Head Spinning.
Ralsei wrung his wavering hands as he rested on his knees and fixated on the elevator's floor. He gulped and clasped his palms together as he grooved his cotton white fur with his claws. Ralsei glanced at Kris.
Kris sat as they blankly stared at the ground. Their crimson as the leaves in the field eyes peeked through the navy blue strands of hair.
His eyes darted towards the floor.
The elevator whirred.
Ralsei's heart fluttered, his cheeks and ears burned. He nibbled on his rosy red scarf.
"Are you fuckin' serious?" Susie leaned against the wall. Her yellow as buttercup eyes narrowed.
"Hm?" He ceased the nibbles.
"You're doing it again."
Ralsei blinked: he nibbled once.
Susie clenched her fist, her knuckles popped. "Stop."
"Err...what?" His brows parted.
"You know what you're doing."
Ralsei blinked.
Susie's brows furrowed. "Stop looking at me like that!"
"Err..." He glanced at Kris, who fixated on the key in their hand. "What am I doing?" He stared at Susie.
"Being annoying."
Ralsei's ears and lips wilted. "Oh...I'm sorry."
Susie huffed.
He crossed his arm and rested his elbow in his palm while he covered his mouth with his hand.
Silence.
Cold sweat trickled down his twitching brow. He gulped. "Umm..."
They both stared at him.
"Are..." Ralsei's words clung to the tip of his tongue. "You all...worried?"
Susie chuckled. "Of what?"
"Of whoever is behind the door...?"
"Pfft, I'll just kick their ass." A meek grin wrinkled her cheek.
Ralsei's brows furrowed and eyes narrowed.
"What?"
"You can't punch every problem."
"Ugh, if I punched you, it'd solve a problem." Susie toothily smirked.
Ralsei recoiled his head back and gasped. "Y-you wo-" His ears stood, his skin crawled.
The elevator rang, it's double doors creaked open and a bitter chill rushed the room and bit into Ralsei's flesh.
Kris stood. They clutched the key. They stepped out the elevator into the dim corridor.
Susie and Ralsei stared at each other. Susie bobbed her head towards the exit.
Maybe I could talk them out of it?
Ralsei lowered his chin towards his chest. His eyes rounded when Susie tugged on the back of his green robe. "Ah, wa-" He flailed.
"Taking too damn long, toothpaste." She tossed him out and into the hard concrete ground.
He landed on his feet and fumbled into Kris as their armor struck his chest with a blunt force and they both staggered before they both crashed into the ground while dust stirred.
The key clattered against the steps as its rings ebbed in the abyss.
Ralsei clambered off of Kris.
Kris recuperated while they both sat on their knees. Kris gazed at the elongated staircase with a blank expression.
He flailed his arms as his heartstrings frayed. "I-I didn't mean it. I'm so sorry, Kris." He dipped his head between his shoulder and bowed while he clasped his quivering hands together like a prayer. "C-can you forgive me for being a klutz!" His eyes rounded:
They poked Ralsei's wet, twitching nose. Kris's voice carried like a brisk breeze, "Boop."
Ralsei's thin glasses slid down his muzzle. "W-what?" He adjusted his glasses and fern green wizard hat.
Kris' warm smile dimpled their cheeks. They thumbed him up.
They're too kind.
Ralsei's cheeks and ears seared while his glistening eyes stung before he lowered his head into his scarf. "T-thank you." He turned away.
Susie huffed. "Hurry up you damn dweebs."
Ralsei nudged his glasses up. "R-right, lead the way, Kris." He shut his eyes and smiled.
Kris stared at Susie with his blank death stare.
"Don't look at me like that."
They both stared at each other. Neither budged.
"Seriously, fuckin' stop." She flashed a sliver of her fangs.
Silence.
"I'm gonna..."Susie popped her knuckles. "Fuckin' deck you."
Kris fixated on her.
"I swear, I'm going to do it!"
Ralsei heart raced as his palms welled with sweat. "C-come on, we don't ne-"
"Stop it you freak!"
Kris stood, neither of their eyes budged while Kris ambled in front of her.
They stared at her while she stepped back with her fist ready.
Kris froze in place like a statue.
They smiled.
"Ralsei."
"Y-yes?"
Silence.
They peeked over their shoulder and shut their eyes. They said:
"Help me hug this goofy goob-."
Susie pinched Kris' nose while they flailed and wailed in pain.
"H-hey, don't hurt him!" Ralsei bolted but Susie shoved them into him. He caught Kris in his arms and stumbled. "A-are you okay?"
Kris rubbed their bruised nose. "No...but you know what'd help?" Kris' lovely eyes met with Ralsei's widening ones.
"W-what?" His brows parted.
"Could you kiss my boo-boo so it's better?" Kris snickered.
Ralsei's heart pounded. Sweat trickled by his twitching brows. He stammered:
"ERRRRRRRRRRrrrr, UGH...I-I'D." He gulped, his words clung to the tip of his tongue. "I'D LOVE TOOOoooo?" Ralsei's face burned as his outstretched smile dimpled his cheeks. "Wait...no, I mean!" He averted his gaze. "Only if you want me to..." He buried his face in his palms.
Kris stared at him with a blank expression. "I was kidding."
"Oh..." Ralsei head sunk into his scarf as he shut his eyes and faux a smile. "HAHAHAhahahaha...ha...you got me, Kris." His heart crumbled. "That was..." His throat ached and voice cracked, "A good one!"
"But you know what's better?" Kris smiled. "A hug from..." They wrapped their arms around him and pulled him into their chest. "The sweetest boy I know."
Ralsei smiled, his arms slid up Kris' back as he snuggled them.
"Get movin', nerds," Susie said.
His ears and fur stood. "R-right!" Ralsei ducked out of Kris' firm grasp. "We have a job to do!" He shut his eyes and smiled.
Kris sighed, he side-eye glanced at Susie with a frown.
"I wanna go home already." Susie threw her splayed palms towards the stairs. "So go!"
They stared at her.
Her narrowed eye gleamed from the vial of her magenta unkempt hair. "You're starting to piss me off."
Kris stuck out their tongue.
Oh now that's just rude.
Susie snorted like a bull.
They threw their palms in the air to halt her. "Okay, okay." Kris strolled down the steps.
Ralsei trailed behind Kris as he slid his hands against the wall. He extended his leg out while he inched his foot on each step. His heart raced. "W-wai-" He whined when Susie carried him in her arms.
"Shut it!"
"S-sorry..."
Susie huffed. "You two are like...like, ugh. Annoying children who come up to you to rub their snotty hands all over you and pull your hair...or some shit like that."
Ralsei's brows and eyes narrowed. "Did you mean like a blaring alarm or a baby crying?"
"Umm, no, those are lame." She smirked.
He pursed his lips.
"Watch the master, toothpaste." Susie chuckled. "You two are like...stinky babies who umm...need to be bottle fed like a...ugh" She paused. "A baby!"
Ralsei snickered, he slipped his hands through Susie's arm and clapped.
She flashed her fangs. "Are you mocking me?"
He pulled his hat over his face and scrunched up while quivered. "N-no."
"Then why are you clapping?"
"Because it was funny."
"R-really?"
"Yes!"
A meek smile crept up Susie's muzzle. "That's...co-"
They both tumbled into Kris.
Susie collapsed over them and Ralsei collided face first into the dusty, cold ground. "What the fuu..." She paused.
Ralsei's muzzle throbbed as he raised his head and rubbed his flaring nose. "Ow..." He glanced at the others, who stared ahead and his gaze trailed to:
The jaws of the open cell door.
His skin crawled. Cold sweat trickled down his spine. Frigid air clawed his flesh.
A cheery voice echoed from the bowls of the chamber, "Come, come! I beckon you to join me, for letting me free!"
Ralsei trembled as he lifted himself onto his knees.
"Please join me for I have something for you to see. I wish to show you all my glee."
They all stared at each other.
"I beckon you to play, so won't you please stay?"
"K-Kris, I think we sh-" Ralsei's ears and fur stood.
Eerie carnival music played.
"All I wish is for a dance, so please give me a chance."
Susie shoved her weight onto Ralsei's back before she stood. "Are you two scared of a dance?"
Ralsei glanced at Kris, their eyes met. He heart fluttered.
Kris said, "Would you like to?"
He glanced at the foreboding abyss. Ralsei dipped his head into his scarf as his ears drooped.
They squeezed Ralsei's shoulder. "I won't go if you won't."
Ralsei smiled, he glanced at the door. He shut his eyes and tightened them as his mouth hung half open. He pursed his lips while he hummed. "Do you?"
"I do if you do."
...Oh dear...
Ralsie tucked his lip into his fangs."I...guess?" He shrugged.
Those soothing eyes peeked through the thick locks of hair. "Then let's!" Kris stood, they offered Ralsei a hand up.
He extended his trembling hand. Kris's fingers laced with his as they lifted him up. Ralsei's shoulders eased as he tightened his grip. He nodded. "Lead the way, my valiant knight Kris!"
Kris bowed. "Yes, my prince!"
Ralsei's heart skipped a beat as his cheeks burned.
Susie yelled, "DOOOOOOOOOOORKS!"
Kris shook their head and raised their splayed palms in the air while they shrugged. "Says the simple brute."
She stomped. "The fuck did you say!"
The eerie voice called out, "Save the bickering for later, else you'll be seeing your creator."
Ralsei's skin crawled, a frigid bolt snaked up his spine.
Silence.
"So do come in, please give it a spin!"
They all stared at one another.
Kris inhaled a deep breath before they sighed. "Ready?"
Ralsei nodded and Susie shrugged.
They pivoted and pointed at the door. Kris said:
"Alright, let's go gays!"
Ralsei sunk into his scarf with his sweaty, quivering palms over his burning face. His rapid breathing steamed his glasses.
"Ugh...what?" Susie snickered.
He peeked through the cracks of his fingers at Kris, who pointed at Susie with their hand on their jutting hip.
Kris winked. "I've seen the way you look at Noelle."
Susie recoiled back, her cheeks flushed.
Crippling silence.
Oh dear...what should I do...?
Kris wagged their finger and made kissing sounds.
Ralsei snickered, he shoved his hands over his mouth.
Susie's knuckles popped. She bared her fangs. She stepped up to Kris as their finger poked her chest. "Run."
Their eyes rounded, Kris froze in place.
No reply.
Kris poked her nose and made a kissing sound before he darted into the jaws of the abyss.
"I'M GOING OT FUCKIN' KILL YOU!" Susie bolted after them.
Ralsei extended their hand as he ran after the two. "Hold up!"
. . .
His feet clattered against the frigid ground.
Dim light illuminated an arena ahead, two pyramids joined in the center like pincers with purple and grey color design like an umbrella.
Susie and Kris stood beside each other while they stared ahead.
Ralsei stepped behind the two and tiptoed while he craned his head up and over Kris' shoulder. He raised a brow.
A child-sized gremlin stood before them, dressed in a black and purple jester gown and a hat with bells on the end. "Hee, hee, the visitors come to play! Please be ready for what I have to display." The gremlin extended their upturn palm out.
Susie scratched the side of her head. "Are you...Lancer's little brother?"
The gremlin raised a brow. "I know none such as this so I must dismiss" His outstretched, toothy smile crept up his face. "Now let's have some fun! Or are you going to run?"
Ralsei clutched Kris' shoulder. "I think w-"
Kris rested his hands on his hips. "My mom sad to never play with babies."
The gremlin shrugged. "I'm far from that, but perhaps it's time to thrash some brats." He laughed.
The door behind them slammed shut.
Susie drew her axe and slammed its head onto the ground. "If you're asking for an thrashing...then ugh..." She paused.
Ralsei cupped his hand by where he thought Susie's ear was. He whispered, "You're going to put into napping."
Her cold, narrowed eyes dragged to his rounding ones. "That's fuckin' stu—OH FUCK"
They all stumbled when the arena shifted and spun encircles like a merry go round.
Ralsei fur bristled as his heart raced, his eyes darted for Kris, who collapsed onto the ground but sat upright.
The gremlin floated in the air and stuck out his tongue while he cackled. "So let the games begin, so we can see who'll win!" They blinked out of existence.
His claws scraped against the hard flooring like nails on a chalkboard. Ralsei extended their hand towards Kris but collapsed as the world spun.
The walls collapsed one by one while the arena levitated in the dark cloudy sky.
Kris and Ralsei drifted apart. Susie anchored her axe into the ground and cracked it. The demon materialized behind them:
The demon covered his mouth. An orb of white energy formed in the demon's palms as it illuminated his contours. He flung shards of glass in the shapes of card spades.
Rainstorm of blades bombarded them.
Ralsei darted out of the way.
Metal tinged.
Gotta save them!
The spinning platform knocked him off balance.
Ralsei stumbled to the edge of the arena and collapsed onto his chest as he clawed the steel while the bottomless pit drew near; blunt trauma shot through his ribs. Keep moving! Ralsei clambered onto his feet while he scurried from the glass bullets. He fixated on Kris:
Kris shattered the shards with their blade while they extended their shield in front of theirself.
Shards of glass burrowed into the shield as its pristine form dented.
Ralsei's caught his bearing before he pivoted and swung his scarf out as it sliced through the bombardment of shards.
The fragments turned to dust.
Pretty easy!
His fur bristled and ears shot up.
"FUCK!" Susie swung her axe at the fragments:
She missed.
The blades homed in. They punctured her flesh. Blood trickled down her arm.
"I got you!" Ralsei stormed to her, he skidded against the ground beside her before he halfway twisted his body and swung his scarf through the oncoming fragments. Ralsei faced her, his eye widened.
Susie's lone, narrow eye gleamed. She extended her wavering hand to her hemorrhage left arm and jerked the shards out.
The demon teleported a few yards behind them. He flung the blades of glass at them.
Ralsei stormed behind her and swept shards out of the air. "Let me help!"
She clutched her arm. "I don't need your fuckin' help!"
Kris armor clanked and shield tinged.
Ralsei turned his head to Kris but Susie tackled him as shards punctured the ground where he stood. Her weight and the axe's steel handle crushed his frail rib cage. He shrilled.
Susie hauled him onto her shoulder. She careened from the hailstorm.
His vision blurred, his chest throbbed. His eyes widened.
Kris!
Ralsei's eyes darted to the right. Nothing. His heart pounded as its strings frayed. Cold sweat trickled down his head.
Kris came into view from behind the pyramids as the arena rotated. They knelt.
Shards embedded in Kris' shoulders.
Susie ran to Kris but plummeted to her knees as Ralsei flung from her grasp and tumbled onto the ground.
Ralsei claws screeched across the steel before he threw his lopsided body upright. He transfixed on Kris.
Blood pattered against metal.
The demon cackled. His devilish eyes met with Ralsei's wide ones. Inches apart. "Who to save? And send the other to their grave?" He flipped himself back like an acrobat and landed on one foot in the air. "Choose, choose my friend, show me who'll meet their end." He dissipated into flecks of dust.
Susie carried her wavering body while she leaned on her axe for support. Her eye met Ralsei's.
Ralsei glanced at Kris.
Kris doubled over to catch their breath. Crimson spilled through the cracks of the armor.
His body trembled. Leg anchored. He lurched forwards towards Kris but glanced at Susie. His heart split.
...She needs it more...
Ralsei's movement ceased. His vision blurred and stung. He fixated on Kris before Susie.
His legs ordered him to run. Mind demanded him to save Kris. Heart pleaded him to act.
He pursed his lips, gulped, and froze in place as he stared at Kris.
Ralsei blinked the moisture away. He inhaled, he held it.
I have to, I'm sorry! He shut his eyes.
He darted to...
Susie.
Her eyes widened.
He reached for her torn arm. Warm heat welled in his palms. Ralsei slid his hand across her arm and mended the lacerations before he darted to her back at dislodged the shards to shut the wounds.
Susie's mouth hung half open as she peeked over her shoulder at Ralsei. "Why?"
Ralsei smiled. "Because you're a good friend!"
She smirked and snorted. "Whatever."
He glanced at Kris, who thumbed him up.
The demon spun as he landed on his tiptoes on the rim of the arena. "Choose to save the brute? Yet you give the knight the boot?" He extended his pointer finger aloft.
Four rows of glass spades manifested around the edge of the arena.
Ralsei's muscles tensed. Feet anchored. Motionless.
"Oh how cruel! But that should be expected from a fool." He skipped along the edge of the arena.
One of the first row shards cocked back before it hurled towards...
Kris.
Ralsei darted to Kris but, Susie jerked his scarf back as he fell by her legs. He fixated on the homing daggers.
"Ha! Easy!" Susie clutched the end of the handle while she cocked her axe back like a bat. She swung it while it severed the spades into dust.
The next row of spades readied.
Susie panted.
"I got it!" Ralsei shot upright and slid his leg back for leverage. "Everyone duck!" He spun encircles. His scarf diced the spades. Ralsei ceased his bearing but staggered while the world spun.
Bad idea...
Susie caught him in her arms.
The world blurred, Ralsei's head ached. He shut his eyes and tightened them.
She sat him aside before she swung her axe at the next attempt.
Metal screeched. Glass shattered. Susie shrilled.
Ralsei's eyes crept open, they widened.
Susie panted. She carried her lopsided body with the support of her axe.
A shard impaled between the left side of her chest and shoulder
Ralsei glanced at Kris.
Kris fumbled with each step while they struggled to stand upright.
His heart cracked. His skin crawled when his eyes darted to:
The last row of gleaming fangs.
Susie whispered, "Fuck this shit." She snatched Ralsie in her arms and stormed towards Kris.
Silence.
One drew back. It flung towards Susie.
She sliced it. Susie slid against the ground as she pulled Kris into her arm with Ralsei. She cocked the axe back and cleaved the rest. Susie gasped for air. She dropped the two before she leaned forward to catch her breath. "I am not...doing it again!"
"Oh this is so much fun! I don't ever want it to be done!" The demon skipped.
Ralsei knelt, he checked on Kris.
Kris clambered onto his fours while blood streamed down his lip.
He plucked each of the shards from Kris' lacerated shoulder before he rested his splayed palm on the gashes: sultry crimson stained his wavering hand. Ralsei glanced at Susie while warmth welled in his palm and bile crept up his throat.
Susie clutched the jutting shard from her chest.
"Stop!" Ralsei extended his palm out.
"You want me to fucki-"
"Yes! Now stop please!" Ralsei's heart pounded as he panted.
The demon spoke, "Ha, ha! You fight with all your might, but there's no hope in sight." He snapped his fingers as it echoed.
Four scythes materialized and spun at the end of the arena.
"Dance from my blades or will this be the end of your days?"
"Tsh." Susie flashed her clenched fangs.
Kris stood with Ralsei. "I think we have to dodge them." They glanced over their shoulder at Susie. "Not sure if we can break them."
She huffed. "Fine."
The scythes whirred.
The demon snapped their fingers.
The blades hurled towards them all. They teetered like a lopsided coin.
Ralsei sidestepped one of the blades. HIs robe tore from the back.
The scythes slowed when they reached the apex of their flight path. They flung back to them.
"DUCK!" Kris said.
Ralsei dove onto the ground.
The blades passed aloft: it skimmed his hat.
He threw himself upright. Chest ached.
Kris and Susie stood, they all checked one another before the blades.
The demon's disembodied voice rung out, "That seems too easy, I'm going to punish you for being sleazy!"
The blades swung towards them.
"Get ready!" Kris bent their knees with their shield ready.
The scythes whirred. Ralsei anchored in place. Kris shouted for them to duck.
Ralsei plummeted towards the ground but:
A keen twinge like a kidney punch shot up his back. Cold steel ruptured flesh.
The scythes shot overhead and severed his hat with the ribbon. A horn chipped. Blood pattered.
Ralsei hauled his heavy chest upright with his trembling arms and hissed and clenched his fangs and shut his eyes from the acute pang and whimpered and crimson crawled up his throat and he spat blood and searing tears welled his eyes but...
Kris ran to him. They lifted him upright as Ralsei leaned into their chest. "It's going to be okay, stay with me!"
Ralsei gasped for air. He swallowed welled iron in his mouth. His eyes dragged to Kris.
Susie bolted to them. "Shit, is he going to make it?"
"I-I'm fine!" Cold sweat crawled down his furrowed forehead.
"Should it be removed?"
Ralsei's words clotted in his throat. He stammered, "Y-yes." His eye dragged to Kris'. They met, the crimson orbs wavered and glisten. "P-please look away." Ralsei dipped his head into his scarf.
...Please don't hate me...
The scythe scraped against muscle tissue.
He hissed and whimpered. Dark spots mottled his blurry vision.
"Sor—Ah fuck..." Susie jerked the red glowing blade out.
Ralsei muscles tensed, he clenched his teeth and fist. The world spun and blacken as his head collapsed while his vision blanked before he snapped out of the trance.
"What the fuck..."
The cavity mended as a clammy fluid filled the gash.
Ralsei glanced at Kris.
Kris stared at him, their jaw hung.
The demon said, "Ha, ha! I see, you're just like me!" He paused. "That of nothing that's been born of something!" He cackled.
Ralsei's heart crumbled. He spoke under his breath, "...Sorry..."
He yawned. "Ah, I'll give you a chance, if you can keep up this dance!"
Ralsei averted his gaze. His ears slumped. "Are you okay?"
Kris nodded. "I'm good, Susie?" They peeked at her
"Ugh..." Susie blinked before she shook her head. "Just get these the fuck out of me." Susie rested her axe on her shoulder.
Ralsei nodded while he sighed. "Okay." He stood up, he winced when a sharp twinge surged through his spine.
"You okay?" Kris squeezed Ralsei's paw.
He shut his eyes and nodded. "Mhm!"
"Your time is almost out, better hurry before I go all-out!"
Ralsei dragged himself to Susie and dislodged the glass spade before he rested his hand over the gash and rejuvenate it. "Better?"
She huffed.
"You're welcome!"
Susie's glare pierced his soul.
The demon manifested aloft. His head slunk between his shoulder as his body drifted aloft in the air. His voice ebbed, "Maybe you can beat me." He yawned. "Oh that's something I didn't foresee."
Shards in diamond shapes pelted down but drifted through the air like paper.
They ran along the spinning arena as the blades gouged the steel as it pursued them. It ceased.
The demon yawned. "It seems you win." He raised his limp finger in the air. "But I wish for one more spin!"
The arena stopped. They all lurched forward and tumbled onto one another. The demon grinned.
Silence.
...One more and it's over!
They all stared at the demon.
Ralsei's heart pounded. His skin crawled.
The demon blinked out of existence.
Grueling silence.
He glanced to the left. Nothing. The right. Nothing.
Sweat welled in his trembling palms.
Fur bristled. Nerves wracked. His eyes widened when...
Kris' armor clanked from their movement.
Ralsei opened and closed his fist.
Susie sighed.
Nerve-racking silence.
Something whirred in his ears.
The demon's voice echoed, "Bye-bye!"
Ralsei's fur stood. He dragged his head up. A frigid jolt snaked up his spine.
Scythes poured from the cloudy sky.
He slued his head towards Kris.
Kris glanced at him.
Silence.
Ralsei's heart pounded. His body trembled. He held his breath.
"Run!"
Ralsei bolted to the left. Legs ached. He glanced at the sky.
Reverberating tings. Earsplitting cacophony.
He reared back as his fur shot up.
A scythe sliced through the air in front of him before a blinding, scorching beam of light engulfed it.
Ralsei veered back.
A blade punctured the ground before him as it erupted.
He winced from the light. His eyes adjusted. His ears stood.
"Ah shit!" Susie yelled.
Ralsei pivoted, eyes rounded.
Susie watched the blades rain while she darted from them and towards:
Kris.
Claws scrapped against the platform. Feet slid, knees bent. He spun, his scarf wrapped around Kris' stomach.
"Oh!" Kris plummeted onto the ground
Ralsei clenched his teeth and eyes. His sore legs burned and throbbed. He reeled back as he hefted them towards himself.
Kris' armor clattered and clinked against the ground.
He opened his eyes, his scarf unraveled and drew to him.
They sprung up and tackled him.
A blade brushed by Kris.
Ralsei flailed as Kris tumbled over him and they both rolled towards the edge.
The sky and ground flashed before his eyes. The ground pummeled. Limp limbs dangled.
Kris plunged their sword into the ground. Their arms wavered while they clung to life. Kris' grasp around Ralsei's wrist tightened.
Ralsei panted, his eyes welled with tears as a bitter, lopsided smile dimpled his cheek.
His heartstrings snapped while his racked mind crumbled.
He swallowed when he glanced at the abyss below.
The sword edged out of the crevice.
His words clung to his throat.
Ralsei whimpered.
His voice ebbed:
"It's okay to le-"
Kris whispered, "Not going to happen." They smiled before the flung Ralsei onto the platform.
Ralsei crashed onto his chest with his limbs splayed out.
They threw theirself upright and heaved Ralsei up by his wrist.
He stumbled when Kris tugged him while they darted ahead towards Susie.
"Center!" Kris yelled, but tripped over a crack.
They both reeled forward.
Kris cocked their arm back. Their hand squeezed his.
Ralsei's and Kris' fingers parted.
They shoved Ralsei towards Susie.
He pivoted and extended his wavering hand to Kris as he fumbled into Susie grasp.
Susie clutched him and bolted towards the center.
Kris smiled.
Grueling silence.
A scythe ruptured steel. Kris plummeted to their knees. Light consumed him.
Ralsei's heart shattered. Tears poured.
Kris' silhouette stood:
Blades hailed.
The ground quaked. A slender shadow enveloped all of them.
Susie and Ralsei glanced heavenward.
She whispered, "Oh...fuck..." Susie dropped him.
An immense scythe nose-dived like a meteorite.
Silence.
Blinding light drowned out everything.
Ralsei flesh seared. He shrilled but no words came from his aching lungs. A keen twinge shot through his wracked nerves.
The world manifested.
He blinked, eyes adjusted. Ralsei lie on the frigid ground.
Blood oozed from his gaping maw as his lungs flooded with air. Ralsei's fluttering eyes dragged towards Susie while his vision darkened.
Susie knelt as she used her axe for support. She panted and clenched her fangs. Her scales charred and blemished with gashes. "Still alive...toothpaste?"
Ralsei groaned, his words lacerated his throat. "Y-yeah...You?"
"Busted up but still kickin'" Susie smirked.
The demon seized their attention. He danced around the rim of the arena with clones of himself as he flickered in and out of existence. "You've come this far to die, I'll give you time to cry!"
He dragged himself upright before he stumbled back but caught his bearings. Ralsei fixated on Kris' motionless body.
Susie, said, "Are they alive?"
Ralsei's eyes rounded.
Kris' back rose and fell with each shallow breath.
He limped towards Kris. Ralsei knelt beside him and rested his palms on the ruptured parts of their armor. "It's okay, I gotcha!"
The wounds shut but Kris didn't budge.
"There is nothing more you can bring. You puppets are cut from your strings." The demon snapped their fingers. "For..." The demon smirked. "I can do anything!"
Three rows of spades surrounded the edge of the arena.
"Susie, can yo-"
"I can't!"
One of the spades cocked back. It homed on Ralsei.
Ralsei hefted Kris's limp body upright as the weight of the armor leaden him but:
Susie yelled, "Get down!" She readied her axe back.
His fur bristled, he pivoted and plunged his back towards the ground as he pulled Kris into his chest.
Steel collided against tender flesh.
Susie spun herself while her axe whirred through the air as glass shattered. Susie doubled over and panted. "Get..." She wheezed. "The next..."
Ralsei nodded, he hobbled beside her with one leg cocked back.
She collapsed onto one knee.
The blades hurled.
Ralsei fixated on the encroaching spade. He halfway twisted his chest while the end of the scarf cocked back. His legs quivered as they ached.
Just a little bit more...
Sweat ran down his furrowed forehead.
The blades spiraled around him.
Now!
Ralsei spun, the spades shattered. He anchored himself but stumbled before he seized his bearing.
One row left.
He panted, he collapsed onto his hands and knees.
Silence.
The blade slowly cocked back.
The blade flung forward.
The blade shattered:
Kris stood, his battered shield cracked.
Ralsei's beaming smile dimpled his cheeks.
Their head hung between their rising and falling shoulders. Kris' shield bashed the spades as they spun.
The spades shrilled as they shattered. Their shards clattered against the ground.
Kris panted.
Ralsei bolted towards Kris as he limped. He threw himself while his arms wrapped around them and he smiled.
The demon's voice faltered, "The knight still fights as if they're alright but try as they might. There is no light."
His quivering paws emitted warmth as Ralsei nuzzled his cheek against Kris'.
Kris snickered before they wrapped their arms around him.
They both slipped their arms from one another before they both smiled.
"Hey, Ralsei?" Kris' crimson eyes peeked through the strands of their hair.
"Y-yes!" His cheeks burned.
"Heal Susie while I handle the rest, okay?"
Ralsei vigorously nodded. He whispered, "Stay safe, my valiant knight!"
Kris smirked. "Yes, my sweet prince!"
The demon danced around the arena. "Fighting to your last breath, despite that you'll only meet death." He vanished.
Ralsei trotted to Susie as he extended his hands towards her gashes on her body and mended the wounds. He glanced over his shoulder.
Flecks of squares with a spade, clover, or diamond marking descended from the sky like snowflakes.
His skin crawled.
A thundering explosion.
One detonated into a row of horizontal shards of spades.
Susie shoved Ralsei under her while they lie prone.
Another deafening explosion.
The shards shot aloft.
The blades shattered against Kris' shield.
The world spun when Susie rolled with Ralsei against the platform while diamond shards plinked against it.
Susie rolled on top of him before she shot up while she clutched Ralsei robe. "Going to let go!" She hauled him upright and released her grip and readied herself with her axe.
Ralsei fumbled before he caught himself.
"I got the north!" Kris yelled while steel clattered against glass.
"Got the south!" Susie swung her axe through the air at glass bullets.
Ralsei's brows twitched. "I got east and west!" He swung his scarf, it sliced through the clovers. His ears twitched from an eruption from behind. He swept them.
Flashing light and explosions with barrages of shrapnel.
He swung his scarf and shards but they flung past him. He pivoted to catch them but:
Diamonds embedded into steel. Crimson bled from the cracks. Glass protruded from Kris' back like quills.
His stomach sunk. Ralsei ducked from oncoming shards.
Kris plummeted to their knees. They held their shield in front of theirself.
A deafening explosion. Blades dove towards Kris.
Ralsei swatted oncoming shards of glass while he dragged himself towards Kris. He stood behind them as his lungs pleaded for air. He pivoted and sundered shards.
Duck. Dodge. Weave.
His feet danced as blades shot by him.
I got this!
Ralsei smiled. His scarf severed glass.
I can save you!
His heart skipped a beat. Chest strained and compressed like a boulder rested on it.
Because nothing can stop us wh-
Daggers whirred. They sunk into soft flesh.
An acute tinge shot throughout Ralsei back while the abrasion seared his tissues.
Vision blurred. Tears welled. He clenched his fangs.
His movement faltered while he gasped.
Blood oozed from his gaping maw.
Ralsei's muscles tensed.
His chin quivered.
Keep fighting!
He cried.
Susie diced the shards after her.
Blades severed flesh. He whimpered. His knees bent.
I can do it!
Ralsei shattered shards.
Blades burrowed into his flesh. Vision mottled with blotches of black.
I can do it...!
The scarf tore blades.
Crimson trickled down his arms.
Blades ripped and tore.
I can save you!
Ralsei's body quivered. He glanced over his shoulder. He smiled and shut his eyes. "Thank you for being my friend, Kris."
...Even if I can't save myself...
Silence.
Earsplitting eruption.
Ralsei's eyes crept open and the world spun and he cocked his scarf back and the world spun and he shattered the blades and the world spun and the blades burrowed into his flesh and the world spun and he wailed and the world spun and he staggered and the world spun and he cleaved the blades and the world spun and one rived his flesh and the world spun AND HE LOCKED HIS KNEES WITH ONE LEG BACK AND THE WORLD SPUN AND BLOOD TRICKLED DOWN AND THE WORLD SPUN AND HE SHRILLED WHEN THE BLADES TORE HIS SKIN AND THE WORLD SPUN AND HIS VISION BLACKEN AND THE WORLD SPUN AND HIS BODY CAUGHT THE DAGGERS AND THE WORLD SPUN AND HIS HEAD HUNG BETWEEN HIS LIMP SHOULDERS AND THE WORLD SPUN AND HIS HEART SHATTERED AND THE WORLD SPUN AND HE COLLAPSED ONTO HIS KNEES AND THE WORLD SPUN AND THE BLADES DOVE. But:
Susie's axe diced the oncoming shards. She stood before both of them with her back at them. "C'mon, toothpaste, giving up?" She smirked.
He caught his breath and smiled. Ralsei mouthed, "Thank you."
The demon dangled in the air in the center with his head hung over his shoulders.
Silence.
He extended his palm out to halt. "You've given me my dream, and you three make a wonderful team." He laughed. "But I must warn you if you want things to fall through." He pointed at Kris. "The knight will tear you apart, for there's a shadow in their heart." He cackled. "But I must return to the land of dreams, so I won't be hearing your screams!" He dissipated into the void.
Ralsei panted. He crawled towards Kris before he dragged his quivering paw towards the shards in Kris' back.
"Yo, Ralsei, you okay?" Susie knelt beside him with her arm on his aching shoulder.
He swallowed the iron as he picked the shards from Kris' back while they hissed. Ralsei voice faltered, "Sorry."
"It's okay..." Kris said.
Blood mottled Ralsei's fur. He shuddered from the potent bile in his gnarled gut.
"Ralsei, man...you sh-"
Ralsei shook his head. He shivered while his body numbed.
Kris comes first.
Warmth welled in his hands before he rested against Kris' wounds.
His head slumped as his eyes sagged before he snapped out of his daze.
The wounds shut. Kris glanced over their shoulder. Ralsei's heavy eyes met with Kris' wavering ones.
"Kris...I..." Ralsei word clung to the tip of his tongue. He smiled. "Thank you for being my fr-" His head spun:
The darkness consumed his vision.