There she stood, beaten and bruised, the last standing in her group. The rest unconscious and at death's doors. Tears fell from her eyes, why, she thought. Why must they die, after all they've done for me, for everyone. She closed her eyes and fell to her knees, why why why why why, she screamed in her mind. She blamed herself for this, if only she had been stronger, if she had been able to protect them then none of this would have happened.
Her blood dripped from her brow onto the cold dirt. They had given their lives, to protect her, all because she was their nakama. Her hands clenched the dirt, as more blood and tears fell onto the ground. And now, she was about to die, because she wasn't strong enough to defeat him alone. She needs her friends at her side, both to defeat this monster and to give her strength.
She cried out, sitting back onto her legs, they gave their lives for nothing now. She had wasted their lives, and if she was to survive this, she would be haunted by their memory. Their laughing, their fighting, their strength, all of it will plague her. Their memory will haunt her for the rest of her life, because what did she do, she hid behind them, she hid behind them and because of it they died.
But that wasn't the case, they didn't die because she hid behind them, they died because they couldn't sit back and watch a friend, no not friend. They couldn't sit back and watch their family die to a creature like this, they gave their lives saving not a friend, but their family. Even though it cost them their lives they regretted nothing in their final moments, they saved her life, and her living on is all that they could ask for.
She deep down knew this was the truth, that they died so then she could live on. Her crying stopped, she should shed no tear for them, not now. They don't deserve that, they deserve to be avenged, to have the being that killed them destroyed so that no one else could go through this pain. Despite her hurt body she stood, and she walked forward to the dead bodies in front of her. A sword still laid on the ground where her friend fell, she lifted the heavy sword and drug it at her side.
Her magic might be gone at the moment, but her fighting spirit was burning so brightly the Celestial King himself would be able to see it if he tried. She was determined now, not to die, not to waste her friends lives. She was determined to send this monster back to hell, and she won't back down until so. I will live on, she shouted at herself as she lifted the sword up. A golden aurora surrounded her body like a flame, she knew her friends were still with her, lending her power.
She closed her eyes for a moment to thank them, even from beyond, they were still trying to protect her. She felt a shot of cold run up her body, covering her in an armor made of ice. Yes, they were still trying to protect her. The heavy sword in her hand was replaced with a light katana. She opened her eyes and looked at the monster, it's ugly green hairs, and the horns that dug out of his face.
This monster will die, with her friends powers she will kill this monster. She didn't speak, she just charged, no words could suffice the desire to kill. Slash after slash she attacked the monster. Only to be hit back harder than before, she landed on her feet, but quickly fell to one knee, using the katana to hold her up.
Don't be so reckless, just relax and think, a voice said in her head. Without thinking she listened. She relaxed the building tension in her body, and looked at the monster. He's big and slow, you're faster, just wait for an opening. No reason to cause yourself more damage, another voice said. He will attack you if you just wait, giving you the opening you need, a third voice said. She brought herself to her feet, and waited for her opening.
The monster attacked shortly after she stood, she avoided the attack, and saw a clear shot to the chest. Now, all the voices shouted at her, without hesitation she launched off her feet and thrusted the blade through the monster's chest causing a shriek of pain to erupt from it. Quickly now, get away, the first voice said, she then realised it was a female's voice.
She listened and pulled the katana out of the monster's chest and quickly got away and landed back onto the ground. She was breathing hard now, the ice armor was heavy, and she didn't have much strength. Just hold out for a bit longer, the second voice said, a male's voice who sounded warm.
Couple more blows like that and he'll be done for, the third voice said, it sounded colder than the two, but still it brought her comfort. She knew she could trust these voices with her life. She trusts them enough to listen to everything they said, when to or not to attack, when to dodge or block.
The monster becoming furious and impatient attacked over and over again. The voices kept talking to her though. No clear shot, keep avoiding him, the female voice said. There, the chest is open, attack now, the warm man's voice said. Block this attack, when he draws back attack him, the cold man's voice said.
Slowly the monster started to get hurt, it was then did she notice the monster was bleeding out. She had attack all the major points of the monster in those long minutes of wait, dodge, and attack. The monster began to slow down, making it easier to attack him. Stay strong, you're almost done, all three voices said at once when she started to slow down due to fatigue. Only one more attack, I promise, the warm male's voice said. She nodded, not knowing if they could see it or not, and waited for her final opening to kill this monster.
The last attack was another swing to her, and she dodged it with great speed, and plunged the katana deep into the monster's chest. "Go back to hell," she said as the monster fell to the ground, dead.
The golden aura around her faded, the ice melted away, and the sword disappeared. She started to cry, but not like before, she wasn't asking why, or crying out. It was a silent cry, one of respect and love. They, were gone now, and nothing could bring them back, no, that can't be right, they lasted long enough to help her, to lend her power. There had to be a way to bring them back, she knew it.
She reached into the pouch at her side, and pulled out a ring filled with golden and silver keys. She held the keys tight in her hand, and whispered, "please, bring them back". She didn't care if what she was about to do would kill her, she just knew that the world needs them in it. A bright gold shined from her hands, engulfing her body, and taking her beyond. She saw them standing there, the exact way they always had.
They looked at her with shock, how could she have died, they know for a fact she was fine. She smile though, at her friends, her family, silent tears going down her face. They didn't realise what was happening but she did, she knew what she was doing. The female attempted to tell her to go back, but she refused, she would not leave her friends here. The two men also tried to make her go back, to the land of the living, but she only shook her head no.
She was going to stay here, and gift the other's with life again. She took the spots in which they had stood in before, and slowly she saw them fade, fade back to the land of the living. Not once did she stop smiling, not once did she stop crying, she was so happy to see them live, but so sad it would be the last time they would see face to face. Once they were gone, she felt relieved, she had, for once, been strong enough to protect her nakama. She didn't feel alone, but instead surrounded. She knew she would watch over them from here, the beyond.
In the world of the living the three awoke, each instantly grasping the area above their heart. All of them knew what she did for them, and slowly they looked over at the now lifeless body, the golden keys that were still grasped in her hands. They knelt down beside her and cried, why had she given her life to save theirs.
Don't cry friends, I will always be with you, I'm never leaving your side, she said in their minds. But it didn't stop the crying, they cried even more, thanking her. She had made the ultimate sacrifice just so then they could all live. She wasn't weak, no, she was the strongest person they had ever met. And none of them would trade their meeting her for anything. The man with the warm voice, picked her body up with such care, as if he didn't want to break it, and looked at the other two.
Tears still falling from their face they walked, they didn't take a train, or any mode of transportation, they just walked. They walked to show how thankful they were for their lives, and carrying her cold body, showed how much they cared for her. They didn't even touch her apart from the carrying, to scared that they might injury, or hurt her. Day and night they walked, until they got home, to their beloved guild.
The man with the cold voice opened the door, and the female walked in before the man with the warm voice. The man with the warm voice took a deep breath, and prepared himself for the cries he was about to hear. Slowly he walked through to doors, hearing all the laughter that came from inside he stopped, and looked down at the body, and continued in. The laughter quickly came to a halt once he walked in.
Eyes travelled over to him and the body. Not a word was spoken, everyone was in shock, no one thought anyone in the guild could die. Slowly the man with the warm voice set her down on a clear table, and turned to face the rest of the guild. Everyone had tears in their eyes, no one thought she would be the one to die. Even though there were so many tears no one made a sound, everyone stayed silent out of respect.
Everyone but the three were crying, crying their hearts out in silent. No one dared to speak, scared that something worse would happen if they did. No one asked how, or why it happened, they just knew she was gone. Even years after it no one asked, out of respect of her memory they knew that she did it to save her friends.
But they knew the truth, the three people who she saved. They knew that she had given her life to save theirs, and that they had given their lives to save hers. She would be irreplaceable in both their hearts and in real life. No one could have the strength to recreate what happened that night. And they were happy about that, they didn't want anyone to be like her.
As the years went on, she was still remembered in the guild, remember as the person who died for her nakama. She didn't just die though, she was still there, watching over them and the guild with each passing day. Waiting for her chance to save her nakama once more from beyond. Just like they had done for her that day.
Even in the beyond, she knew she could help them, because they had done so for her, they had summoned their powers for her to use, to help her attack and defend herself. Giving them life back wasn't enough for her. She wanted to help them the same way they helped her, and one day, her final wish will come true, no matter what, she knew it would.
She knew no matter what, she could help from beyond...
Sorry if it made you sad, just thought I would upload an extra story. See you next time.