||Series Removed|| OTB

22 - Three Powers

22

A sudden overhead explosion shattered the many glass windows of Tower Block C, raining shards down onto us as the building slowly melted into a cloud of dust and atomised concrete. It was impossible to see through the debris, but I could tell that not one of the leaders broke eye contact for even a second.

As the vibrating air settled, I tried to cough it away before an arm wrapped itself around me, hoisting me to my knees. Startled, I almost backed away until I realised it was Elizabeth, forcing a calm smile.

"I didn't notice before... You are Daniel, yes? The 'Mister Daniel' that brought my dear Bethany across from Scotland?"

"Y... Yeah, that's..." I rasped dryly, trying to find any residual moisture in my throat.

"I never got to thank you... but there will be time for pleasantries later. For now, we need to tend to that arm of yours."

I tilted my head past her shoulder, to observe Riles and Burkley tapping their feet at each other, sparring with snide insults.

"Is that okay? Aren't you... in the middle of something?"

Beth's Auntie Lizzie was already dragging a hunk of flaming scrap metal over to my disabled body, fixated on addressing the wounded before starting a new confrontation.

"Those arrogant boys have been waiting to lock horns for months now. I think they can wait two more seconds. Don't waste energy worrying about such things; now that my men are stationed nearby, they wouldn't dare to lay a hand on you or your friends."

"My... My friends..."

I was about to tell her that they could be dead. I hadn't even considered the possibility myself, because it was too much to bear on top of the town being razed and my limbs being torn off like they were nothing.

"Mister Daniel!! What is going on?!"

My head whipped to the side, and out of the rubble of a nearby shop, Beth's distraught face burned a bright-red amongst the flames that surrounded her on either side. I could feel my eyes glisten, the tears starting to bubble up as Harry and Tomás also came into view.

Elizabeth chuckled lightly to herself, tightening a supportive grip on my bloodied stump... although she was probably trying to conceal the gore from the little girl's sight.

"I found them trying to break into the farmhouse, they refused to leave you behind... My niece must care a great deal for you, 'Mister Daniel'."

I was about to share a nod of appreciation, when she grabbed me by the neck and threw my body down onto the glowing-red sheet of metal she'd pried from the fires.

"Grraaah!! Fuck, fuck, fuck!!" I screamed into her face, writhing and kicking wildly as my skin sizzled and blistered into the exposed nerves. Every time I tried to escape the pain, she would jam her armoured wrist into my mouth and instructed me to bite down hard.

I understood what she was doing... there was no way that my arm could be reattached, not this long after separation. Even if there was enough time, it's not as though there were many expert surgeons lurking around nearby. She had to prevent further blood loss, by cauterizing the wound... Sealing my stump with excessive burns.

That said, it was all I could do to remain conscious throughout the constant shock. I thought she was finished about three or four times, and then she'd force me back down onto the searing metal plate.

I hadn't even noticed when it stopped, too busy drooling blood into the dirt as she complimented my endurance and then let Tomás come closer to wipe my arm down. Harry almost brought Beth over, but I did not want her anywhere near those two men.