The Creed's Emergence

Chapter Eleven: Uncertain

"I just don't understand."
"... He killed me."

Moon then turned over, his back facing Anika. He could still remember the crazed look on Bramble's face. As his blood splashed onto the Decrepit, the look of madness only got worse. He took so much pleasure in bringing pain to Moon. The Decrepit had lost himself entirely, and now Moon worried for the future, and something would go wrong for sure.
"So that's what happened.." Anika frowned, slowly pulling her hood down.
"If only I knew magic, I could have helped you out." She looked away, sighing.
"No. Don't say that bullshit, Anika. You would have died too. Bramble's power levels shot through the roof, and he would have torn you apart." Moon sat up, now clutching his torn-up sleeve. He took off his visor, which had cracked because of his falls. As he turned back around to face Anika, the girl could see just how bloodied he was. There was barely any clean skin, and it was all his own blood, not anyone else's. Even though he had no wounds, the blood remained.
"Moon..." Anika covered her mouth with her hands, slowly shaking her head. How could she let all of this happen? Yet, she was powerless. If Bramble got her, she couldn't imagine what he'd do to her. She could probably be stabbed to death, decapitated; the possibilities were endless. If he killed her, she would be gone.
"If you died, you would be dead forever. You don't have a God, and you wouldn't be able to respawn." Moon then got up. He stood in front of Anika, staring back down at her.
"Please, be safe for us. I should have a Royal Guard be by your side... Because if Bramble goes mad again, I don't think it'll be any better next time." He gently patted her head.
"But what about the Decrepit?"
"They can't protect you. Not because they're weak, but because they aren't trained for this. Thorn and Splinter have never gone up against one of their own, let alone the strongest." Moon suddenly hugged Anika, holding her tight.
"Anika, please. I can't let you die."
Anika watched as tiny teardrops dripped onto Moon's tattered uniform. He was crying. She looked up at him, seeing how he went from confident to... Broken. He was silent as he continued to weep. To try and comfort him, Anika hugged him back.
"It's alright. Moon, stay strong. Would you please do it for me and everyone else? So many people must look up to you, and I know you can overcome this." She said softly, closing her eyes. She hated to see Moon so upset. She hated to see anyone become upset, whether it be the people she knew back at home or the new people at the Church. Anika couldn't bear seeing their pain.
"Thank you, Anika." Moon wiped his eyes. Then he pulled away from the hug. He took his visor and put it back on.
"I should get back to the others. They may be worried about me." He then rushed out of the room, leaving Anika alone.
Anika watched Moon leave. Then she walked out of the room and towards the exit. She needed to do something else to take her mind off all of the sudden events.

Once she left the dormitories, she decided to walk back towards the Throne Room to play the piano again. Her goal of spreading music was far behind her. She knew she couldn't achieve it. Everyone was interested in other things.
She put her hood up and stayed close to the walls as she walked. Too much was on her mind. She had no idea how to feel anymore. Everything was happening too quickly. Something happened, another one, and another. There were no breaks. It was starting to get overwhelming.
Anika heard cawing from behind. She turned, only to see a sleek black crow land on her shoulder. It probably belonged to Crow, she had seen him with the bird here and there. She lifted a hand, gently brushing the crow's head with a finger.
"Why are you here?" She asked it, now moving her finger to gently pet the bird's beak.
It only cawed in response but nuzzled its head into Anika's finger. Maybe it just sensed Anika's emotions and came to comfort her. Animals were capable of sensing human emotion, so it was no surprise to her.
Anika continued to walk while the crow was perched on her shoulder. She began to hum softly, glancing around at her surroundings. The hallways were becoming empty as people were heading back to their rooms for the night. But soon, Anika stopped in her tracks. She realized that the Throne Room just ahead was closed. Maybe it was time she got some rest. It was a very long day, and she barely got any sleep.
So, she turned around and made her way back to her room. It could've been midnight by now, or earlier. The concept of time was confusing, especially when it was always nighttime and there were no clocks. Everything felt strange. Usually, the Church had a warm feeling to it, and she could hear chatter from other rooms, but now it was silent. There was nothing.