chapter 5: Befriended to none.
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The temple slowly unwarped into view. He fell to the floor, sweats hit the ground like astroids. He squeezed the dirt. His mouth parted sucking in air. He sat down. His palms held his neck. He looked up, the temple played into view, a blur flashed past his eyes. He bolted upwards, his eyes jerked sideways, but nothing abnormal was there. He moved slowly, his eyes focused on every tiny detail around him. The scent of charring flesh stung his nostrils, the hot heat flushed his cheeks. Sweats dangled at his chins. His uniforms damped his skin. His eyes remained steady around him, a shadow loomed forward in the distance. He picked up his sword once more. Slowly and steadily he watched the shadow grow bigger, he heard feets running. He poised the sword in front of him. The footsteps tensed. His heart pulsated.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His eyes adjusted slowly, as soon as a foot got into view gripped harder, a surprised groan escaped his lips. Sil raced forward to where he stood. He wielded two daggers, the marked flesh glistened underneath his skin.
Quinn's fear turned into surprise. The copper hair bounced Infront of him.
"Shit! thought I'd ran into a strong friend!" Sil hissed. Quinn scowled, typical Sil to underrate others. He wielded his sword watching as five flaming beasts dashed forward. Their eyes devoid of light, their feets pounded the ground, ash sundered into the air. Quinn inches farther from Sil, but he remained clingy. Sweats drizzled down Sil's chin. His uniform clung to his skin. Quinn swiped his sword forward as one beast reached him, the sword gliced through the beast's outstretched arm, cutting it in two. The beast retreated, the arm grew back out.
"This will be hard!" Quinn seethed. He charged forward, his sword lurched upwards, tearing a chest in two. Sil wasn't faring any better, his dagger was doing less damage, the beasts seemed more comfortable at their opponents. One reached and punched Quinn's chest, he was sent fling against the temple wall, it cracked. Sil glanced at him with concerned eyes.
"are you okay?"
Quinn snapped his jaws,
"do I look fine to you?" He seethed, he struck his sword upwards, cutting off the beasts arm. He dodged the attack and cut the beast in two. To his horror, the half beast body regenerated Immediately.
"Impossible!" Quinn seethed, sweats trailed down his nape as the beast charged at him, before the beast reached him, Sil's dagger whizzed past, digging into the beast's head. It pulverised into smoke. The scent of ash stung Quinn's nostrils. He snapped his head at Sil. Sil read the expression, his arm flanked up as his second dagger slashed at the other beast's head. It bursted into ash. Quinn threw Sil's dagger at him, his focus snapped at the three flaming beasts. They charged forward, Quinn's sword slashed at the closest arm, it dislodged immediately, giving Quinn time to aim for the head, before he could a flaming hand punched his side throwing him off balance.
The other beast had regenerated it's arm and slammed it down into Quinn's chest. Blood spurted out of his mouth. A mixture of blood and burning flesh filled his nostrils. The beast raised it hand to punch once more, Quinn rolled on his side, his free arm swiped the sword, cutting the beast. The beast slammed its leg at Quinn but a dagger merged into his head, it's bursted into ash. Leaving two Beasts at Sil's neck. Quinn forced himself up, Sil was now resting against the wall, only one dagger with him.
Quinn threw the other dagger, slicing through a beast punch, Sil took the desperate opening digging his dagger at the injured beast forehead. He slammed deeper into the wall. Blood spurted out of his mouth. His chest caved in as another punch broke his chest. As the beast raised it's arm to punch again, Quinn had already ran across the hall, leapt into the hair and slashed the sword downwards, the scent of ash and sulfur stung his nose. Hot air washed over his face as his breathing steadied. Sil wiped his bloodied mouth grinning at Quinn. "Who would have thought you were a cannibal?" Sil smirked. Quinn feigned Indifference and nurses his bruised chest.
He stared around. There was no door, only one opening where the flaming beasts and Sil came from. Sil slowly twisted his wrist, colour returned to his face, so did pain. He winced as he heard a crunching sound. Quinn shrugged, his expression cold. Whatever Sil faced was none of his business, he turned his face away.
"How many were there?" Quinn's voice broke the inevitable silence.
"About ten, wasn't counting." Sil shrugged.
He steadily inched towards the opening. Quinn turned at his motion, followed slowly. He clenched his right fist and passed the opening. They were back in the forest. Quinn was confused. His face dropped. His lips slowly parted.
"How are we here?" He asked.
"This is a fucked up realm why ask me?" Sil shrugged, his hands dug into his copper hair, his face flushed with colour. He yawned reflexively. Quinn turned, seeing the Temple's faint outlined canopied by the forest trees. He turned towards Sil he seemed preoccupied with his daggers.
He glanced at his sword. The star emblem startled him, why a star? Swords rarely came with fancy designs but this did. Quinn's mind blanked, he had no idea why Salem would prefer this.
He dismissed the thought and started moving. Sil followed behind, he had no other option in the first place. His gaze remained everywhere. Twigs snapped underneath his feet, purple leaves danced in a soft gale. The air reeked of sweat and urea. His eyes narrowed down every details. His fingers trailed behind the back of trees, tearing barks with his sword. "What are you doing?" Sil asked. "None if your business!" Quinn shit back. Sil scowled brushing past him. "We are a team! so you better listen to me!" Sil seethed. His cheeks flushed red, his collar heated from the heat of the forest. His eyes glistened with devilish pride. Quinn smirked.
"So we are a team now? What happened when I was about to be eaten as bird food!" Quinn barked. Sil's face tightened, his lips thinned. "It's your fight, besides you were enjoying yourself!" Sil seethed. He turned walking away. "Enjoying myself!" Quinn thundered. He couldn't believe someone without conscience like him existed. He took a step, his sword clenched tightly at his left hand. He took a step again, something snapped from afar, Quinn turned, another snapping echoed into his ears. Quinn turned to Sil.
"Sil wait!"
Sil Shrugged moving continuously, Twigs started snapping, Quinn saw a silhouette shift, his eyes followed the light. The silhouette slowly shifted again, a bang crashed into the floor and he saw it, Fire arrows were flying across at him.
"Oh no! Tell me he died?" Quinn grimaced, he swung the sword with his mighty, cutting the first arrow, the next dug into his right shoulder, blood bursted out of the hole as the force slammed him into tge ground. Quinn turned, Sil did too, his dagger slammed forward, his speed was impeccable, slicing though the arrows with relish. Quinn managed to stand. Sil was already dashing forward at him. The Archer was already standing before them. Unlike the first, there was no bow in sight. Quinn stood up, his eyes gazed at the sword forming, "Sil charge now!" He yelled. Sil hesitated, his legs finally obliged, but it was too late. Several arrows had whizzed past Quinn. Quinn managed to turn, swiping the sword at one arrow, but it was a mistake. His back was slammed into the ground, it was then he noticed that Sil's eyes glistened white. He stretched his hand. A torrent of energy washed the arrows away.
Quinn bounced up and charged, other arrows were forming now, while the Fire soldier was creating the sword. Quinn slid down but the soldier slammed his foot on the ground, the twigs blazed and Quinn was blasted upwards. Sil dashed forward, swiping the daggers vehemently, It was then Quinn noticed. Sil's dagger slashed at the soldier's head, but almost narrowly missed. Quinn narrowed his eyes. The marked flesh underneath Sil's arm glistened with orange flames. Quinn shit after the soldier, his sword cutting through his abdomen. The premature arrows lurched out of orbits turning to smoke. Sil winced and fell back. The soldier shot an arrow at Quinn, Sil was there, his daggers parried it away, giving Quinn an opening to attack. He leapt at the soldier, striking upwards, the soldier dodged and used it's free hands to release Flame balls. Quinn slammed into the floor, The flame sword had finally formed. Sweats dangled down Quinn's nape. Fear coiled in his guts.
Sil had already taken a break, rushing for the temple. Quinn dodged the sword attack, swiping his own sword at the soldier, he leapt back sending flaming arrows. Quinn dodged them, only for the soldier to kick his abdomen. The fire slammed him a distance into the tree. Quinn fell, blood drizzled out of his mouth, his clothes were in the most destroyed form. The soldier was dashing forward now. Quinn's limbs gave up, the sword fell off his hand.
Hot scalding tears raced out of his eye lids. His lips parted.
"I'm sorry, Henzai." He muttered.
As the soldier neared him, a sharp pain shot up his abdomen. Blood spurted out of his mouth. The copper scent filled his nostrils. The ground was tainted with red.
"I always hated you." The familiar voice seethed. "seeing you defeat that bird while I did nothing was an embarrassment." Sil's voice growled. Quinn's eyes widen. Sil. He nearly trusted him. The soldier inched in, but Sil's other palm widened, a strong current blasted the soldier back. His body bursting into flames.
Quinn slowly fell to his knees. Sil stood, his eyes gleaming with revenge. "Goodbye" His voice echoed. Quinn's last anchor to sanity.