Against all odds (The Pack)

Chapter 48

Warnings: Blood, mentions of gore, trigger warning??, Feels

     ~3rd P.O.V.~

The bandage wrapped around the injured part of Rob's face does nothing to stop his view as the glinting diamond pickaxe whizzes down, lodging into the stone in Preston's back with a loud crack.

     "PRESTON, NO!" Rob shrieks, tears clouding his vision as he stumbles to the iron bars, slamming his fists painfully against them.

     He wasn't there to witness Roxanne brutally delivering blow after blow at Preston's head, with those awful spiked gauntlets, and it's probably for the best. But... What Rob can see is the mauled back of Preston's head, the blood caking the ground and anything in the immediate area, and the pickaxe protruding from his back. Preston's reamons motionless face down on the ground as Roxanne backs off of him, cackling victoriously. Pupils small, driven by panic and desperation, Rob drives his fist at full force into the iron bars. This results in a sick crunch as the knuckles in Rob's hand shatter, and he withdraws his hand, crying out in pain. Yet still, determined to down there, Rob goes to punch the bars again.

     Quickly, to prevent Rob from further injuring himself, Lachlan, Vikk, Jerome, and Mitch run over. Jerome manages to pull Rob away seconds before his fist connects again, holding him in a tight bear hug, refusing to let go as he squirms.

     "Rob! Calm down!" Mitch orders, getting up close and personal to Rob and trying to snap him out of it, even when tears stream down his own face.

      Rob thrashes again, before settling down, hyperventilating as he struggles to keep himself under control. As Vikk smashes through the bars with a pickaxe, Lachlan stares at Roxanne, malice and fury burning in his eyes that puts even Mitch at unease.

      "I'm going to kill that jag." Lachlan hisses through clenched teeth, in unsettlingly quiet voice, eyes puffy and red as tears spill from them.

     The iron bars fall away after a final stroke, and Rob springs forward, pulling himself from Jerome's grasp and diving head first through the one block gap. Sharp edges tear through his hoodie, digging into his skin, but Rob couldn't care less as he lands awkwardly on the ground and scrambles back to his feet. Tripping and stumbling as he runs, Rob tumbles over to the limp form of Preston, sinking down into the pool of blood surrounding him, taking in his gored figure and dull skin. Breathing fast and shakily, refusing to believe that Preston might be dead, Rob presses a hand to Preston's skin. It's cool, with just the faintest hint of a warmth that once was. A dry lump catches in his throat, and a broken sob breaks through Rob's lips, squeezing his eyes shut and letting the tears come. Flipping Preston over with great care, Rob hugs his bloody body close, body shaking with grief as whimpers and sobs spill from his mouth, tears flowing as he buries his face into Preston's hoodie.

      Behind him, Vikk has broken away more of the bars, and the four of them vault down into the arena. While Jerome, Mitch, and Vikk sprint across the sand to join Rob's side, Lachlan makes a straight line towards Roxanne, who is still standing there and relishing in her own sick pleasure and accomplishment. With and angry cry, tears stinging his eyes, Lachlan charges Roxanne, bearing two swords. Unlike Preston, Lachlan knows how to dual wield, and he knows how to dual wield good. Roxanne grins like a maniac, smiling from ear to ear as she scoops up her discarded battle axe, dashing to meet Lachlan. Why kill just one, if she's doomed to die anyway? Might as well pick off the most important ones while she can.

     "P-Preston... please... p-p-please answer me..." Rob whispers, squeezing Preston tighter as his friends arrived.

      Preston doesn't respond. Jerome, Mitch, and Vikk stand and watch solemnly, letting tears freely spill. Another sob escapes Rob's lips, and it's mixed with a soft laugh, making a noise somewhere between the two. A smile involuntarily touches his lips, and he shuts his eyes calmly.

      "D-do you remember...? So long ag-ago... In the Rogue kingdom... When I... Saved you?" Rob begins, slowly finding his words. "Do you remember how I was going to leave... B-but then you stopped me, and told me that we could stop this war... If we tired hard enough? Do you remember how we escaped... And then found Jerome... And even he laughed at the idea? How when we found Mitch, you and Jerome tied him to a tree? Just t-to get him to listen? How Vikk tried to kill us, then saved us not a day later? How we got Lachlan to join, and then started fulfilling our dream? I-I... I thought it was impossible. I thought you were crazy. But... B-but... n-now..." Rob's continues, starting to lose it again. "Here we a-are, with nothing t-t-to stop us. The w-war... The war is over. B-but I didn't kn-know it meant y-you had to die."

      Tears flow and Rob breaks down again, sobbing and crying, refusing to let go. Sniffling, wiping at his tears, Jerome steps and squeezes Rob's shoulder. Mitch and Vikk join, bowing their heads as they all kneel and crowd in with Rob, hugging the limp body in the middle of them. Then finally, after a few moments, Vikk speaks up. Though his voice is dull, monotone, an lacking the normal pep behind it.

     "Come on... Let's go help Lachlan..." He whispers, standing.

      Reluctantly, slowly, they stand. Grimly drawing their weapons, they turn their back to Preston, a void of emptiness eating away at their hearts. They may have won, and accomplished their goal. But at what cost? It just isn't fair! Jerome takes one last glance back, a cold grip sealing over his heart as he sees his childhood friend lay motionless on the ground. His eyes narrow for a moment, swearing Preston's skin is glowing brighter than before, but he shakes the thought away, reasoning it's just him hoping by some miracle Preston will come back that's tricking him. Holding Betty loosely in his paws, Jerome turns, mumbling the quietly as he leaves.

"After all this time... I can't believe they got you, too..."

And after only a moment, a voice replies. Quiet, soft, laced with pain and struggling to form the words, the voice recites something it's said before. The very same thing it said, all that time ago, back in the jungle when it had been reunited with Jerome for the first time in fourteen years.

"Cmon Jerome, you really think I'd let some rogues kill me?"

~~~
Question of the chapter:

Who thought Preston actually died?

My reaction: I'm asking you X3