#81 - Blood Spilled
Fairy Tale Ending
Segment Notes: I've been wanting to do an enchanted death scenario with these two for a long time, as I'm just completely in love with true love depicted as platonic as well as romantic. It's one thing the TV series Once Upon a Time did totally right. Looking at the prompt Bloody Kiss for 5Ds Month kicked that desire into overdrive. I also have a picture. I know it's the name of Akiza's Duel Runner, but just looking at the prompt and forgetting about that brought about a far different plunnie.
Kalin stirred, groaning on the cold stone floor as he turned his head to the side. "Radley?" he mumbled. A misadventure in an old Scottish castle had resulted in them fighting their enemy near an upstairs balcony. All three of them had fallen over the stone railing, with Radley desperate to protect Kalin from the worst of the fall and Kalin likewise desperate to protect him. The last thing Kalin remembered was their enemy shoving his sword at them in one final act of hate. But . . . Kalin didn't feel wounded. . . .
"Radley?" he called, louder this time. He forced his eyes open. Radley was laying on the floor near him, not moving. Red was running over the stone tiles.
That finally jerked Kalin back to full consciousness. "Radley?!" He shot up, staring down at his friend. Radley was laying facedown on the floor. The sword was running him through, the edge of the blade wedged between two stone tiles. Radley had pulled back from Kalin when the sword had been thrust, desperate to keep Kalin from being impaled too.
Kalin's mind went blank in horror. No . . . no, not again! It can't happen again!
He pressed his fingers up to Radley's throat. Nothing.
The room was spinning now. Kalin grabbed the sword's hilt, pulling it out of Radley's lifeless body. He threw it aside, letting it clatter to the floor behind him. Radley was dead; there was no point in worrying about the adege of not removing a weapon from pierced flesh. Kalin couldn't stand to see him like that.
"Radley . . ." He gathered the body in his arms, cradling him close. "This is another nightmare," he whispered. "It has to be. . . ." He shut his eyes tightly. "So why can't I wake up?!" He laid a hand in Radley's hair, sweeping it away from his face. "Wake up . . . wake up!" He was no longer sure if he was talking to himself or Radley. Either way, it was a fruitless command. He sobbed, rocking forward as he clutched the body to his heart.
"I can't lose you," he said. "I can't. You came back before, and I woke up from the nightmares before. . . . Why can't I wake up from this one?!"
He held Radley closer. Now his mouth was up against Radley's forehead. Half without thinking, he pressed his lips against the cold skin in a heartbroken kiss. "Wake up," he rasped. "Come back. . . . Please. . . ."
A warm light suddenly enveloped them both. Kalin looked up, shocked, as the tendrils of light surrounded Radley and healed his wounds. The blood disappeared. Radley gasped, his eyes flying open. "Kalin?!"
Kalin just stared at him, disbelieving, afraid the miracle was only an illusion. He reached out, touching Radley's cheek. Warmth was returning.
"Hey . . ." Radley smiled weakly at him. "You saved me, bro. . . ."
Finally Kalin found his voice. "How?!"
"That sword . . . I think it was enchanted." Radley grimaced.
Kalin stared at him. "Then . . ."
"It was a magical death," Radley said. "You broke it!"
Kalin held him close, shaking. After a moment he felt Radley shakily return the hug and relax in Kalin's arms. He was breathing and he was alive and now he wasn't even wounded.
True love. . . . True love had shattered the curse and saved Kalin's friend. He whispered a prayer of awed thanks.