Fight to the Death

11 4 0
                                    

«Are you willing to fight to live?»

It was the rough heavy breathes that first alerted me to the trouble behind. I lugged my light make shift bag onto my shoulder and starts to jog. My supplies were practical, food, drink, clothes and a few other weapons.

I knew I was going to be involved in something gruesome, violent. Soon. So it was better safe than sorry to raid Toriel's house.

It was a matter of minute before whatever that was chasing after me arrived. Make a trap. Thinking hard, I gathered some vines that hung from the trees. As the patter of footsteps grew ever louder and the howls of unknown creatures behind me grew more frequent, I tied more knots into the veins, weaving them together, strengthening them and making then as thick and long as I could. As the footsteps of at least three creatures thundered its way to me, I was already on top of a tree, waiting.

I braced myself for the horrendous creatures. But five wolves, normal ones crawled into sight. At least they nearly looked normal. At least an inch thick and a feet long claws, with jagged fur and gaping jaws, they swarmed the tree I was under, sniffing curiously. That was my cue to initiate the trap.

Tossing the net, which was weighed down at the corners with stones, it landed perfectly on the group of wolves. Growling, they slashed furiously at the net, shredding it into pieces. I only had a moment to react and even out the numbers, to kill or injured as many as possible.

I slid down the tree so fast, splinters threatened to skin my fingers. With eased practice, I slit the throat of a wolf trapped in the net, getting a slash from it on my arm.

Then, I pounce on the next wolf, delivering the stroke of death after a second of wrestling with it. Nimbly, I got up and ducked a blow from the wolves that had finally gotten out. They circle me, beady eyes on me, barking every now and so. In a heartbeat, they leaped at me in unison, brandishing their lethal claws. I waited a second, then tumbled beneath them, and before they could react, dealt a deep wound to a silver fur mutt. It howled, collapsing to the ground and twitching. I knew it wouldn't last long.

The remaining two advanced towards me, leaving their dying companion to rot on the forest clearing. Injured and bleeding, I knew I had to finish this fight fast before fatigue overwhelmed me. Inspired by a thought, I crouched down, waiting to see if they took the bait. Almost at once, they pounced towards me, victorious and snarling. Ready to deliver the death blow. But instead, I rolled to the right, and stuck my dagger into its flank, drawing blood.

It spurred out, covering my face, and disgusted, I spat the salty stuff out, wiping my face with the sleeve of my shirt. It was already quite red and sticky.

I forgot the other wolf. Spinning on my heels, I spun around, only to be knocked to the leafy ground by a great force. As I struggled to regain the breadth knocked out of my lungs, I register a claw flying towards me. I twist viciously, and the claw sinks into my shoulder instead. Pain floods through my senses, and I stiffle a cry of agony. It retracts, and I sense the wolf trying to swipe again. By a great force of will, I push the lumbering creature off, and leap to my feet. It shakes its fur, and eyes me. Blood pours down a cut above my eyebrow. It's getting hard to focus on the kill.

It pushes off from the ground and flies towards me again, catching me in the shoulder. But I let my muscles relax, and as I hit the ground, I let the impact carry me on top of the beast. Stunned, it struggles beneath me, and I get out my knife in time as it throws me off balance. A well aimed slash later and I stand, towering over its body. It lays stone still.

I turn and walk away, unsteady. It feels like the world is spinning around me, and my footsteps sound loud and echoing. I stumble forward, step by step, driven forward by only my instincts. I have to get away. They will surely send others to find me. My surroundings start to slowly change. A blurred image of looming trees, sunlight falling on leaves in a pattern, leaves that crackle under my shoes turn to a sort of rocky terrain, where the trees were scraggly and crooked, bushes thick and blooming with flowers. The sand sighed softly beneath my feet as a gentle wind blew.

But the only thing I could notice was the blood dripping from my wounds. Redness that drips from me.

And I can't go on.

Blackness fills my vision and I feel the rough gritty sand rub against my raw flesh. I try to get back up, but my consciousness is already fading.

I have to...get back up. I...have...to...get...back...up...

Get...up...

...

Only One Choice (Completed)Where stories live. Discover now