I was there, at the field of chaos. Rescuing people, defending against the horde that was the atlanteans. All was going smoothly, until they started growing in numbers. They were being infected, one by one. There was no way to cure them, unless you call a bullet to the head a cure. Eventually, we were trying to save ourselves instead of saving others.
There I stood, with my blade resting in my sheath, facing down a beast twice my size. A child hid behind me, so I was careful when I placed my hand on the blade’s handle. We had a stare down, its tentacle also wrapped around its own blade. If one of us were to blink, the other would cut them down instantly.
As seconds past, even more chaos happened. I could have stopped them, I could have stopped so much more tragedies from occurring, but that gaze the beast gave me, it shook even the soul itself. My stance was becoming weak. If I were to even think about escaping, my head would be chopped off in an instant.
CLINK
We clash our swords. Sparks were released from the rubbing of steel. A power of strength and perseverance. Our strength were equal, but it wouldn’t last long. I told the boy to flee as I position myself, ready to retaliate once I was given the chance.
CRK
“KID-”
A bone shaped arrow struck his chest. I panic, loosing the balance of my stance. The atlantean seizes the opportunity and overpowers me. My katana is sent flying into the window of a house. As I ran to save the boy, a distorted sword wrapped by a tentacle was swung at my face.
“Robin…helloooo~?”
I open my eyes. A familiar face greeted me. She’s holding something brown, but I couldn’t tell what it was as my vision was blurry. She shoves the brown object into my mouth. I casually swallowed the contents of whatever the object held.
“That was a dose of warding, just in case you didn’t get infected.”
“Oh… who are you again… where am I?”
“EHHH? IT’S JULEON YOU PRICK! That escape did something to your head? Maybe I should soak you in warding potions…”
“No… thanks.”
That’s right. I and Ruamez narrowly escaped Palo Town and climbed up to here, somehow. It’s a miracle that I even reached here without a serious injury or two.
“Where’s Ruamez?”
“Oh his right here!”
Juleon boops his nose a few times. How can she be so positive in a time like this… I wondered. I look across the room, there’s a few more familiar faces staring at me directly.
“Good to know you guys got here safely.” I said.
“Uh huh, it was like fighting the entire bronze legion trying to get up here.” John exclaimed.
“It wasn’t that bad.” Ace shrugs.
“THAT’S BECAUSE YOU USED ME AS A MEATSHIELD, YOU MONKEY!” Guererero shouts.
Friends that I used to travel with before this whole atlantean apocalypse ever became a thing. Still enthusiastic as always. I wish I had that approach of thinking towards anything I do. It feels like we’re missing someone… but I can’t tell who it is.
“Where’s capt’?” Juleon pokes her head into my view.
The feeling of regret washes over me. A stinging pain becomes painfully aware as I try to recall the incident. It felt like a thousand needles were piercing one point of my brain simultaneously. The pain became too hard to handle as I laid back on the bed.
A small floating chunk of emerald makes the sword recoil. I slid under the shard and grab my katana that was stuck on the ground. The sword comes flying back as I parry the attack.
“JUMP-”
I launch myself into the air with a kick to the ground. I looked down, a large phoenix made out of emerald blew the atlantean back to the sea. My captain, Johnny Grey falls to the ground out of exhaustion.
Once I had landed onto the ground, I splashed the last potion of invisibility in my pouch onto both of us. I slowly drag him into the nearest house that wasn’t infested by atlanteans.
It’s the sixth time he has passed out. I don’t know what’s happening to him nor did I knew his left hand was soaked in blood. I rip a piece of my cape off and wrapped his hand. Upon closer inspection, his left hand had been completely twisted and crunched into a bag of flesh, it was impossible to even bandage it. So I did the next logical decision. I unsheathe my katana and sliced his hand off. He wakes up, about to scream before I told him to shut up.
“W-w-whyy did y-yo-you just-”
“I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure that left hand is a goner.”
Since we ran out of healing potions, I had no choice but to bandage his bleeding hand myself. His body visibly twitches whenever I accidentally touch his severed arm with my horrible bandaging expertise. Even when he was sweating, his arms were as cold as the seawater itself.
“G-get out of h-here…” He tries to place his left hand on my arm, but forgot he just lost it seconds ago.
“We’re getting out of here.”
“Y-yo-you know I’m st-starting to show sy-symptoms of i-i-in-infection”
“…”
He points to my unsheathe katana. I look at him, he nods. I unsheathe my blade and pointed it at his neck. He just laid there, as if he was waiting for the sweet embrace of death all this time. The lantern in the room glows brightly as I winded up my strike.
“I can’t do it.” I sheath my katana.
I really couldn’t. His been such a good captain throughout the years… I just… couldn’t bring myself to it. I wish I could… but my conscious stops me from doing so.
Grey unclips the special jewel that held the cape to his pauldrons. It was black coloured, but it seemed to glow even in the dark. He slid it to my feet. I pick it up.
“Get to… Cirrus.” He spoke.
“Bring Ruamez with you… I-I’ll h-hold them back.”
We exchange nods. A sign of trust between the two of us. If I’m not the one to end him, he’ll fight until he looses his mind. I walk to the door, looking at him one last time. I slide the jewel into my pocket before exiting the door.
“His dead.”
Everyone in the room stayed silent. It was hard to take in, after all he had done for us. Just a week and his gone, like a seashell by the shore.
“I hope he managed to mutate into an atlantean.” Juleon finally broke the silence.
“Why’s that?”
“He told us to escape from the island, and yet he is the only person who died here?”
“If his dead, whatever I suppose.”
“But if he is still alive, mutated or not, I’m killing him.”
“He deserves a grave with his body in it.”
“That’s…” I try to think of a word to say.
“I’m in.” Ace responded.
“Same, I’m sorta wondering what happened to him anyway.” John replied.
“We’ll find him, and we’ll win.” Guererero said confidently.
“Don’t get too excited, we shouldn’t rush this.” I finally thought about something to say. “It’s obvious, we stand no chance right now.”
“You know what that means…” She gives me a very smug grin :]
“More training?” I asked and sighed. She nods.
“Just let me rest first.” I cover my face with a blanket.
“Okey dokey!” She waves goodbye as I enter the sea of dreams.
I reach out for the jewel inside my pocket. It’s in perfect condition. I placed it back into my pocket and drift to sleep.
If this is a dream, please wake me back up, like how you always did every morning.
So uhhh… got a lil bored again. Just showing what happened to the crew that Johnny Grey used to be in :3