Chapter 31: Swirling Threatening Darkness
Just as I'm about to plunge back into the woods, something catches my eye—a dark blotch against the vibrant greenery. My stomach drops as I register what it is: a pool of blood next to drag marks on the ground.
What the hell happened here?
I freeze, my heart pounding a chaotic rhythm as images of Deku flood my mind.
It hurts, Kacchan. It really hurts a lot. I am sorry. Please, just leave me. I am begging you.
I know he was bleeding; hell, he was coughing up blood not long ago, but this is too much. Did another animal attack while I was away? Or worse, Shigaraki? The name sends a jolt of fury through my veins. Is it true that bastard is here? Is it possible Deku was telling the truth when he said he saw him and not hallucinating?
"Fuck," I grit my teeth, my hands clenching into fists. The thought of that son of a bitch touching Deku, leaving him hurt, ignites a fire in my chest. How dare he lay a finger on Deku? Not while I'm still breathing. I have to find him. I will find him, and when I do, Shigaraki will pay for every fucking sin he's committed.
With renewed determination, I push through the pain in my injured leg, each step sending spikes of agony shooting up my body. I won't let that stop me. I can't. The world blurs around me as the desire to protect Deku drowns out the fatigue threatening to overwhelm me.
I focus on the drag marks etched into the ground, following them, they soon turn into two set of footsteps. My heart is thudding painfully against my ribs, each beat urging me to move faster. I can't let fear slow me down, not when Deku's safety hangs in the balance.
As I follow the trail deeper into the woods, memories of our past flood my mind—his unwavering determination, the way he always leaps into danger without a second thought. The image of him bleeding, of that terrified look in his eyes, fills me with rage. He can't be hurt like this. Not when he's so selfless, giving everything to protect others. and me
Suddenly, a distant sound catches my attention—a crash, followed by a low, agonizing murmur that sends cold dread slithering up my spine. I stop in my tracks, straining my ears to zero in on the sound. It's him. I know it is.
"Deku!" I call out, my voice echoing through the trees, as I sprint towards the noise. "I'm coming! Just hang on!"
I push myself harder, ignoring the fire spreading through my leg and the tightness in my chest. The underbrush scratches at my skin as I tear through the forest. Adrenaline surges with every step, the pain ebbing into the background. I can't let it stop me, not now.
And then I see it—a clearing ahead, the smoke shifting unnaturally, dark tendrils swirling in a menacing dance. My heart drops when I spot a figure surrounded by that darkness, the air thick with tension and fear. The figure takes a step back and I move closer to find Deku.
There he is, barely standing in the middle of the encroaching shadows. The darkness is swirling violently around them like a storm, but my focus is on Deku, who raises his hands as if appealing for peace. I take a step forward, ready to charge, ready to unleash everything I've got to protect him. But instinct tells me I need to tread carefully.
Suddenly, he coughs, blood spilling onto the ground as he collapse. His face is a mask of pain, reflecting the agony of a thousand battles. "Deku!" I yell, as I burst into the clearing, a primal roar that mixes fury and relief.
"Get away from him!" I shout, my anger bubbling over as I draw on the energy surging through me. I can feel it, a power igniting within, ready to explode to life. "You touch him, and you'll regret it!"
Suddenly, the dark smoke thickens, swirling nearly opaque. Panic surges through me, but there's no time for anything except action. I push through the pain, the anger, and my own terror as I unleash an explosion, the force roaring through the clearing like thunder, lighting up the area with my rage. It isn't just power; it's a promise—a vow that I will protect him, no matter the cost. I place myself in front of Deku, shielding him with my body.
"What the hell do you want?" I bellow, arms outstretched, ready to attack.
The stranger jerks back, his wide eyes betraying fear. "Do they really think a mere kid can arrest me?" he scoffs, arrogance dripping from his voice as he conjures a thicker cloud of that suffocating dark smoke around him. The shadows twist and ripple, and I watch as the sun sinks below the horizon, casting the area in ominous twilight. His presence looms ominously, a reminder of how outmatched we could be. "They don't know anything about my power yet." He swishes his hands, and that's when dread settles in my stomach.
Before I can react, I feel something hit me from behind, knocking me to the ground with a sickening thud. What did just happen? "Deku!" I gasp as I turn around. When did he get up? How did he know that I'll freeze like a deer in the headlights? The sound of Deku's whimper and weak cough is enough to send a jagged edge of fear into my gut.
"What the fuck are you doing?" I growl, rolling him onto his back. Blood trickles from his forehead, his eyes half-lidded.
"D-don't hurt him," he mutters, voice barely above a whisper.
"Are you out of your damn mind?!" I snap, my tone sharp enough to cut through the haze. "No, don't answer that. Because I know you are." I shake my head in frustration, my heart pounding. "Now stay here! Stay awake until I take care of this fuckhead!"
I barely manage to look up, heart hammering like a freight train, as I spot two trees, slashed right in the middle, laying behind us. The dark smoke is still swirling from where that bastard was standing, but he's gone. Great - just fucking great. I need to handle this myself.
Deku grabs my wrist weakly as I stand up, halting my movements, his grip frail. "Wait—"
But I don't give him a chance to finish. The shadows are closing in, thick and suffocating, and I can't hesitate. "Stay put!" I command before I charge forward, determination flooding my veins. I roar out my anger, pushing through the air thick with smoke, each step fueled by a protective rage that makes my heart race.
I let out a series of explosions, and I circle around Deku, positioning myself like a fortress, my entire focus scanning everything I see in the light of my explosions. I need to find him—the coward who thinks he can play hide and seek like this. "Come on, you bastard! Show yourself!" I growl into the thickening shadows, my voice cutting through the darkness. But there's nothing. No sign of him—like he just vanished into thin air.
I take a couple of cautious steps away from Deku, my senses on high alert, searching for any hint of movement. I circle again, adrenaline spiking with every shout, but the more I shout, the more I realize: he's gone. Damn it! I've lost him.
The smoke starts to evaporate slowly under the twilight sun, the dying light pouring into the clearing like a last breath, revealing nothing but the aftermath. The trees, slashed and broken, remain as eerie sentinels, and the air is thick with tension.
I spin back around, breathless, to find Deku still lying there, shivering and bloodied. Panic flares anew. I rush to his side and crouch next to him. "Deku!" My voice softer but still laced with urgency. "Focus on me, okay?"
His weak nod is a small victory, but I can see the pain etched across his face. I dig into my bag for the Aravac extract, knowing it's the only thing that might help him right now. I undo the cap and help him drink some, watching as it trickles down his lips. He swallows heavily, and for a fleeting moment, he looks a bit more alert. Good. But that's not enough. I need to get him to a proper hospital.
"Come on, Deku. I need you to cooperate. Hop on and stay awake." I urge, locking eyes with Deku. But he shakes his head, his lips moving without any sound. I frown, annoyed but concerned, as I lean over him to hear. "What are you saying?"
"Need to… alert Sensei… 'bout th-threat," his voice is hoarse and trembling, each word dragging out painfully.
"And how do you plan to do that? Call him?" I ask. He looks at something on my left and I follow his gaze. He is looking at the fallen trees that litter the clearing, remnants of the fight we barely survived.
"Set… fire," he manages, each word a struggle.
"You want me to set them on fire?" I raise an eyebrow, incredulous. He nods, an expression of determination surfacing even through his pain. Only Deku could come up with such a brilliant plan with his brain half-cooked.
"Alright, I'll be back in a moment," I say, the urgency of the situation bringing the familiar fire back into my gut. With a few swift explosions, I send flames roaring into the fallen trees, watching as they ignite. The fire won't spread; the moss on the ground is damp from the rain. It's a controlled burn, just enough to signal for help.
"All done. You still there?" I call out, watching him carefully. He offers a weak nod, but I can see how the exertion drains him. I look down at his blood soaked shirt and my gut clenches. I peel off a portion of the bandage to see the damage and he whimpers softly. Without checking the damage, I quickly pour the last of Aravac extract on the wound. He cries out, sobs, and my heart twists.
With time running out, I fling my bag in front of me and carefully lift him onto my back. "Alright, hang on. I'm getting you out of here," I say, my voice steady, though panic thrums beneath the surface.
I start walking, trying to keep the conversation going to keep him engaged. "So All Might's fighting style..."
But the words hang in the air, and I realize the conversation is slipping through my fingers. Deku is fading even as I talk. He's awake only in snatches, mumbling and muttering things I don't understand, his breaths shallow and labored.
"'Member when we were kids?" he asks during one of those moments, his voice tinged with nostalgia, a stark contrast to the dire situation.
I snort, unable to keep the smirk from my lips despite the seriousness of it all. "Our entire childhood?"
"You carried me," Deku slurs, his eyes fluttering slightly.
"I don't remember that."
Deku huffs, maybe a laugh. His breath is hot against my back, and I can feel the heat of his fever seeping into my skin. "It's 'kay. I remember."
In the next minute, he tenses, voice dropping to a whisper, anxiety boiling back up to the surface. "The villain, Kacchan."
I crane my head back, searching the treeline, pulse quickening. But no one's there. The last wisps have dissolved into the evening air, leaving the outline of the forest still and haunting.
"No villain for now," I reassure him, trying to suppress the rising tide of anxiety curling in my gut.
"Shigaraki," Deku murmurs back, his tone low and filled with dread. Even in this weakened state, his mind is racing, darting to the threat lurking in his consciousness. "He—he wants… he's gonna hurt Kacchan."
I bump him gently with my shoulder, or at least I try to. It ends up being more of a clumsy nudge, but I'm grasping at humor in the midst of building tension.
"Gotta save…" he trails off, the words slipping out like sand.
"I'm right here, idiot," I tell him firmly, hating the panic creeping into my voice. "It's safe." My words taste like a lie; I'm trying to convince him—and myself.
But even as I say it, I pick up the pace. I can't let him dwell on those dark thoughts, not when he's so vulnerable.
It isn't long before I see the flickering lights of the huts. They twinkle like stars through the thick trees, a beacon of hope amidst the encroaching darkness. I want nothing more than to drop Deku and let us both roll all the way down to safety, but I know better than to indulge that kind of reckless thought right now.
"Almost there," I murmur, trying to reignite some hope.
Deku, however, is completely out of it, head lolling against my shoulder. All at once, a wave of unwilling worry crashes over me. I want to believe that if he's unconscious, at least he's not feeling the pain, but that thought is a hollow comfort.
And that's when it all goes wrong.