The cold, unforgiving streets of DEMA blurred past as Runeheart sprinted through the maze of narrow alleys, Miguel clinging to the Runebeast's hard scales. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion, panic, and fear as the towering structures of the city loomed overhead, casting jagged neon shadows. The constant pulse of the city—its artificial lights and metallic hum—seemed to beat in time with Miguel's frantic heartbeat.
Runeheart's breathing was steady, powerful. The glowing runes on his body flared with each movement, illuminating the path ahead with an eerie blue light. But Miguel could feel something... different. His head throbbed, a dull ache growing steadily worse with each passing second. His body felt strangely heavy, like a weight was pressing down on him, and for some reason, his vision began to blur.
"Runeheart...?" Miguel's voice was weak, barely audible over the rush of air and the sound of Runeheart's claws striking the pavement. The beast didn't respond, focused entirely on the task of getting them out of DEMA. Miguel squeezed his eyes shut, trying to push past the growing sense of unease, but something was wrong. Very wrong.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea rolled over him, and his body convulsed involuntarily. The throbbing in his head intensified, and his vision went completely dark for a moment. He could feel something—no, someone—stirring inside him. A presence. A cold, familiar one.
Before he could make sense of it, a wrenching pain tore through his chest. Miguel gasped, clutching at his shirt as his body arched back, nearly toppling off Runeheart's back. A guttural snarl escaped his throat, but it wasn't his voice. It wasn't him.
Without warning, his body jerked violently, and an overwhelming force pushed him to the side, as if something was trying to rip free from inside him. In a horrifying instant, Miguel's entire form seemed to distort, and with a sickening crack, a large, shadowy figure began to emerge from his back.
Runeheart skidded to a stop, sensing the danger, and whirled around just in time to see a massive, bat-like creature wrench itself out of Miguel's body with an ear-splitting shriek. Miguel's body seemed to have been absorbed by the creature's body.
The creature that now stood in Miguel's place was enormous, wings stretching wide as he unfurled his twisted form. A grotesque hybrid of bat and darkness, the creature's hollow eyes gleamed with malevolent intent. Loki.
Runeheart let out a deep, guttural growl, lowering himself into a defensive stance as Loki stretched, his joints cracking audibly as if he'd been trapped inside Miguel for far too long.
"Runeheart..." Loki's voice was like gravel, low and mocking as his glowing eyes flicked toward the Runebeast. "You always were loyal to the wrong cause."
Runeheart snarled in response, the runes along his body flaring brighter, casting long shadows against the alley walls. It was clear Loki had no intention of letting them leave the city without a fight.
The two bishops circled each other in the confined space, the tension in the air palpable. Runeheart's scales rattled, the dark blue energy coursing through his body vibrating with every step. Loki, on the other hand, moved with a twisted grace, his wings twitching with each movement, ready to strike at any moment.
"I gave him a chance," Loki sneered, gesturing vaguely toward Miguel's unconscious form. "He could've been one of us. But now? Now, I'll have to deal with him. Just like I'll deal with you."
With that, Loki lunged.
Runeheart reacted immediately, his claws slashing through the air as he met Loki's attack head-on. The clash was deafening—metallic screeches and snarls filled the alley as the two bishops collided. Loki's wings flared, sending debris flying as his claws ripped at Runeheart's flank, but the Runebeast didn't falter.
Runeheart struck back with brutal force, his claws raking across Loki's leathery wings, tearing through the thin membrane with ease. Loki screeched in rage, his hollow eyes flashing with fury as he retaliated with a savage bite, his fangs sinking into Runeheart's shoulder.
The Runebeast roared in pain, but it didn't back down. With a burst of energy, Runeheart slammed into Loki with his full weight, driving the bat-like bishop back against the alley wall with a thunderous crash. The wall cracked under the impact, but Loki merely laughed, his voice a chilling echo.
"You think this changes anything, Runeheart?" Loki hissed, his voice dripping with malice. "This is DEMA. We always win."
Runeheart snarled, his glowing eyes narrowing as he bared his teeth. He knew this fight wouldn't be easy, but he wasn't about to let Loki take Miguel. Not today.
The two bishops clashed again, their forms a blur of fur, wings, and claws as they tore into each other. Runeheart fought with calculated ferocity, his strikes precise and deadly, while Loki fought with wild abandon, his movements erratic and unpredictable.
The bat-like bishop snarled, his wings tattered and torn, but Runeheart didn't let up. With a final, powerful strike, the Runebeast lunged, his claws sinking into Loki's chest, pinning him to the ground.
Loki let out a choked laugh, his body trembling beneath Runeheart's weight. "You think you've won?" he rasped, his voice weak but defiant. "This is far from over, Runebeast."
With a growl of finality, Runeheart lifted his head, his glowing eyes meeting Loki's for the briefest of moments before his slammed him down again with enough force to silence him.
Loki's form flickered, the shadows around him swirling and dissipating as his body began to fade. The bat-like bishop dissolved into nothingness, leaving only a faint echo of his laughter in the air. He would be dormant for some time, but it was only a matter of when he would come back.
Runeheart stood over the spot where Loki had vanished, panting heavily, his runes still glowing fiercely. But there was no time to celebrate. He turned to Miguel when his body returned, nudging him gently with his nose, urging him to wake up.
Miguel blinked, his mind still foggy as he struggled to sit up. "Runeheart... what just happened?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Runeheart didn't respond, simply lowering himself to the ground beside him, allowing him to climb onto his back. They had to get out of DEMA. Now.
As Runeheart carried him away from the scene, Miguel's thoughts were a jumbled mess. He had no idea what had just transpired—no memory of Loki, no understanding of the battle that had taken place. All he knew was that something dark and dangerous had happened, and he was somehow at the center of it.
And as they disappeared into the night, one thought lingered in Miguel's mind.
'What will everyone think when I transform into Loki again?"
YOU ARE READING
Only Skeletons Remain
Fanfiction"There will be Three, kin of your kin, who hold the power to reshape the world and defy the shadows." Only Skeletons Remain follows the intertwined stories of three generations bound by the oppressive grip of DEMA, a city of neon lights and despair...
