We Who Bleed, We Who Stand

Rurik’s bellowed war cry split the dim forest as his twin axes hacked down against the demon beast’s shoulder. Black ichor sprayed across the mossy clearing, sizzling where it landed. The abyss-touched creature reared back, roaring in rage, its serrated tail lashing out in a blur.
“Rurik, move-!” Kael shouted.
Too late.

The tail slammed into the dwarf’s chest with bone-cracking force, sending him crashing into a pine trunk. Bark split under the impact. Rurik slumped down, gasping raggedly, blood dripping from his beard onto trembling knees. His right arm hung limp at his side, twisted at an unnatural angle.
“Rurik!” Reina screamed, voice cracking with fear. She spun, thrusting her staff forward, golden light bursting from its carved tip.

> “Lumina Aegis!”
A radiant barrier formed just as the demon beast’s claws raked forward, scraping sparks across the protective magic. The shield flickered dangerously under the immense force, cracks of blinding gold fracturing its surface like broken glass.
Kaen gritted his teeth, darting to the left with his spear. His thigh was wrapped in hastily tied, bloodied linen, crimson leaking down with every step. Still, he roared and thrust his spear deep into the creature’s flank. The blade sank between armored scales, black blood spurting over his forearm, sizzling where it splattered onto his bare skin.

“Take that… you bastard…!” he rasped through clenched teeth, pain flashing across his dirt- smeared face.
The demon beast shrieked, twisting with unnatural speed. Its jaws snapped forward, fangs clamping down onto Kaen’s shoulder.
“GAAAH!”
Kaen screamed as teeth pierced flesh and shattered bone. Blood sprayed across the moss in a crimson arc. The beast lifted him effortlessly, shaking him like a ragdoll before tossing him aside. Kaen’s body hit the ground with a sickening thud, his spear clattering beside him. His chest shallowly, lips flickered with frothy red.
“Kaen!”
Reina dashed toward him, tears blurring her vision. She dropped to her knees beside his limp body, pressing glowing
hands to his shredded shoulder, whispering incantations through lips as blood welled between her fingers.

Kael roared, slashing his longsword across the demon’s snout. Sparks flew as steel met abyss-hardened scales. He dodged under a sweeping claw, rolled and leapt back, chest heaving with exhaustion. A deep gash bled freely along his ribs, staining his tunic dark red.
“Reina! Focus on Kaen!” he shouted, blocking another strike with his blade, the impact rattling down his arms and nearly buckling his knees.
“I’m trying!” she sobbed, weaving healing light into Kaen’s torn flesh. But his breathing was shallow, pulse weaving under her trembling fingers.

Shin stood frozen beside a fallen cedar trunk, sword clenched in shaking hands. His heart pounded like thunder in his chest, breath coming in ragged gasps. Blood – red and black – coated the grass around them. The ground reeked of iron, rot, and burning abyss mist. The beast towered above Kael, black fog curled from its fanged maw, each rumbling breath vibrating the air like distant thunder rolling in.
They’re going to die… If I do nothing…
Kael ducked a claw swipe and slashed across the demon’s wrist joint. A scale cracked, oozing black blood, but the wound was shallow. The creature snarled and slammed its other fist into Kael’s side. The swordsman staggered back, coughing blood onto his chin. His sword dipped for a moment before he raised it again with trembling resolve.“Those aren’t moves of an ordinary boy… who are you really, Shin?” Kael’s hoarse voice cut through the chaos without turning to face him.

Shin’s grip tightened on his sword. His legs trembled, screaming to flee, but something deep within burned hotter than fear.

I… I don’t want to see them die…
Memories of his mother’s cracked hands flashed through his mind. Her quiet whisper every dawn as she ruffled his hair before work.
> “Shin… live bravely today, okay?”
He stepped forward, ignoring Reina’s shout of warning. The demon beast turned, its crimson gaze locking onto him. A low growl rumbled from its throat, mist curling between its jagged teeth. Its black claws flexed, gouging deep ruts into moss and stone as it prepared to strike.
Shin exhaled shakily and raised his blade.
Kael’s eyes widened as he saw Shin’s stance shift. His feet slid into a stable line, shoulders lowering, hips twisting slightly to prime the cut.

“Stay back, Shin!” Kael yelled.But Shin moved.He dashed forward, ducking under a sweeping claw. The demon beast lunged, jaws gaping wide. Shin dropped to a knee, blade angled low, and slashed upward with all his strength.
Steel screamed against abyss-hardened scales. The edge bit under its chin, cutting a deep gash along its throat. Black blood sprayed out, splattering his face with burning heat. Its caustic touch seared his cheek where droplets landed, smoke curling faintly from his torn collar.

The beast screeched in pain, rearing back. Its tail whipped sideways, slamming into Shin’s ribs. Agony erupted through his chest as he was flung back across the clearing, crashing into a tree with bone-rattling force. His vision blurred with tears as white-hot pain flooded his side. Something cracked deep in his ribcage, each shallow breath scraping like broken glass.
Still… he forced himself up. Every nerve screamed to stay down, but he planted his sword against the moss and pushed himself onto shaking legs.
Kaen’s weak voice rasped out from Reina’s lap. “H-Heh… not bad… kid…”
Rurik groaned, forcing himself to a knee despite blood dripping from his lips. His right arm dangled uselessly, bone jutting white beneath torn skin. “Little crow… got claws… after all…”

Reina sobbed, tears falling onto Kaen’s pale cheek as she struggled to weave hailing magic into his torn flesh, her own arms streaked with drying blood and glowing runes flickering weakly.

Kael roared and slashed again, carving a shallow cut along the demon’s flank. Its tail lashed out, cracking into Kael’s ribs. The swordsman stumbled, blood dripping from his lips, but he didn’t fall. His eyes burned with unwavering resolve.
“Reina!” he shouted. “When I give the signal… barrier the left flank!”
She nodded shakily, fingers still glowing against Kaen’s ruined shoulder. “Understood…!”
The demon beast snarled, thick black mist curling from its jaws, coiling outward like living smoke. It stomped forward, crushing moss and snapping branches underfoot as it reared up to strike again.
Shin’s chest heaved as he raised his sword once more. His vision spun, ears ringing with the pulse of blood and his own ragged breathing.
I won’t let them die… I can’t…
He dashed forward again, screaming as he drove his blade straight toward the creature’s glowing eye.
The beast roared, claw slamming down to intercept –
Steel met scale, sparks erupted, blood sprayed.

But as the dust settled, Shin was thrown back, crashing to the ground with a ragged gasp. His sword clattered from his grip, sliding across the moss.

The demon beast loomed over him, its burning eyes narrowing with almost human malice. Dark fog curled from its jaws, drifting down like coiling shadows to lick at Shin’s trembling form.

Kael staggered forward, raising his longsword one last time despite the blood gushing down his side.
Rurik forced himself upright, axes ready though his knees buckled. His beard was matted with blood, chest heaving.
Kaen groaned in Reina’s arms, eyes half-open. Despite the healing glow seeping into his torn flesh, his face remained deathly pale.
Reina raised her staff, golden light flaring around her shaking fingers. Tears streamed down on her cheeks, dripping onto Kaen’s chest as she whispered.

> “Please… gods… let us survive this…”

Together, bloodied and broken, they faced the abyss.