What Is Light?

Chapter 17

Eru gave a small hum as Nella returned with three twigs in her hands. " I only got one fireworks spell, you have two." She told her friend. " One spell is six shots." She turned to meet her friend as they each pulled out a bottle from their pockets and poured it over their hands. They smeared the glittering contents onto the sticks, the glow wrapping itself around it as the twigs grew longer and resembled a fireworks staff. Eru did the same to the last twig and mounted both staffs over her back as Nella mounted the other and checked her selection of spells.

" Six shots." Eru muttered as her eyes focused on a spot far away. Something was already on their way. " I'll head in first."

" Without me?" Nella smirked but her smile faltered as she caught the look on Eru's face. " You're already taking longer breaks from usual. I barely see you anymore. What's this? Your final goodbye?"

" Not exactly and I hope not. After this, if we get out of this,"

" WHEN we get out of this,"

" Right. When we get out of this, I'll be under a new...position. I'll do End runs with you and Friez when I can but until then, I'll be on my own for a while. It's a solo job. Got it from the higher ups." She shrugged and gave Nella a pat on the shoulder before jumping down to the ground. She watched as Eru ran ahead to meet the monster that was running through the desert.

Boom.

The first shot landed next to the target, smoke spreads through the plains, Eru had a small number of butterflies following her, charging her as she flew up to dodge a claw and pointed the staff at its face.

" Nella!" The End Runner turned towards the voice calling her and spotted the two sky kids approaching her.

" What are you kids doing here?" She growled beneath her stone mask. " Get back inside before it spots you.

" We wanted to give you the staff." Weslen reached for it but it was gone.

" Oh, now you wanna give it? And it's gone!" Nella groaned loudly in annoyance.

" You really need to be more aware of your surroundings, Wes." Val told him before pausing.

" Where's the junior?" Nella looked around.

" Is End with you?" Knockout asked behind from below with concern the moment he noticed she wasn't with him. There was the sound of something shattering, similar to what Knockout heard after a krill attacked End. Eyes turned to where the fight was, orbs of light quivering as the figure crouched low on all fours. Spitting and wheezing, black cracks were clear all over its body as several spikes decorated its back and limbs. Eyes were as pitch black as coal as red pupils glared at the staff pointed at it. End watched with wide eyes as Erudina shot two more at point blank, breaking the staff. More orbs were sent flying as the creature cried out with strangled gurgles.

" You-" He cried out as the next shot hit his chest, the look in Eru's eyes showed no hesitation. Lunging out of the smoke, he swiped the air with his long claws as the End Runner dodged skillfully. Kicking him away and firing another shot square at his chest once more.

" Twenty." Eru counted how many more orbs were to be extracted from the creature.

" ....Reed...?" The creature gasped as his head cocked towards the frozen sky kid, who watched with wide eyes beneath her mask. " Hey.....Save me....." He wheezed. Images flashed before his optics, Knockout recognized the child now. This was the child from the second dream. The moth Reed was supposed to guide.

" ...." She opened her mouth but no words came as she took a help step back. She yelped as a kick landed on the creature's head.

" Ignore him, Reed. He's not who you think he is. Not anymore." Eru reminded her sternly. She turned just in time as the creature lunged at her again, pinning her to the ground as she blocked him with the staff. His jaws caught the wooden staff and bit down hard. The explosion sent a wave of dust as the staff shattered, causing the remaining five shots to fire at once. One of the shots was heading towards Nella which she blocked with her own staff by instinct, all six shots were spread as she was knocked back, falling off the building.

Her vision was blurred from the explosions, smoke and dust filled the air with the scent of ozone. She looked around, Knockout was standing over her, shielding her with his frame. She could barely see what had happened, her eyes caught on two blurred figures. Eru was trying to rise, her headscarf was already a little messy with strands of hair sticking out. The other figure limped towards her and grabbed her roughly by the scarf and ripped it off. He kicked her side to face him.

" You know my light won't help you, you little shit." Eru said darkly as he scowled at her with those red pupils and blue irises.

" No..." His voice distorted from the corruption. " But it'll be one less annoyance." He smiled darkly as he raised his claws and pressed a foot onto her chest, making her wheeze.

" No!"