|
The Story of Tomo's Death (Kana's pov) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The sight of it filled my mind, and I couldn’t do anything but watch and listen to the splatter of blood, and the tearing of flesh. The pain I felt was intense but even more intense than anything was my fear. Every inch of me was frozen by it, consumed by it. The fear and I battled but it was far stronger and far more experienced than I. Fear strangled me so tightly I could not force sound through my tightly bound throat. Fear wrapped itself, like a boa constrictor, around my energy and will. It stuck it’s cold sharp claws of control into my mind and I stood frozen. The creatures before me were horrific. No eyes, and small mouths will long fanged teeth. They walked on all fours with skinny arms and legs that resembled discolored, anorexic cheetah. Their feet included 3 long fingers with dagger claws and one short thumb with the longest dagger of them all. It’s blackish/purple skin was tight against it’s small framed ribs and you could see it’s sharp spine leading to it’s long whip tail complete with thorny twigs at it’s tip. Four or them; that’s how many there were. Two for each of us, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move, fear had paralyzed me long before the time to battle began. I struggled to snap away from my captor as one of the creatures ran at me making blood curdling screeches and readying for a pounce, but it was futile. Had it not been for Tomo, I would surely been dead, at the very least injured. “Tomo…” one of the only thoughts that allowed itself past my fears barrier. I could see him all too clearly. His shiny black hair would have been so gracefully and beautifully floating around him, had it not been so loosely weighted down with sweat and blood. The gash, recently received on his chest, still gushed blood heavily, trailing down his body and soaking his cloths. He was fighting so hard…”He’s dying!” my mind screamed at me and realization soon followed, striking me like lightning and I nearly fell, but fought against showing my weakness, especially in front of Tomo, even if he wasn’t paying attention. Slowly I began to move against my fear, my brain started to think more clearly, but it was jagged, staggered thoughts that seemed to be hastened by panic. My thoughts flowed wildly like a rapid river with a waterfall at the end that I felt like I was going over. The creatures weren’t hurt. Tomo was slashing them, and giving them wounds, but the wounds of the creatures healed so quickly….and Tomo… was hurt. The slashes, and scrapes and bruises were not healing quickly at all, and despite it he fought on. It wasn’t something he made obvious, it was hidden very well, in very small hints, I saw small traces of pain in his face, I saw glimpses of anger in his being, and I saw the reflection of the very same fear that had over-come me, smirking within Tomo’s beautiful eyes. Tomo’s eyes were a treasure that I considered to be the rarest, most valuable treasure in the world, and I was almost mournful that something so horrid would take residence in something so wonderful. I stared directly in those eyes of his as he fought, and for a moment I lost myself in feeling. My telepathy kicking in involuntarily, and I could sense the emotion of Tomo’s thoughts in my mind. It came to me in a jigsaw puzzle that consumed my entire brain as I tried to rapidly piece it together. Words escaped my mouth in a breath below a whisper, “His sister…” Tomo was so worried about his sister, worried because she had been taken, kidnapped by that insane fox woman that was the cause of this, the one who wanted to make their mother suffer. Now, not only was I consumed by my fear, but also Tomo’s. I swallowed hard not allowing myself to cry, as my mind picked up on more of Tomo’s thoughts, pain that he refused to give into, pain that he overwhelmed with his anger. He was upset…upset with himself? Angry at himself, blaming himself for not being able to protect her. Hurt and mad that he couldn’t do anything to help and now it was going to be too late. His sister could be dead by now, He had to help before it was too late! Before it was too late he had to do something, had to try, even if it killed him. I didn’t want to be here, I didn’t want this to happen. It wasn’t the creatures I was scared of, it was Tomo. I sensed it, knew he was going to die, the thought caused a shock that jolted my heart and forced me into the reality that I had been hiding from while Tomo’s life slipped from my fingers. After that moment my mind and my body began to act on it’s own. I made my goal in life, making sure that Tomo would one day be happy again. Happy like when I first met him. I would take small steps. My first step had taken more months to prepare than I originally estimated, a cure for his tuberculosis. I would give him hope and without reveling who, show him that someone cares for him. After that he had the option to live the way he chooses because I don’t think happiness is found in a heart hidden behind a strong wall, by ripping the wall down, slicing the heart open and digging it out. Like a wall put up piece by piece, It must be taken down piece by piece, and a heart used to darkness and safety must be handled with care, slowly adjusting to light it’s not used to and left to open and allow risk when it’s ready, only when it’s ready. To give Tomo happiness was my only wish in my life, and if something wasn’t done, if this fight was not stopped, if his sister was not retrieved safely, hope for my wish may be lost forever. That is something, I told myself, I would not allow to happen. Wings sprouted from my back as my power was unleashed and fear became a mere shadow of what it had been before. My silver hair bound by pigtails lashed around me as my body changed to accommodated my unleashed power. Sharp claws took place of fragile nails, sharp fangs formed in my mouth as my immature fox-like teeth grew stronger and shaper, my eyes grew hot and I knew their usual gold color had changed to a fiery red. The battle seemed to have been going on forever, but in truth I knew it had only been around 7 minutes. Not being able to find a weak spot, I knew I had to get them away from Tomo. I placed the stuffed fox that I carried around with me safely in my back pack and spread my wings to their full span, then slowly tucked them and prepared to lift into the air, but as I began I felt something grab hold of wrist and yank me forward and my feet instinctively followed. Tomo must have had the same idea. The creatures, who seemed immortal, were a waste of time, and continuing to fight what has an advantage when there’s somewhere else your needed would be foolish. I glanced over my shoulder at the creatures swiftly catching up with bodies built for speed and agility. Tomo’s cough caught my attention and I knew the running was nothing more than a strain to him, but he would run until he couldn’t anymore for his sister’s sake. I closed my hand around his wrist as he held onto mine and stopped only for a second to grab hold of his other then lifted into the air as a creature nearly caught us, I brought Tomo closer to me to better my grip, and felt his blood saturated cloths begin to soak mine. “We’re safe” I kept thinking, even as I sensed the dangers still surrounding us, In denial my mind repeated itself like a delusional broken record “Everything will be fine, Everything will be fine.” But everything was not fine, Tomo was exhausted and weak from blood loss, concern for others still flashed through his mind. “Don’t worry Tomo, everything will be fine, try to relax.” We both knew I was lying, he coughed violently for a while, and blood tricked from the side of his mouth. I realized he was trying to speak. “Stop Tomo, conserve your energy.” I told him, but he was in too much pain to relax, he had accepted truth before I had, but his stubbornness to get as far as he could before fate intervened spurred him on. I was glad, hopeful, “Keep fighting Tomo, just a little longer” I secured his body with one arm and placed the other lightly on his deepest wound, the deep gash in his chest. I channeled my energy to my hand and readied it to heal Tomo. It was a technique I hated to use, the healing was painful and cold and stung the victims wound as it slowly healed it and took a great amount of my energy, but at this point I didn’t care. I released the energy into his wound, but was disrupted by a sharp pain in one of my wings, claws ripping across them, I nearly screamed but even if I would have, the high-pitched screech from behind me wound have drowned it out. I spun around in the air and slashed back at the creatures face, struggling to stay in the air with the torn edge of my wing throwing me off balance. The creature’s huge wings flung at me as it propelled itself back just a few seconds to allow it’s wound to heal. I only caught a glimpse but that was all I needed to explain how the creature was flying. It had altered itself, made wings from it’s arms and bird like claws from it’s feet, it must have been those claws that tore at my wings. I swooped down into the trees for cover and glanced down at Tomo while I weaved through the branches trying to lose the perusing creature. The wind tore at my wing every time I flapped it, but it was nothing compared to Tomo’s wounds. His bright green eyes seemed faded and dull. His mature looking features were childlike and innocent. It looked like he would fall asleep soon, his eyelids seemed heavy and I thought of him sleeping. When he looked so relaxed and content, when his little black wolf ears twitched in his sleep and he looked as young as he actually was. When all of his glaring and stresses and pains are gone, lost in a subconscious fantasy world, but I quickly realized this was different, he wasn’t about to slip off into a dream world he was stuck in a nightmare. I sent not even enough healing energy to his wound to stop the bleeding before the creature once behind me had somehow gotten above me and swooped down nearly catching me again with it’s razor talons, but this time I had perceived him just before it was too late and I swooped lower to the ground and quicken my pace making dodging the trunks of trees more difficult, and my desire to heal Tomo more desperate. I placed a hand on his forehead and release my energy into his entire body. A method I hated even more, giving a large dose of energy to the wounded person for their body to work into healing and then push evenly into each wound. It wasted a colossal amount of energy as even a small scrape got the same amount of energy as a broken bone, a large bruise, a deep cut or a small bump, but it was semi effective and quick to use, since it was the victims body that worked to put it where it wanted and utilize only the healing properties. I looked at him as his small wounds healed and his larger ones stopped bleeding and he coughed up a fit from his body’s strain. I felt my grip loosen as a wave of exhaustion rushed me, I slowed against my will and thought for sure I would soon feel sharp stings of pain but instead I heard a loud thud followed by an angry screech as the creature smacked into a tree. I stole a sideways glance to confirm my relief and turned forward again to push myself faster but I was jerked to the ground as something pulled me down by my backpack. Caught by surprise I hit the ground, landing on my back, Tomo flung from my arms and my school things scattered from my shredded bag. I tore myself from the ground and ran to Tomo to shield him. I manipulated my energy into a barrier around us and wrapped my wings around the inside of the walls. I paused as I wave of dizziness rushed over me and my wings shrank into me, the claw marks on my wings jumping to my shoulder and reducing itself to small scratches that might as well have belonged to a cat, my fiery eyes cooled as my energy slowly poured into the barrier and my teeth and claws resumed their normalcy. The creatures must have sensed the weakness. The air borne creature landed and it’s wings folded into arms as it joined the other and the two circled my small barrier as the other tow from earlier caught up and the four were reunited. Tomo coughed and I shook my head to rid myself of the annoying dizzy spell. I focused on closing the larger wounds now, but I was pushed away, with surprising strength, that had an odd sense of gentleness with it.
I pulled her hands away to secure my balance as Tomo began to pick himself up. Again he was straining himself. I grabbed his hand in protest and reached to continue healing his wound with the other, but my hand was once again pushed away. “Stop” I heard him say in a tone that made me look up at his face. From his facial expression I could tell he meant it and he would fight against her if she tried to heal him again, and she knew that he already had more to fight than he could handle. My grasp on his hand automatically tightened as my body jolted from an attack to my barrier of energy. The creatures were growing impatient and had begun to attack the barrier, I released Tomo’s hand and held up my hands to reinforce the shield. Never before had I felt so tired, I’d never needed to use so much energy in one battle. With every attack landed by the creature the shield weakened. Tomo’s coughing was frequent now and short gasps could barley be made audible as he struggled for breath as calmly as he could. I turned to check on him, but as I did her barrier collapse, I felt relieved from the strain but panic followed quickly after and closed in on her as I saw Tomo standing before her covered in blood with a kind of smirk that dared the creatures to attack him. My mind stuck again and time itself seemed to slow down as two of the creatures began to run at him. “No…” my eyes narrowed as I sensed Tomo powering up. “You can’t!” my mind screamed. The world stopped around me and all that I could hear was the slow pounding of my heart. Somewhere in my mind I heard the echo of a voice, Tomo’s voice. “Well” said Tomo in a bitter sweet tone, “I’ve always wanted…” I saw him in the blackness of my thoughts, with that smile. That smile that burst with emotion and freed his features of darkness and shadow. That smile that filled his eyes with such a beautiful brightness it was as if an emerald fire had been set off within them. I could have stared at him and that smile forever. Slowly, Tomo turned away from me and brought up his hand, extending his index finger and taking aim at the creatures, the smile still on his face, he continued, “to go out… with a bang.” The creatures were drawing closer and every inch of me was screaming at me to do something, but my body refused to obey. “Spirit Gun!” shouted Tomo as his life, and the last of his energy flowed from his finger in a flash of blue light. The flash of light awakened my nerves and panicked movement came over me as it hit it’s mark. Two creatures became enveloped by the flash of energy and when the energy had passed the creatures had been disintegrated to little less than mere particles. “Weakness!” yelled my mind “Use pure energy to destroy them!” it ordered and this time I obeyed immediately. My hands came together to form an orb of energy and I flung it at the remaining creatures. As soon as their annihilation was evident I ran over to Tomo, who, having spent the last of his energy lay flat on his back on the soft ground, surrounded in a puddle of blood from his re-opened wounds. I kneeled next to him and quickly started to heal him, I didn’t care if he wanted to be healed or not. “Don’t waste your energy.” said Tomo. His voice was soft and fragile. “It’s not a waste. Stop talking your making it harder for yourself to breathe.” I ordered, slightly surprised by the shakiness in my voice. Tomo simply took my hand weakly and said again, “ Don’t.” I hesitantly stopped and looked at his hand. “But..” I couldn’t bring myself to say the rest. I looked into his eyes and saw that the fire was going out. This time his smile told me, “You and I both know that you don’t have enough energy to save me now.” I bit my lip know it was true and thinking of what to say, so many things raced across my mind and although it hurt to look at him fading away, I couldn’t bring myself to turn away. I grasped the hand he had placed on mine with both hands. Tomo reached up with his other hand and touched my cheek. Icy cold death had enveloped his body, but against my numb, frozen skin, his touch was still warm. He smiled up at me as if he were being set free. “Be good Kana.” he said in a whisper, “Be happy” he continued as the last of his breath began to escape him. “And please…take care of Rain.” His hand fell to the ground and his eyes closed. His breath stopped and he lie lifeless before her. Around me, the temperature may have dropped, but being colder than I had ever been before, I wouldn’t have noticed. Soon I would wrap his body and take it to his mother where it would be safe while I tracked down Rain and freed her, but not yet. First I would sit here and do nothing. I would lay down next to Tomo and regain my energy. While laying down I caught an object out of the corner of my eye, it was within reach so I picked it up and brought it closer. It was my fox. The stuffed one I had put in my backpack, it’s fur was dirty but still soft. I reached up and ran my fingers through Tomo’s damp hair, and smiled, “still soft” I thought dumbly, then I clutched my fox tightly to my chest and curled up burring my face into it and cried.
 HanaJaganshi · Fri Dec 02, 2005 @ 04:26am · 0 Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
