Love Can Save {An Aphmau Fanfiction}

Laurance

When the brilliant white faded, it took me a few moments to piece together where I was. No longer was there grass and dirt under my boots; now it was worn cobblestone I had walked a hundred times. Aphmau and Thalia weren't in front of me, holding hands by the portal. Instead, the main plaza sprawled out, looking eerie and odd with the complete lack of people. I furrowed my brow, wondering what must have gone wrong in order for me to have appeared here.

It was only after my eyes wandered to the conflict across the square that I realized it wasn't what had gone wrong at the portal. It was what had gone wrong here, in the village. Cursing under my breath, I drew my sword and ran towards the fray, only able to discern the Tulian uniforms and someone in green I assumed was from Phoenix Drop.

I was able to cut down one soldier before the group even realized I was there, my sword finding its way through a crack in his armor and slicing through flesh. The second turned towards me, sword flashing as she tried to cleave me in half. I blocked, trying to disarm her as quickly as possibly. But even though I was at full strength and she was obviously weary from battle, the duel still dragged on for another tense moments. It was only when she was briefly distracted by a groan and a gasp from behind that I was able to disable the soldier, cutting her down. I looked towards the third soldier, hoping the noises meant that whoever it was from Phoenix Drop had managed to take care of them.

And yet I found myself face to face with Garroth, his tan skin pale and drawn, his mouth parted as the breath left him all at once. Horrified, my gaze traveled down his simple green shirt and saw his left side covered by a dark stain, spreading out from the tip of a sword, blood dripping down to the stones below. Garroth stumbled forward as the last soldier pulled his sword out, shaking the blood and gore from the stained steel. I caught my friend under his arms, lowering him to the ground as gently as I could. The Tulian smirked, obviously confident in his ability to win. Untangling myself from Garroth, I rose to my full height, hands shaking in fury as my vision started to turn red. The smirk started to slip, but I was already throwing myself at my opponent with a wordless roar, no self-preservation in mind.

One moment I was leaping towards him, the next he was dead at my feet. My chest heaved, my sword slipping from my fingers and clattering to the ground. Coming back to my senses as I pushed my inner demon far down, I turned to my brother, heart sinking at the sight of him covered in blood and sitting propped up against a stand. His chest still rose, but it was slower each time, and his right hand was pressed tightly against the gaping hole in his left side.

I knelt next to Garroth, and he opened his eyes, the blue dulled by pain. "How'd you get here?" He croaked, and only then did I notice the blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth. I reached towards his wound then hesitated,

"I don't know. Aphmau must have done something, maybe she knew about Tu'la. By the Six, Garroth, why aren't you wearing your armor?" He coughed, trying to smile at me. Even as he was dying, he was still trying to put me at ease.

"I didn't expect to fight a battle today, you know." His right arm clenched, pressing harder against his abdomen. "I'm wearing my... my chainmail under this. He must have, must have found a, a, a weak spot." As he spoke, I could spot the faint dull glimmer of metal under all the blood. I cursed again, searching for anything nearby that could be of help to him. "Laurance," His rasp reached me through my fevered search, my attention immediately flicking to him.

"What is it? What can I do for you? I, I'll run and get Aphmau or Thalia or Donna or someone-" Garroth's free hand reached out to rest on my arm, squeezing as much as his fading strength would allow.

"Laurance, it's too late." It was the resignation in his voice that destroyed me, the resignation to a fate that he didn't deserve. I placed my hand over his, a lump forming in my throat. "We both know that Aphmau's powers haven't worked since-" A violent spasm racked his form, and he found new strength as he dug his hand into my forearm. I didn't complain, but simply sat there and fought away the burning in my nose and eyes. "Her powers haven't worked since Alina was born... and Donna... or Thalia... they won't be able to do anything."