Memories of Old

Chapter 53: Nests of Fear

Chapter 53: Nests of Fear

The memory opened to show Arthur speaking to Feliciano in a stern no-nonsense tone. "You cannot use your magic recklessly! It could have a terrible backlash, at the very lest, if not outright kill you! Did we not just agree that we are—to a certain extent—mortal here?! I think you would be quite foolish to test the limits of our newfound weakness." The blond crossed his arms and leveled Feliciano with a parental glare.

"Geez, man! Go easy on the poor guy! He's been through a lot!" America looked at the scene with a wince. He'd been on the other end of that glare more times than he could count, and did not envy my past self in the slightest.

"I think we could use some context here, mon cher." France spoke up.

"This appears to be Loop 4,587. I was unable to convince England to let me use my magic as I wished, so I was very limited in my movements and in who I could and could not heal." I winced as I spoke.

The scene suddenly blurred and showed Antonio limping back up to the Safe Room. He held his left wrist gingerly, and Yao decared it sprained. Feli approached and offered to heal it, but Arthur glared and pulled him back by the ear.

"V-ve?! But it should be healed!" Feli protested. There was a slight desperation in his voice that the others in the memory missed.

"No, it's just a sprained wrist. And beyond that, it isn't even his dominant hand. He'll be fine. There's no need for you to go around healing every scrape and bruise." Arthur argued as Yao treated the injury.

"But..." if I don't... he can't weild his axe with nearly the amount of power he needs to...

"No buts! I'll take none of this nonsense! He's fine."

The scene shifted again, showing a fight. Three Things were attacking Feliciano, Lovino, Antonio, Matthew and Arthur. Lovi and Toni were taking on one together, while Matthew and Arthur were engaged with the other Thing. Feli faced his alone.

"Romano!" Antonio cried out suddenly, moving to block the Thing's claws. He barely blocked it in time, and had to use both hands. He winced as his sprained wrist struggled to hold out. Then, the unthinkable happened—Antonio's left wrist gave out, and his grip and strength slipped. It was only for an instant, but I knew far too well that sometimes, an instant is all it takes.

Blood flew through the air as the Thing's claws tore through Lovino. Feliciano's cry was almost inhuman, and he nearly lost his own life to the Thing before him. A wave of strength borne of grief allowed Feliciano to kill both Things in seconds, and Matthew got in a lucky hit on his Thing.

Feliciano cradled his brother's body, his spirit long gone from its vessel. Arthur just stood there, shocked, as Antonio grasped his left wrist in pain and frustration.

"I-Italy..." Arthur started, but Feliciano stiffened.

"Don't." He stated harshly. He stood up and turned towards the Englishman, covered in the blood of his brother and wearing the glare of a madman. "Don't you dare apologize. This is your fault! If you'd just let me heal Spain's fucking wrist, this wouldn't have ended this way!" He yelled, fists clenched in anger. "Do you have any idea how much it fucking hurts to lose half of your Timedamned SOUL?!" He screamed as tears ran down his cheeks, and Arthur flinched back as if struck.

"Yeah, that's right. Romano isn't just my twin, he's the other half of my fucking soul. And now he's perma-dead because of you, asshat." He took a deep calming breath, before he relaxed. His anger left him, and an odd air of acceptance settled around his shoulders. "Mou..." He muttered in Japanese.