To Trust Again- A RATLD FanFiction

Taking Demons Head-On

(A/N: Conflict, conflict, conflict! That's this chapter in a nutshell, as spoiler free as possible. Disclaimer: I own none of this fanart, all rights & stuff go to their origional owners.

Damn, does Namaari look cool in that pic tho.....)

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(Namaari's POV)

Out of all the creatures we could encounter, we crossed paths with the tikbalang?!

And here I was thinking they were just creatures of storybooks, figures of the imagination used to scare children into good behaviour. But no, here we are, and there one is, chasing us.

Raya's hand is clasped in mine, Sisu runs as fast as she can to keep up with us. She has to, otherwise this tikbalang will claim another girl as his prey, and we'll lose a friend. Again.

"What is that thing?!" 

"The tikbalang. Half man, half horse, as you can see. Lurks in forests and mountians, also a rapist who preys on girls." The words come out in between ragged pants.

"WHAT?!"

We dodge down a hillside, sliding as we go. 

"I'll explain more later, for now, we've got to get away from it!"

Ironic isn't it? How, just a couple of weeks ago Raya and Sisu were running away from me.

The tikbalang seems to be slowing down. Good, but we can't let our guard down like we've been doing for the past few days. 

"Guys, this way!"

Sisu runs down a narrow path, all crowded with spiky plants. Good thinking, as the tikbalang is stuck trying to fight them off. 

The trees start thinning out. A rocky cliff is in sight, with a blue lake at the end. We collapse just meters away from the edge, panting. Raya lets go of my hand.

"What are you doing?!"

"I'm done hiding."

"Raya, do you know what that thing could do to you?"

"No, I don't. But we have to do something."

She's right. The only way out alive is down, and I don't think it'll give us a chance for escape.

Sisu picks up some rocks, Raya takes the stick in hand, up come my fists. The tikbalang emerges from the shadows.

It squats down, ready to pounce.

Oh no.

Before I have a chance to react, to fight back, it throws itself at me.

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(Raya's POV)

Namaari's head dangles dangerously close to the edge. The tikbalangs claws are at her clothes, tearing them off.

"NO!" I stratch at it as hard as I can with the stick. And when it doesn't budge, I lunge at it, throwing us also waaay too close to the edge. We're wrestling, me using my fists, it using its claws trying to get at me.

Sisu throws rocks at it, at last I seize my moment by kicking at it with both legs. Shreiking, it dangles from the cliff by just a few claws.

I run to Namaari. The skin around one of her eyes is bruised, her nose is bleeding, shirt half torn off, multiple scratches covering her arms. Yet she's still breathing.

"Raya..."

"It's okay Namaari, I'm here."

Hand under her head, I pull her into an embrace. Her arms cling to my waist.

"Guys look out!"   

Somehow the tikbalang has manged to haul itself back up, and is crawling towards us. 

Sisu shoves us, away from the tikbalang, but off the cliff.

"AAAAAAAAH!!!"

"WHYYY DID I DO THAT?!"

SPLASH!

Cool, fresh, clean water. My head breaks the surface, gasping, all of me soaking wet. Both arms try to keep Namaari afloat. "We have to get her to the nearest hospital!"

"But the tents! No, I'm being stupid. Namaari's more important than a bunch of tents. You didn't bring any weapons, did you?"

"No, which was kind of stupid of me. Guess I let my guard down a bit far."

(Namaari's POV)

It's too much. I can't go on.

It hurts. Every part of me. So bad. 

But I can't die, I can't. How will Raya cope? I'm only just getting to know her, and I can't lose her again. This time forever. 

"Namaari, Namaari! Don't you die on me, don't you die on me!"

I'll be okay Raya, I promise. 

But for now, I give in to the darkness.

(Raya's POV)

We swim to shore, as fast as we can, Namaari on my back. Then we're running. 

You're not going to die Namaari, my love. Not today, not on my watch.

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(A/N: Oh the excietment! The cliffie! Will Namaari make it out alive? Find out next chapter! 

Btw thank you thank you thank youuuu for voting!)