The Forsaken Arts

Chapter 38: Auto-Pilot

Still recovering from Guru's previous attack, his younger brother laid barely conscious on the marble floor. Managing weak and faint grunts, Mikhail sluggishly twitched his fingers as he placed his palms to the floor to push himself back up, but curiously a wet and slick sensation forced his eyes open to investigate.

His vision was blurred but as it began regaining focus, he found himself momentarily lost for words while staring at his palms that were now coated with blood. Alarmed, he abruptly brought himself to his knees and frantically ran his hands over his once sharply pressed emerald uniform, which was now tattered and soaked from the blood he had been lying in.

Unable to find any wounds, with the exception of minor scratches and bruises, there was nothing that could have left a puddle of such size.

He began to contemplate where it could have originated from but before any concrete possibility could form, his train of thought was interrupted as a fierce war cry echoed throughout the halls.

Alerted by the sudden sound that came from his left, he had barely begun turning his head when his eyes widened, he then quickly launched his back against the wall just as the large creature flew past, crashing into the wall adjacent.

"Whoa!" he muttered while attempting to catch his breath.

His heart raced as the adrenaline coursed through him with the sound of heavy-steeled footsteps gaining momentum as he watched his brother charge ferociously past him and towards the demon.

Shit! He thought quickly while rolling further from harm's way.

His brother coiled his leg in preparation to ram the snarling creature before him, then let out a heavy grunt as he extended it with all of his might. Through desperation and the will to live, the demon's back and joints snapped and arched inward while dropping to the floor in crab-like fashion, scurrying out of the way just as his steel boot embedded itself in the wall.

Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled his foot from the indenture and turned towards the fleeing disfigured creature. Just past his foe and within line of sight, Naitosai caught a brief glimpse of his mother's ongoing battle with Guru.

The blood from her wounds stained her clothing while the decorative splatter from the enemy graced her beautiful face as the two weaved in and about each other's attacks, landing blows whenever they could. He noticed something was off about his mother's technique, something he couldn't quite place.

The battle was fierce and full of emotion as he saw two friends with the utmost respect and care for one another, in a fight to the death. In those few seconds, the momentary observation re-instilled the severity of the situation as he decided to keep his mind as focused on his opponent as his mother was. His eyes quickly illuminated while gripping his pole-arm tighter and directing his attention back to his opponent.

Echoing throughout the back halls was name Evenharth. Dai continued bellowing frantically for him as he sluggishly picked himself off the floor while dust, debris and shards of glass trickled from his person. His loud and boisterous voice stole Mikhail's attention away from his brother as he turned to see what the commotion was about.

Stunned and unsure if his eyes were deceiving him, he quickly rubbed them then squinted in hopes of getting a better look. His jaw gently fell as he wondered if Dai had even noticed the two generously sized shards of glass protruding from his body, of which one jagged piece nested itself within the outer side of his left thigh and the other behind his right shoulder.

Following with his eyes, he saw that a trail of blood had steadily leaked from his wounds, cascaded through the once sleek and shiny tiles as the grooves between them acted as a canal until it could no longer contain the crimson elixir and overflowed, forming the puddle that he had previously laid in. There was so much blood, he couldn't help but wonder how Dai was even able to stand.

He watched with grief as Dai hobbled over to the broken window, continuing to call out for his comrade. Evenharth, while just a name but the way it resonated throughout the hall, clearly it expressed so much more concern, pain and desperation.

Reaching his destination, Dai leaned onto the windowsill for support as his left arm reached across his chest towards his right shoulder. Tracing the outline of the glass, he took a deep breath as his heart began to race with anticipation.

Mikhail flinched at the sight of him quickly grabbing the shard with what appeared to be all of his might, then yanking it out in one swift motion.

The vividly opaque blood ran from the fresh gash as he slowly un-clenched his fist, allowing the glass to drift from his palm and fall to the floor below. He then ground his teeth to help endure the pain while raising his hand to eye level, examining the damage he had just inflicted upon himself.

The ruby-red life sustaining liquid trailed down his wrist but his expression turned from that of pain into one of relief as he witnessed from a distance, Evenharth's fury through the cracks between his fingers.

Finding comfort in knowing that they had not lost him as well, he closed his eyes and forced himself to swallow, but the brief moment of serenity was quickly interrupted by a piercing screech that shattered the remaining windows under the strain of the creature's pain-filled cry.

Dai covered his ears as his nose crinkled and eyes tightened. Attempting to shield himself from the flying pieces of glass that were now assaulting him, he faced away from the window but was quickly reminded of just how severe his injuries were while trying to move further away.

Having put so much weight and pressure on the leg that still had the large shard lodged in, he grunted angrily out of annoyance and frustration as he fell once again to the floor.

Now on his back, he reached and supported his leg from the pit of his knee. "Son of a...." he began to mutter, but cut himself off as he caught an upside down view of what caused the sound.

A clean cut, diagonally from the right shoulder to the left side of its waist, the demon had been virtually ripped in two from a mighty blow dealt by the young dragoon.

Lowering his hands from covering his ears, Mikhail too had his eyes drawn to the grotesque sight. His brother had delivered a finishing blow so devastating that it was clearly understood why the creature had wailed in such agony as its life came to an abrupt end.

Noticing Dai's injuries, Naitosai called out to him as the creature's frame peeled apart and ceremoniously fell to the floor. Stepping between the two halves of its body, having neutralized the immediate threat, the dragoon quickly made his way over to him.

Mikhail started his way in their direction as well but his focus was suddenly diverted from the ongoing sound of his mother's battle. His face told a story of uncertainty while wondering if they had even skipped a beat.

The creature's cry was soul-piercing to say the least, how could they not have been affected? Remembering that Dai was in need and seeing that his mother was more than in control, he hastily ran over and knelt down next to him and his brother.