The Splintered

Betrayal Tastes Sweeter Than Revenge

"Mason? What's wrong?"

Though I heard Dex say that, everything around me was starting to get quiet; an out-of-body experience was happening and I couldn't control it. I excused myself from the table and moved north towards the castle wall.

"Mason. Talk to me."

Dex said gripping my shoulder which broke me out of the trance if only for a moment, as I stuttered out.

"I-I can't explain it but abominations are coming here, now."

"What? How do you know?"

I squinted at Dex since it clicked finally that I didn't even know myself.

"They're here..."

I shuddered as the Ueda castle doors creaked open with an eerie wind. The man from before who was hell bent on making me a partner of his stood on the other side, with seven abominations behind him. It would be my first time seeing them, they were navy blue wolves but ravenous twice the size and out for blood. Their skin was oily and black, disease ridden pores went from their eyes to their feet, teeth dripping with blood from people in the village.

"Jace?! What the hell are you doing-"

"I have transcended this camp, transcended you Dexter."

Jace mused, locking eyes with me as I tried to get my composure back.

"Don't, don't fight the fear."

He said shaking his head at me, I swallowed slowly hating the fact that I was completely unarmed with shaking hands.

"You won't die today Splintered, other people will though."

Jace snapped his fingers as four abominations ran past me that finally broke my freeze response, as I was torn between staying with Dex or helping others still in the shop or in the castle.

"Go Mason! I'll be fine!"

Dex yelled as I muttered.

"Shit."

Running back towards the shop, many warriors were fighting two abominations while the two others were eating at as many people as possible.

"Here."

Botan slammed a real katana onto my chest, shook me then said.

"Embrace the fear, then overcome it."

Shaking my head yes, Botan moved to attack an abomination about to chop my head off as I backed up. I slowly unsheathed the katana from its scabbard gripping its hilt. Unfortunately I was still shaking but taking a deep breathe I let the fear flow through me, as the last abomination ran towards me I dodged its lunge attack and striked it's neck with Shomenuchi. Like muscle memory my feet and sword strikes moved on their own, flipping the sword in my hand. I had to bite back the smile wanting to grow on my face, but this was badass. I dealt the final blow to the abomination's head, shoving the blade down through its mouth as it's body fell still onto the ground. I pulled out the sword feeling Botan grip my shoulder with a resounding nod, other warriors saw what I did and gathered around me but I said.

"No, you guys are more experienced than me. Spread out farther up into the castle, cleanse the compound, we gotta get control over this."

"Roger that. What will you do?"

One warrior asked me, being drenched in abomination blood was gross, but I rubbed some of my chin and said.

"Check on Dex."

As much as I begged Botan to join the warriors he stuck with me as we ran down back towards the wall.

"Shi-"

I barely ducked from an abomination trying to bite my neck, this one had wings. It got my shoulder instead causing me to scream in pain as my back hit the ground. Gripping the hilt of my katana, I plunged the sword into the abomination's stomach and dragged it forward cling my mouth and eyes from the guts that fell out.

"Botan! Good to see you old man."

I slid out from under the abomination corpse, looking for Dex. He was laying on the wall with a stomach injury, Jace had skin that was polluted with abomination pores while circling Botan. I started to move but Botan held out his hand.

"Botan-"

"Take Dex back to the castle."

Gripping my injured shoulder, I stumbled over to Dex and picked him up off the ground he could walk at least.

"Mata ne."

Botan said making us halt our step before walking back up towards the castle. We made it to the shop before having to stop, mostly because Dex shoved me onto the ground. He yelled at me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! You knew and you couldn't do anything! You trained for NOTHING!"

I almost pulled my hair out but I didn't, I knew Dex was right so denying anything he said would be a lie. The warriors that sweepers the area surrounded us as I got off the ground and asked.

"Are we clear?"

"Some sections are still being searched, but it's about to be clear."

Swallowing slowly, Dex and I locked eyes as I started walking back towards the wall.

"Going back is suicide!"

Dex said as I turned to him and replied.

"Then at least I can do that right."

His face suddenly softened for some reason, I ignored it and started walking again. The wound was in my left shoulder, I'm a righty so I can still fight. Once I made my way past the corpses of people in the shop and warriors, I made it the castle wall doors and saw Botan's corpse cut in half. I moved to a bush and puked in it, then sat down in front of the open doors. The gravel shifted as I saw Jace riding off in the distance away from the castle but proud of his victory. After a long while, Dex sat next to me. My gaze was still on Botan, my first tears since the gender bend.

"Mason what I said-"

"No you were right. Because I couldn't hold a sword people died, Botan died."

Dex started to say something else but decided against it, I noticed his chest was wrapped up which made me gaze at my shoulder it was turning colors which I knew was bad but I didn't care right now.

"The last thing Botan would want you to do is sulk."

That ironically made me chuckle as I replied.

"You are right about that."

What I didn't tell Dex was that I made a vow that day to do anything I had to do get stronger. I have power I can feel it, it was just a matter of unlocking it.