Time seemed to slow dreadfully. The clouds became slumped to a half motion, the sun's face a pale shock, color drained from its features. The blueness above churned to deathly black; the winds became demonic. Leaves of trees discontinued their rustled dance, wooden limbs hung in suspense. The air became heavy with a mysterious cold that tempted beaded perspiration from Eric's body. Not even the hissing of the friction sensitive heat that constricted him in a tight hold could catch his attention. He was out of it. Walter…. Eric thought as he stared, eyes blank with unperceivable thoughts, his mouth hung open like a mindless hunger.
Walter's ankle was released from Sanshouuo's hold. The pain it owed him suddenly came to him in a bundle at once – doubling the weight of his foot. He could feel the cold blood flow from the wounds chillingly. Dots of red splattered on his face as he himself had to be surprised. He, who had done the deed, found it hard to breathe. His brown eyes were petrified as it stared dully. Sanshouuo looked to his brother's arm – or, to be more accurate, where it should be. His eyes were frozen in an invisible ice. Gaia was speechless. He couldn't even think.
Walter waited, snapping himself out of the dazzle he had been caught up in. He put his hands forward, ready to continue fighting. Silver energy traced the exterior side of his arms, like sharp blades ready to cut. He couldn't help but find his eyes unsteady in their sockets. He was forced to take a large gulp of nervousness.
"What… what did you do?!" Sanshouuo spoke for Gaia, who was still speechless. "Gaia's arm…!" He couldn't take his eyes off of it. It lay on the floor helplessly, all cut up into tiny pieces from the sharp silver energy. Red puddles burst out of them and Gaia couldn't keep his eyes away from the empty socket of where his arm would have been. Suddenly, his cheeks expanded, and he made a sickening sound as he retched, leaning downward. The sounds of his appalling gags seemed to tempt Walter's stomach. It was definite. Gaia's arm was gone. Nothing remained but remains of it and a vacant position on Gaia's side of the body. "Gaia!" Sanshouuo found no other words fit for the situation. He quickly turned his eyes to Walter. He gave him a shocked, feared look as he watched Walter's heavy panting face. He breathed unsteadily, nervousness not leaving him at all.
"What's the matter?" he said unstably, hiding his panic. "I'll break your arm, too," he threatened weakly as he tried hard to keep his eyes narrow and mean.
Sanshouuo took a sharp gasp and narrowed his eyes, the fear inside him mending into a hardcore anger. His blood red eyes showed demonic disgust. "Why you – I'll kill you!" he threatened as he took Walter by the throat. Walter cried out, unable to move due to the heaviness that was put on his foot from the wound. The Water Minor winced as he put his arms around Sanshouuo's arm, finding it hard to use his powers. I'm at my limit, Walter told himself. I can't use anymore water… "With this hand, I'll burn off your neck and melt it into nothing until nothing remains but a body and a decapitated head!" Sanshouuo declared in a shaky voice, his anger hiding most of his fear. The Minor and Sanshouuo grinded their teeth together, giving each other hateful looks, wanting to rip the other one apart, yet both scared of the other of what they might do.
Gaia, still adjusting himself brought his head weakly up. The feeling of his arm was missing, and his envy green eyes became sickly ones. He gagged again, trying to help himself from throwing up. His stomach churned as he wished he had the arm to wipe his mouth. "This kid…" he muttered weakly as ever, finding it hard to use his voice.
No! Eric reacted as he watched Sanshouuo's grayed fingers tighten around Walter's neck, watching their shuddering eyes trade confused looks to each other. I have to… he told himself. He added extreme effort, trying to move his arms, his legs – anything that would get him out of that hellish heat wrap. His arms rattled upward difficultly like he was a piece of rusty, obsolete machinery. His teeth tightly ground, his eyes narrowed into confident brown eyes full of purpose. I can't…! "Agh!" Eric cried out his anger and blistering confidence as his limbs broke themselves free from the bubbling heat. The armor became wisps that dispersed in the air, a good riddance goodbye.
The Fire Minor took a second to adjust himself, knowing there was no time to waste. The heat left him and gave a good sense of coolness to his skin, but there was no time to enjoy it. "Eric!" Mark called out to him. Eric gave him a brave nod as he took off. "Wait!" Mark tried to stop him. Oh, hell… Mark thought as he gritted his teeth. What's he going to do?!
Stumbling on his feet as he ran, Eric paced through the field without a sense of good direction, and picked up a sharpened shaft of clay that was used earlier in his non wasteful fingers. That second when that clay left the ground, Eric became a red blur. He reappeared behind Sanshouuo's side of the body, and then –
Crack. Sanshouuo took a sharp gasp. Walter's eyes didn't change. He waited. Sanshouuo's red eyes looked up and dozed off into space as a streak of red came from the corners of his lip. It fell to the ground, meeting a supporting grass blade, reddening it with an unwanted paint job. Walter felt the fingers loosen around his neck, air coming back to his lungs and the heat cooling to a normal temperature. "N-No way…" Sanshouuo muttered just as weakly as his brother with a broad gaze.
There was a heavy breathing that grew on the back of Sanshouuo's neck. It was hot against his skin, a dreadful heat rubbing against him. "You took your eyes off of me for only a second," Eric's voice suddenly sounded from behind Sanshouuo. The red-eyed enemy's eyes expanded to a larger extent as he realized what happened. "That's the biggest mistake of your life," Eric's voice spoke again.
Sanshouuo grunted feebly as he looked down to his chest. Walter's eyes followed the direction of his gaze. At the same time, without surprised gasps, they both found the jagged piece of clay struck through the left side of the opponent's body. Blood smeared the tip of it as the red-eyed one seemed to have an empty reaction. No, way… did he really…? Mark thought as he remained in the armor of heat, unable to pull himself out of it. He didn't have the stamina.
"You two combine bodies don't you?" Eric asked a stupid question as he kept a tight grip on the clay. Sanshouuo's eyes didn't leave it. "That way, you gain more power and more abilities. However, by doing so, you share the same body. Meaning you share the same organs, and, most importantly, the same heart." Walter's eyes widened in shock and realization. His mouth kept closed and secretive. He peered to Gaia. His face was hidden; his head pulled downward as the silver mop of his hair acted like a mask. He didn't seem to be conscious. He looked dead. "Because of this, it is your drawback," Eric explained the last piece of information needed.
Shit…! Sanshouuo muttered. Eric… Walter thought as he stared at the Fire Minor's face. Don't make bonds with him, his inner voice sounded. What? What are you saying? The outer Walter asked.
Don't make bonds with him, the voice explained once more. Your goal is not something stupid like friendship. Do not lose sight of your goal. You're destined a loner. Why do you think the ones you love were taken away from you so many times? You can't change destiny. The outer Walter swallowed nervously. Let the hate take over. Let the darkness erupt from within you. Only then will you become strong enough to attain what you want. Do not become sidetracked. Understand?!
Walter seemed to hesitate. Yes, he replied after a moment's worth of thoughts. Yes, I understand. It is right, Walter realized. I am destined to be a loner. But, however true that may be, that won't stop me from my purpose. A loner shall remain a loner. That's what a loner is. Bonds don't have anything to do with my purpose. Because of that, there is no use in having a tight one.
Good, the voice answered back. Then, as if on cue, its presence faded from Walter, and returned him to the scene where they awaited the final act. "I told you, didn't I?" Eric asked Sanshouuo. The Fire Minor's voice brought Walter back to reality. "If I didn't, let me make it clearer. If you hurt my friends, I'll kill you! Got it?!" Eric threatened, moving the sharp clay as it remained inside Sanshouuo. The red-eyed one cried out in pain as he did. He coughed out a splotch of blood to the ground below as he bowed his head uneasily.
"Gaia, we need to get away!" Sanshouuo cried out to the green-eyed one. "We wasted enough time," he grumbled, still showing his arrogant intolerance for time. His brother didn't seem to reply. Sanshouuo scoffed uneasily, finding no way out but one. Gaia seemed to stir weakly, alerting Sanshouuo he was still there, somewhat. Together, their discolored selves began to melt and churn and their flesh became mud together, dropping into a pile of sediments on the floor along with the clay dagger. Together, they escaped and awaited their death.
Eric was left unstable on his feet, bringing his hands to his knees for support. His breath became two tons as he desperately tried to regain the energy he had lost. He wiped away blood from the wounds on his forehead, squinting his eyes for protection, and then bringing his hands to his knees again. With a stammer, Walter fell to the floor flat on his back; the only thing that had been holding him up was Sanshouuo's arm. Now, he lay tiresome on the ground, breathing slightly and silently so Eric wouldn't notice.
With a great effort, Eric brought himself straight on his feet and walked to Walter. His steps were weak and dragged across the dirt ground as the tension and sense of danger left them. Far away, the heated armor that locked Mark began to slowly slide off like slime against a wall. It gave him an icky, nauseating feeling as it took its time disbanding. Eric held out a hand as Walter's body lay at Eric's feet. His hand was caked with dirt and tired marks.
Reluctantly, Walter let himself be helped up until he was just about on his feet. Then, he brushed away Eric's hand and walked away, only able to take a few steps away from him. The Water Minor turned his back on Eric, his eyes shaded over in a solemn darkness. His feet stumbled as they took the few steps. The angry energy he used to brush away Eric's helping hand definitely gave a clear message, yet Eric found it confounding.
Eric's brown eyes set a hard gaze on Walter's back. The Water minor could feel it. He could feel the puzzled stare sticking to the backside of him like a leech. He wanted to pry it off so badly, but he was too tired. Walter found his breath heavy as well, just like Eric. His chest slowly rose and fell tiredly, his arms limp at his side, the three thick strands of hair flustered. "Why?" Walter asked in a calm yet angry voice. "Why did you kill them?!" the Water Minor asked irritably, now showing the full extent of his anger. His voice croaked like a set of angry leaves, and angry shaking like a demon's sinful breath. His voice seemed too heavy to a higher extent as Eric quietly listened, still caught up in confusion. "I was supposed to do that, not you!" Walter declared angrily, still having his back turned on Eric.
"Walter!" Eric scolded, shifting his feet as he made a small attempt to near the Water Minor. The Fire Minor's brown eyes narrowed into an angry, parenting lock. His teeth lightly ground themselves. "What are you saying?!" Eric scowled.
"Damn it!" Walter screeched mindlessly out of anger and dispute. He took a few more steps away from Eric. This time, his feet were more stable, and more energetic. "I have to find them!" he declared, taking a few more uneasy steps forward. "They couldn't have gotten too far!"
"Walter, listen to yourself!" Eric scowled once more. Walter froze. "We shouldn't' be looking for enemies! What are you thinking?"
His head bowed, Walter bit his lip. His teeth was about to dig deep into his bottom limp until he released himself, and then sighed a long, tiresome sigh. "Listen," Walter began, calming himself. Eric seemed shocked to hear a light tone. "I'll acknowledge you for saving me. If I had been the one that had to finish them off, I could be in big trouble," Walter explained.
Eric gave a confused look. His brown picked itself up towards his forehead as his lip crumbled into a crooked, confused frown. His eyes became sympathetic, even though in reality, it was just confoundedness. "For now, we should find a place to rest – away from here," Mark interrupted. He caught the two Minors' attention as he strapped on the sack full of food and medicine. "The noise we made during fighting could've attracted enemies."
Walter turned to Eric. The Fire Minor's attention was immediately caught. The Water Minor's eyes showed no emotion as his arms crossed in front of him, his brown eyes dark with a secretive malevolence. That kind of look gave Eric a tensed body. "Fine," Walter said dully and unenthusiastically. "Let's go," he declared, and rushed off into a blur. Mark looked to Eric, and Eric looked back. They both nodded at each other, and with a flash, Mark faded. The Fire Minor took a deep sigh and followed suit.
Soon, the three Minors found themselves rushing through the trees, no matter how tired their feet were. If they didn't move, they could put themselves in even more danger. Their tiresome feet went on, jumping the best they could from branch to branch, Mark in the lead, being the one Minor that had fought the least. Walter looked to his hands as he jumped. The silver glow on them slowly faded away into invisible wisps to the sky. He sighed. Eric was right, he thought. But… I must acknowledge him for his purpose as well. Maybe he'll do the same, Walter thought. And maybe, he'll be the first to understand. But, even if he should, our bond will remain nothing but an invisible one, one that is bound together by a very, very rusty lock and a very thin string.
PoVS
Sanshouuo and Gaia rose from the ground slowly, molding themselves into their former beings from the mud. When they finally reached succession, they walked weakly towards the trunk of a tree. Their feet were like a hundred boulders and refused to move. Taking heavy breaths before dying, Sanshouuo and Gaia turned their backs against the bark of the tree. The piney feeling of the tree's proud body poked annoyingly at them. Sanshouuo and Gaia slid downward, unable to keep themselves standing in their current condition. "Damn it…" Sanshouuo said breathlessly. "I knew one way or another we'd die," Sanshouuo muttered. "Brother, you were much too hasty," he scolded as he looked to the green-eyed partner. His head was still bowed and eyes were still closed. Sanshouuo scoffed. "Idiot." Sanshouuo waited, and closed his eyes, just staying their and letting the eternal rest take over him. There was nothing we could do… he thought. Slowly, the bones at their backs began to sink back into them, and the redness of Sanshouuo's eyes began to fade into the ebony blackness again. The bones rattled and cracked as they sunk back in. The power inside him faded away.
"What took you so long?" a voice came from the trees. Sanshouuo was taken by surprise. His pure black eyes gasped themselves open as he tried hard to look around the area. Nothing showed signs of abnormality. Where was that voice coming from? No… not here, not now! Sanshouuo thought as panic began to rise in him again. "You know how I don't like to be kept waiting," the voice sounded again, seeming to come from every direction.
Sanshouuo looked around again. Nothing. "Show yourself!" he demanded in a raspy voice. It was hard to speak.
"Have you become blind as well? I'm right here," the demonic, monotonous voice echoed through the trees. Sanshouuo took another shocked, fearful gasp as he turned his head forward, finding a figure with a slouched back hiding in the shadows. Only his discolored forelegs and feet were shown in the sunlight. The rest of him was covered by the trees hazy shadow, his piercing, evil eyes giving an intense chill down the back of Sanshouuo's spine. The narrow eyes were full of deviance and malevolence. Even Sanshouuo was scared. "Well, it doesn't matter," the croaky voice sounded. "You'll be rescued anyway."
Sanshouuo scoffed. "Rescued?" he asked as he closed hi eyes. The scythe-like bone returned and began to protrude out of his shoulder blade once again. With a burst of energy, Sanshouuo opened his eyes and revealed the bloody redness of them once more. Birds twittered in the trees above as they became full of fear. Their wings fluttered frantically as they searched for higher ground. A light breeze brushed past as Sanshouuo made an effort to stand back up. He stumbled on his feet, preparing himself to the slightest extent to take this guy out.
"Oh?" the raspy, demonic voice said, interest piqued. He remained stationary, finding no need to move as his belittling eyes continued to stare on.
"I don't need you to rescue me!" Sanshouuo said declaratively, finding the confidence in him again. With a burst of energy, the red-eyed being ran with heavy feet towards the shadowy figure, reeling in a punch of heat as he approached him. The scythed bone behind him seemed to drag with the dirt.
Seconds told the time left before impact as the shadowy silhouette continued to show no signs of emotion or reaction. Then, a sickening crack was sent through the air. Hissing heat died out, and the birds fluttered their wings away, the scene to nauseating for them and their newborns to see. "What do you think you're trying to do with that, play around?" the raspy, stronger voice demanded in a monotone voice.
Sanshouuo took a sharp gasp as he felt the pain surge through his wrist and into his body. A discolored hand reached out from the shadow and took Sanshouuo's hand, bending it in the most unnatural way ever. He…he broke it! Sanshouuo thought as he wince one eye, finding it hard to move now. Fear filled his insides once again. "Of course, when I said rescue, I did mean to leave you hear and die," the croaky voice explained. "However, it seems that you don't want it that way."
Tension filled Sanshouuo. "Now, feel yourself lose your sense of judgment and allow your mind to become clouded. Begin to feel the pain that I felt years ago, so that you can understand what pain really is, and allow me to pay those who hurt me the debt I owe them for so long," the voice said calmly as it narrowed its eyes into evil, deviant slits. Sanshouuo took a big gulp, but it was too late for him. From the shadows of the trees behind him, two swinging axes whizzed through the air, rotating like a deadly disk. One of the axes had the kanji letter for "hate" on its silver, glimmering blade as it spun through the air rapidly. The other axe was completely covered in blood, and they rushed expertly, slicing the air as they neared Sanshouuo as he tried to look back – but then…
A loud cry echoed through the forest, and the birds who had stayed brave now found themselves panicky with fear, leaving behind horrified, innocent feathers and scarred minds as they soared to the sky in order to get as far away as possible. The forest soon became silenced, and nothing was there but one presence. The shadowy figure in the darkness of the trees picked up the two axes in his two hands, feeling their heavy metal heads weigh him down. "No…" he said. He wiped his hands on the second axe that had been caked with dried blood. It slowly came off, and he held it to his face, examining it, polishing it as if to take care of it like a treasure. "No…" he continued to groan. "Not enough pain has been dealt to pay back the debt. No, not enough, not enough," he repeated over and over in a sort of demonic chant. As the blade was somewhat held up to the bright, afternoon sun, you could see leftover smears of blood remaining, and the second axe's kanji character on its blade, "love" that reflected the sunlight with its silvery, smooth metal.