Ello my little souls! So, it's been a little bit from when I said, but this new chapter came out sooner than the last! Hazaar! OwO It is also a bit longer than the others... Double hazaar! Enjoy my little souls!
Soul hissed and growled above me, warmly pressed against me. I felt the back of my hands sting, just the clenching and unclenching of my hands digging the pine needles irritatingly into my flesh. Yet, I slowly moved my hands from his back to his chest in an effort to push him off of me. For a moment, I panicked when he didn't move, thinking whatever it was that crashed over us knocked him unconscious. However, after a few tries of his names desperately quiet, he mumbled 'don't move' into my hair. I listened to him this time, only moving the slightest to peer past his shoulder and to our surroundings.
"What… the hell is that Soul?" I gasped out, feeling my eyes widen and my stomach flip in fear.
"Fuck." Soul whispered, chuckling lowly but stopped immediately when that, that thing, growled lowly and whipped its head our way. We lay still, hidden under the heavy pine branches that it had knocked over. When it looked away after a moment, sniffing wildly like an animal, Soul continued. "They really didn't teach you a damn thing." I frowned, but chose to ignore his comment. "That, Maka, is a kishin."
That… That was a kishin?! I read books, a ton of books, about kishins. Scripts and scrolls of books wording them as 'wild animals', 'beasts of the night', 'demons', 'reapers', and so much more. Pictures depicted them as weirdly morphed animals, only slightly disturbing. But this, if this is a real kishin, this is far more than books. It stood at least ten feet on long, boney legs that looked like if it flexed, the bone would break right through the skin and shed to the floor. Longer and lanky arms dangled barely over the forest floor, claws as long as I was tall. It swayed and craned its neck this way and that over the leafy debris it created over us. Bloody drool slipped from the corner of it's disfigured mouth, slightly ajar to expose jutted out teeth that look more like rusted nails.
"That's… That is a-" I started, but was cut off by Soul's face moving over mine, so close that our noses brushed against each other's with the slightest move. His eyes shined in the dim shadow of the branch covering us, sharp with concern and what I think was fear too.
"Shh!" He very quietly hissed through shark-like teeth, tilting his head up the slightest to peer through the pine shelter at our stalking predator. I watched as his Adam apple swallowed, but quickly looked away. Of all the moments to be looking over (I'll admit) Soul's alluring body, it had to be in a situation like this?! He gazed back down at me once I had moved, lips drawn in a thin line and creases between his eyes as he was seemingly thinking.
"How… Are we going to-" I stopped fast and held my breath as the kishin whined loudly, the sound something like a hundred nails scraping down a chalk board, forcing me to clench my jaws at the terrible sound. It lashed its head our way with a few steps towards us before pivoting on whatever little heel it had and sniffing furiously in the other direction, it's nose however nonexistent as it breathed in and out through two deformed holes where it should have been on its face. "Going to get it to go away?" I continued even quieter, my voice almost silent. Soul looked at me just as if I had sprouted another head on my shoulder.
"Go away?" He questioned incredulously, almost smirking, but it looking torn between giddiness and utter terror. "It won't; not until it finds what it was after."
"And that's human souls… Right?" Soul nodded, his chest pressing against mine in a shuddering breath as he peered up again.
"Our human souls." I nodded, aware that even though I was a meister and he was a weapon, we are both human. "We must've been down wind of this motherfucker and came after us. He won't rest till he finds us again, but we're covered in scent and sight by these pine branches. " Soul concluded, setting his jaw firm with the clench of his teeth.
"This isn't a thick enough cover though." I pointed out, noting the patches of sunlight cascading onto his hair and body, obviously making him (us) more noticeable.
"For now, it will be; until we get our chance." He replied, moving the slightest to the right to lie only partially on me.
"If we wait any longer, we'll be seen!" I usher out quietly, looking up through the pine needles, just waiting for that gruesome face to look down into mine before consuming my soul. The kishin hissed again, turning its head in our direction and raising a single hand lazily. Slowly, up and up it rose until it had it's clawed fingers high above its head. We looked up at the kishin, who was facing in the right direction, but didn't seem to notice our exact location yet. It froze, snorting and sniffing like a wild animal. Red orbs without pupils danced left and right, up and down without any coordination with the other.
Suddenly, it roared loudly enough where it rattled the branches against our skin and shook our bones. Its claws came racing down through the trees, claw marks digging into the branches and dirt with a clean cut. Branches fell on top of us more, dirt scattering across our skin. I wished Soul stayed on top of me still as I felt more pressure upon me than when he was there, but I'm sure he wasn't in the best of conditions anyway to be protecting me. Yet, why protect me still? A weapon using his own body as a shield for a meister!?
I had no time to think about it more when the kishin stepped even closer to our hiding place, just the thick trunk of the tree in between its feet and us. It stood there again, waiting, listening, for it's prey.
Soul lifted his head slowly to look at me, catching my wide eyes with his warm but shaky breath washing over my cheek. I turned my head the slightest to look at him, aware that I was as much afraid as he was in this instance. He moisten his lips with the slip of his tongue before leaning closer to press his lips to my ear, hot air giving me goose bumps. Involuntarily, I shuddered and bit my lip, a tingle shooting down my spine, but he didn't seem to take notice.
"Maka… When I say run, run. And don't look back. No matter what."
"Huh?" I breathed out, suddenly panic fully setting in as Soul leaned off of me, using his knees and hands to hold himself over me. I looked around me, eyes darting left and right as I suddenly realized the kishin wasn't as close as it was. My ears buzzed and everything happened in a blur. I barely registered Soul's "run" as he suddenly stood, arm-blade drawn to slash back the branches that pinned us. I stood, stumbled, tripped, ran, tripped, and then ran again. The dull buzz that ringed through my ears turned into jaw-clenching shrieks, the kishin's cries piercing through the air. I ran back into the thicket of the forest, branches snapping at my shins and arms, leaving their little bite marks in my skin.
"Don't look back… No matter what." Soul's words pounded in my head as my feet pounded against the earthy terrain. My pace gradually slowed as I realized that in leaving Soul behind… He couldn't have. He must've ran away too, right? He wasn't still there-
My body didn't give any second thoughts as I slammed my heel forward, skidding to a stop to pivot back into the direction I had just came from. The shrieks still echoed through the trees, meaning it was still alive and chasing after something. I ran back, although it felt as if time had slowed to allow my thoughts to race even faster. Did it already get him? Did Soul actually intend to fight it, or did he run? If he ran, who is it following? Will I die? Will he die?
"Fucking bastard!" Soul's voice roared as I neared the clearing of destroyed pine trees. I stopped at the edge, catching my breath as I looked between the two; Soul's back facing me and, luckily, being the closer one.
"Soul!" I panted out, blinking my teary eyes; I blamed it on the wind when I ran and not the fact that I was agonized of the well being of Soul. He flinched and quickly glanced over his shoulder, crimson eyes wide. Yet, he quickly turned back to the kishin that had also taken notice of me with a pleased laugh, hollow and gravelly. Ghostly needles pricked my skin at the sound, but I wouldn't let fear stop me; not of this ugly monster.
"You idiot…! I told you to run! Do you not understand what that means!?" Soul shouted back at me, the obvious tone of anger stinging my soul. The kishin tried to step forward towards me with a gruesome grin, black blood dripping from its teeth. However, Soul stepped in its way, his own teeth bared with a low growl.
"I just can't leave you here to face it alone!" I cried out, slowly stepping over branches as my eyes flickered between Soul and the kishin. Branches snapped under my feet, Soul glancing back again to find out why, only to look even more irritated.
"What are you-? Fuck no, get back!" He growled at me and I shot him a glare, starting to get fed up with it.
"I. Said. I'm. Not. Leaving. You. You moron!" I screamed back, tears breaking over my cheeks. Soul's eyes widened considerably and he turned sideways to face me more, but to his disadvantage. The kishin quickly took notice and screeched loudly, and with intense speed, raised it's long arm and claws to strike down at the weapon's exposed back. My eyes widened and I screamed, Soul suddenly hyperaware of what's to come. Within a split second, a blade protruded from his spine in a protective curve, but the clash never came; at least, not directed towards him. The kishin swept his way around Soul, long nails extended for my flesh.
"Maka!" Soul shouted, his hand outstretched for my own as I reached out in fear. I wasn't ready to die, not now. Not when I had so much to live for still; so much to experience. The people I met, I'm not ready to leave them. Black Star, Kid, Stein, Lord Death, and Soul. I just met him, but I already feel attached to his soul. Attached to a weapon, a boy, who I've only gotten to know slightly within the last 48 hours. I'm not ready, I'm not ready, I'm not ready! I'll never be ready and you won't take me!
A blinding white flash blinded my eyes, replaced with a burning sensation in my palms as if I was holding a stick of dry ice. Shapes and colors returned to my vision, the kishin's screams drowning my head as it jerked this way and that before me, as if in pain. I breathed out slow, the pain and numbness dying away from my hands as I realized that I was now carrying a five-foot long pole; with a very familiar looking blade. The same blade that was exactly like Soul's-
"What the hell just happened?!" Came Soul's voice, though oddly sounding as if he was talking through glass, muffled and somewhat metallic. However, his voice was crystal clear as he… talked? Where was he? I looked around before my eyes rested on the scythe, the blade pierced through the lower part of the kishin's body as it still withered, trying it's best to get free. Following the blade to the top of the staff, it was quite intricate with a red-looking eye and all- Oh god. Did it just glare at me?!
"How the fuck did you get up there?! And why can't I move!" Soul said and suddenly, the eye darted around angrily as if it was trying to figure out where it was.
"S-Soul? I think-" My sentence cut short as I was rudely backhanded by the kishin, slamming back against a broken tree stump. Air rushed out of my lungs and bark bit into the skin of my back, my nerves there turning to fire as pain coursed through my spine.
"Maka!" Soul cried out with concern, now the eye wide and staring right at me. "Shit- Are you alright?!"
"Guh… Not e-exactly…" I replied hoarsely, peering up at the kishin who stood in as much pain, but I wasn't the one bleeding out here. The kishin now looked incredibly displeased, stretching its spine long as it towered over us, the sound of bones and cartilage snapping into place. The long fingers splayed open to expose its small, wrinkled palms, surrounded by the protruding scissor-like blades. A long, pale purple tongue lolled out of its mouth, sweeping over its chin and cheeks with a gleeful grin.
"Such tasty looking soul little girly!" It spoke choppily, the voice rough and the sound like nails running through a blender; obviously it didn't' speak much. "Mine to eat, not demon's!" I felt something like electricity race up my arms from the scythe, then an emotion flashing across my mind; anger.
"Call me that one more time you fucking bastard and I'll rip you to shreds…" Soul hissed, the eye on the scythe slanted into slits as it peered into the direction of the kishin. Well, this confirmed it; Soul wasn't replaced with a scythe, but was the actual scythe itself.
"Soul." I breathed out, though fearful and confused. Apparently, my own emotions must have made its way back to the scythe as the eye flicked up at me, no longer looking angered, but concerned.
"It's okay Maka. We're… We're going to figure this shit out, just-" The kishin took that moment to screech loudly and dash forward, arms drawn back in preparation to attack. Startled, I rolled off of the tree stump and tumbled across the ground. The kishin barely caught the end of my shoe, only forcing me to tumble onto my hands and knees, the scythe- I mean, Soul bouncing a little ahead of me, as he was no longer in my grasp. I heard a loudshink behind me and glanced back, only to quickly look back forward as splinters of bark scattered across the ground; nearly missing my head and slashing into a tree stump instead.
"M-Maka! Goddammit, grab me!" Soul shouted, the scythe rattling slightly as its eye bounced between me and what I assumed was the kishin right on my heels. Without hesitation, I stumbled my way to Soul, picking him up quickly and running forward to avoid another slash of claws. One claw nicked my arm, and I bit back any noise as I watched my white sleeve stain red. A wash of anger came over me, and though I was a bit angry as well, I could tell the strong emotion came from Soul.
Soul's anger rolled against me, setting a fire aflame to my own anger as I turned to face the kishin. My stance slowly slid into place, feet planted apart, but light and ready to spring into action. I hardened my gaze at the gruesome kishin, no longer feeling as afraid. Courage soared through my chest as I raised Soul before me protectively, scythe forward and ready to swing.
"Give me soul girly!" The kishin hissed, and for that moment, I thought he meant Soul.
"Like hell I would give up Soul to you, you bastard!" I shouted, holding Soul up closer to me. For an instance, I felt another emotion creep at my soul, but it was quickly cut off; more than likely from Soul.
"Dirty mouth… Going to slash pretty mouth up and eat soul!" It bounced forward in a zigzag pattern, but I could easily see through it. I held Soul this way and that, and despite having no experience with wielding a scythe in any way, I was easily blocking each attack. Soul vibrated with each hit, but he made no sound of hurt or protest against the hits. Sparks flashed against the metal here and there, loud clangs ringing through the air, but we easily held the kishin off.
"Maka-" Soul started, but he didn't finish; he didn't need to. His thoughts became mine and I could see his idea to finish this. I stepped back a bit as I blocked before jumping back onto a stump, utilizing it as a perch to propel off of. Leaping high in the air, I felt Soul move between my fingers, protecting me from the fingers that tempted to slash and dig into my flesh. Diving down between it's outstretched limbs, I slammed my heel directly between its eyes, and a gruesome yet satisfying crunch emanated from whatever bones still rested in its skull. It groaned in pain as it swayed backwards, the force behind my dive sending him right against a tree. I was already gliding backwards after bouncing off of his head, landing back onto my stump perch before pushing myself forward. With slight protest from my muscles being used in a more strenuous way than usual, I rushed forward with my weapon drawn back. I felt Soul grin through the scythe as I slid to a stop and swung him in a large arc horizontally across its body, hearing it's despite cry for mercy.
"Kishin!" I started, words tumbling out of my mouth before the rest of me could catch up. "Your soul is mine!" There was hardly any resistance as the blade swept through skin and bone, the kishin gurgling curses as its eyes pointed heavens way, black blood sputtering from it's open jaw and flicking out from the now two halves of his body. He fell hard, the two pieces of him. I panted, flicking the scythe of blood as I stared down at the twitching flesh, nerves the last things living through this beast. I felt a warmth spread through my hand and I instantly let go of the staff I was gripping, and with a blinding light, Soul returned as he was; at least, mostly as he was.
His clothes were still in tatters and he bore new bruises and scratches, confirming that despite being a scythe, he did take some damage. Not that I looked any better; I felt bruises blossoming all over my body, the nick on my arm burning with what I hope wasn't poison. I felt tired and weak, my adrenaline kick dying out quickly. Soul looked at me tiredly as well, although it was hard to tell with how his eyes managed to look lazy and tired anyway. The sheen of sweat and light panting from him told me though that he wasn't in the best shape either.
"Soul…" I breathed out, watching him step away towards the kishin's already decaying body. Flesh was practically melting off the bone, the grass stained black with its blood. Soul stepped into the soaked terrain, the squish sending a shudder down my spine as I watched him make his way over towards it. At first, I thought he was going to make sure it was dead, but before I could assure him that it was-
"Thank you for the meal." Soul sighed, reaching forward towards something I couldn't see. I blinked once; twice. Then, it was there. A bloody red orb revealed itself as a black wrap of what I assume is blood dissipated into the air. It hovered over the body, bouncing lightly as Soul reached for it. It looked like a wispy red ball, almost like what I have seen in books back at home countless times and what I have seen in people; to be exact, a kishin soul.
Soul grasped it in his hand, the orb only being slightly bigger. He brought it up to his face, the red glow it emanated reflecting off the weapon's features and bringing out a very terrifying look. A small grin spread across his lips, revealing those animalistic teeth before his tongue darted out to lick in between the pointy tips. His crimson eyes shined brighter than their normal burgundy color, making his own eyes as demonic as the beast just slain. He tilted his head back, bringing the soul over his mouth as it stretched open before he dropped it, and without a single chew, swallowed the soul whole. The red glow went from his slightly stretched cheeks and slid down his throat, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he fully swallowed it. Words echoed in the back of my mind as I stared at Soul, reminding me fully whom I was with and what he was capable of.
Demon…
I felt my world spin fast and tilt sideways, Soul's blurred figure reaching for mine with a call of what I think was my name; then, black nothingness as dark as the blood of the kishin's that stained the grass.
Sooo... What'cha think...? OwO I love it when you leave me reviews because it helps me write better, whether good or bad. ;3 I hope you liked this new chapter. Got some action rolling and some other stuff going on... x3 At the moment, this story isn't my top priority with writing at the moment and it's explained why on my account page, so don't be surprised if the new chapter takes a little bit. But I will try my hardest to multitask and get that new chapter out to you asap! Till we meet again my little souls!
~soulfullySoulful