Such an Idiot

"Let me go!"

I continued to struggle against the guard even as the world spun around me. What could we do? Bixey? A glance was all it took for me to know she wasn't going to be any help. Yahime?

The idea festered in my swaying mind. How easy would it be to loose Yahime on these people like a rabid dog? How long would they live? Minutes? Seconds? The cold stone against the side of my face was all that kept my thoughts anchored. Just breathing was a struggle thanks to the guard's weight pressing against me.

"You're so irritating." Shiro's voice was hollow and hungry. I wouldn't have been surprised he'd been drooling. "I've been waiting to do this all day."

"Pretty pathetic I'm all it took for you to betray your friend," I spat back. "Did you do the same thing to the others? Sold them out so you could live in your hole like a good little rat?"

"Don't act like you know anything! I did what I had to do. The others just wouldn't listen!"

"Shiro… What are you saying?"

"I'm saying it was me, Bix! I was given the choice to live the rest of my life freezing and starving or survive. I chose survival."

"But what about the others?!" Bixey's body and voice trembled. "Lass, Budhi… Did any of them make it home?!"

"Not a one."

Murus's condescending tone echoed down the gate hallway as he approached with at least another two dozen guards at his back. Giving credit where it was due, he wasn't taking any chances. Which meant Shiro had told him what Yahime was.

"Fascinating. So this is a Dusk."

Yahime's skin rippled when he reached his hand out to touch her and he quickly snatched it back.

"Well, I'll have plenty of time to study it later. Shiro. Why are these two still alive?"

"I-I wasn't sure if I should kill them since y-you mentioned taking the human girl…"

The Captain laughed and slammed his gloved hand down on Shiro's head. Shiro's knees buckled from the blow, but he didn't flinch, even when Murus tousled his hair.

"See men? Haven't I always said these beasts can be domesticated with a little effort?"

An unenthusiastic din of agreement answered. Despite his imposing presence, the majority of the guards had their eyes on Yahime and more than a few had made what looked like religious signs towards her. It seemed contradictory to pray while capturing a divine creature, but what did I know?

"Then should we execute the prisoners?" the guard holding me asked.

"Put the human girl in my chambers and take the Dusk to the dungeon. Kill the demon like the others."

Shit shit shit! We're out of options. If Bixey was going to do something, she would have already. Which means…

The image of the sea of corpses that would surround me churned my stomach and it emptied on the wall, smearing against my face. The guard holding me recoiled at the sight, loosening his grip just enough for me to struggle free.

"Yahime!"

Her name hadn't left my lips before the first of the bodies fell to the ground with heavy thuds and clattering weapons. Capitalizing on the shock, I shoved my guard away. I snatched up a fallen spear and thrust it at his heart with a grin… only for the tip to get stuck in his leather chest plate. It didn't even go through.

"EXECUTE THEM!"

The panic in Murus's voice was unmistakable. Who could blame him? I didn't know how many Yahime had killed, just that it was more than the man had anticipated. But we didn't need to kill everyone. Just enough to escape.

"Come on, Bixey!"

Abandoning my spear, I rammed the guard holding Bixey with my shoulder and grabbed her wrist. Murus and his men wouldn't follow us for long if we reached the forest.

"No."

She yanked her wrist free and stared at me with a grim smile. Her cheeks were wet, her eyes puffy. Worst of all, she looked small, smaller than ever before, as if there was nothing left in her.

"Take Yahime and go," she said, turning away from me. As she did, the flames of the torches and braziers flickered and turned blue, just like the blazing blue wheel of fire hovering behind her.

"I'm not leaving you!" I tried to grab her again only for her to bat it away. And I could see why. Standing beside Murus, daggers in hand. Shiro.

"You can't be serious, Shiro! You're still going to stay on their side?"

"What would you know?!" he hissed back angrily at me. "A human like you would never understand!"

Maybe he was right. I didn't care.

"Kill him."

A shadow shot passed me at Shiro, claws ready to skin and fillet the cat.

"What are you standing there for, you useless beast?!"

The gaudy sword at Murus's hip sang as he drew it and blocked Yahime's attack and I stared, wide eyed. Was it possible for a human to fight Yahime? And Murus was just a nobody who wasn't even in Royal Hearts. What did that mean about the main cast? The implications sent a shiver down my spine. I didn't even notice Shiro's counter attack.

His daggers glowed blue in the light as he sliced into Yahime's leg. They didn't bite deep, no more than my pathetic attempt at impaling the guard. The issue was that he was behind Yahime's leg. Using Shiro's body as an obstacle, Murus threw his weight behind his next strike, pushing Yahime back. Her leg caught on Shiro and she fell back.

"Yahime!"

A suffocating anxiety snaked around me. Could Yahime die? I glanced at her health bar in my peripheral. It was still full. But the fact she had one at all meant it could reach zero. I wasn't willing to risk it.

"Let's go, Bixey," I said, scooping up another spear.

"Yeah."

Most of the guards that had ambushed us were in pieces on the ground. It was the entourage Murus had brought that stood between us, Murus, Shiro, and Yahime. They'd flooded in the moment Yahime had fallen and though she was back on her feet, Murus and Shiro had managed to push her back.

That said, Bixey robbed me of any opportunity to help at all. With a point of her finger, the flaming wheel behind her spun, firing countless balls of fire that ignited the guards like tinder. The putrid smell of burning oil, fat, and seared skin flooded the hall while a symphony of screams rang out before quickly falling silent. Then it was just the five of us.

At my behest, Yahime retreated to our side and we faced off against Murus and Shiro. No one moved. Would they run? Should we run? I didn't know. I was already trying to ignore the massacre surrounding me. My modern sensibilities couldn't understand it and it was pure adrenaline that was pushing me forward.

"Shiro. Are you really going to side with that human?" The fox's voice was empty while still burning hotter than the flames engulfing the area.

"I-I…"

Shiro's ears folded back. He looked as deflated as Bixey.

"Come with us, Shiro. We'll go to Stonewood together. If you repent for what you've done, I'm sure someday the villagers will forgive you."

"Bix…"

"After everything I've done for you?!"

Murus raised his longsword and brought it down with enough force to crack the ground. Bixey was quicker. Before the strike could land she had Shiro in hand, pulling him to our side.

"You rotten cur! Don't think I won't hunt you until—"

The guard captain's head flew into the air before he could finish and bounced off the grass outside the gate. I hadn't ordered Yahime to kill him, but I wasn't complaining. Now that Bixey had Shiro, it was over.

"Serves you right." I spat on the ground. It was about time.

The world turned pitch black as the flames scouring the area vanished. One by one the torches lit again, casting their orange and yellow glow over the smoky hall.

"What was that? Bixey?"

Bixey's face scrunched when our eyes met. "That wasn't— " Her body jerked after the question. Then blood poured from her mouth.

"Bixey!"

I made it four steps before I collapsed. Icy magma crept through my veins, ripping apart my innards. Had one of the guards still been alive? A stabbing chill enveloped me, making every movement and breath agony.

What was happening?! My eyes shot to my health bar. Full. A debuff?

[FREEZING]

SEVERE PENALTY TO MOVEMENT.

[MALNOURISHED]

SEVERE PENALTY TO PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FACULTIES.

[EXHAUSTION]

SEVERE PENALTY TO STAMINA.

[FRAIL]

INCREASES VULNERABILITY TO DEBUFFS.

What the hell is this?! Why now? I need to save Bixey before she…

The realization nauseated me more than the debuffs. I really was an idiot.