OH MY GOSH GUYS THANKS FOR ALL YOUR LOVELY SUPPORT!
I was so happy to see so many people loved this story! I've very much enjoyed writing it and I will be sad when it ends. Anyway, here is the next chapter and let me warn you now, there will be feels. Muwahahaha!
Also, there is blood in this chapter. You have been warned. I also write flashbacks in third person just in case any of you were wondering.
Disclaimer: I do not own Epic nor any of its characters, etc, etc. Oh but If I owned Nod and M.K...3 Enjoy!
This was probably the worst time to wake up.
The moment Ronin pulled the arrow shaft, M.K's eyes shot open. The first thing she saw were Nod's troubled brown eyes gazing down at her. His mouth was moving but no sound was coming out, but it seemed as if he was shouting at her. There were tears in his eyes too, dripping down his face and landing on hers. Then a blinding pain erupted from her abdomen, almost completely overwhelming the Stomper girl. M.K squeezed her eyes tightly against the pain, dots sparkling behind her closed eyelids. The pain didn't subside, but instead got worse.
Then M.K noticed how much her throat and cheeks hurt, which was strange because all the pain was coming from her stomach. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, faint sounds beginning to bombard her ears. She heard Nod the most, but occasionally she heard Ronin's voice join in and then retreat. M.K noticed there was a piercing, blood-curdling sound that almost drown out the two Leafmen's voices. A spasm shook her body and increased the pain ten fold, the piercing sound rising another few octaves. M.K brought her tortured gaze back to Nod's and was shocked by the absolute pain that marred his face, the tears pouring like a river that threatened never to stop. She saw her reflection in his flooded eyes and realized that she was screaming.
All the sounds crashed down on her all at once, threatening to burst her eardrums. First was Nod's heart-jerking sobs and cries as he tried to comfort the red-haired Stomper. Next was Ronin, shouting at someone to hold the girl's legs. Finally, M.K heard her own voice, screaming so loudly and in so much agony it made her blood run cold. Over her screams which could wake the dead, the girl heard Nod's tortured voice calling to her, begging her to look at him. She met his gaze and held it, finally noticing the tears running down her cheeks as well.
"Just hold on M.K!" He shouted desperately. "You're gonna be just fine! Just keep looking at me okay?"
The poor Stomper could only nod in response, her lips parting to release another heart-stopping scream. She felt his strong hands on her upper arms pushing down hard, preventing the girl from possibly injuring herself even more. The pain never receded, but battered her continuously. M.K wanted desperately to slip into the darkness again, but no matter how intense the pain, her mind remained conscious.
Ronin desperately fought back the horrible memories that were clawing at his mind, threatening to surface.
The Leafmen General had performed this very procedure before, too many times for him to still be sane in his opinion. They were all the same; wide, terrified eyes, tears, struggling, blood everywhere. But what never, ever got easier were the screams. Each one was different, each one still haunted him, prowling through his dark memories, waiting to strike. Ronin had seen some of his men who had assisted or simply witnessed such procedures go temporarily insane, while others were simply never the same.
Ronin glanced over at his life-long friend, Finn, who met his gaze with understanding eyes. Finn had witnessed all but one of these bloody procedures. The one in particular which Finn missed was the most haunting, unforgettable experience Ronin had ever witnessed, at least before Queen Tara's death. The silver-haired general truly believed that if Finn had witnessed the event, his friend would never have been the same.
Blood seeped from the wound around the embedded arrow, staining his hands and spitting onto his armor. The horrifying screams coming from M.K's mouth rattled Ronin's sanity, while memories best left forgotten rose up.
Flashback
"Finn, take your squadron to the left flank. Kian, you and I will be on the right, our forces will converge in the center and those Boggans will be surrounded."
The red-headed Leafman nodded and led his men as directed. Ronin looked to his brunette partner and smirked, "Think you can keep up Kian?"
The brunette grunted in response. "What do you mean, old man?" He joked. "I can take on ten times the Boggans you can!"
The two Leafmen exchanged childish grins, readied their men and leapt into the fray. Boggans were everywhere, but for every Boggan there were two Leafmen at the ready. Ronin's plan was working, the Boggans were quickly becoming trapped within the circle of Leafmen. The only question was, where was Mandrake?
"Ronin! Where do you think that sneaky Boggan ran off to?" Kian shouted over the battle, firing an arrow into the heart of an incoming mosquito-esque Boggan.
The Leafmen General cut down two Boggans before replying. "Don't know, which worries me."
At last, the Boggans had been subdued, and all that remained were the triumphant Leafmen. "That isn't like Mandrake, running off like that."
Ronin shrugged and adjusted his dirtied armor. "Let's not question a good thing Kian, lest it return evil."
Kian shook his head, still worried, and turned to the forest. The trees seemed darker than normal, the moon's light reflecting off the leaves seemed...off. Suddenly, a large black shape burst from the foliage, rising high before diving straight towards the battlefield. The moon's glow caught the figure on what appeared to be a crow, a bow and arrow at the ready. In an instant, Kian realized the ground forces had only been a distraction; the real threat lay in the forest around them.
"It's an ambush!" Someone shouted.
Then there were Boggans raining from the trees, riding their dreadful bats and dropping off reinforcements. The brunette watched in horror as some of the bats picked up Leafmen in their claws, rose to a fatal height, and dropped them. Swords drawn, Kian and Ronin fought side by side and back to back, occasionally stepping out to assist a fellow Leafman. Over the din, Kian heard a maniacal cackle, identifying it as the one and only Mandrake. Aiming at the Boggan King, Kian released his arrow, but it was shot aside by an unseen Boggan. As Mandrake drew closer, Kian realized it was not at him the Boggan King was aiming, but his best friend.
Turning quickly, the brunette shouted a warning, but it was lost in the din of battle. Glancing at the approaching enemy, Kian sprinted forward and rammed into Ronin's back, effectively shoving him into the blood-soaked dirt. The silver-haired General let out a grunt of surpise as he fell, then grunted again as something landed heavily on his back. Quickly, Ronin crawled out from under whatever had landed on him, standing before he checked what hit him. It was the body of a Leafman, a large Boggan arrow embedded into his abdomen. Hurriedly, the Leafman General crouched to turn the injured soldier on his side, facing him. The crazy brunette hair that stuck out from under the helmet made Ronin feel ill.
"It couldn't be..."
When he turned the Leafman over, his hands recoiled as if burned. Kian's glazed eyes met his, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth.
"Kian!" Ronin shouted, the battle around him nearly drowning out his words. "Kian!"
The brunette gave Ronin a bloody smirk before groaning in pain. "Couldn't...let you..." Ronin shushed the Leafman, insisting that talking would kill him.
The silver-haired general gently propped his friend on a nearby rock, careful not to hit the arrow. He assured his friend he would be fine, but he didn't believe the words himself. Kian coughed up blood, then apologized for staining his friend's armor. Ronin studied the wound, thinking back to his training on situations such as these. The only possible way of saving his best friend...could possibly kill him.
He put his hands on Kian's shoulders, "Kian I have to remove the arrow. The rot will kill you before...before the blood loss if I don't remove it."
The brunette weakly shook his head. "Ronin...always trying to...solve every...problem..." The words morphed into pitiful coughs, blood staining Ronin's armor again.
Ignoring his friend, Ronin began to tug on the arrow, the soul-crushing scream erupting from Kian's throat nearly stopping the general. Blood was everywhere and it never seemed to stop. Kian's tortured eyes and screams tattooed themselves permanently into Ronin's mind, never to be forgotten. After five minutes of agony, the arrow had barely moved. Ronin panted and his shoulders shook as he rested, then prepared to start again. A bloody hand stopped him, imploring eyes shattering him to a million pieces.
"Ronin..." The Leafmen General held his friend's hand and fought the bitter tears which threatened to run down his face. "Why Kian? Why did you do it?"
The brunette mustered a grin and replied, " I...couldn't let...you die..." A faint glimmer shone in his eyes, "Old man."
Ronin chuckled sadly, small, yet genuine tears beginning to fall. "I'm just an old badger. A loner. I've no family, but you...you have Lilya...you have-" He was cut off by Kian's second hand on his arm.
"Pr...promise me..." Kian's eyes began to glaze over, and it was becoming harder to see his life-long friend.
Ronin leaned close, "Anything friend. Anything."
The brunnette swallowed the bloody bile that was lodged in his throat. "Promise me...you'll...t-take care of N...Nod for me..."
The silver-haired general swallowed the solid lump in his throat. "I promise. I'll look out for him, I swear."
A satisfied, weak smile graced Kian's face as he closed his eyes. As his last breath left him, he whispered, "...Miss...you..."
Ronin shook as he felt his friend's soul leave his body. "I'll miss you too, friend."
Queen Merida and her mother had done as Finn instructed, but the young Stomper's screams still seeped through their hands. The young Queen tried plugging her fingers into her ears, but to no avail. Her mother wrapped her thin arms around her daughter in a comforting gesture. Merida felt tears in her eyes as M.K continued to scream; her mother had told her how the Stomper girl had risked her life to save them all. The young Queen wanted desperately to help the savior of Moonhaven, but her magic wouldn't do any good with an arrow in the girl's stomach.
By now a few Leafmen and Leafwomen had gathered outside the chamber, the agonizing screams alerting them something was wrong. Merida's mother quickly explained the situation and the group exchanged worried glances, some remaining and others returning to their duties. The ones who chose to stay whispered amongst themselves, mainly about the Stomper girl and what she had sacrificed for Moonhaven. Healers were also milling about, the four Marigold Jinn impatient to help their patient. Since the young Queen had just been crowned earlier that night, she was unfamiliar with her powers and therefore required aid from the Healers to understand how to use her magic to heal. During a short reprieve, which everyone assumed meant Ronin was resting, Mub and Grub came gliding through the corridor, a trail of slime left behind.
"Ah! Greetings fellow Leafmen and Leafwomen!" Grub called out excitedly, the Leafman helmet still sitting on his head. "What seems to be the problem? We have been hearing terrible screams lately."
Merida's mother opened her mouth, but her daughter stopped her. "Our savior and your friend, M.K, has been injured by a Boggan arrow."
The snail and slug duo's eye stalks stood straight up, their eyes bugged out completely. Before the young Queen could explain what was going on within the room, Mub burst through the door, calling out for M.K.
Nod didn't know how much more he could take.
M.K's screams were haunting, her pooling and spurting blood that had gotten onto his hands and speckled his face was traumatizing, but the look of sheer pain and terror in her eyes was absolutely horrifying and unforgettable. His arms were sore and shaking from holding down M.K's struggling arms, his knees burned from sitting on them for so long, and his stomach was twisting itself into tight knots. The brunette still sobbed, but he seemed to have used up all his tears, for only thin streaks dripped from his eyes. During the bloody procedure, Nod had glanced at Ronin, studying how the older Leafman was holding out. The concentration on Ronin's face was plain as day, but the desperation that hid there was clear to Nod. The silver-haired general had the most blood on him; it painted his torso and arms, some sprinkled across his taut face. His shaking shoulders were obvious, but Ronin seemed to be lost inside himself, obsessed with saving this girl. Finn looked exhausted, his armored arms wrapped tightly around the Stomper girl's jerking legs. He had blood on his right side, mainly on his shoulders, but other than that he was the cleanest one there.
Returning his gaze to M.K's, Nod leaned close to her pained face. "Open your eyes M.K!" He shouted. "Look at me! I need you to look at me!"
Slowly, she creaked her puffy eyes open. They were blood-shot, her pupils like tiny black holes. A cough racked her body, blood spitting out and meeting Nod's tired face. The girl tried to speak, but only painful screams came out.
"Shhh...I-I know this hurts, but you're gonna be just fine after this okay?" Nod leaned closer, his nose brushing hers. M.K nodded, then scrunched her eyes tightly and her body became more rigid. After a few seconds, she sucked in a sharp breath and spoke haltingly.
"...Me...hold...you"
Nod had missed the first part, but he could guess what she wanted. Her tortured eyes met his again, pleading for him to understand. Muttering a gentle 'okay,' the younger Leafman slowly released his grip on her arms. Ronin noticed before he had even completely let go, giving him a look of confused determination.
"Nod what are you doing?! If you let go she'll-"
In a flash, M.K's arms latched onto Nod's, her grip very much like a vice. The silver-haired general didn't say another word and returned to the arrow, which Nod noticed was actually coming out, slowly. Looking down, the brunette managed a smile at the Stomper girl. She tried to return the smile, but it came out more like a pained grimace. He could see by her facial expression that another scream was shooting its way up her throat, but he didn't want to hear it. The M.K he knew should never be screaming in utter agony; her voice should only be for teasing him or Ronin, laughing at Mub's ridiculous advances, and simply talking about her world and her life.
Quickly, Nod leaned down and pressed his lips to her bloody ones, pouring all he felt into that one, desperate kiss. He kept his eyes closed and simply imagined they were anywhere else but Moonhaven, pulling a Boggan arrow from her abdomen. The younger Leafman remembered this one spot he had found one day while skirting patrol duty. It was a breathtaking site, a place he knew M.K would love to see. So, he imagined he and the Stomper girl were relaxing in that blooming weeping willow, the golden sunset warming them. The daydream was comforting and it helped ease Nod's shaken mind. He felt her respond and tried not to smile, pressing against her lips with hope.
Suddenly, the door burst open and Mub called M.K's name. The slug saw Nod and M.K kissing, but that wasn't what bothered him. The blood, M.K's blood, drained all the color from Mub's face. Grub peered over his friend's bulky form and let out a gasp, the Leafman helmet he wore nearly sliding off. In an instant, Mub slumped to the ground, passed out.
"Grub! Grab Mub and get out of here!" Ronin shouted, irritation in his voice. "Now!"
Nervously, the wannabe Leafman began pushing his friend out into the corridor. One of the Leafwomen quickly closed the door behind them, avoiding even a glimpse of the scene within the chamber. With a deep sigh, Ronin returned to his task, but Finn was trying to get his attention.
"Ronin, why don't we switch places? You need a break and you know it."
The older Leafman grunted but said nothing. He focused on the arrow, grit his teeth, and continued pulling. The bloody arrow had moved some and Ronin wasn't about to stop now. Besides, they had to beat the rot inside her body, before it found her heart. He glanced at the two lovers, their lips still locked firmly together, despite the sudden interruption. Finn let out a chuckle when he saw the two, but said nothing and continued to grip the girl's legs tightly.
The comfort of Nod's lips on hers was overwhelming. It almost completely blocked out the pain, and for just a moment, M.K felt like she was flying.
She didn't hear Mub call her name, all she heard was the sound of the forest from that evening earlier. Riding the deer with Nod filled her mind, blocking out everything else, except the incessant pain that still racked her body. M.K fought the pain, wanting to just concentrate on the feel of Nod's gentle lips on hers, the feeling of love between them filling her heart.
When he finally pulled away, she opened her eyes and noticed all the blood she had coughed onto his face. The Stomper girl tried to apologize, but a groan started in her throat, slowly becoming a wail. She felt his hands on her face, his lips whispering soothing, loving words into her ringing ears. As she focused on his voice, M.K could feel a difference in the spot where the arrow was. The piercing feeling she had had since her impalement seemed a bit lighter. Opening one eye, M.K studied Ronin as he struggled with the arrow. There was a tiny bit of hope on his face, which meant something must be working. That news helped the teen's nerves a bit, but unfortunately didn't eliminate the pain.
As the minutes dragged on, M.K became aware that her screams had lowered a few octaves, slowly working their way down to loud whimpers. Then she noticed a strange feeling wash over her body. Her insides felt...different, and there was this mysterious creeping feeling inside. Dread shot down her spine as she remembered watching the limbs of a tree rot in places where Boggan arrows had struck.
'The rot...it's...inside me!'
M.K's grip on Nod's arm tightened, but instead of feeling his armor she felt nothing. She tried to uncurl her fingers, but there was only a faint tingling sensation in response. Panic gripped the teen as she tried to straighten her arms and bend her knees. Her elbows responded slowly, a sharp tingling sensation rushing through her arms. There was no response from her knees, which frightened her. M.K looked up at Nod and managed to hastily hiss about her numb appendages. The worry that filled his eyes only intensified M.K's apprehension, but then he blinked and it was gone.
"Ronin, she...she can't feel her hands and her legs are numb from the knee down," Nod reported worriedly.
The Leafmen General seemed a bit shocked by the news, as if this was not normal. Finn confirmed that the Stomper girl had stopped kicking a few minutes ago. Ronin sighed before saying, "It's the rot. It affects the appendages first, then works its way to the heart and other vital organs. It normally doesn't spread this fast, but she was lying out there for awhile." Nod paled while Finn turned his head away, grimacing. Fixing Nod with a confident look, the silver-haired general added, "However, it can be reversed." Some hope flickered across the chocolate-haired Leafman's face.
Setting his hands on the arrow shaft, Ronin told himself the arrow was coming out right now. Gently yet swiftly, Ronin gave one last tug on the arrow. The blasted weapon came free with a small sucking noise, blood dripping from the arrow tip. Throwing it aside, the Leafmen General ordered Finn to let only the Healers and the Queen inside. Meanwhile, Ronin took some stored cobwebs and wrapped it around M.K's stomach, crossing over the wound. He instructed Nod to grab the grass blades behind him and begin wrapping them just like the cobwebs. Nod continued to whisper soothing words into the Stomper girl's ear, promising he wouldn't leave her.
Just then, Queen Merida and the Healers rushed in. Finn nodded to Ronin before slipping outside to guard the door and send the other Leafmen and women away. The Queen's mother opted to remain outside. He permitted Grub and the still unconscious Mub to remain, but they were prohibited from entering the room at any time.
Nod instinctually hovered over M.K's head protectively, though he knew the Healers and Queen were the girl's only hope. He watched them warily as they knelt by the Stomper's body and inspected the wound, unwrapping the bandages he and Ronin had hastily added. The blood flow was relatively small and was no longer gushing like a fountain. One Healer pulled out a leaf pouch filled with something, held it to the Queen, spoke some words, and waited. Cautiously, Queen Merida concentrated her magic on that bag. It glowed for a moment before dimming to its usual color, the Healer bowing her head to the Queen before opening the sack. Carefully, the Healer applied a minty green salve to the open wound, the substance glittering faintly with magic. Nod felt M.K's body tense, but he assumed it was from the sudden contact on her wound.
Turning to Ronin and Nod, another Healer spoke. "This solvent, mixed with Her Majesty's magic, will help the wound close much faster. It will also kill any infection or inflammation her body may be experiencing."
Ronin simply nodded and returned his gaze to the wound, his expression unreadable. Nod, his chocolate eyes twinkling, put his hands on either side of M.K's face and pecked her forehead.
"Did you hear that Stomper? They're gonna fix you up and you'll be fighting mice in no time."
M.K's wide green eyes didn't move. A strange, thin sheen was beginning to cover them as they stared unwaveringly at Nod. Nervously, the brunette waved his hand across her eyes but got no reaction. The smile disappeared from his face immediately, replaced by a panicked and pained frown. Grabbing her shoulders, Nod shook the teen, calling out to her.
"M.K! Can you hear me? C'mon wake up! This...this isn't funny!" The Healers' hands stilled and the young Queen bowed her head sadly. One of the Healers whispered into the Queen's ear. "Your Majesty, we felt her leave us as soon as we applied the solvent. I'm...I'm sorry."
Ronin seemed taken aback, not sure how to respond to what had just happened. The girl he had worked so hard to save was lying motionless before him, eyes staring unblinkingly upward and chest devoid of breath. Stumbling a bit, the silver-haired general leaned against the wall for support, studying his blood-coated hands in bewilderment. It was just like that battle; all that hard work and his friend had died anyway. Ronin punched the wall hard, anger fueling his tired body. It just wasn't fair!
Her skin was much cooler, Nod realized. Her arms had slipped from around his and met the floor in a tangled heap. Her eyes were getting duller, their lovely shine fading away. The younger Leafman pressed his forehead to M.K's and fought back the onslaught of emotions all too familiar to the brunette.
'Is this what Ronin felt when my father...'
A year before Nod had begun Leafman training, Ronin had finally told the young boy the truth of how his father had died. Despite the obvious danger and the reminder that his own father had perished by a Boggan arrow, the young Nod had stuck it out and entered Leafman training.
'I recognize this feeling. It's like someone built my heart and then smashed it for fun.'
Trembling, Nod slowly closed M.K's eyes, her simple beauty still making his bleeding heart race. While he held her face near his, Nod's body shook and he let out a woeful wail, just as he had done so many years ago. The memory was ever fresh in the brunette's mind; Ronin's silhouette in their doorway, hiding the emotion on the general's face. Then there was a hand on his shoulder and Ronin was putting a Leafman helmet into his small hands. He recognized it as his father's, looked at Ronin and his mother, and voiced his confusion. Ronin had managed to meet his eyes as he told him his father had been killed in battle. The young Nod had shook his head and denied it, but after a few minutes of staring at the helmet, the Leafboy understood. He had wailed pitifully after that, clutching his father's helmet like a lifeline.
Ignoring the gazes of the others in the room, Nod planted a soft kiss onto M.K's lips. He felt as if a part of him had died, just as with his father's death. Her lips were still against his, never to curl into that adorable smile he had fallen in love with. Never would it shoot open in protest of some stupid/dangerous stunt he had pulled. Never would her lips part to whisper in a mocking tone one of Ronin's orders.
When he pulled away, the younger Leafman wrapped his arms gently around the Stomper girl's torso and held her body close. Rocking gently, Nod brushed away the tear trails that lingered on her cheeks, treating her skin as if were the most precious material. He leaned close to her ear and began to whisper softly.
"Please...please don't leave me," he begged. "Don't leave me like my father did..." He continued, choking back a sob.
Suddenly, the younger Leafman realized he had overlooked something.
"Wait! Ronin what about her father? What...what do we tell him?" Ronin responded with a tired shrug.
'I've been so selfish! I've only known M.K for a day and her dad...' His thoughts trailed off.
Queen Merida slowly rose to her feet, followed by the Healers. "I shall go to her father and explain what his daughter has sacrificed for us."
Ronin held up a bloody hand. "Your Majesty, you will need an escort. The Boggans may still try to kill the life of the forest, which is you, and also you don't know where to find her father." He sighed and glanced at M.K's body, "Fortunately I do."
The young Queen nodded somberly.
Meanwhile, in a special pond, the full moon reflected off the water's surface brightly.
Pods of all sizes and colors floated gently on the water, their long underwater stalks keeping them firmly in place. The lily flowers were closed for the night, ready to open again to the warm rays of the morning sun.
Suddenly, a row of white lilies began to slowly open, their petals following an unseen force. A faint golden glow hovered closely over the pods, stopping over a small pod with a reddish tint on the tip of its bud. Slowly, the golden aura swirled around the pod, gently lifting it into the air and removing its anchor. A fern reached over and caught the small pod and swung slowly back, gently sliding the pod onto the next fern. Like dominoes, plants of all kinds transferred the pod from one to the other, the golden aura following close behind. A trail was forming and soon it straightened, heading in the direction of Moonhaven.
Oh man, did I overload you guys with the feels? xD I loved writing this chapter and I have been dying to upload it! You won't believe how antsy I was each time I re-read it to make sure there were no mistakes.
A special shout-out to those here on who reviewed the first chapter!
wolf girl811, ImJustCaitlin, mjoi25, Cato-Diamond, FishInAFadora, LillianaStone, SupeyNinjaZora19, and Fullmetal LeafWizard.
Thank you all for leaving me such lovely and motivational reviews! Also, thank you to all the guests who reviewed my story as well! 3
Don't worry! This story isn't over yet! :D