Celestial Discord

Chapter 29- Instilled Morality

Wasting no time at all, Shuna darted forward and trucked me. I flew back and landed on the ground.

Out of breath and almost too exhausted to move, I was considering just lying there.

However, resting wasn't an option. I rolled over just in time as she tried to crush me with her foot. It was so powerful I swear I felt the air around it rise. My body instinctively blocked with my blade for seemingly no reason, only to be met with her club once again. Just like last time, I was blown back onto the ground without warning. But this time I saw it. It was like a miniature explosion erupted when my blade and her club collided.

How is she doing that? It was like there was a bomb in her club.

I didn't have much time to think about it before Shuna bone rushed me. She stepped forward and got her in her signature club swinging stance. Thinking she was about to swing, I dodged to the left, only for her to smirk at my terrible read. I tried to jump away but she grabbed my leg just in time. She tossed me up and smacked me with the club like I was a tennis ball.

To say it was a painful was an understatement. It felt like all the organs in my stomach turned to mush. To make matters worse I flopped on the ground and landed on what was probably one of the only rocks in the area.

I wanted to scream. To wail in pain at the jagged rock piercing my back. But I knew that would only fire her up.

Unable to take the pain any longer, I rolled to my side so at least the rock wasn't pressing into me.

Ignore it, I told myself. If I'm still for too long I'll get whacked by her club again. I have to move now.

Only when I began to move again did I become aware that my body wasn't functioning correctly. My vision was hazy and I couldn't see anything outside of my immediate area. My ears were shot and all I could hear was static. To make matters worse, my movements were so sluggish I may as well have been moving in slow motion.

It wasn't until I attempted to stand up that I noticed both my knuckles were bloody, which was weird as my hands were one of the only parts of my body that wasn't in anguish.

I looked up and Shuna was running at me like a wild beast, roaring and thrashing. Was she also moving in slow motion? That's what it looked like. Clearly she wasn't however, and by the time I got to my legs, her club had already collided with my blade. Another explosion ensued and I was blown away again.

If I hadn't panic blocked just now, I'd probably be dead right now. Not that my situation has changed at all.

I tried to get up but my body refused.

I can't even move? How do I get out of this?

Every part of me ached. And yet Shuna...

I raised up my head to see the she-demon darting forward at me like a madwoman. All I could see was her outline and even if I squinted I couldn't make out any features. I plopped my head back down on the ground.

I raised my arm over my face and closed my eye. Just moving my arm dissuaded me from anymore movements.

My arms hurt. My legs hurt. My...everything hurts. I can't even stand up.

I tried looking up at the sky but with my sight being the way it was right now it looked like nothing more than an abstract mosaic art piece. But maybe that's how the sky always appeared.

Shuna will be here any second to crush me. But I can't move. I can't do anything.

...Am I going to die?

You can't die, the voice whispered softly, as if she were lying right next to me.

I don't want to. But there's nothing I can do, I whined.