Reupload because I hated the original ending to this chapter.
"Hey, Lucina!"
Severa felt her friend's hand squeeze her shoulder followed by a forceful yank backward. The soft bed of grass brushed against her back as her head smacked into the dirt. Damnit Lucina what the hell was that! She clutched the now throbbing bump on her head and forced herself to sit up. Everything spun around for a moment as a blurry blue mass flopped about and faded into the darkness. Severa shut her eyes and shook the world back into place. The distant cries of terror and agony rang across the field and continued to inter-mix with the discourse of demonic groaning.
Gods, what is she thinking going off on her own like that?! She can barely stand let alone fight! Is she trying to get herself killed?!
"Ugh, that idiot!" Severa swept herself to her feet and after quickly checking herself for any major injuries, ran after her supposedly suicidal friend.
The demonic discourse only amplified as the orange glow in the distance expanded into a full-on beacon of chaos. A burning sensation began to continuously prick at her left hand and only intensified as she grew closer to the carnage site. She clutched her arm as the pain spread and reawakened the cut just under her shoulder. Gods why does she even care? Everyone at the campsite is likely already dead and turned to risen anyway. The same likely goes for Lucina by this point. There's nothing left to save so then why does she continue to run? Her legs began to slow down. Honestly, they should just give up. What's the point of saving people if they're just gonna die soon after anyway? Their parents couldn't save anyone so what makes them think they have a chance?
"Se…." A soft distant voice pulled the young mercenary from her thoughts.
Severa slowed to a stop and darted her head around the dark void. What was that? After a few moment's silence, the pain in her arm intensified. Her sleeve crinkled tighter into her fingers as she winced and looked down at the pulsing limb. A faint purple glow sparkled from under her glove. Well, that would explain the pain, Her nails continued to dig deeper into her arm until a thick scarlet liquid trickled out. Ugh, why won't that thing ever stop causing her so much agony?
"Lucy!" Another voice along with a bone-chilling shriek of pain tugged at her ears.
Her head swerved to the side to see Cynthia flop off her pegasus and scramble to her sister's side. A risen squirmed and screeched in pain from the spear lodged into its abdomen before growing stiff and dissolving into a purple mist.
"Lucy are you okay?! Come on, get up! Please!" Cynthia pleaded, shaking at her sister's motionless body. A torrent of tears glistened in the gleam of the firelight and crashed onto Lucina's clothes. Snowflake trotted next to her and nudged at her master's face with her own.
Well, you two are sisters, after all, Her own words nipped at her as she watched the scene unfold before her.
A soft breeze brushed through Severa's snow white hair. Her arms slipped back down to her sides as the tension in them melted away. The world around her drained away. There was no groaning, no screams of agony or fear, no decayed stench, no pain in her arm, nothing. All that existed were the luminescent embers and Cynthia's loud grievings over her sister. Light blared into her eyes, glistening with puddles of tears. She blinked for a moment and saw something incredible. Strands of deep crimson replaced the cerulean hue in the distance. Once light silver pegasus knight armor became a large black overcoat speckled with small purple circles. There she was grieving furiously before her eyes.
Her legs began to move on their own. First, a couple hesitant steps then turned into a small sprint. Don't cry everything will be ok. I'm here for you. I didn't mean what I said. I'm sorry Morgan.
"Severa! You gotta help me!" A familiar squeaky voice spoke up as she approached.
'Morgan's' head shot up to look at Severa. Her feet dug into the dirt as she staggered to an abrupt stop. Their eyes met and there she saw it. A peculiar mark nestled tightly into her right brown eye. Just like that, much like the illusion it created, her heart shattered. Short red hair morphed into blue pigtails as the firelight sparkled across the steel pegasus knight armor. The hell-like symphony rang out as clear as the tears running down her cheek. Severa's arms quickly became a gate that stood crossed over her chest. Her gaze swirled to the ash black bed of grass. Gods that face made her want to puke.
"Lucy she's...she's…."
Cynthia's sniveling persisted as she choked on her own breath. "S-Severa! P-Please…. I don't….I don't know what to do!"
Severa's nails dug into her arm as her teeth grinded against each other. Her left arm once again burned with a faint purple hue.
I don't know what to do! Six words, six painfully familiar words rang through her head.
Why can't you ride? Your mother was riding her Pegasus at just 10. Why aren't you like her? Why aren't you trying? Shouldn't you know how to do this?
I don't know. I don't know!
"Gods just shut just up!" An icy javelin shot from her mouth.
The ear grating sobs came to an immediate and utter halt as Severa whipped her head and stabbed Cynthia with an unholy glare. "You think that worthless crying is gonna solve anything?!"
"I….I…" Cynthia stuttered as her drenched almond brown eyes darted away from Severa's venomous gaze. Snowflake stomped her hoof and shot her head towards the white-haired girl.
However, Severa pressed on, "Grow up!"
Cynthia shot up and reflected her own glare at Severa. "Well, it's not like you're doing anything to help!" She took a step forward, "At least I've done something! all you've done so far is be a jerk!"
For a brief moment, Morgan's face flashed over top of Cynthia's once more. Severa grit her teeth, even their words are similar.
Severa pointed down at Lucina's unconscious body, "If not for me that moron you call a sister would be nothing but-"
"Waaah!" Cynthia cried out as her body flew forward and rammed into Severa.
The world spun into darkness as the throbbing pain of once again being slammed into the dirt rang through her body. A horse-like shriek of pain pierced her ears as a resounding thud followed suit.
Severa groaned as her head once again throbbed with a nauseating pain. What the hell was that? The mercenary opened her eyes as everything spun back into place. She lifted her head to see Cynthia's face squashed into her chest. Smudges of red smeared across Severa's face before quickly fading into her signature scowl.
"Hey! Get off me would you!" Severa spat.
A groan vibrated from Cynthia's mouth as her limbs bent and craned herself up. A puff of steam erupted from her tomatoey face as she immediately scrambled off to the side. "S-sorry Severa!"
Severa pushed herself up and rubbed the fresh new bump on her head. "Can't go five minutes without face planting into something can you?" She scoffed.
Cynthia's face scrunched into a glare, "I'll have you know I was pushed tha-" Cynthia's eyes widened as more tears began to glisten from her eyes, "Snowy!" She cried out as she scrambled passed Severa and to her downed pegasus.
Rivers dyed in a deep crimson flowed endlessly from the glimmering silver arrow lodged into the winged beast's side. Its stomach rose and fell in a slow and stilted rhythm as it lay there beside Lucina. Blood stained feathers drifted to the floor from its somewhat crooked wing that hung in the air.
"What happened?! are you ok?!"
Snowflake could only let out a weak whimper in response. Severa's heart sank at the sight. Snowflake really did care for Cynthia much like how Aurora cared for herself and morgan before... Severa bit her lip. The click of a bow stung at her ear. Her heart stopped for a moment as a glance behind revealed two piercing red eyes hovering above a silver twinkle.
"Hold on! Let me just remove this…." Cynthia trailed off as she wrapped her hands around the red stained arrow.
"GET DOWN!" Severa cried out as she dove over to Cynthia and pulled her face into Snowflake's bloody abdomen.
For a brief second afterward, a faint silver glimmer soared overhead and drilled into the dirt.
"He….! S..ev….era wh…..a wa….s-" Cynthia muffled, her face still smeared into her pegasus's side.
Severa looked up and glanced back at the pair of glowing red eyes, "Just shut up and stay down" She ordered as she spun to her feet and immediately pulled out her sword. She wiped the blood from her face and narrowed her eyes at the pair of glowing red orbs floating in the distance.
Another bow click followed by a twinkle of silver flashed in the air. Severa darted to the side and winced as a fresh pain stung at her abdomen. Fifteen seconds. Fifteen seconds between the second and third arrow. Fifteen seconds before the fourth is fired. Fifteen precious seconds to counterattack. After a deep breath, the white-haired mercenary charged forward. Her left arm once again flared up in pain as she closed in on the undead archer. Nails drilled into her palm as she began to slow down. In the dim glow of the firelight, the risen began to ready another arrow. About four seconds left, Severa grit her teeth and lunged forward. Severa let a war cry which caused the risen to pause for a moment and stare at the white-haired girl. She twirled the sword into an icepick grip and slashed upward.
A blood-curdling roar of pain pierced the sky as the risen staggered back and clutched the fresh new scar lining its chest. Now for another! Her feet dug into the dirt as she once again spun the blade between her fingers and this time glided her blade in a horizontal arch at the risen. A gust of wind sliced through the air as the undead archer leaped back. Damnit! Severa gripped her sword and prepared to lunge once more when…
"Severa watch out!" Cynthia's voice rang out from behind.
The crackle of electricity pricked at Severa's ear as her head darted to the side. Sparks of yellow and blue glimmered through the darkness before exploding into a bright yellow spear of energy that rocketed towards her. Instinctively, she leaped away from the attack as a pillar of flame erupted from the ground from where it struck. She turned to face the source of the attack before a familiar twinkle entered her peripheral. Not even a second later, a monstrously sharp pain bore through her side. A near deafening wail of pain shot from her mouth. Her feet stumbled through the ash and blood ridden field as bloodstained breaths heaved from her lungs. She glanced down at the mess of blood leaking from the shining silver arrow protruding from her side. Everything began to pulse with a blurred haze as she moved her gaze toward the archer outlined in the fire's glow.
Severa winced as she pulled the arrow from her side and tossed it to the floor. Something wasn't right. Since when did risen of all things get smart enough to employ diversion and team attacks like that? As strong as they were, only risen born from soldiers had any kind of tactical sense but even then they could never coordinate their attacks together like just then.
The risen cocked another arrow which caused a familiar click to crackle in the air. Severa's eyes narrowed. She had about three seconds before that arrow flew and another two before it landed. Three. Tw-.
"Gyaaa!" Severa's head darted back to see Cynthia running towards her. Her arm poised above her head, ready to launch the javelin in nestled tightly into her fist.
However, an immediate moment later the young princess found herself face planting in the dirt as the javelin spiraled out of her hand. Gods now wasn't the time for her pathetic-
A familiar click caused her gaze to shift back to the risen ready to fire another arrow. In a fraction of a second, the arrow launched into the air. However before Severa had a chance to even attempt to dodge, she noticed the arrow vear slightly to the left. Wait at that angle the arrow wouldn't hit her but instead hit….
Cynthia
Severa's heart momentarily stopped. Without any thought or hesitation, the young mercenary threw herself into the arrow's line of fire. Gods what was she thinking of throwing her life away a second time trying to save these blue-haired idiots? The tip of the silver arrow glimmered clear in her eyes as it flew towards her head. She thought back to her mother. It seems even in death, she'll never be able to escape her shadow.
"No!" She heard a faint voice cry out.
Not a mere second later, Severa shut her eyes as a blinding light exploded in front of her. She cried out in pain as a small jolt of electricity zipped through her body and with a loud thud her body slammed into the ground.
Severa opened her eyes to the double spinning world around her. The light of the rising sun peeked through the droll gray clouds swirling in the horizon. She peeled herself from the ground as she shut her eyes and tried to shake the world back into place. Wh-what just happened? Her gaze shifted around the grassy field and landed on the silver arrow tangled in short black whips which crackled in electricity.
"Are you alright?" Severa turned to see Cynthia kneeling beside her.
She merely nodded as she continued to try and process the situation. An erratic moan then averted her attention back towards the risen though something was strange. Purple mist fumed from every opening in its body like the smoke of the fires around them. Limbs, torso, and neck all bending and twisting with a crunch by each passing twitch. The two girls could only watch in utter bewilderment and pity at the monster. After several minutes, the risen screeched in a bone-chilling cry as it burst into a puff of purple smoke.
The nearby cloaked figure closed the tome in their hands and disappeared in a flash of purple light. The faint cry of a pegasus rang from the sky.
Whew looks like I was able to keep my promise after all. It's also my longest chapter yet at over 2200 words! Well, I suppose you guys deserve it after how long you waited for chapter 3. Think of this as a sort of special treat and birthday gift cause my birthday is tomorrow at the time of me posting this. Anyway, I'm pretty proud of this one though I think the ending is a little rushed.
Sturm the Dalek: I'm glad that scene gave the intended impression on you. Makes me happy to know that people are enjoying this story. I'll tell you it was a difficult scene to write. As for your other question I dunno. If they are inspired by my story I have yet to be informed of such. Though I don't think they're ripping me off considering the story's themselves are relatively unique in how they wanna tackle their subject. But what do I know?
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Also, note chapter 5 may take a little bit cause I'm thinking about rewriting the first two chapters cause they suck. Will post a temporary Author's note update when that happens. With all that out of the way see ya next time for chapter 5 and take care.