𝙏𝙃𝙐𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍 // 𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

𝙪𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙪𝙨

"You aren't going anywhere."

The voice belonged to a woman they didn't recognise. Her hair was long and dark purple, falling in ringlets down her back. A black blindfold obscured her eyes and a smirk graced her lips, painted black.

"Yukino, take the youngers and get out of here," Sting hissed.
"No, I can help too!" she exclaimed.

With just a flick of the purple-haired woman's wrist, a whip of pure black struck towards her. Sting reacted fastest, skidding in front of her and taking the hit with his arms crossed over his body.

"Yukino, go, now!" he shouted. She picked up Past Rogue and beckoned the others to come with her with her shoulder.
"What about Sting?!" Lector cried.
"Master Sting will be fine holding his own," Yukino reassured him, "we need to get Past Rogue somewhere safe."

He frowned sadly before nodding, flying after her.

"And who the hell are you?" Sting growled at the woman.
"The one who will cut you down," she spoke with a devilish smirk, "master of Sabertooth."

Sting opened his mouth to retort, but another whiplike length of magic struck the ground near his feet.

"Your aim is pathetic," he scoffed.
"That was not my attack," she shook her head and her smirk grew wider, "that was my warning."

Before the blond could speak another word, the woman twirled and enveloped her body in a swirling, black mass. He covered his ears at the sudden rushing noise, akin to river rapids.

When it dissipated, her appearance had changed further. Two black, batlike wings sprouted from the bottom of her spine and two batlike ears sat atop her head. She barely even moved when a sudden slash of pure black magic shot forwards.

With no time to react, pain shot through the White Dragon Slayer. He saw the red before he felt it and dropped to his hands and knees. There was the eerie splatter of his own blood, hot against the cold floor.

The woman strode over with confidence, and swung her leg into his ribs. He yelled a curse and tumbled onto his back, staring up at her through hazy blue eyes.

"My name is Phyillida, Phyillida Uvaleus," she said, "just this once, out of pity, I will grant you mercy."

He could only choke a weak groan in response as she turned, beginning to walk away. She paused and looked over her shoulder.
"I did say I would spare only you," she said, "prepare for the loss of your tiger cubs, Sabertooth master... Sting Eucliffe."

And with that, as quick as she came, she left, the sound of her heels on the floor slowly disappearing.

Sting was left in the middle of the floor, on his back, laying in a crimson pool of his own blood. The only sound was the quick thud of his pulse in his ears and his rasping breaths.

"Goddamn," he croaked.

Thoughts rushed through his head, he could swear it was his life flashing before his eyes, like an ocean that he was drowning in.

And suddenly, he was saved from the twilight depths that were dragging him down as he felt someone dash down beside him.
"Sting!" [Y/N] cried.
"Holy shit," Rogue grunted.

"Are you okay?" the [H/C]-haired woman's brows furrowed as she spoke.
"Please don't let me die," with those words, the blond heaved a heavy sob and the floodgates came crashing open, "I don't wanna die, please."

"We won't, you're gonna be fine," she said, still panicking. Rogue reached with clammy hands, into his satchel and placed a small bottle of translucent, blue liquid into her hand. The writing on the label was old and faded, and in a language she didn't understand, but [Y/N] trusted her boyfriend's judgement.
"Rub it," he spoke.

She nodded and uncapped the bottle and poured a small amount into her hand, before started to lather it onto the gash on Sting's chest. He twisted his head away, trying not to writhe in pain.

"Oh..." [Y/N]'s eyes widened as the wound slowly started to suture itself back up, before fading nearly entirely.
"Rapid regeneration potion," Rogue patted his back trustily.

Sting gave a relieved sigh as the weight on his chest was lifted and sat up, a bit too quickly albeit. He gasped and wheezed at the sudden lack of air in his lungs.
"Hey, rest up!" [Y/N] exclaimed.
"Just because it's not there doesn't mean it won't hurt..." Rogue added.

Sting finally inhaled after a frighteningly long time and the first thing he did was tear Rogue's bag from his shoulder and start to rummage through it. He pulled out a large clear flask filled with swirling pink and blue liquid, like a galaxy in a bottle. [Y/N] gave an indignant yell as, without another word, Sting uncapped the bottle, grabbed Rogue by his hair and tilted his head back, and then started to pour it down his throat.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" [Y/N] yelled.

Rogue didn't make much of an effort to fight him off, instead just accepting his fate and drinking down whatever was in that bottle.

"Rogue was so sickly because he was suffering from Magic Deficiency Disease," Sting explained as he pulled away the bottle. [Y/N] gasped.
"No way..." she said with a shake of her head.

"Yeah way," he nodded. Rogue coughed and wiped his mouth.
"Thanks, Sting," he said, "I feel stronger already."
The other Twin Dragon grinned, "sorry for being so abrupt with it."
"It's fine," the Shadow Dragon brushed him off, "I think it being forced down my throat was the only way I'd ever willingly drink it."

"What was it?" [Y/N] asked.
"Ethernano potion," Sting answered.
"So... why aren't you in the Dragon Force, then?" she turned to Rogue, "ethernano's a catalyst, isn't it?"
"I can just... suppress it. Just like how third generation Dragon Slayers can activate the Dragon Force at will, I guess we can just choose not to as well," he shrugged.

"Ohh," [Y/N] nodded.
"Haha, yeah..." Sting chuckled, but then his mood switched up unexpectedly, "oh, shit."

"What's up?" Rogue asked.
"Your past self started getting the same symptoms as you, and you're the only one with ethernano potions to help him," Sting explained, wide-eyed.
"Well... where are they? 'Cause we should get on our feet as quick as possible," [Y/N] said.

"I don't know..." Sting looked at the ground with an almost ashamed sigh, "I was attacked by some woman who had some weird kind of magic... so I told Yukino to take our past selves and get out of here. We were going to turn back to get the potions, but that woman showed up and only god knows how far they are into these stupid catacombs now."
"It's like we're being picked off... one by one..." Rogue murmured.

At the same time, all three Dragon Slayers met eyes.

"That's it," said [Y/N], "Rush is picking us off so when we eventually find him, even all our magic combined will be too weak to beat him."
"Shit... of course," Sting cursed.

"With you two out of commission, I don't think fighting Rush is even in the cards now..." [Y/N] sighed.
"Hey, what about you?" Sting patted her shoulder, "I reckon you could wipe the floor with me, if it helps. You're plenty strong!"

Rogue laughed sardonically, "don't get ahead of yourself, Sting."
"Wow. Thanks for your support, Rogue," she scoffed, mocking annoyance. He squeaked out an apology.

Sting also gave a laugh, and then the three paused to relish in the moment, even if only for a little.

"Right," [Y/N] cleared her throat, "we have to stop Past Rogue from dying so our Rogue doesn't die."
"Got it," Sting nodded.

With that, all three stood up and trudged off into the direction Sting had directed Yukino in, both he and Rogue leaning on either of [Y/N]'s sides to walk.