[KH/FF] Treachery of Fate: Blood and Betrayal

Chapter 88

Akinori landed, everyone jumping off him immediately. With your limp body in the arms of the same boy who carried you out of the syndicate, the other three followed him into the Caelum household. Rather than returning back into his key though, the kudan took on his human form, summoning a rather large samurai sword between his fingers, closing the gate behind him as he stayed outside.

“Akinori! What are you doing!?”

“I’ll be in momentarily! We’ve been followed!” he called back, running off into the darkness.

From the rough movements, you were gradually beginning to gain consciousness again. It was hazy, and with a blurred vision, you only made out splotches of color and outlines of objects being passed until you felt yourself being laid upon a cold metallic surface, indicating you were in the medical ward. Voices spoke, but they all sounded the same; it was as if you were underwater, and that scared you—knowing it was from losing a significant amount of blood.

“Someone get me disinfectant, bandages—”

“Who put you in charge?” another voice hissed.

“Nobody! You want [Name] to die!? No!? Then do as I say!”

Grunting, the other voice mumbled incoherently under his breath, stomping off, another speaking in a distance,” There’s no anesthetic here.”

“Damn… Alright, it’ll… be fine… It’ll be fine.”

Glass bottles clattered against the countertops as they were set down, and the snapping of rubber gloves against skin echoed like a drop of dew against a puddle in a cave. Rapidly you blinked, sight returning to your eyes little by little. Your breathing came slowly in short breaths and you felt weak, your heart’s thumping sensed throughout your body. A pair of hands removed the clasp of the materia marble around your neck before gently laying you down again.

“Why can’t we just use the materia?”

“Healing materia against wounds this bad won’t heal it, but stop the bleeding. Therefore, we should do it afterwards, and only if necessary.”

“Right…I should know that…”

“[Name], can you hear me?” You nodded slowly, attempting to sit up, but bolting back down as a surge of pain shot through you. “Relax, [Name], it’ll be—”

“Wait.”

“You already got rid of the followers?”

“Yeah.”

“That fast?”

“Yeah.”

“What—”

“Step aside please.” Doing as they were told, the four boys watched closely as he took your hands in his, speaking softly,” [Name]-hime, it’s me. Can you do me a favor and squeeze my hands as tightly as you can? Are you strong enough to?” You nodded once. “Please, do it now.”

Forcing your hands to squeeze Akinori’s, you shut your eyes from the blurred vision and thought hard of the numerous injuries leaving your body. A silvery aura between you and the dragon faded in, and you felt nothing but relaxation and warmth as the seconds ticked away—strength returning, and the pain leaving like a weight being lifted off of your chest, making you breathe freely without the stinging, brief gasps.