This wasn't something he should be accustomed to, but it was- this was life, Matthew thought. This was what he signed up for after his parents were killed.
It didn't bother him as it should; he just understood that this was the way things were now. There was physically nothing that could change the past.
He couldn't let that fear of what they were going through control him; he couldn't let the fear of striking out be his downfall.
With determination, his legs propelled him forward, the weight of his body exerting pressure on the fractured rocks and splintered glass beneath the heel of his boots. The haze thickened as he ventured deeper into the building,
"Eko!" he screamed, his rage echoing with intensity. The audacity she possessed, delving into such danger alone, consumed his rational self.
Eko, however, had long sensed his presence and his desperate shouts. Relief flooded her bones, of course, it had, but it was accompanied by concern. As strong as he was, these monsters were relentless, and it took crystal keepers with powers to destroy them. She didn't want the soldier hurt because of her.
Doubling her efforts before he could locate her, she swiftly beheaded the monster, allowing her transformative power to fade. There was no way in these god-forsaken worlds that she wanted him to witness her as one of the warriors with powers.
There was going to be a long enough conversation as it was with what happened here at Seatac more than anything else. She was already doomed to get an earful from Madison about it, leaving her just before to rid these lands of the lingering youmas.
As the brunette turned to face another monster, it didn't take Matthew long to locate the woman he sought. The loud, slashing sound of her sword and the vehement shouts accompanying the demise of monsters made it clear where she had been.
The haze lifted, and the rain poured down from above as the roar of the ship's engines captured his attention. Shifting his focus from the skies, he watched as Eko swiftly dismembered a monster's leg from its body before launching a relentless attack on its head. She displayed remarkable speed and agility, matching his own even without the aid of a crystal to enhance her powers. Her incredible skill set was evident, and it was just another thing about her that drew him to her.
He anchored his weapon into the ground, fully aware that she had the situation entirely under control. Instead, he took the opportunity to study her technique.
"Took your time," she called out, catching him observing her from the corner of her eye. A greedy smile crept across her face, knowing that he was here—searching for her, or so she assumed. You know what. Let's just go with that, her mind mused happily in the thought, her subconscious delighting in the fantasy. He came for her.
"I knew you had this handled," he sarcastically remarked, observing as she drove her sword into the monster's throat, causing it to gargle out instantly.
The blue blood spat over the floor, and Eko's small black boots backed away from the creature as it violently shook the ground before her. Then, the weighty mammoth dropped before them, causing the ground to vibrate under their heels.
Eko wiped her sword against the beast's fur to clear the blood, and turning on her heel, she approached the man before her with a confident beam.
"And here I was concerned," Matthew mused.
Eko snorted at the idea that she had needed rescuing, "I'm the one person you don't need to be concerned about when it comes to this."
She swung her sword around, toying with him, and winked confidently. "I know how to fight."
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Ashes Of The Throne | Part I
Fantasy"Not every heir wants the throne." PART I | Some people survive war. Princess Sera survived what came after. Her kingdom is gone-burned to ash, buried in betrayal. She escaped the ruins with nothing but a haunted heart, a shattered name, and a secre...
