Warning: this chapter is a little darker, methinks. a bit bloody, I mean. No sexy times, of course, but if throw up or the image of bloody wounds bother you, just saying, "ye have been warned." And some of you may laugh, but there ARE people out there. I had a roommate once who was squeamish at the mere mention, sounds of, etc of throw up...so when I got sick that one time with a bad stomach flu...eywwwww...I felt bad, and I was the sick one! TwT
Roxas had no time to avoid as a giant paw raised above the creature's head, and the next thing he knew he was flying through the air. He landed on his back in a cluster of bushes close to the cliff wall, yelping at the impact. He was quick to sit up again when he heard another earth-shattering roar, and looked down at himself, noticing many new cuts and scratches on his arms and legs. None too deep, thankfully, but it was still very shocking to the boy. He then became aware of a burning sting along his cheek, and touched the spot gently, wincing as he drew his hand back and saw a bit of smeared blood on his fingers.
The monster was charging at him again, its red eyes wild and strangely focused. Roxas gasped and scrambled out of the brambles as fast as he could, ignoring the stinging and tugging as he got shakily to his feet. Panic began to flood his thoughts, and the only plan he could come up with to help himself was that whatever happened, he could not let that thing trap him with his back to the wall.
What the- what the hell IS that thing?
Roxas took off running into the clearing, dodging the large rocks on his way as best he could. When he looked behind him, he could see that the monster was clearly slower than he was; but it was larger and took longer strides to make up for the distance. It also swung two huge, powerful arms out from its sides, smashing rocks and trees and anything else that tried to separate it from its prey.
So hiding won't do me any good... the boy thought as he ran, lifting the hand with the still-drying blood up so that he could see it. He'll destroy everything in his path, and he'll probably smell this...
He tried to think rationally about what to do, but having negated those two options he was quickly running out of ideas. Not to mention out of time. The thing was gaining on him fast, and soon the clearing had folded neatly away into a sea of trees before him, forcing him to go slower as he picked his way over tree stumps and rocks carefully. The space to move was much narrower here than in the open, but the creature was large and frenzied. Even if it was quite tall on two legs, the thing looked like it would plow the whole forest down trying to get to him. And as the adrenaline pumped through his veins, making his heart beat faster by the minute, Roxas really believed it would.
The boy finally had to slow down a bit and catch his breath, panting hard as he rested his hands on his knees. Just as he'd thought, the creature was a little further back now, but still gaining fast; his claws slashed and gnarled the wood as he fought it like a starving dog. Roxas had never seen a beast like it before; not even the exotic animals at the traveling fairs and festivals had ever looked that strange. Its grey fur reminded him vaguely of a wolf, and yet when it stood up tall on two legs like that, towering with its huge body, it looked more like a bear. Its red eyes were narrow and cat-like, unnaturally so, if Roxas could call any part of it natural, and a snout like that of either a fox or a lynx. It was like some colossal mix of different animals; an experiment that went horribly wrong somewhere earlier in the process, and the scientists just didn't care enough to stop...
Then it hit him. Was this also Vexen's doing? What natural force of nature could have possibly spewed out this monstrosity? That had to be it! And, once again, Roxas was alone and completely unable to defend himself.
The young blond banked hard to the left, cursing at himself and wishing there was something he could do besides run. What a way to prove Axel's point!...Wait...
"SOMEBODY! ANYBODY! PLEASE HELP!" he cried loudly, looking around wildly for any evidence of human dwellings. There were other people besides him and Axel living there, so where was everyone?
"AXEL!"
Chancing a quick look-back, Roxas gasped as the creature bounded closer. He couldn't believe it! The thing was now on all four legs, looking like a bloated wolf as it chased him down, snarling loudly. Roxas scrambled to get away, eyes widening in disbelief when he realized he was actually coming back towards the wall.
"NO! GET BACK! GET AWAY FROM ME!" he yelled at it angrily, even more breathlessly now. As he came face to face with the wall, he banked another left, making a screeching sharp turn as the monster almost kept running by without him. The beast noticed one second too late and slammed right into it, growling as several small stones rained down on it from above. A small crack had been left in its wake, and it shook its head wildly, shaking it out before clambering off to follow Roxas again.
The boy was running parallel to the wall now, placing one hand on it as a balance when he hopped over large obstacles and particularly gnarled tree roots. He didn't know how he managed it, but he had almost made it back to the clearing by the time the thing was gaining again. But that didn't help much to life his spirits.
It's no use...I can't outrun him forever...
He wondered if there was something around that could help him fight. The trees were relatively dry lately, which could mean brittle branches that would break off easily for him to use. Then again, Roxas was almost sure that the creature would break them in half just as easily; they wouldn't be able to withstand a hard smash to the head, or anywhere else on that beefy body. He wouldn't be able to lift any rocks big enough to do real damage, so what did that leave him with? Just running until the thing finally caught him? He had to find help before that happened. Preferably someone with a bow or a sword...
"Ah!"
Just as he was about to step into the clearing, Roxas felt his foot stub on a particularly hard tree root. The impact wedged his foot underneath it awkwardly, making him stumble before he could catch himself in time. The little blond yelped as he hit the cold dirt, spitting out a nice clump of it as he looked up, then back. His eyes widened to see the monster not a few yards behind him, and waisting no time to catch up with him now.
"NO!" As he began scrambling to his feet again, Roxas howled in pain and was forced back down immediately, his leg crumpling under his own weight. There was a big purpling bruise forming on the side of his left ankle, and Roxas clutched it lightly, wincing when he tried to move it much at all. Even though it was almost pointless to try, the boy began crawling back towards the clearing, pulling himself along and just praying that something would stop the huge monster from reaching him...
But nothing did. Before Roxas had even crawled a full foot the beast was on top of him, literally pressing him down hard against the ground with a paw on his back. He yelped, feeling a tree root now digging harshly into his stomach, but the beast was too strong. The boy couldn't buck him off, and he couldn't move an inch.
Suddenly there was a hiss of air, and Roxas let out a strangled cry as he felt jagged claws rip into the flesh of his back, leaving several long, bloody cuts on the exposed skin. His eyes watered with the sheer, unrelenting pain, as the wounds actually felt like they were burning him. He could feel the warm blood oozing down the back of the remains of his shirt, and it burned...
He shivered in terror as the thing roared again, this time just a bit above his ear. He'd never dreamed that he could feel this much pain before, and now, even as he was surely about to die, it was all he could really focus on. The beast had torn through his flesh as if it was paper, and Roxas abruptly began to cough up blood, hacking harshly as an image of a gaping hole and bloodied bones came to his mind. It had to be a horrible picture.
He gasped for air as the vile stuff finally left his mouth, only to cringe in disgust because he was trapped in place.
Who would find his mangled body? Would there even be a body to find, once this thing had finished with him? Roxas whimpered and cried loudly as he felt something warm near his neck this time. It was a wet nose, sniffing him a bit before the large maw opened again, exposing razor-sharp teeth and drizzling a bit of saliva on the back of his throat.
Is this really how it's going to end?...Oh god...it hurts...
Time seemed to slow down as the creature began to lean forward, intent on burying its fangs into him for the final blow. Luckily for Roxas, black spots began to dance in his vision, threatening to over take him with fatigue and pain.
And he was grateful. Perhaps then, he wouldn't need to feel anything more when he...when it happened. A small, sad smile began to creep over his face, pained and brimming with regret, as he sighed with one last long, shaky breath.
Goodbye Axel...I'm sorry...
And then the creature seemed to stomp back a ways, finally getting off of him. Blinking in confusion, through the fog of his vision, Roxas swore he saw a mound of red just behind it, as it reared back and let a pained and terrible cry pierce the sky.
The beast turned around and began clawing at its own flesh and fur, and the slowly fading blond gasped when he saw a figure there, clinging on to its neck for dear life and stabbing something harshly and repeatedly into its back.
"A-Axel..."
At least he was able to see Axel one last time...But that meant that he was in danger now too. He'd be fighting the monster alone now!
No! You can't hurt him!
"Damn it, Roxas!" the redhead yelled, just barely breaking through to him. "You have to get up! Get out of here now!"
The boy raised his head slightly off the ground and shook it widely. That only seemed to make him more dizzy, and he whimpered pathetically as his vision swam.
"I-I can't. I can't get up, A-Axel...My leg..."
"Fuck!" Axel snarled, sounding almost like the beast himself as he was thrown to the ground several feet away. "Roxas, don't you die on me! You better not fucking die!..."
And that was all he heard. Roxas saw the beast advancing on him again, but he had no more strength to stay awake. With some reluctancy, he faded into deep, uneasy sleep; his mind still crying out, begging and fighting to get back. Back to Axel...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It seemed like forever before Roxas began to stir, finally hearing the sounds of the outer world again.
"...xas...Roxas...Can you hear me?"
The boy's face scrunched up slightly as he struggled to open his eyes. But finally, he was able to see again, and the first thing that hit him was the dark sky overhead.
"Hnn..." Roxas groaned and tried to sit up on his own, but felt far too stiff and weak at the moment. He quickly clutched his stomach, leaning over to choke out a bit of bile as the pain renewed full force, wracking his body with stings and little sharp stabs. When he finally sat back again several minutes later, he looked down to where he lay before and his blue eyes widened at the dark stain of blood that was currently drying there.
"Roxas...You alright over there?"
The little blond gasped, and his head shot around quickly, scanning the area for that familiar voice. "A-Axel? Where are you?"
"Over here, Rox...Little bit more to the right..."
Roxas obeyed and quickly spotted the redhead lying several feet away. Axel looked like even more of a mess than he was; pale and bloody and purple all over. On his face was a lop-sided, pained smile that barely reached his eyes, and Roxas was beginning to panic again, worried that something more was wrong and he just wasn't seeing it.
"W-Where is that monster?"
Axel smiled a little wider and gestured tiredly with his thumb, off to the side. There lay a huge mound of grey fur, stiff and unmoving over next to the bushes. It was covered in open wounds, dripping with blood from several cuts that looked like knife wounds. The weapon in question was an inch or two from Axel, and Roxas, now satisfied that they weren't in immediate danger, took a deep, calming breath, smiling softly.
"It's dead..." he said simply, his eyes filling with tears all over again. The redhead nodded and began trying to crawl closer, too weak to stand and walk on his own.
"I'm so glad...I was able to find you...I heard you scream...," He paused, his face slightly flushed with exertion. Sweat was beginning to bead along his temple, freezing just as quickly in the cold night air. Roxas noticed it now too, shivering and coughing as he watched his friend struggle closer.
"Can you forgive me, Roxas?" he grunted, pulling himself over and collapsing onto the boy's lap clumsily. "I didn't mean what I said...earlier...I just-"
"I know," Roxas said shakily, taking Axel's face in his hands as his tears began to spill out. What was wrong? He looked so weak and pained, and his face...Even last night, Roxas had never seen him this way before. He looked...scared...
"I'm sorry too, Axel. I just...Axel?" The redhead's eyes had closed, and he looked unusually still. The younger boy began to shake him lightly, his worried cries barely above a whisper. "Axel? What's wrong with you? Axel!"
It was almost dead silent all around them; the animals of the forest smelled the beast's scent and stayed well away. Even the predators usually stalking in the night could smell the blood and taint and decided to look elsewhere. But despite the unnerving quiet, Roxas didn't even hear the soft crunching; the light padding of feet as they came up behind him.
"Axel! Please wake up! Don't leave me here!" he sobbed, burying his tear-streaked face in the long, tangled red hair. He held the older boy close and as gently as possible, ignoring his own awkward pains as he cradled him. Was he dying?
"Don't go...Please don't go!"
"Excuse me..."
Roxas gasped and whipped around, startled by the unexpected sound. That quickly proved to be a mistake, as his muscles screamed in protest and sent him hunching forward and practically onto the ground. He whimpered and forced himself back up with some effort, looking up at an awkward angle at this stranger who'd approached them.
The man was dressed like an average miner, although his cloak was lined with a thick fur that looked very warm and inviting. He was a tall, thin figure, with short, almost bleached blond hair. He also had a matching goatee, which he was now stroking absently, looking down at the little prince and his friend rather curiously. But Roxas could certainly understand. He and Axel probably made a strange sight to the average passerby.
"Sorry if I startled you. I'ma friend of Axel's from work, and I was wondering where he ran of to. Thought the lazy bastard was plannin' on skipping today, when that's my job, so I was gonna come kick his ass back, but..." He swept his hand down, pointing at the two of them to finish his train of thought.
Roxas wanted to slap this man. He really did. This was no time to be fooling around! Axel could possibly be dying! Couldn't this man see that? Why was he acting so calm about two bloody bodies in front of him?
The boy shook his head, ignoring a raised eyebrow from the stranger. He could find time to argue later.
"Please help me!" he begged, using all the strength he had to latch on to the man's cloak. "Axel's hurt, and I c-can't carry him back home by myself! I-I don't know what to do!" He looked down then, beginning to sob again even though he knew it wasn't the best time. As he pressed his face into the cloak, he heard the blond man sigh heavily.
"I see old Axel's gotten himself into a bit of trouble here...I assume you're Roxas?"
The boy blinked, looking up at him fearfully.
"Y-Yes...Axel, he...t-told you about me?"
"Only that you're his house guest for the time being, and that he thinks you do the cutest things in your sleep..." the stranger replied off-handedly, smiling a little. Roxas stammered indignantly at that, feeling himself blush. He was thankful that the cloak was hiding his face for the moment. Now he couldn't help but wonder...How often did Axel watch him while he slept?
The man began to move at once, jarring Roxas from his thoughts as the cloak slipped from his hands. He watched the blond stranger hoist Axel onto his back, groaning slightly from the stress, before the man walked back over to him, extending a kind hand.
"Need help, kid?"
Although he was still very wary, the younger blond accepted the hand graciously. He yelped when was finally on his feet, his leg quivering under him and the rest of him threatening to collapse. The stranger sighed again before walking over to a nearby tree, and in one swift, fluid yank, he produced a thick, decently sturdy branch. Once Roxas had balanced himself against one of the trees, he shakily accepted the make-shift walking stick, and together he and the stranger turned to leave the clearing.
Just as they had taken a few steps, the boy blushed again and looked up sheepishly.
"Um...I hate to say this, but...I kind of got lost on my way here...Do you happen to know the way to-"
"Sure do, kiddo! Just follow me!" the man replied, smiling back at him before stepping up to stride ahead confidently.
"And don't worry. Axel'll be fine. I've spent some time around a few health centers, so I think I can handle whatever his problem is." He chuckled then, his tone deep and rich with mirth. "Might even be able to patch you up, kid!"
"T-Thank you..." Roxas replied softly, starring off a bit as they walked. He couldn't shake the worry that had settled in his stomach, for both him and Axel. The pain was just about the only thing that distracted him, and that could be quite debilitating. The boy soon looked back at his newfound ally curiously, studying him with innocent blue orbs.
"By the way...I don't think I caught your name..."
The older blond smiled. There was a small touch of sadness to it but he never missed a single step, even as placed his hand on Roxas's back comfortingly, avoiding the deep wounds and urging him gently forward.
"Call me Luxord..."