Crossing Fates : Book 1 - Escape (BakuDeku)

34 - Unlock

Katsuki slipped in, his fighter body moving with liquid grace on quiet cat's feet.

He carried a leather pack on one shoulder. The black metal shackles were gone. Leather harness straps crossed his chest. The hilt of the battle-axe and what looked like a sword were strapped to his back. Knives in sheaths were laced on his forearms, and the sheath of another short sword was buckled at his waist and tied at his thigh. His chiseled features were calm.

Holy cow, Katsuki made Conan the Barbarian look like a wimp.

Relief almost brought Izuku to his knees. Black stars danced in front of him. In an instant, Katsuki was in front of him, hands on his shoulders, bracing his back against the wall.

"Damn it, you look like you're going to pass out," Katsuki said.

"Well, I didn't know it was going to be you, did I?" he showed Katsuki the switchblade he was holding against his thigh.

Katsuki's severe face lit with a smile. "Surprise number one hundred thirty-four and counting."

"You made that number up," Izuku accused. He pushed the blade against his own leg. It closed with a snick and he slid it back into his jeans.

"Are you sure?" Katsuki said, sounding amused. "You know how to use that thing?"

"Well enough. I'm not really a fighter though."

It was sad but true.

"No, your nature's too gentle for that, isn't it?" Katsuki stroked Izuku's hair and pulled him with care into his powerful arms.

Izuku leaned against Katsuki, his world settling back into place. On a deep level he didn't have time to examine, it was a very disturbing experience.

Katsuki's body warmth drove the chill away. He put his arms around his waist and hugged him tight.

"I've had a lifetime of classes, but I haven't had to use any of it in real life. Yet," Izuku forced himself to breathe deep until the lingering dizziness passed. "Just give me a chance to stick one of those two-legged cockroaches though, and I'm there."

"They'll have to get through me first," Katsuki gave him a gentle squeeze and stepped back.

"You were faster than I was afraid you might be," he looked at Katsuki's new acquisitions. "It looks like you found a lot."

"I located the key to the shackles but I didn't find the Goblin Captain. I found his rooms instead. He's a greedy son of a bitch. He had all kinds of loot. Half of it looked untouched," Katsuki moved back to the door, listened for a moment and opened it. "We need to hurry now. There are more Goblins moving about. It sounds like their evening meal is finished."

Katsuki led the way and this time he moved much faster. Izuku struggled to keep up but fell several paces behind. The man slowed as he reached the final turn that led to the outside door. He stalked to the corner, completely silent as he reached for the battle-axe and unsheathed the short sword in a simultaneous motion.

Izuku caught his breath at the sight. Katsuki was an über-warrior, magnificent and terrifying.

Hey, when the man could shift into a dragon, he was his own tank and aerial force all at the same time. Add to that his magical capability and he was virtually a one-creature army.

Izuku had known Katsuki was one of the premiere Powers in the world, but as he saw him in motion, he began to get a glimmer of real understanding what that meant.

Izuku eased closer but was careful to leave plenty of space between them. Katsuki glanced at him, leaning back against the wall.

The man nodded to him in approval. He pointed the sword at him and mouthed, "Stay put."

He nodded back. He wanted to obey that one.

Katsuki stepped into the corridor and twisted on one foot, bringing his body around as he flung the battle-axe like a frisbee. Continuing in the same smooth turn, he hurled the short sword in an overhand throw with as much ease as tossing a dagger.

Without pausing, Katsuki drew the long sword and one of the knives and lunged forward out of sight.

He crossed his arms and gripped his elbows, tapping his toes and flinching at the sounds of battle. Not that it was much of a battle. It was over in seconds.

A moment later, Katsuki stepped around the corner and beckoned him forward.

"None of these grunts have keys. Now, it's your turn to do your stuff. It's ugly," Katsuki warned him.

"I expect so," he said, looking at Katsuki, round-eyed.

He rounded the corner.

At first, he couldn't make sense of what he saw. When he did, he wished he hadn't.

There were four dead Goblins strewn about the end of the corridor. Or at least he counted four heads, not all of which were still attached to their bodies. And not all the bodies had all their limbs. Black blood had sprayed the stone walls and great pools of it dotted the floor.

He gagged, his empty stomach twisting. Katsuki strode forward.

"If you're going to vomit, make it quick," Katsuki told him in a matter-of-fact voice.

Katsuki yanked the battle-axe out of the Goblin it had almost split in two and wiped the blade on the Goblin's leggings. Moving fast, he collected the rest of his weapons, cleaning the blades on the corpses and sheathing them again when he was done.

Izuku focused on the great metal door, not the carnage, and gained control of his gag reflex. He stepped around the pools of blood. He paused at one spot and tried to figure out how to get across a large patch of Goblin blood.

It looked like a greasy oil spill had spread between two sprawled bodies. If he weren't injured, he would have leaped over it without a second thought.

Izuku's dilemma was solved as Katsuki grabbed him by the waist and gently swung him over to the other side.

The door had been barred but Katsuki had already moved the thick wood plank.

Izuku grasped a thick lever with both hands and pulled down. The heavy door was hung well. It swung open on silent hinges.

They stepped outside into deepening dusk. The air seemed incredibly sweet outside the Goblin stronghold. The flatbed with their car was still where the Goblins had stopped.

Izuku shook his head when he saw the mangled wreck. It was a wonder he had survived.

"Now we have to haul ass," said Katsuki.

Izuku looked around at the alien, wild landscape, and just like that, he fell into the crack inside his head.

"That's it," he croaked. "I'm done."

Katsuki's head whipped around, eyes narrowing. "What?"

"I said I'm done."

Lead filled his hollow limbs. Izuku swayed and blinked but Katsuki kept blurring out of focus.

"I... I haven't eaten well or slept well in over a week. Then there was the wreck and then the Goblins. I'm spent. I don't have anything else. You'll have to go without me."