God damn it no! No! Why wasn't she leaving! Damn it, damn it no! This stupid, stupid, woman that I cared about - she was climbing into its back! Fuck - the tail! No, no I would not, could not let that happen!
As she spoke the words slid off of my ears, not even pent rating the fog of concern and terror. I don't care if she could come back - it hurt watching her die, now that I knew who she was. I could not, would not, let that happen. I roared, fear and concern and rage boiling.
And what if….what if she didn’t come back? What if it was one time too many? This would not be the day she died like this, I refused. The Manticore stabbed down, trying to rid itself of its weight - and I leapt up, intercepting the stinger with my arm. This time, the stinger just barely broke through the stone - punching straight through my arm to do it.
Even stone, that hurt. In fact, I think it hurt worse than if I had had normal flesh. But - its venom, the true danger, uselessly trailed out from the hole in the stone forearm, and I drive my blade up and in between segments of the plate covering the stinger. The Manticore shrieked in pain and lashed out, trying to throw me off - but all that did was wrench me around. Rapidly. It was stuck in me, and my blade in it. An impasse - until it spun its tail in a hard circle.
There was a wet, tearing sound, and I flew way, hitting the wall with a heavy crack. I felt bones crack from the impact. But - I had succeeded. Its stinger was imbedded in my arm, and the tail on its back had a wet, bloody end now, the last foot or so missing - because it was attached to me.
Scarlet was still attached to the back o the Manticore, she… fuck me she had sunk her teeth and hands into the base of its tail. Ripping the rest of it off in a shower of green ooze that hissed the moment it landed on her and thick ichor. She was growling, she was fierce. She was bleeding and yet she was still fighting. She was glorious.
The Manticore bellowed in pain. I forced my self to my feet, ignoring the agony in my left arm. I charged at it, and it spun. I ducked under the paw that tried to claw off my head, and when it roared at me I grinned fiercely. “Open wide, asshole.” I thrust my left arm into the maw, twisting so that if it bit down, it would drive its own stinger into its brain. The Manticore was at least smart enough to realize the threat.
It gargled and backed away from me. I stalked forward, keeping its mouth locked on dealing with me. Scarlet lifted herself from its back and dug her hands deep down into its flesh. Her glamour had worn off, she was drenched in red. Her black and gold eyes in a deep scowl as she began to sever the meaty tendon of its neck from its body. It roared, and its mouth closed reflexively.
Fucking.
Hell.
That hurt. A lot. Its teeth drove into the meat of my arm, gouging out bloody furrows. My eyes went blank from the pain. But - closing its mouth had done exactly why I had intended it to, but hadn't expected it to. The stinger was sticking out of the top of its head, as dawn girl ripped the damn thing apart. The mouth went slack, and with a wet sucking sound I ripped my arm, and it's grisly trophy, out.
Scarlet rolled off the beasts back and collapsed to the floor, breathing heavily. One hand clutched at her bleeding abdomen the other kept her steady on the floor. “H-Hunter. Cover your face with...a cloth covered in blood. Perfume. Anything.” She breathed. “I still smell illroot.” I dropped my weapon and staggered over to her, and dropped to my knees with a grin behind my mask.
“You said anything.” And I collapsed, my face landing in the blood on her stomach. “Damn, I want to kiss you right now.” I was, probably, little delirious. I think.
I felt her hiss and wince at the pain. Her fingers curled up underneath my jacket, only to rip off a chunk of my shirt. She shoved it between my face and her body. Pushing it against my skin. “Hunter I’m being serious. Continued exposure isn’t good.”
She sounded….strained. I looked up at her and her lips were parted. I rolled back, and showed her blood drenching the face mask. “I listened, Dawn. You always were the more astute of us.” I tried to sit up, and my head swam. Shit. Bloodloss, from my arm. I forced myself to my feet, and swayed.
She pressed her weight against me to help me up. “Can’t you heal?” she asked. She sounded like she was in pain. She was bleeding too wasn’t she? I shook my head.
“Light wounds heal quickly enough. Heavy ones, like this bite - that will take longer. Is there - anything I can to to help you?” We made a fine pair, soaked in out own and our targets blood.
She shook her head and parts of her body flashed a brilliant gold. Fuck that light… she had user it before but it was now far more familiar. And it made my heart ache, because it was from better times. She stood up straighter, supporting more of my weight. “I’m good. Did you want to hole up here for the night? Surely there’s one decent room in this pit.”
“Has to be. Fucker would have taken it. There's - a kid upstairs. Raped. I killed the raper but fuck it, the kid is still there.” I shook my head and began staggering towards the stairs. I stooped to pick up the Saw-Spear, and nearly fell over. Damn it. I was trying not to make her touch me. I knew she was not - not my wife. She didn't… Fuck. I slammed the saw spear down to keep myself upright, and nearly fell over even with it.
She was at my side again. Hands splayed out over my shoulder. Head resting in the underside of my arm.
“Ill kill the kid after we get you to the room.” I shook my head, and wow the room was spinning. Come on healing, kick in please. Please.
“that room was shit. Too far upstairs, in bad repair. Kid saylw nothing. Leave him be.” I tried to move away from her, but nearly fell over again. So I had to cling to her, and I closed my eyes. “Fuck… I’m sorry…” I whispered it.
