Stalker: Guardian Angel

Chapter 5: Sunny Village's Secret

I starred daggers at Braven. I threw a punch at his arm. My tail slid up my arm and wrestled the scale out from his hand. He slashed at me as we struggled, cutting my clothes but not my skin. My wings grabbed onto his wrist and squeezed them. My tail moved his arm when he jabbed at me, redirecting it to slice the chain around my wing.

"Only your blood will appease them!" Braven kicked me off the window and into the wet grass outside.

The rain he created had formed mist.

I crouched down to hide from his sight.

"I don't want to kill you! If you suffer enough, then they'll be at peace. Shade must pay for what she did!" Braven tore off the little totems from his belt and tossed them at the ground, trying to locate me.

If I move too much, he might hear me.

I closed my eyes and prayed for protection.

"I lied before! These totems aren't for missions I've completed. They're for the heroes that died! Their souls are trapped in the totems. They are screaming to me. Begging for me to make you suffer!"

Luna and mother aren't safe as long as he's alive. I have to find a way to end him. Why am I shaking. I have to be strong like my sisters.

A totem hit my back.

"I can hear you sobbing! Sadness isn't allowed in this village! You can't break the rules just because you're suffering! I suffer all the time! Every night I go out to the graveyard to cry!" Braven rushed at me.

It's over. I'm going to die.

"Protect me!" I held out Luna's cherished doll.

A shadow rose up in front of me.

A RiftRipper? No.

"Ha! Maybe your sister was witnessing your agony, after all!" yelled Braven, swiping Mommy's scale at the ShadowPup.

Luna has to be safe! She sent this puppy to rescue me! I just know it!

The pup's head sharpened and then jutted out.

Braven dodged it and rushed to me. He lifted me from the ground, making me drop the doll in the process. "Luna. You don't want your sister to die, do you? Call off your familiar and I'll let her go!"

I bit into Braven's hand with my sharp teeth and fell to the ground.

The shadow pup's head jutted out once more. This time it penetrated Braven's armor.

The shadow spike came out the back of the large rock behind the crazed hero, meaning he had been pierced straight through. When it pulled out, the blood splattered on my bottom lip.

Braven backed up against the rock and then collapsed. He looked up at me weakly. "When a demon kisses someone who isn't strong enough...she takes their loyalty and their lifespan. My friends only had a few years left in them. There are so many heroes just like them. So many heroes that I've failed." His head drooped. His hand fell to the side, still gripping my headband.

I instinctively licked the blood off my cheek.

Incredible!

My mind was going hazy.

I went to him and grabbed onto his belt.

Remember the good times we had. Stay focused.

I wrapped his belt around my waist.

I will find out the truth. I will find Luna.

I saw the bloody wound and my eyes widened.