“Four times to lose one’s head.”
I stiffened at the low growl before looking down at the gold slits that were shifting between myself and Senshi. Movement in my peripheral had me looking to the left before watching as Senshi was kicked into the darkened theater. The head that she had dropped was immediately caught and placed back on the Umbra’s neck. As it rolled its shoulders, it leaned back to catch the arrow shot before snapping it in its hand. Dodging another, it stepped inside the building before I heard something snap and scream before Senshi was thrown out into the street with a reddened hand cradling the side of her face.
“Senshi–”
“Four times is excessive,” the Umbra stated as it stepped out, licking blood off its clawed fingers prior to throwing aside a broken bow. It then charged at her. “Let’s see how you like it!”
Senshi rolled out the way, escaping with a scratch to her cheek before I swung at the Umbra. It looked over its shoulder before sidestepping the blade. A clawed hand swung back though I deflected it before jumping back. Its attention then went back to the faery that was trying to stem the blood flow from her head injury. Again, the Umbra went to attack her once more before I swung downward to strike.
It dissipated just as the blade went to make contact and I was left to stare down at Senshi’s widened stare, the bladed edge only a few inches from her face. Watching her eyes shift, I held up the halberd as I turned before lurching back as sharp teeth bit into shaft. The cracking sound of wood made me brace myself as shoes slid back along the worn concrete.
“Jay–”
“Run.”
“Jay–”
“Run dammit!”
She bolted as I slid back once more before being knocked down.
This wasn’t good.
“Jay–”
I tilted my head back to see her turning back. “Don’t you dare!” I ordered before facing forward in time to hold up the halberd again.
Teeth sank into the wood again before it snapped in two. As the Umbra lunged, I shoved the end of the broken staff into its mouth. When it bit down as expected, I kicked the other end forward and listened to a piercing screech as it tried to pull the now protruding staff out from the back of its neck. I then swung the bladed end before rolling to my feet as the Four staggered back. Looking back at it to see its lower jaw hanging haphazardly from the rest of its mouth, I shrank back before running as its long tongue came into view.
Something slimy wrapping around my neck halted any further retreat before the familiar burning set in. I dropped my weapon to remove the tongue as it tightened before feeling the same burning sensation on my hands. It was starting to become difficult just to breathe. Something warm running over my fingers confirmed that I was bleeding.
“Hold on, Jayden!”
I looked in the direction of the voice to see Senshi snagging the weapon I dropped before swinging it down on the tongue. I managed to unravel it from my neck as it went slack before grabbing the weapon from her hand then signaling for her to run. I glanced over my shoulder to see the Four staring at us as it removed the staff then set its jaw back into place. Once finished, it proceeded in an unhurried fashion as it flexed its hands at its sides.
“I look forward to eating you,” it called before it darted towards us.
“Keep going!” I turned, swinging what was left of the halberd to take the brunt of the Umbra’s swing. The blade cracked under the impact and I heard Senshi stop once more. “Dammit, Senshi, keep running!”
“Just let me eat her,” the Umbra stated. “I may be easier on you if you do.”
“You shut up!” I snapped as I swung again, making it back off momentarily.
It then charged in again, avoiding my swing before snagging my wrist. I thrust the piked end at it though it just pushed me forward. It then stepped around me as I went to swing before I dropped to my knees as a fist collided with my stomach.
It hurt to breathe.
‘Did it crack a rib?’
“Now then…” I looked over to see the Umbra walking over to Senshi as it flexed its hand again. “…why don’t we remove that pretty little head from your shoulders, shall we?”
I slowly climbed to my feet as it closed the distance between the two of them to snag her by the hair when she tried to escape. I adjusted my hold on the weapon before startling at the sound of a scream as I ran forward, swinging upwards as I did.
The Four split in half before vanishing once more and I stepped towards Senshi to see her cradling a deep bite at the junction of where her neck and shoulder met. It was spilling too much blood. The sound of a low growl had me grabbing her arm and leading her away as I looked back to see gold eyes staring back at us from the reforming Umbra.
“I really don’t understand why you’re so upset, Nu dear,” Cordis commented nonchalantly as he watched the trembling girl. “I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, right?” His attention then went to the cut on her leg. “Ok, ok. I guess you did technically get hurt but it’s not that bad so stop all that crying.”
Nuallis could do nothing but stare at the blonde that was in the process of trying on the now deceased woman’s hat. She couldn’t wrap her head around how indifferent the man had been after fighting and killing what had once been an ally. Mulling over how willingly he snuffed her out, she brought a hand up to her throat before realizing that the man was now crouched in front of her.
“Cordis–”
“You’re thinking about trivial matters, aren’t you, Nu dear?” he questioned.
“Trivial?” she repeated. “Trivial?!” Her tear-filled eyes started to overflow. “You killed her!”
“So…?”
“Don’t you even care?!”
Cordis tilted his head before removing the hat from his head. “I see,” he murmured before offering a kind smile. “You think I’m going to kill you after all this, don’t you?” He chuckled quietly before stroking her cheek. “I already told you that I wouldn’t hurt you, didn’t I?”
“That… that doesn’t change what you did,” Nu stated as the man moved on to wipe her eyes.
“If I didn’t kill her, she was going to kill you. It wouldn’t have been a very gentlemanly thing to do. I couldn’t let that happen obviously.” He glanced at the cut to her leg before stroking her cheek again. “One thing you should learn is that not everyone is going to be your friend even if you’re on the same side. You’re not going to have someone looking out for you every step of the way so, in the meantime, you should use them while you can.”
“That’s just a means to an end,” she replied before tears welled up again. “Y-you’re going to kill me, aren’t you?”
Cordis simply tutted as he started to clean her tears again. “Not at all, dear. No, not at all. It was just time for Ladnavia to go is all,” he said as he sat beside her.
“I didn’t like her but… but she was your ally and you killed her. You killed her! You–!”
Sliding his gaze back over to the woman as he grabbed her face, the blonde stroked her cheek. “Let me put this as bluntly as I can, Nu dear. Ladnavia stepped out of line and, when you step out of line with me, you will be stepped on. Do I make myself clear?” Nuallis stared at the man with widening eyes. “Do I make myself clear?” he questioned once more as he held a bit tighter.
“Y-yes,” she stammered.
He offered a gentle smile once more before toying with the red hat. “Good girl. Now, if you don’t mind, could you please heal these injuries? They’re becoming troublesome.”
ns 15.158.61.21da2
