Chapter 5: Twin Blade
"Here we go."
The area pass through the gate was a complete waste. Buildings, or what may have been buildings, were in pieces, burned, or collapsed. Stone and sand ground of the ruins was filled with dry blood. What may have been stalls and wheel barrows were in pieces. And the smell of rotten flesh filled the air.
"Oh my, by the name of...," Azrael fell to his knees. Tears unconsciously formed and dripped.
"How horrible!" Rachel exclaimed. She turned her back and cried.
"Is this really Morroc?" Theodore asked. Hating himself of going here. Seraph remained silent, but fear was shown in his face.
Azrael stood up. He recited ancient words and several sphere of light appeared around him.
"Here," he said, the spheres grouped themselves and went to each by group.
"This will be your light incase we separate or my light wavers."
"We better get going," he said, pulling his Feather Beret firmer.
The four walked towards the center of the ruins. A large gaping hole was before them. The former oasis and castle was nowhere to be found. It's archways and tall towers were leveled. Dark, sinister aura came from the hole.
Theodore immediately ran to the edge of it, took out a bottle, and gathered soil in it. He didn't even took a glance at the ground below.
While Theodore was gathering the soil, Azrael was setting up a warp portal. Rachel was vigilant, looking around if there are any monsters or assaulters. Seraph was singing a sad song.
"What is my twin brother doing here?" a voice came from the far east of Azrael. The three looked at the direction of the voice.
They found an assassin; his torn cloak was hiding his body. A sakkat covered his face, an assassin mask hid his mouth. He wore a blindfold.
Next to him was a sky blue haired alchemist. He was wearing the standard uniform for alchemists. He was smoking a cigarette and was also dragging a cart with him.
"That him?" the alchemist beside him asked. He nodded.
"Brother? What are you doing here?" Azrael shouted. He was walking towards his twin brother.
"Wait, Azrael, be careful," Rachel warned.
"You can't stop me Rachel! HE is my brother whom I wanted to meet decades ago!" Azrael glared at Rachel. She felt his cold gaze that ran through her spine. She was stunned on the spot.
"There he goes," the alchemist beside the assassin, laughed.
"You should have listened to her, my brother," the assassin said.
In a moment, everything happened. From idle, the assassin became a rushing bullet; dust was coming from his shoes' sole. He prepared his katar and when he was in the right distance, slashed his brother with the X shape. He immediately jumped away and landed next to the alchemist once again.
"NOOOO!" Rachel cried as the priest fell to the ground. Her cry was mixed with surprise, sadness, pain, and rage.
Seraph fired his arrows fast. They were going ahead to the assassin and alchemist. The assassin dodged immediately and easily while the alchemist blocked it with his buckler.
Rachel instantly appeared by Azrael's side. She was crying as she looked at the priest's torn robe that was drenched with its wearer's blood. The dark color was changed into blood red.
She carried the priest's body and instantly reappeared on Seraph's back. She put him down.
He was unconscious and his breathing was labored. His hands were cold when Rachel held it. Her tears never stopped.
"Please survive Azrael," the monk whispered between her continuous heals.
"He will not survive anymore monk," the assassin spoke as he dodged and tried to advance, to no avail, "the katar I used has a trace of weak poison I used a while ago."
"What happened here?" Theodore ran to Rachel who was still healing the priest.
"Azrael, Azrael was…" she cried as she healed the wounded priest. Theodore looked at Seraph who was firing at a very fast rate. He looked at the two who have been dodging/blocking Seraph's arrows.
"Tch, more reinforcements! Let's get away first!" the alchemist complained. He threw a potion from his pocket and white smoke covered them. When the smoke was diffused, they were gone.
The bard remained on the prowl while Theodore went to the crying Rachel's side.
"Azrael, please, don't die," the monk was still healing the priest but the priest was still bleeding and in a state of coma.
"Did the assassin use any poison at him?" the alchemist asked. She nodded helplessly.
"Make him take these," Theodore handed over a pill, "this will stop the poison from poisoning him."
"Thanks," Rachel sniffed while the bleeding lessened.
"Get me a bandage!" Rachel ordered the alchemist who rummaged quickly through his cart.
After 3 days…
The wind was gently blowing the white curtains that entered the immaculately white room. The priest Azrael was sleeping at the bed. To his right was a glass vase with a bundle of flowers on them. To his left was a tray with a bowl and glass on it. Beside his left leg was Rachel, sitting on a chair and resting her head on her arms, sound asleep.
The monk woke up from her slumber and looked at the priest. His colors are returning now, since the time he was attacked, he was pale white.
Her hand reached out for his left hand. She held it softly with her two hands. Her hands caressed his as she embarks another day of waiting for him to wake up.
The door behind her opened. She turned and saw Theodore; he was wearing a plain brown vest over his plain white shirt, he wore blue trousers and worn out shoes.
"Hello," he greeted her.
"Oh, thank you for doing it for me," Rachel smiled at him.
"Don't worry, I am also the one who asked for him anyway," he shook his head.
"How is he?"
"He's getting better, the doctor said he should be waking up today or tonight, and he should be released by tomorrow."
"That's good to hear," Theodore nodded.
"Where's Seraph?" she asked.
"He's in Lutie, some bard meeting or something," he shrugged.
"So, I better be off, I still have something to do with the soil I got from Morroc Ruins," the alchemist turned and left her.
She turned again, looked at Azrael, and found him fast asleep. She stood and went to the washroom.
"No! Mother! Brother! Stop it father!"
Azrael was in front of a boy that looked like him when he was still a child. He turned and looked at what the boy is looking.
An assassin carried a woman and the boy's twin. The boy ran and clinged himself at the assassin's leg, but was kicked away. The assassin jumped out of the window. And the boy ran to the window to look.
Azrael went to look at what the boy is seeing.
"Mother!" the boy cried.
Arrows exploded at the assassin below.
"No!"
"No!" Azrael shouted.
He was lying in a bed in a room, a hospital room. The gentle breeze entered the window and the curtains danced with the wind. The door opened.
Rachel was surprised when she saw Azrael awake. She ran to his side.
"Rachel?" he asked.
"You're awake! Thank heavens!" Rachel sat at the chair and cried.
"Hey, don't cry," Azrael said, his left hand reaching out for her cheek, she held it with her hand.
"I was worried!" Rachel cried out.
"Sorry," he apologized.
"Idiot, you think that will be that easy? You'll go through punishment," she teased.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he repeated, he pleaded.
"Nope. That won't do," she shook her head.
"Aw, come on!"
Azrael was by himself in his hospital room, leaning on the bed's headboard, looking at the sky outside his window. The door opened a nurse entered.
"Hello Mr. Azrael," the nurse greeted, "I'm here to give you're last batch of medicine."
"Oh, I see, I can take then myself."
"Here sir."
"Thank you," he bowed his head.
"By the way sir, I don't want to interfere in your life sir but the monk here sir never left your side right from the start. She was by your side or within the hospital just to make sure you are safe. She prayed hard every day and always held you're hand sir," the nurse chatted lively as she walked out of the room.
"So, she has been here all the time," Azrael thought as he took the medicine.
"Better visit her tomorrow."
Two updates for like weeks? Sorry for taking so long. Projects and stuff.
KillingHero is the best.