A Disaster of Fugitives - an MCYT D&D AU fanfiction

28: Scar

This chapter is going to be dice insanity

'NO!'

True laughs, holding close the egg we lost so so much for... I try to get free but there's no way to escape Hels. Always Hels. Why is it always Hels?!

But I refuse to be scared of him.

'Let him go.'

Three words.

And I'm free to attack.

But Hels is there faster.

He shoves me, but I stay balanced. Across the clearing, EX tries and fails to grab Cub as he sprints out the way and up into a tree. True just as quick, drawing her sword,  slashing at me. I dodge, shooting lightning back. Hit. And a really good one at that. True falls back, giving me time to look around... Ren crosses the clearing, yelling, lute in hands, swinging and hitting EX, but causing nothing beyond anger... Doc's drawn his sword, running for Hels, slashing. A miss. Xornoth has backed out the fight, as Cub did. I turn to face True again. 

'What's that behind you Scar?' She taunts. I fight the prickle of pain, glaring, but before she can hit, she trips, falling to the ground. I make the most of it, shooting magic. She scrambles away, standing quick... another miss. A miss back. A couple more hits, and misses... I'm bleeding, I know I'm just a couple good hits away  from losing. But I'm closer to winning. I know I am. It feels like hit she makes misses and every hit I make succeeds... she continues to back away, furious. 

'Come on, True. I thought you were scarier than this.' I grin. Another failed slash, 'You're useless... you can't fight me...'

'But... but you still have a weakness I don't.' She spits back, clearly close to dying, hiding her fear.

'What's that?'

Pain.

I hit the wooden deck again, back screaming in agony. Hels laughs behind me. True crouches in front, smiling. 

'Where's the egg?' 

'No- no I don't have it.'

'Where's the egg, Scar. Tell me or I kill you. Tell me or Hels will kill you.'

'I don't have it... I don't know where it is...' Pain in my back. I fight a scream. 

'WHERE IS IT?'

'YOU HAVE IT!'

'That's right.' The point of True's own knife against my neck. I try to focus on the real world, but it's no better than the nightmares. 'We have it. We won.' Hels struggles to hold my arms back as I fight to get free. 'You're just delaying the inevitable.'

'Please...'

True slashes across my face. I can't fight the scream any more.

'You've lost.'

'No.' I struggle to get free. 'I haven't lost. We haven't lost!' But as I look around I realise... Everyone else is defeated. EX has Ren pinned against a tree. Doc's been knocked out by Hels... Cub doesn't move from his tree. Watching. Just watching as True hurts me again. 

'We win.'

She turns away. 

'No.' 

I struggle, but break free from Hels, staggering to my feet. 

'You don't win. You never win.' Lightning sparks at my fingers... True narrows her eyes, sword prepared to hit me... I'm faster. I shoot the blast of magic and she hits the ground. 'You're just a bully.' I fight the pain, the tears in my eyes.

'Who has the egg, Scar? Where is it?' True spits.

'I'M NOT SCARED OF YOU!'

'Scar?'

Cub.

He's holding Ren's lute out for me to take. Martyn's weapon on choice.

Revenge.

I take it.

'Goodbye, True.' I spit.

I smash it over her head.

And she dies.

Whatever motives or anything the others had are gone. Hels backs away, whimpering.

'T...True...?' A glance at EX as he steps away from Ren, letting my friend fall safe(ish) to the ground. 'Nooo this wasn't supposed to happen! No! No this wasn't what was meant to happen... XORNY HELP MEEEEEE!' 

'The only person who gets to call me 'Xorny' is Joey.' Xornoth steps back into view. 'And now I claim myself leader of the True Vengeance. We surrender. I don't need a stupid egg anyway.' 

Hels stays for a moment, red eyes wide as Xornoth walks away. A glance from EX to me ready to kill, to Ren growling, to Cub... and both run after Xornoth.

Silence. For a moment I'm just left standing there, panting, still bleeding before...

'WOO!' Ren cheers,  'GO SCAR!'

'Go... go Scar...'

Doc.

I turn to him, blood turning cold. His eyes are barely open, he's moments from dying....

'No... no... Ren, do you have any healing supplies or healing spells?'

'No I... oh no... oh no... Doc, don't die on us... dude... please...'

'Go... go and get the egg back to Pearl.'  He barely manages to say. I fight a sob.

'Doc... No...'

'Go and get the egg back to Pearl. Tell Bdubs and Etho what happened... Goodbye, Scar. Goodbye Ren.' A pause as he stares at Cub, just nods, and looks back at me.

''Thanks for giving me one last adventure...'

'No no no DOC YOU'RE NOT DYING!' I insist. He just laughs.

'H-hey Beef. And Grian... and Martyn and...'

Doc dies.

'DOC!' I hug him as he falls still, unable to stop crying. 'DOC NO!'

'Scar...'

'Don't be dead... don't be dead... Ren, Ren do you know anything that could resurrect him? Please? Anything. I need anything...'

'Scar... he's- he's dead.' Tears shine in Ren's eyes. 'He's...'  I don't know who he's comforting as he pulls me into a tight hug and starts to sob. Doc's dead. If I hadn't been... I could've seen what was going on... I could've done something... it's my fault he was even here to start with. If I hadn't been an idiot in Clocktower City, he would've never joined the campaign. I don't know how long we're stuck hugging... memories of Grian and Martyn rise up too. How have we lost half the people we set off with? How has his happened? I try to stop crying, but all I can think is them and that this is my fault, my fault, my fault. 

'I'm sorry.'

'About what? What have you done? You're innocent.'

'I'm sorry for... for causing Cub to join our campaign... and and for not helping Doc and... and...' I start crying again. Ren hugs me tighter.

'This isn't your fault, Scar. Seriously. None of this is your fault. This could never be your fault.'

I just hug him as I fail to fight my tears.

Next chapter's penultimate 

And it's already finished