Blood-stained Hands

I got to my knees, slowly touching the stained ground in front of me. It felt like I was in a daze. Nothing felt right. I looked at her lifeless eyes, unable to move. A small, raspy breath escaped me, and my hands trembled. 

That’s when the ground shattered. Bits of rubble flew into the air as something emerged from the depths. It didn’t have legs, just a floating black cloak with bloodstains, and a metallic face. The eyes glowed purple, and had flames coming off the edges.

“Ch… Chiaki…” I whispered, crawling over to her. The creature lifted one bony hand, unleashing a torrent of spikes towards Kang and Kti. I watched as Kang threw Kti away as the spikes struck, Kang’s blood splattering across the ground. His stomach had been slashed open. 

I watched. That’s all I could do. This can’t be happening… this can’t be happening. Chiaki–please, you can’t! The thing fired multiple spears of bone towards me, but I made no move to dodge.

“Yuka! Run!” Azarin snapped, leaping in front and forming three disks, barely managing to block the projectiles. Kang lunged for the creature, green electricity crackling around him. His strikes became a blur as he clashed with the monster, but each was met with a purple shield from the thing. Azarin stood in front of me, his body trembling.

“Listen to me, Yuka… we have no hope of defeating this creature. So please–save yourself!” Azarin snapped as Kang was struck with a fist of bone. He flew back, smashing through some debris. I couldn’t move. All I could think about was what happened that day. The day I’d lost everything. My hands were soaked in blood back then as well.

The small town of Kanzanawa was always so full of life. Despite how poor we were, we made do. My family was no stranger to the poverty of a small town, either. My parents passed away from disease, leaving me in the care of my grandpa, who claimed to be a retired Watcher. Nobody ever believed him, though. I hardly even remember his stories…

He was a kind old man with a long mustache and soft, blue eyes. Despite his claims of a dark past, he seemed happy and content. Every day when I came home from doing village tasks, he always seemed happy to see me. And I was always happy to see him. He taught me how to use a sword, just like he did back in the day. Always correcting my posture, giving me gentle reminders of form.

It wasn’t until later that he thought it was time for me to forge my own sword. He proudly exclaimed, “With me by your side, this sword will be able to cut down any foe!” I was so excited. He sent me to a nearby mountain to gather raw ore. There weren't any abyssal monsters lurking about, so it was safe. 

I should have questioned that. Should have realized where they had gone. By the time I returned home, the town was in flames.

The air smelled of ash and death, smoke billowing into the sky, carrying the souls of the villagers high into the heavens. Nobody survived. I did find my grandpa after much searching, surrounded by dead goblins with a broken sword beside him. I remember holding him in my arms, sobbing as I heard his last breath. And with it, his final words.

The abyss takes everything. It kills everything. Everything in my life that had given me a sense of warmth was taken from me. Azarin was doing his best to block projectiles, but had blood running down his face from a cut, and was almost on one knee from a leg wound. 

I looked at Chiaki, and felt something. Something burning within me. Rage maybe. Or maybe determination. Maybe even a burning sense of despair.

“You… you killed Chiaki…” I rasped, getting to my feet. My body felt hot, like I was on fire. My cloak turned to flames, as I could feel flames burning on the edges of my eyes… though it didn’t hurt. My sword was set ablaze as I stared dead ahead at the monster. Maybe a powerful Lich, maybe not. It didn’t matter.

“YOU KILLED CHIAKIIII!” I screamed, charging at it with a cry of pure anger and despair. The tears flowing from my eyes evaporated instantly as I ran at it. I didn’t have a plan of attack. I just wanted to see this monstrosity burn. 

Several spikes of bone erupted from the ground, heading right for me. I managed to leap over them with newfound strength before delivering a powerful slash towards it. My blade was stopped by a purple shield, which cracked slightly.

The creature opened its mouth, a red sphere forming. I knew what was coming before it hit me. A bright ruby beam shot from its mouth, hitting me full force. I felt my armor evaporate instantly as I was launched into the air, coughing up blood. It wasn’t done with me yet. It suddenly appeared above me in the air, a large purple great sword forming in each of its hands. It looked just like the sword from the Lich earlier.

I had seconds to block with my flaming sword as it struck, launching me towards the ground. There was no time to try and land softly. I smashed into the ground, a crater forming as I felt everything in my body sear with pain. 

The creature flew towards me, lifting each blade, ready to decapitate me. I closed my eyes. Fine, then. I guess it’s fitting. After losing everyone who’s ever believed in me, I get my head severed by a monster. There’s no happy endings in this world… I should’ve accepted that long ago.

The blades came ever closer, and I felt almost grateful. The image of her lifeless eyes and body riddled with holes was an image that would be forever seared into my mind. However, just as I was about to be put out of my misery, the sound of metal striking metal rang out. 

I opened my eyes to see Kang holding it back, his swords against the purple ones. His arms and legs crackled with electricity as he grit his teeth, before kicking the monster in the stomach. It flew back, stabbing the swords into the ground to slow its momentum.

“Just go, Kang. Please… just let me fight it alone. I’ve accepted death, just like you’d asked,” I said quietly as I got to my feet. Suddenly, Kang slapped me across the face. My eyes widened in shock and the blow made me stumble a bit.

“You idiot! I meant to accept it as a possibility, not welcome it! Remember, Yuka…” Kang said in a forced voice, tears in the corners of his eyes as he looked back at me.

“Remember what her last words were!” he cried. My eyes widened, my breath catching in my throat.

“Live, Yuka.”