The Queen of Shadows

Chapter 25: The Seraphim/Landslide (Part 3)

Scathach's limp body stood suspended, impaled through by a very large dead branch and coated with her blood. Minutes passed after the Seraph left her there, broken and beaten before it flew off, believing that it had killed her. More time had passed in the foggy ravine, staying cold and silent... until-

The ground was disturbed; dead leaves were kicking up even though there was no wind. However, it was accompanied by the sound of footsteps... yet whoever was making them and approaching Scathach's body was not visible to the naked eye... at least until they pulled off their concealment cloak.

Having revealed himself, Kihli looked up to where Scathach's lifeless form was pinned and impaled against the tree branch.

"By the Gods!" he said with worry, fearing Scathach was indeed dead after her fight with the Seraph, and Kihli's heart wrenched at the sight of her so beat up and bloody as he resisted the urge to throw up at the scene.

But then... glancing at one of her hands, Kihli saw one of Scathach's fingers twitch... a sign of life! He immediately unsheathed his sword and proceeded to hack away at the branch until Scathach's body collapse to the ground. Kihli then grabbed the piece of branch that was still imbedded in Scathach and pulled it out, leaving a gaping hole through her chest. As soon as Kihli freed the offending branch, to his astonishment he saw Scathach's wound close by itself despite her clothes still torn and frayed. When Scathach's injuries disappeared, she suddenly gasped for breath, and Kihli moved immediately to cradle her and cup her face.

"Scathach! Thank Lugh you're alright...!"

Scathach continued gasping for breath, even coughing as function returned to her limbs. She eventually opened her eyes...

"K- Kihli..." she managed to say, her voice strained but otherwise relieved that her rescuer was okay after the Seraph's initial assault. Before she could say anything, Kihli frantically kissed her, and without needing to think about it, she returned it in full.

"I thought I lost you..." he said, hugging her dearly. Scathach manages to wrap an arm around him, albeit weakly given her recovering state.

"I feared so too," she replied as her voice returned to her. As glad as she was to see Kihli, reality would hit her in full as she recalled how she had gotten so badly injured. "That thing... where did it-?!"

"Easy," Kihli calms her down before Scathach could force herself out of his arms. "I just saw it fly overhead, going west."

"The village!" Scathach let out, struggling to get up on her feet. "We need to hurry-!"

"I hear you," Kihli said. "Here, let me help you..."

Kihli eased Scathach back on her feet, much to her protests.

"There's no time! I have to-!"

"You're still recovering!" Kihli reminds her before picking Scathach up and carrying her bridal-style. "Let me carry you for a bit. Whatever that creature is, it beaten you to within an inch of death... at least it looked like it."

"I can get us there faster...!"

"At least wait until you fully heal," Kihli shoots her down. "You can't fight that thing again in this state. I can at least get us partway back..."

Scathach gives up arguing upon realizing how fatigued she still was, low on mana after the Seraph had beaten her to a pulp. A humbling experience for her to say the least. And Kihli was only looking out for her after all.

As much as she felt that she did not need his aid, Scathach let Kihli carry her out of the gorge if only to appease him. He almost lost another loved one in recent days...