Those That Tether

Chapter 16

"GNGHHHHH!"
In a matter of seconds, Gorean lifts his right arm to block Akil's attack.
Shockingly, the shovel seeped into Gorean's arm, as I watched a bronze-colored liquid spew over Gorean's face.
"Is that... their blood?" I thought "But I thought Purians were Invincible?! Unbeatable?! Let alone to bloodshed from a mere shovel!"

"You... IMBECILE!" Gorean screamed out in frustration.
Gorean grabs Akil by the raincoat as he hangs in the air, inches above ground.
The shovel falls to the ground with that same bronze liquid on it that could only be their blood.
I look back up at Akil, still dangling in the air, to see him looking right back at me and smiling.
In that same moment, a sudden overwhelming feeling of panic rushed throughout my body, through my very bones, from the realization of what tragedy was about to happen.
Just as my throat heals, I scream faster and louder than I ever have before.
"WAI-"
Akil begins to open his mouth, just before Gorean speedily and seamlessly flings his body into the stone wall somewhere above where I was sitting.
CRASH!!!
I hear his body drop right beside me and I slowly turn in horror to see his ragged and disfigured body lay there, surrounded by broken stone rubble and puddles of rainwater shrouded in red and almost instantly, all of the fear and panic inside of me turns to an emotion somewhere in between a blazing anger and an intrusive numbness.
I push my body to get up aggressively, but Gluttony hasn't finished healing me yet, so my movement is sluggish and incapable.
My throat burns and I hear screaming in the background just to realize it was I who was screaming.
"USELESS, USELESS, USELESS, USELESS!!" Fills my thoughts to the brim.
"If it wasn't for me... for my plan... it's all my fault."
I stare right at Gorean right in those sharp yet detached eyes of his, staring back as if not a care in the universe, as if he just crushed an irritating bug beneath his palm.

Suddenly my screams are accompanied. I see a crowd of shadows dwell far out into the darkness, just to see the rest of the kids, boys and girls, emerge out of the shadows screaming, with rakes, hoes, shovels, and sticks in hand.

Knowing what's to come next, I use the remainder of what little movements to pled Gorean to spare their lives.
But he doesn't listen.

Gorean briskly turns around facing the kids and attacks with Inari's Wrath. Inari's Wrath barely touches the children but the weight behind the attack was so strong it vaults most of their fragile bodies upwards into the air, and I watch as small figures slam into the ground.
My chest tightens as I lay there on the ground helpless and unable to do a thing.
Just then, Malik emerged from the shadows as well, speedily, even for his size. He races to close the distance gap between himself and Gorean, before he can counteract with another strike with Inari's Wrath.
Then the sudden realization hits me.
THAT'S IT!!
Malik, Akil, Yuda, and Akila must've been studying our brief exchange and came up with a simple but risky exploitation of Gorean's weakness! Again, it's simple really, right after Inari's Wrath is used, a small, time window of opportunity is opened for a counterattack. It's just as if one were to swing a really, heavy hammer around, sure the blow is going to be strong as hell, but right after the blow, the body is completely exposed.

In a matter of seconds, Malik pulled up right in front Gorean, with his shovel hand, and I assume the same plan in mind as Akil.
The stage is set.
Inari's Wrath is still facing upwards from the previous attack, and in no position for another attack.
Unless...
Gorean smiles.
"Endless Feast." He muttered.
I completely forgot!
He must have used that stockpiling ability from the last attack, and the rest of the kids don't know about Endless Feast!!
"MALIK!" I scream out.
Gorean dodges Malik's shovel by a hair, and roundhouse kicks Malik, hurling him a few yards away."
Gorean prepares Malik for Inari's Wrath as he lies there still on the ground, in pain from the monstrous kick.
Then that moment happens again, where everything seems to stand at a still except for my consciousness, just for a few seconds, and in those mere seconds I think heavily on what my father said all those years ago about staying away from those that tether, and what Gluttony was saying during our covenant. And finally, before time seems to resume, something dawns on me, "Is this the price to pay for obtaining power? I lose all of my friends while I sit here helpless to move or remotely do anything about it?"