Seeing Through the Trauma

Confidence is Key (46)

Something about his horror must have shown on his face before Wukong's relieved expression tightened quickly into something of a grimace before he smiled and shook his hands. 

"Don't worry kid, it's just a scratch." He said lightheartedly in the playful tone he used when he was trying to convince someone that everything was fine but MK could still smell the stink of burnt fur and could see the light scorch marks on his arm that were too awkwardly central for Wukong to cover.

"Yes... finally. I finally have the power to destroy you." Erlang cried delightedly, madly, and MK scrambled to his feet clumsily at the man's voice, heartbeat thumping against his ribcage.

He had a moment to panic at the declaration, a moment to imagine Baba's unmoving body still and dead with a flash of terror strong enough to blind before anger overtook the feeling, blinking back the reactive feeling of magic in his eyes and shoving it down. 

I won't fucking let you, is all he could think before Erlang was charging again, striking a spear at Wukong. 

MK moved to the side so he wasn't in the way, going to the left to see better and feeling relieved when Macaque's shadow clones all rose from the shadows like demons, grabbing at Erlang's feet and ankles like they were trying to drag him to hell. 

All they did was throw him off balance, making it easier for Wukong to grab his weapon mid-swing and tug him down to the ground, falling to his knees with a force that cracked the earth and kicked up dust. 

MK blinked, struggling to see and feeling unrealistic panic for a moment that left his eyes itching and stinging with magic. He inhaled sharply, squeezing his hands into fists hard enough that the nails dug into his palms and used the pain to ground himself, reminding himself that he could control it. 

He was in control. He wasn't going to hurt anyone. He could do this. 

When he blinked them open again he found a different power to draw on and blinked to find his gold-vision lighting up the area, the trio no longer obscured when he could easily see their outlines through the dust. He grinned, a feeling of confidence building in his chest when he realized what he'd done and he saw Macaque's shadow clones doubled by Wukong's hair clones, a group of them grabbing the kneeling celestial and trying to hold him down. 

With his golden vision, he could see Erlang's face through the clone pile, could see his expression grow annoyed and then wrinkle with concentration and he didn't have enough time to call out a warning before the man yelled loudly, bucking upward with strength that cracked the ground further beneath his feet and shoved all the clones off him in a burst of light. 

Wukong and Macaque went flying back too, the only beings not disappearing in a poof of light like the clones did and Macaque fell back into his own shadow while Wukong hit the ground, quickly rolling to his feet and grimacing.

"Ha! This is proving to be an interesting fight." Peng cackled and MK along with everyone else snapped their heads to the spectating bird they'd forgotten was even there, who was sitting on top of the cave waterfall and letting their legs dangle down, an expression of amused excitement on their face.

MK wondered if they just enjoyed watching them get hurt before Erlang scoffed, looking disgusted by their comment and their presence. 

"Typical of you not to fight," Macaque spat, glaring at Peng whose eyes narrowed. It made MK shiver, the feeling of being watched by the person who had half blinded him sending shivers down his spine.

"You always were a coward." He continued with a hiss, and Peng's face scrunched into angry annoyance, leaning forward with clenched fists like they were going to fight for a second before they relaxed and leaned back, eyes glinting.