Warning of nudity and language!
The Mummy's Curse
Due to the sand darkness was mostly what the huddled traveling group knew. Day and night cycles would have been lost if not for the satellite phone that the plane contained for emergencies. It did not make any of them feel any better knowing that four days had passed. Many of the devices ranging from phones and tablets had lost battery due to their owners attempting to escape their reality with distractions of games or media only to find that no connectivity could be found by mobile date. Much to the instructors amusement, being as they themselves came from generations unattached to electronics, many of the students despaired over the loss of contact or means of entertainment. That however gave way to concern when the underlying medical conditions from a few became pronounced to their stress; a few students had anxiety, three were diabetic so they especially had to be watched closely, but so far no other casualties had occurred beside the one.
Solomon and Arther glanced over the slumbering students who had fallen asleep, sharing brief nods with other instructors or group leaders as they too began to drift off into slumber. The two pilots had not strayed far from their sides even when the plane's radio crackled loudly with broken phrases for them to respond. Odion and Marik both were accustomed to traveling within such conditions being as they had lived amongst the sand for all their lives yet even they did not dare leave the sanctuary of the shelter. A few times the wind had torn at the tarps but they were quickly secured once more by several hands.
"How long has it been, brother?" Marik asked softly, gaze meeting the older pilot. "It feels like we've been here for a while now."
Odion inhaled slowly. "This storm is an ominous omen indeed but you need not be afraid. No one else has suffered from the curse since that traveler and the supplies are still plenty." His brows furrowed. "However it doesn't appear as though it will dissipate anytime soon. The rescue team must surely have been called back to the airport by now so must simply wait for now."
The suit clad guidance counselor's mustache quirked in the corners, showing a small smile as he spotted the group of freshmen that had formed with members from each traveling party. "Several of the younger students seem to have grown attached to each other, as expected during traumatic times such as these." His smile however fell when Solomon asked if he needed anything. So his fatigue had been seen despite his best efforts to hide it. He'd never outwardly admit it but the pain in his chest had been increasing steadily with each passing hour; if this continued, he would need the medication that was tucked away in the luggage wall on the far side of the shelter. "I am fine. The students are my main concern."
"Don't kid yourself, Arthur, you are a terrible liar."
Brief panic filled the wearer of red tie and beige suit. Arthur hadn't spoken a word of his heart condition but was it possible that his sharp friend had somehow found out? "I assure you that I haven't the faintest idea of what you're inquiring."
"You've been thinking about that Mazaki girl." Though it was meant as a tease, Solomon lightly flinched when he saw the affect of his own words within the instant darkening gaze of his old friend. Me and my big mouth, he sighed internally. "Come now, she seems like a bright young woman that I highly doubt she would have just allowed herself to be caught up in this storm. You say you know her yet here you are doubting her intelligence."
"I'm not insinuating that she is the type of person who would fall victim to something like this. Out of all of my students, she is the pride and joy of the school despite the student population that resort to childish jealousy filled antics in hopes to bring her down. Anzu Mazaki is a feisty and capable person." Arthur, realizing he had been on the verge of shouting that would have woken those slumbering, cleared his throat softly after taking a few breaths to calm his heart. A faint blush appeared within his cheeks when spotting the raised eyebrows of Solomon and the pilots. "I-it's not that I practice favoritism or anything of the sort so the lot of you bugger off."
All three shared a disbelieving look but let the matter drop.
. . . .
Without the clock working, she resorted to the use of the calendar in hopes to keep better track of days as means of some sort of diary or record keeper. She'd completely forgotten about the little tablet packed away until it chimed with the notification of the coming seminar that effectively caused both girl and bird to have near heart attacks. If neither device could tell what time it was then how the heck were they able to tell her when she was late to something?! "I feel like I got no sleep at all." A groan rose up her throat as she stretched, earning several protests from across her being once silencing the incredibly loud noise.
Her fingernail that had grown a bit longer than her liking scratched against the wall beside their heads to join a few others. That makes four sleep cycles that she's explored this place; four sleep cycles of finding no one else here besides the bird; four sleep cycles of munching on granola and sipping from the camelback. The young woman's brush was worked through her chocolate hair that was both oily and coated with a fine layer of dust thanks to all of the times she'd found herself cornered thanks to a cave in of a rooftop or cloth falling into her face while searching for supplies. To say that she felt gross was an understatement. Sand had found its way into crevices she thought impossible, causing her skin to itch and flare with irritation, but no matter how hard she tried to clean herself it was thanks to the new coat of sweat that covered her body every day.
The worse fact of her now dismal existence was the fact that her sole companion was the falcon. No other soul was to be found here and if it wasn't sand or empty dwellings it was the abundance of corpses that filled her conscious moments. And then there was the gaze that she could never find. It seemed to follow her wherever she went but no matter how hard the young woman searched around every bend in structure or road. Feeling the unseen gaze often made her skin crawl yet the last sleep cycle it had begun to make her feel a bit less lonely. Whatever was the source wasn't aiming to harm her, it just simply watched as she did what suited her needs. There was no such feeling right now though. That must mean that whoever or whatever had been keeping an eye on her wasn't currently here.
More cracking and popping sounded as she stretched out each limb to its limit. All the walking had toned her legs, along with the climbing into the multitude of spaces, so she wasn't too upset with how her once slim frame was beginning to develop a bit of muscle. That did little to stem the deep ache within her bones. "What I wouldn't give for a nice hot bath right now…" Alarm filled her as the falcon settled upon her shoulder but used its wing to alter her center of balance while standing. "What?! What's the matter?!"
It's head rubbed against her own then hopped down until it landed in the sand with a light impact then disappeared through the door.
"Wait!" Slipping on her sneakers and swiping on the cell phone's screen to turn on the flashlight, she managed to catch up just in time to spot it venture farther than where she'd explored previously. "Where do you think you're going?! Get back here!"
Desperation filled her as she hurried to follow after the surprisingly fast bird. Why would it take off like that all of a sudden? What if it hurt itself?
The thought of possibly getting lost was quickly shoved to the back of her mind when it disappeared around another turn. Tail feathers were poking out just far enough to show her which way when she came to a halt at a fork, a brow twitching when it poked its head around to see if she was still following. Their gazes met, the bird chirping a bit when she took a few seconds to catch her breath, then slowly, as if to tease her, disappeared back around the corner.
"You…" Anzu shook her head and hurried to follow when it gave a shrill call as if asking what was taking her so long. "I'm coming, I'm coming ya little shit!"
Unbeknownst to her, the beige sand brick buildings and walls gave way to chiseled stone darkened by age and lack of sunlight. The crunching of sand gave way to the impacts of her footfalls, the echo less harsh but at the same time more magnified thanks to the difference in the terrain. Slightly uneven ground courtesy of sand pounded down to a bumpy surface gave way to solid rock.
It took a turn almost too quick for her but she managed to pivot on the heel of her shoe within the last second, two more turns to the left, one to the right, and slid to a halt just in time to prevent herself from stepping on it when it came to a screeching halt. Her arms rose to catch herself against the doorway that it had stopped within, causing loud cracks to sound as the kinetic force attempted to shiver her inside that resulted in joints popping loudly in protest, and slid to ground in a gasping heap while locking gazes with the bird who was watching her with interest. "A little warning next time would be nice."
Were birds capable of laughing? Cause she could have sworn it just did while playfully nibbling her disarrayed hair. It directed her attention up to the doorway before them with nuzzle against her cheek and squeaked as she swept up into an embrace when she noted the clouds of steam that surrounded them.
"You found a bathhouse in the middle of this place?!" Her nose booped against its beak as she smiled widely. "Thank you, little guy, you are just full of surprises, aren't ya?" She loosened her hold while entered but quickly tightened it again when it made to break free, its eyes wide and locked upon the ceiling. "What the heck is your problem? You're not going to leave me here all alone, are you?"
It froze, as if hearing the hint of sadness and underlying fear within her tone, head tilting so that its gaze met her own. A ruffle of its feathers caused her to relinquish her hold, allowing it land upon the stone beneath them, and instead of walking back out the doorway it turned to venture farther inwards without so much as another sound.
A small smile of relief lifted her lips as she used the phone's light to follow without tripping over things. "You da best!"
The bird seemed to misstep at her call but it regained its stride while keeping its gaze locked forward until it came to a stop while extending its uninjured wing in time to stop her from stepping off the drop in the darkness.
Steam was billowing in large clouds within the small light in her hand but it was quickly deposited along the bank when something reflected off the light. Water! A quick survey revealed that the entire room was spacious and sturdy looking, meaning that she wouldn't have to worry about making a quick getaway in case something were to cave. The icing on the cake though was how clear the water seemed to be! It looked clean enough to drink if she so desired!
First it was the tank top that was practically peeled off her skin, arms twisting in various directions so as to work the heavily soiled fabric up then over her head. The leggings were no better, almost as if she were peeling off the outer layer of an onion skin, but it too soon joined the top. This left her in the athletic bra and bikini styled underwear that were part of a set. She debated on leaving them on but felt sheepish almost immediately after the thought was formed. Not another soul was around so who was to see? Fingers reached up to unclasp the hooks and zipper that kept it in place with cheeks burning brightly but shyness evaporated as the tight fabric fell away.
It was not recommended for women to wear any sort of bra to bed being as the underwire or fabric could irritate the sensitive breasts they supported. Several times she'd discovered that painful truth when coming home late from advanced studies then woken up the next morning still clothed in the day before's attire. Her pair were not on the overly large size but they weren't exactly tiny either. They had started out small in comparison to those of her classmates but they quickly ceased their bullying of her AAs when they became Ds over sophomore summer that led into junior year. Though a late bloomer she had quickly caught the attention of several male students with the shapely body she currently had. Often attracting the wrong kind for her liking yet she made do by defending herself with words then physically when the situation presented itself.
She flinched as a sound came reflexively covering her bosom with crossed arms. Was something or someone actually here? A frustrated sigh slipped from between her lips when she found the culprit to be none other than the falcon rummaging around in what looked t be a woven basket. "Hey, that's not yours so stop snooping." Cerulean blinked as it tugged the nearly destroyed woven mass over to her and used a talon to dig within its contents until a few wax sealed bottles rolled out across the ground. Curiosity got the best of her and opened one of them with a swipe of her fingernail across the sealing and hummed softly when sniffing the bottle's neck. "Roses?" Understanding filled her when opening a second filled her senses with the scent of cherries. "I think these are bathing oils." The falcon chirped as her finger trailed across its head. "Look at you little scavenger. This will really help me get rid of the sweat stink."
Crossed arms slowly fell as the realization that it was just them and the cloth covering her nether region fell to pool around her ankles. From the corner of her eye she spotted what looked to be a pot of some sort and turned it into a makeshift laundry basin. The water almost instantly clouded the moment her clothing had been added but it provided the young woman a sense of accomplishment as the dirt began to ebb from the fabrics. She tipped the battle containing the liquid that smelled of cherries so that a few drops would enter the basin and used her hand to swirl it around for a few seconds before stepping away with satisfaction and making a note to change the water later.
Now was the moment she'd been waiting for.
A soft gasp filled the air as first a toe was dipped, finding the water to be at the temperature just before it would burn one's skin, and lowered herself within inch by inch. Gasps turned to sighs as the water's level reached her knees. "A-ah!" She flinched as the muscles within her calves tightened for a moment then agonizingly relaxed with each deep breath that was taken. Her hand swiped the phone when something shifted beneath her foot but found only cobbled stone covered flooring beneath the clear surface of the water. "Who would have guessed that a natural hot spring would be here of all places?" Anzu curiously bent at the waist to investigate the liquid. "By the looks of it, the sand and gravel must have filtered it so much that the water is this clear." A smile tugged on her lips as she looked to the falcon who had oddly turned its back to her. "And I've got it all to myself!"
Music began to fill the air with a swipe of her finger while placing it back on the stone brim, ensuring it was a safe distance from the water and that the light was angled enough for her to maneuver around without hurting herself. The notes of a piano were soon joined by the soft drawn out ones of a violin, rising then falling in time with her slow breaths while inching farther into the water's depths. Her body was adapting to the temperature change quickly much to her surprise and it wasn't long until she came to a brief stop when the level reached the curve of her waist.
Everyone she knew would have ridiculed her actions up to this point. A young woman her age striving to master all surgical studies earned her backlash enough but then came the thought of how she's been surviving in this forsaken place. Some would have probably fallen into despair or madness by now in result to the isolation and mass display of death while others may be finding a way to escape. She'd done neither of those choices. It wasn't certain of how long she would be here. The way she saw it, best to not waste time or energy on "What Ifs".
As the music reached its climax, she took a deep inhale through her nose and dove beneath the water's surface.
Gravity didn't exist anymore as she allowed the liquid to stretch out her being. A subtle current came from below that halted her descent and levitated her just before making contact with the cobbled floor. The faint light above caused the ripples caused by her movements to dance across her skin and the music now was muffled but echoed around her in a near enchanting way that wasn't possible when wearing headphones or listening with open ears. Cerulean drifted closed as a few bubbles slipped from between her lips, hands rising to work at the fanned out locks of chocolate hair, internally relishing as each and every motion of her fingers caused a small cloud of dirt to disappear below. Down her throat they traveled, gently massaging the skin begging to be cleaned as they drifted down her arms each in turn. Each faint cloud of dried dirt-sweat rose in wake of her fingers as they worked across her skin before they continued on towards the most intimate areas that were practically begging for relief of the foreign substances that normally would have nor business being upon them.
First on the list was her breasts. The twin peaks that had been complaining loudly stiffened farther the moment they met the palms of her hands but they slowly returned to their natural shape as fingers carefully worked. Up, down, around, then to the sides.; over, under, and the center. Self examinations weren't uncommon for the brunette, she conducted them twice a month herself, and internally nodded when no masses were to be found within. Her head shook as the leftover hormones from her recent monthly cycle that had finished the day before her departure sent tingles down her spine from the touches. She inhaled slowly while moving her hands on to clean farther down.
Lips were parted by two fingers as her legs drifted apart, the warmth of the water meeting the sensitive skin. "Damn that Mai," she cursed lowly. "I knew getting that bikini wax job was a horrible idea but no~ I had to let that blonde bombshell talk me into going into that beauty salon." Her brows twitched when a flare of pain erupted along the right junction between lip and leg. Anzu grimaced as the cloud of filth that came from below was more concentrated while her fingers worked to soothe the flesh there. Fingers lightened the pressure as they traced each inch of skin, her facial expressions twitching or morphing when finding a tender area rubbed raw by the sand that had snuck beneath the waistband of her underwear, but it soon melted into an expression of satisfaction when the cloud dispersed and no other foreign substance was felt. "That feels so much better!" With a dive, her hands rose to tangle within her hair to check for anymore debris and kicked off the cobbled floor with enough force that shot her upwards enough that she rose above the water's surface with a sigh.
The bottle containing the rose oil was retrieved, a generous amount poured out into her palm, and was worked into her chocolate locks with vigorous motions. Roses were a bit much for her liking, she preferred the gentle scents of woods or spices if truth were to be told, but this was better than nothing. It wasn't until a nice even froth-like coat appeared over her hair that she dove once more where she swam as a mermaid had in a restaurant that her adoptive family had once visited while on business across seas; the woman had been beautiful with long flowing ginger hair, warm toffee eyes, a smile that made the pearls she wore seem lackluster. At the time small Anzu had been transfixed by the sight the childish fascination gave way to shame when scolded by her uncle. Hands and fingers that had been scrubbing harshly softened when she became conscious of how they were attempting to relieve the tension of the unhappy memory and simply resorted to moving her head to-and-fro to work out the last of the bathing oil.
Time itself came to a halt as a shift came in the water.
Her eyes opened, squinting when she thought one of the shadows on the far end of the light's range moved, and rose to the surface with a kick to gasp as the fine hairs across her being rose. She'd come to know the presence that watched her from a distance by now and searched the entire room's interior that was visible with wide eyes when instead of feeling that same ominous energy she felt a strange calm.
This was a different being.
Fight-or-Flight mode activated in an instant but a she spotted something that caused it to diminish then disappear altogether.
On the pool's stone barrier, curled into a ball, the falcon had fallen asleep as if it had become bored of waiting for her to finish and didn't stir as she drifted over to where it and the basin of clothes had been placed. The bird definitely would have been alert or awake at the very least if anything was out of the ordinary. If it were possible, the music coming from her phone had set itself upon repeat but it now contained the notes of instruments she'd never heard before that gave the soothing song a haunting and exotic feel. Was that a lyre? And this song wasn't known to have drums within it either.
The heart in her chest that had begun to quicken suddenly became deafening in her ears as what felt like invisible hands took a light hold on her waist.
Anzu Mazaki was not one to just let others touch or invade her personal space. However those honed fight instincts that would flare up at the moment someone's gaze met her being in the wrong way never rose. It's as if whatever or whoever this new being caused all of her built defenses to crumble to dust to leave her as vulnerable as she physically was right now. A part of her was slightly afraid of this new feeling, that she should put up some sort of protest or push against their motions, yet every fiber and cell of her being had succumbed to the scent of warm amber that permeated the air. This wasn't one of the oils that the falcon had found…
So where was it coming from?
As quickly as it formed the question dissipated like smoke as her hands that had been clinging to the stone brim released their hold against her conscious will until she was drifting back towards where she had previously been where the water level lapped at her throat. Panic should have risen, fear even, but the only thing that Anzu could comprehend was the small pulses of lightning that now filled her veins. Calloused fingers that radiated with warmth beyond the water's temperature took up the motions her own had been moving in, carefully and tantalizingly massaging their way downwards. I will not harm you, they seemed to convey. They bypassed her nether region though when the young woman reflexively clenched her legs together and instead set to work on the flesh of her thighs.
A sigh of bliss slipped from between her lips when they took extra care when finding various knots or tightened muscles that lingered with tension. "A little…" she whispered hoarsely when they found a bruise that had bloomed thanks to her recent run in with a fallen beam. "…lighter please."
Their pressure instantly obeyed on the tender area, earning a drawn out moan from her as she closed her eyes when something solid came into contact with her back. It should have alarmed her that the source of the presence was behind her, touching her even, but against better judgement she surrendered herself to the sensations that they were bestowing upon her body. The fingers were larger than her own in width, pads rougher than hers too, yet the respect and care that their motions conveyed was enough to make her knees weak. What she now identified as an upper torso slowly shifted until it was spooning the curve of her being, as if encouraging her to allow all her weight to settle against it, and readily accustomed when she did so.
It seemed to stiffen slightly as her right hand rose up behind her head that came into contact with what was unmistakably the side of a neck. Her fingers hesitantly explored the strange phenomenon, as if testing to see if it would pull away or vanish into thin air, and was surprised when the left hand that had been massaging her shoulder rose to cover her hand and raise it higher until it came into contact with a jawline then over it until a cheek was nestled within her palm.
"You're not the other one." Anzu said softly in a voice barely above a whisper as if afraid that if she were any louder it may frighten off whoever this strange entity was.
The fingers over her own slowly enclosed them within a light hold as the motions of the other hand fell still. A shock of an unknown emotion washed over her in a tidal wave as what she swore were lips met the pulse point within her palm…and then it was gone.
She yelped softly at the loss of support, quickly moving her noddle-like limbs to keep herself afloat, narrowing her gaze slightly when the falcon on the shore repeated the same noise it had earlier. "Yeah, you're definitely laughing at me, aren't you?"
It ruffled its feathers but there was no denying the glint of amusement within its gaze when it began to groom itself, squawking loudly when she sent water droplets raining down on it with a splash of her hand.
Cerulean searched the room but there was no sign or indication that the new presence was still here. She blinked when realizing that her body was moving a lot better than before, no pain or strain whenever she moved, and found herself smiling while coasting backwards through the water. Looks like it had helped her in a way that was unexpected. The music had broken its odd repetition so that a pop song with a faster beat was playing instead and the scent of warm amber slowly ebbed until all that was left was that of the water. Something collided with her foot that had risen to the surface that nearly startled the young woman if it weren't for the series of beak clicks. "It's on, you little pipsqueak!"
. . . .
A short passage of time later and she finds herself following the directions of the falcon who rested upon her shoulder. The splash war had ended when both human and bird had collapsed from exhaustion. Clothes and body now clean, the young woman had a slight skip to her step as they ventured through the streets once satisfied with marking the path for future use. Slender brows furrowed as they came to a stop at the main road. Her companion's attention was locked on something in the distance, towards the looming shadow that towered over this place like a foreboding entity keeping watchful eye over its dominion. "What's up?"
It's wings unfurled fully, causing the bandage that she'd carefully wrapped around its inured limb falling to land within the sand at her feet, and felt ice replace the blood in her veins when it took to the air with a shrill call.
Her feet had moved before she even realized it consciously but she paid it no mind as they carried her after the shape that was her only companion. Buildings blurred past like a blur as speed unlike any she'd known herself to be capable of carried her across sand covered road, up a staircase that would be a challenge to any Olympian athlete, through several corridors while bobbing between pillars and columns, until she came to a halt in front of double doors that looked so tall that a giant from lore could come through in any moment. Only then did the sounds of her labored breathing become known as was the thick sheen of sweat that now covered her being from head to toe. Neither mattered though as she caught sight of an opening near the top where the falcon disappeared through without pausing to check if she had followed.
Why would it take off so suddenly?! And why did it go into the room beyond this door?! The palm of her hand met the door's surface, causing a loud hollow dong to sound as if she'd struck a gong. "Come back!" She nearly threw herself against them in desperation when it didn't reappear, tears threatening to gather within the corners of her eyes at the thought that it had grown tired of her company and wanted nothing more to do with her. "Don't leave me, please!"
Chills passed down her spine as the doors before her shifted, a drawn out groan accompanied by a breath of air that smelled heavily of death cascading over her as she retreated a step. Inch by inch the doors swung inwards until a space just big enough for her to slip through had presented itself that they came to a halt…as if welcoming for her to step inside.
Every single fine hair across her being rose to a needle-point sharpness. The presence that made her skin stand upright was just beyond these doors but something had changed. It was no longer complacent or merely watching from a distance solely out of curiosity. A hand that was more like a claw lashed out, taking hold of her throat that caused Anzu to see spots from the force of its grip as a pair of blazing crimson eyes appeared within the darkness. They were completely different than the eyes that she thought she'd seen while stuck in quicksand, thinking that they had been nothing than a hallucination brought on by dehydration or delirium, but had grown to suspect they had been real. The pair before her was vastly different than them though: they were filled with a hunger that longed to devour her whole. There was a bloodlust coming from the hidden room's center, the source of whatever now had a hold of her, and slowly pulling her inside despite how her heels had dug into the ground.
Unfamiliar voices speaking in a foreign language filled the air as she craned her neck just far enough to bite the digit attempting to force her head to the left. It seemed amused by this, if the tip of another flicked the tip of her nose as if scolding a child, before its grip tightened enough to make her choke. The tears that had been gathering spilled down her cheeks as the light in her hand was snatched away then flung where it clattered across various surfaces until it came to a stop with its weak beam illuminating what looked to be a sarcophagus pierced by various weapons of war.
Hands clawed at the doors in desperation as it dragged her through the opening, fingernails that had grown too long providing no help and only succeeding in splitting then tearing themselves from their nail beds when she gasped for breath. Her body that had just begun to cool from the bath now felt scorching hot as the heat radiating off the thing's claws caused tremors to wrack throughout her being in response to the lack of oxygen. Blood pounded loudly in her ears as it gave her a violent shake before raising her high enough that not even her toes could feel the ground beneath and tossed her like a rag doll farther into the darkness that was the room's inner sanctum as the doors slammed shut with a resounding clang.
A crack sounded as she collided with something that caved beneath her weight, a mass of clothing and what felt like rusted armor, signaling that she may have dislocated a shoulder or joint somewhere, but the adrenaline pounding loudly through her veins caused it to become an afterthought as the crimson eyes above seemed to search for her. Something brushed against the top of her head that caused her to flinch but she shakily hurried to hide behind whatever had cushioned her fall when the falcon's weight settled on her shoulder. So something else had been here along with them this whole entire time! The back of her hand swept away any remaining tears, taking a moment to massage her throbbing throat in hopes to relieve it and prevent the cough reflex that rose from the sudden release of pressure after being constricted so tightly. It rubbed its head against her cheek, as if apologizing for leading her here in the first place or attempting to convey that it would not leave her side again, either was not important right now but she appreciated them all the same.
Just as her hand rose to shift whatever was pressing against her back away was when she heard the faintest of breaths coming from directly in front of her. The hand slowly ventured outwards until it came into contact with something that felt oddly of flesh. Whatever this was it definitely wasn't another mutilated corpse or hallucination; it was solid to the touch. Slender fingers found the point where a pulse would normally be found but found it unmoving. Her other hand rose to carefully explore the darkness between herself and the figure hidden within one of the shadows cast by the fallen cell's flashlight until it came into contact with the handle of a small blade. Was that a dagger buried within their chest? What a horrible way to die, she flinched when her fingers found that it had been buried all the way to the hilt, their heart must have been sliced clean in two which would have caused their internal cavity to fill with blood within seconds. They literally must have drowned choking on their own blood. Anzu was not a coroner but even she had the skills to know when a death had been excruciating.
Thump-thump. There was no denying that sound or sensation against her fingers: this person was alive!
A sound from behind caused every drop of blood in her body to freeze, turning her head just in time to spot a giant maw bigger than any on display in a prehistoric museum approach as if to swallow her up in one big gulp, and the hand that had found the weapon took firm hold of it as her being twisted in reflex so as to face the coming danger. The metal bit into her skin from the barbed hilt but she refused to let go of it as it came with her hand to bury itself instead within the throat of whatever was about to consume her.
It recoiled with an ear piercing scream, wrenching the weapon from her grasp as it fell backwards with a heavy impact, and she caught sight of the doors opening once more. Her shaking hands returned to the person she'd discovered clinging to life, hoisting them onto her back with careful maneuvers so as to carry them, then sprinted from the room as if the devil himself were hot on her heels with the falcon leading the way with the fallen cell within its talons as the creature she'd stabbed howled in agony was prevented from following due to the doors slamming shut behind them.
A/N: I changed the arrow in the summary to a dagger because it felt a bit too much like Inuyasha for my liking and felt that a dagger was a bit more appropriate.
Chao for now! See you next time!
