Hurt Comfort Alphabet
A: Ancient Evil
Fandom: Brutal Legend

Mangus had seen things washed up on the beach all the time. But this time was different. It wasn't driftwood. It wasn't seaweed. It was a small box, no bigger than a brick, and it looked pretty interesting. It was made of some kind of metal, with ornate engravings. Mangus had heard stories of buried treasure, and this box sure looked valuable. So he opened it. To his dismay, it was empty. He closed it and pocketed it, making a mental note to ask the Kill Master or even Ozwald, the Guardian of Metal, what it was. But just as he got to Bladehenge, he got word that a Headsplitter had broken down, and was off to fix it, leaving Lita with questions… and the box. The box that soon was forgotten by the two entirely.
Three days later…

Eddie didn't know why the Deuce had just stopped, but as soon as he got out, he knew he was being watched. He and the Guardian of Metal had been coming back from dropping off some beer at a party, and it was pretty dark. The Guardian got out of the Deuce and looked at Eddie with an expression that Eddie had never seen on him before. Terror.
"Eddie. Run. Run now, and run as fast as you can. GO!"
Eddie didn't need to be told twice. If whatever it was scared Ozzy…
But not three seconds later, he came to a screeching halt. The Guardian of Metal was screaming. Eddie turned around, hand on the Separator, and charged back in. No friend of his was going to die alone in the dark on his watch. He could barely see, but soon he saw the Guardian of Metal, trying to keep a giant, shadowy SOMETHING away from him, fire in his hands, black mist emanating from what appeared to be a black mass latched onto him.
"HEY!" Eddie yelled, hoping to distract it. It worked. Sort of.
Whatever it was pounced, and it absorbed into Eddie's chest.
"NO!"
Eddie fell to his knees. It felt like the creature was tearing apart his soul… which it probably was. Ozzy was at his side in seconds.
"Eddie, you idiot!" The Guardian's voice wasn't angry as much as scared and worried.
"C'mon, get up. Try to get up. You haven't got much time to get to the Kill Master!"
Eddie got to his feet and immediately staggered onto Ozzy. With Ozzy supporting him, Eddie headed for the Kill Master's mountain.
Only problem was, the thing really was attacking Eddie's soul. Halfway up the mountain, Eddie collapsed altogether.
"No… no… f**k! Riggs!"
The Guardian sighed. He had a lot more time than Eddie did, but already he could feel the creature's power eating away at his stamina… and it was getting worse. He proceeded. He didn't care how, but Eddie was going to live. It was slow, exhausting going, as one would expect if they were carrying their best friend who weighed probably twice as much as them up a mountain, but not only that, that… thing… was there every step of the way, tearing at the two from the inside.
By the time he reached the Kill Master's, Ozzy was barely conscious. Only when he saw the Kill Master did he let himself pass out.

When Eddie woke up, the first thing he noticed was sunlight. Then he realized he was still alive. He sat up, and realized then that half of Bladehenge was there.
"EDDIE'S AWAKE!"
The first one to greet him was Mangus, who immediately burst into tears.
"I'm sorry, Eddie! I opened the box and I forgot to find out what it was and…"
"What are you talking about? What box?
"The box that let out that thing last night," said the Kill Master, " The one me 'n' the guys destroyed. Good thing you had him, or you'd be dead."
Ozzy was sitting next to the Kill Master. He gave a relieved smile and waved.
"'E got ya all the way up the mountain by 'imself."
Eddie stared in awe.
"Yeah, I didn't think I'd do it, either," the Guardian said.
"Be thankful ya got friends like 'im," said the Kill Master.
Eddie was.

FIN