Slugterran Saviours

Chapter 36

Author's Note: sorry for the inconsistency of posts, exams are coming soon and shit's really hit the fan. also, these chapters are getting harder to write because so much is happening rn, so expect more inconsistency until november comes, sorry :(

Anthony's POV

Have you ever felt your heart shatter?

If you haven't, you're lucky. Because it'll break little by little first, with each pang of agony that attacks your heart again and again, before silence echoes through your soul, the second of silence before it all crashes down onto you until you can't even hold yourself together for a second because your hands are shaking too much to hold the pieces together. And it'll push you deeper and deeper into the water, even when your lungs are burning and you can't breathe and just when you thought you broke the surface, it drags you back down again.

That's what heartbreak feels like. That's what I felt as she approached me, her eyes filled with a malicious delight.

Her hand gripped the boy's blond hair tightly as I took a step closer, finding myself trying to deny the feeling of utter betrayal, trying to shove away the feelings of anger and sadness until it shattered me because it couldn't be her but it was, from her voice to the scars to the way she held her daggers to her eyes. It couldn't be anyone else and I knew it.

"You really thought I'll fight a hopeless battle, brother?" She scoffed, even seeming bored as she looked at her dagger, angling it across the boy's throat. I felt goosebumps as I saw the dagger touching the boy's throat, knowing he couldn't say a word or he could kill himself. I could practically feel the blade grazing across my own throat, the fear he felt swallowing him whole.

"Better thank god you have your teammates." She jeered with a smirk, and my attention turned back to her, questions swimming through my mind, questions about her reasons, trying to find some logical reason for this. There had to be a reason, she wouldn't just leave them without a good reason. She had to have a reason for betraying the Defenders.

"Why did you let him do this to you?" I asked, trying to get something. But she just rolled her eyes, letting out an irritated huff.

"Ataro didn't change anything about me, Anthony. You just never stuck around to know me. Not like you stuck around the first time, though." She jeered, her eyes filled with built up resent. I couldn't help but feel the guilt sink to my stomach, trying to push it away.

"Let the boy go, Ally. You're fighting me, not him." I pleaded, trying to ignore my own feelings as I activated my gauntlets, hoping it scared her into at least getting the boy go. She laughed at the statement, unfazed.

"Stop pretending you'll actually use those against me. If you didn't care about me, I'll be dead." She scoffed as she looked down at my gauntlets. I sighed defeatedly as I lowered them, knowing she was right.

"But no. I won't be fighting anyone." She told me before she straightened, the boy crying out as she applied pressure in his throat, an extremely thin red line forming where the dagger slit the skin. My heart stopped as I saw the fear on the boy's face, his face filled with mute terror, the red line thin enough so it didn't do anything but leave a scratch.

"Surrender yourself to me, and I'll let him go." She bargained, and my eyes glanced back at the terrified boy, his eyes filled with the same fear that filled the air. My eyes flickered back to hers, desperately searching for something that told me she was still there, searching for her, hoping I didn't find her. I didn't want it to be true, it couldn't be. But behind her stoic, harsh expression and her threatening demeanour, there was a spark of malice and excitement. I nodded in agreement, taking off my gauntlets and placing them on the floor. But instead of a victorious smile, she glared at me, her eyes flickering to my chest.