and collapsing to his knees, his body trembling. His ears were ringing, drowning out all other sound. The Atlantean's eyes were closed, but he was breathing. His lips were moving, but the librarian heard nothing.

Kingston began to search for Minerva, whom he found hiding under a large leaf a few yards away. Getting to his feet, he approached her and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her to Griffith and placing her next to him. He tried to say "Can you heal him?" but he didn't hear anything come out. Minerva seemed to hear, though and placed her claw on his shoulder. There was a small blue glow, but when it faded, the wound was still there. The dragon tried again, with the same results.

"—E try," Vexx said.

"What?" Kingston could hear himself again. He turned, looking over at Vexx.

"I've been talking to you for the past five minutes. Let me try to take care of the wound," she said. The librarian stepped away, Vexx sitting down cross-legged beside Griffith. There was a lavender coloured pool of blood under him now. The lacerations were deep. Kingston listened absently, handing Vexx the bag that had the medical supplies as she asked for it, staring at the wound until he couldn't any longer. The Atlantean's eyes were slitted open as he watched Vexx treat the injury. His gaze shifted to Kingston, and he mumbled something.