Disclaimer: Have you heard the news of a THIRD DRAKENGARD GAME! if not, then I don't own Drakengard still. But bet it can't be bought for a penny.
Authors Notes: I am getting a bad vibe of trepidation involving chapter eight and the rest when they get put up. Mostly as it sort of gets cliche a bit ...anyways you'll see when I post it. AND the pact partners will come together sooner or later. It's just who shall stumble upon whom first. But don't worry, they start getting together in the next few chapters. Kinda.
Chapter Seven
Losing and Gaining
Meagan wasn't weak, nor was she exactly timid. She would fight when she had to, but there were some things she just could not fight and defeat. Like this wraith thing that floated about before her and taunted her. She'd just been about to go to a well deserved rest when this thing had shown up.
Brandishing the staff her 'brothers' had given to her for her protection when they weren't there, she took a few steps back as the wraith thing seemed unafraid of her weapon. Reaching out with a skeletal hand, the thing gave an ungodly moaning wail from the skull like head.
She had thought it bad enough, but the wail seemed to be summons for worse things. Far worse than what she could handle. Yelping in fear, Meagan dropped the staff she and bolted, trying to flee the monsters the wraith thing summoned to try and take her down.
Meagan was already screaming for help from her brothers before bolting, but now it increased ten fold nearly, and she heard a responce from them. A loud roar in the distance, seems they had been held up by something, and had thought she'd only been crying out for them because she had been hearing their struggle against something large. But now found out that she had been crying for help for herself.
But they were still too far away to provide help for now, leaving Meagan on her own for the time being. Focusing on the flight from the creatures, she was able to tune out the shrieks and other cries escaping the things that sought her flesh.
Pushing past stunted trees and not caring how the limbs seemed to catch clothing and rip it, she continued on, splashing through a small stream and scrambling onto the bank on the other side. Panting and nearly out of breath from the seemingly eternity of a run, Meagan turned around, eyes wide as she saw the creatures rushing for her, and then skidding to a halt from the stream she had just waded through. The things, which she could tell smelt like dead things left in the sun for far too long, moaned and shifted on the other side. It was like the running water prevented them from crossing.
Meagan was safe... for the time being.
Grinning brightly at the fact she had managed to prevent herself from being a victim, Meagan made a rude gesture to the creatures on the other side of the bank she'd seen men use before, and then bolted again, staying close to the stream as she headed for Terace, Steph and Ayre, hoping they were fairing as well as she had.
-
The trio of brothers, weren't fairing well. Ayre panted heavily as his head hung low, blood streaming from a bad gash above an eye while the other was sealed shut from swelling as it'd been hit badly. His white fur was stained red and black from his own blood and that of his enemies. His side was heavily injured too and that of his wing.
Terace also was hurt badly, once proud dark green scales were now dulled and dented. Covered in gore, blood and earth. He was panting as heavily as Ayre, and was also injured on a side and a wing. Gashes ran criss cross over a leg and his neck too.
Steph had it worse off, an earlier attack was leaving him just about blind and helpless as a babe as he lashed out blindly, trying to strike down an enemy far better and more capable than themselves.
The beast they fought shrieked in glee as it twisted, launching out with a multitude of apendages, flaying the brothers again, causing severe damage and pain to the trio and as one they screamed.
Falling heavily, the brother trio realised that they were going to die ... and they were united by the hatred of leaving behind the human they had come across.
"I can almost hear her now," Ayre whispered, his goat ears flicking a bit as his eyes closed. And Terace mumbled an agrement to that as Steph stayed silent, already giving in to death.
"Leave them alone you bully!" The three heard Meagan scream out, and it was no illusion. Standing as big as life several yards off, was Meagan, brandishing a makeshift torch, the kindling a sacrificed part of her dress.
The thing hissed and screeched as it seemed to see the fire Meagen held. "Yeah, you better fear me!" She called out as she charged forward, waving the torch about, forcing the thing from her brothers before lobbing it at the screaming thing. It squealed as the fire easily set it alight, catching it on fire with the ease of a acohol drenched rope.
Squealing louder, the thing started to flop about, trying to put itself out, but it seemed to make it worse, before with a keening wail, the creature imploded on itself, the fire burning what didn't seem to magically disapear.
Breathing harshly, Meagan whooped in triumph before remembering her fallen brothers and quickly rushed to their side, "Steph, Terace, Ayre! Oh what did that foul beast do to you?" Meagan sobbed out as she fell to her knees infront of her fallen brothers.
Terace groaned a little, and cracked his eyes open, and seemed to try to say something but he lost what little strength he had, and he fell limp, sobbing, Meagan found the only thing she could do here, was watch as her brothers died.
And then she heard the soft voice of Steph, "Meagan ... you, you can save us … if .. if you are willing," Steph coughed, red coming up from his mouth and alarming Meagan to no end. "I'll do anything brother, just let me help you, let me save you!" She cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks as her light sapphire eyes continued to spill out more from their depths.
Steph felt guilty, the human would never know what she could offer to give up to save them, before he started to explain carefully, for what she must do.
Barely had he stopped speaking did she do it, crying in pain and from the fear of loding the only family she had left now. It felt like forever as he slowly got his soul out, their soul out, for the brothers were connected. The light was bright, almost too bright, and it could have hurt, but, it didn't. It felt good somehow. Better than nearly anything Steph had felt before.
And when it slowly faded away, Steph felt his brothers slowly waking up. And as his newly healed eyes settled on Meagan, she seemed alright. She was smiling and crying and then she launched herself at Step and the other two, trying to hug the three at the same time.
Terace lowered his head and wrapped his neck around Meagan carefully while Ayre just leaned his head against the human's shoulder, mindful of the dusky yellow horns of his as Steph just closed his eyes as Meagan hugged his neck, wondering when Meagan would realise she had lost something, to keep them alive.
But deep down, the lion of the Chimera, knew that Meagan would gladly have given up everything she could ever offer to keep the three of them with her.
