When Darkness Burns (Burned AU!RQ)

[Chapter One] • The Harsh Beginnings •

Welcome to the first chapter to Burned AU!RQ. We're starting this off where Red was showing Sabre the temple and the prophecy. 

!! WARNING: Mentions of Blood, Injury, and Burns !!

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°  Sabre's POV °

Red Steve explains the different chromatic Steve's to me, though my mind is doing everything but listening to him. I look around the temple, unsure on how old it is. It looks like it's a few generations old, but also well kept.

"Red Steve's, like me, are about knowledge and wisdom. Orange Steve's revolve around creativity, and typically are the builders of the Steve's. The Yellow Steve's are all about energy, and are faster than all the other Steve's. The Green Steve's specialize in nature and health, which makes them the healers of the Steve's. Blue Steve's live and run the World Beyond - the world where the good Steve's go when they pass on - since they're all about spirit. Indigo Steve's, like the Blue Steve's, live in a seperate world. They live in the middle world, and are all about connection. The Violet Steve's are about love, and they always seem to be drunk on love potions," Red Steve rambles, while I pay no mind to him. He seems to notice. "Sabre, are you even paying attention-"

Red Steve is cut off by an odd groaning noise, which seems to worry him. He looks around frantically, his red hair becoming a mess as it's wiped around every time he hastily moved his head.

"Sabre, run," Red says, and franctically grabs my wrist and starts to drag me towards the exit.

Screeches and groans chase us, and we race towards the exit, but the doors start to close. Red's eyes go wide when he realizes this, and we run faster.  I risk a glance behind me, and see many dark shadow-y creatures following us. They have no facial features, nothing. It's like they're walking shadows. 

We reach the door to find it closed.

"Sabre, open the door!" Red Steve shouts as he takes out a sword. "I'll try to fend off the Darkness."

I nod, though hesitantly, and I start to try to open the door. I can't find a handle or anything, and every time I try to pull the door open by a small crack, my grip fails and I fall on my behind. Every time I fall, I can see Red struggle more and more to hold back the Darkness, and every time I panic more and more. 

"Sabre! Hurry!" Red yells, and I panic even more. 

"uh. OPEN SAYS ME!" I yell at the door, but it doesn't open. 

I'm about to say another command, but I'm cut off by a burning sensation on my back. I scream and arch it out of pain. I fall to the ground, barely stopping myself from hitting my head by using my arms to catch my fall. I turn my head to see one of the shadow things had hit me. I feel like my back is being drenched by lava, and it's almost unbearable. But even with the pain, I need to open the door to get Red and I out of here. 

I use the door to help balance myself as I crawl to a standing position. I lean most of my weight on the door, lest I lose my balance again and fall. 

I chant some random commands at the door, begging for it to open. But it doesn't. 

"Sabre! Say what you said earlier!" Red shouts. I turn to see him surronded by the shadow things. "Hurry! I can't hold off the Darkness much more!"

"Uhh.. uhhh, OPEN SEASAME!" I shout at the door, and it creaks open. "Red! It's open!"

Once the shadow things notice the light, they screech and rush out of the temple. I fall, no longer having the door to balance me. I don't get my arms ready in time, and I faceplant on the door. Blood slowly trickles from my nose, and I sigh in frustration. I hear Red Steve's heavy breathing, and I turn my head in an attempt to see him.  

I hear footsteps slowly get closer, and then see Red Steve kneeling in front of me. There is blood trickling from the side of his head from a wound by his right temple. He has a cut on his shoulder that is bleeding blood down his arm, dripping through his fingers. He looks at me with a face full of concern. 

"Sabre..?" he murmurs. 

I groan in response. 

"Here, lean your weight on me, ok?" he asks, and I barely nod. 

He puts my arm over his neck, hooking his arm underneath and around my back. He helps me stand, holding up against most of by weight. My legs wobble, and the blood from my nose drip into my mouth. It tastes metallic. He gets me standing with a semi-straight back, and I hiss. The burning sensation never left, still feeling as strong as when it was first inflected. 

"It's going to be okay, we just need to get you to my house, and I can bandage your wounds," Red assures me. 

"What- what about yours?" I grit out, trying to hold back my screams of pain. 

"I'll be fine, I'm more focused on you," Red says, then slowly takes a step forward. "I'd teleport us back, but I don't think that's the best idea."

I nod. Probably not the best idea to teleport when we're both injured, and Red probably doesn't have enough energy to teleport us back anyways. I take a last glance at the prophacy image, then turning around and slowly walking with Red. I don't ever want to go back here again, this place gives me the creeps. 

Each slow, small step feels like a new burn wound layers upon the original. Every two steps I hiss or groan from the pain, and every time Red looks at me, his face filling more and more with concern. 

"W-what was that stuff?" I question him as we take another excruciating step. 

"That was the Darkness. Though, I've never seen it burn someone like it burned you," Red curiously says. "I'm sure I can find something in a library of sorts about it, though."

I nod, but my mind is clouded with pain. It distracts me, and I fall, bringing Red down with me. He lands on top of me. More specifically; on top of my burn wound. 

"GAH" I screech, the pain becoming so  unbearable that I see black spots clouding my vision.

I'm fighting to stay conscious when I hear Red's ragged breathing, and I feel his uneven breaths on my back. He groans, and shuffles to get off of me. I feel the weight off of my burnt back, and the black spots slowly fade more and more.

Red kneels down in front of me and gently grabs my hand, and I groan once again. I can barely feel his touch, only the pain of my back. Hot tears run down my face, unable to be contained. 

"Here. Let me carry you back to my house, walking will be too painful and slow. But to do this, I need you to roll on your back so I can carry you properly," Red calmly says, ignoring his own injuries.

I make a sound that is a mixture of a whimper and a groan as I roll over onto my back. Red moved to my side, and carefully brings a hand under my knees and one under my back. The subtle touch on my back makes me yelp in pain. He lifts me up with a little bit of struggle, and adjusts me into a more comfortable bridal style hold.

Drowsiness hits me like a bus, and I lean my head on his chest. The rythem of his heartbeat calms me down. My eyelids become heavy as I fight to stay awake. The sleep wins, and the last thing I remember is Red telling me to rest.

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I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this AU! This was a long first chapter; 1307 words. I'm going to try to make all the chapters around 1000 words, but there probably will be some shorter chapters.

Anyways, I'll see you in the next chapter!

~ Unicorn