[Center][h1]Moss V[/h1][/center] [hr] Moss held the dagger in her hand tight. The rain continued to beat down in sheets that made the creek rise. Water began to slosh over her feet and she shivered from the cold. This was not how she had envisioned she would die. Certainly not with her pupils- her family, by her side. No, they were going to live far longer than she. Somewhere safe with their own families. Not where civilization never crept and children's stories turned into living nightmares. Moss prayed to any god who might have been listening. But none answered. The demons came. Then the bundled sword embedded itself into a charging demon. Cloth and all. The thing screamed as it died, suffusing with a terrible light as it became molten. Moss was too stunned to take a step back. That had not been how Damyl or her cousin Desmond. It was terrible. She watched as the cloth burned away into cinders and the sword ate it all up, hovering in the air as if on a phantom wind. It was a brief flash of light that lit up the world in the pouring rain. Only to be snuffed out by something far worse than any demon. That, she had always known. It didn’t make it any less surreal. The sword shot towards another demon, bisecting it as it spun into another, cutting its head in half like a watermelon. There was a sickening sound as the corpses hit the water with a splash. Black blood intertwined with brimming silver, leached from the corpses like paint hit with lacquer. The other demons paused, re-assessing with what little time they had. Evidently, they did not care if they died. For one struck out towards Rahdayo and Teefee, seeking to bypass Zafrina who stood guard over them. As the sword twisted in the air, cutting down the others with grisly efficiency, this lone demon sought those that could not fight back. Moss felt her feet begin to move but she could only watch as it let Zafrina swing at its arm, hacking into the flesh and leaving the limb dangling. Moss began to shout. Rahdayo put up his arm to ward off the attack as the demon’s claw swiped. The sword found its mark true, embedding itself into the side of the creature, penetrating the flesh all the way up to its hilt. The beast dropped dead as the sword slipped out. The sword swirled around and cut in half another demon as it sprang at them. Moss felt a sigh of relief as she got to them. They were unharmed. They were fine. They would b- Zafrina screamed. Moss looked at her with wide eyes, she had dropped her sword and now clutched her left wrist. There was a cut there, beginning to flow with silver and red. The goblin cursed as she rounded Rahdayo, who was trying to stand, and Teefee who had pressed her hands over her ears. Pieter flashed before Moss’s eyes. He had been cut. His wound had been a mere scratch and yet… And yet… Moss cursed and pushed Zafrina to the ground. She fell to her knees, oblivious to it all as she began to spasm. “Hold her still!” Moss screamed at Rahdayo. The boy obeyed with fear in his eyes. Moss plucked Zafrina’s sword from the water and rose it high. “Forgive me.” She cried as she brought the blade down upon Zafrina’s upper arm. There was a stark silence amidst the rain as the blade cut true. Zafrina’s arm fell off into the water and the dark haired girl lost consciousness. Rahdayo had to hold her up or she would have drowned. He looked at Moss with a mix of terror and anger. Moss couldn’t think of that now. “We need to bind that wound and stop the bleeding.” She leaned down to inspect the cut, it had been right above the elbow and now just a stump. But she only saw red. Not the poison. Zafrina might end up hating her but at least she’d live. That was if they could stop the bleeding. If she lost any more blood… Moss ripped some cloth from the lower part of her shirt. A long strip that she tied as tight as she could above the cut to staunch the flow of blood. Rahdayo ripped off half his shirt and began to hold it to her stump. “Keep it there. Keep it there.” Moss said quickly, falling to her knees before Teefee. She grabbed the cat girl by the sides of her arms and said her name. Teefee’s eyes were shut tight and she was murmuring something to herself. Moss began to shake her, repeating her name. When she at last yelled it, Teefee’s eyes snapped open and she lowered her hands from her ears. “Teefee! You have to be brave now, do you understand? I need you. Zafrina needs you. Rahdayo needs you.” Moss pleaded. “Teefee-” She croaked, “Teefee isn’t brave like big sis Shah. Teefee is scared.” “It’s okay to be scared at a time like this, sweet one. But you can’t let it control you. No more hiding now. Your family needs you.” Teefee shut her eyes as if steadying herself. Moss gave her a final push with, “You [i]can[/i] be brave like big sis Shah, Teefee. I know you already are.” Teefee opened her eyes with a look of determination. She nodded in agreement and Moss smiled at her. “We need to get out of the creek and into shelter. Can you help with that, Teefee?” “Teefee can help. Teefee will help!” She got to her feet and went to Rahdayo, who also smiled at her. They began to drag Zafrina toward the other side of the creek. Moss looked back at the battle but found that the sword was hanging in place above its triumph. Cautiously, Moss made her approach. The sword glowed softly, its reflective surface like a mirror. She saw herself, a version of herself that was battered and bloodied. She wanted to hate the sword. It was too perfect. Too dangerous. Yet some innate part of her could only feel awe. It had slain the demons, that was evident by the black streaks in the water. Silver-tinged, as the water rose. It was up to her calves now. The sword seemed to hum as she stood before it. Then it began to speak. Voices alone, conjoined, loud and soft. Male, female, deep and light. Twisted and angelic. [i]“Use me.” “Caress me.” “Wield me!” “More, more, more.” “No no no!” “Whyyyyy?” “Stop it!” “Don’t, please don’t!” “I hate you!” “Love me[/i].” Madness. It was madness. Could a sword even go mad? Moss took a step back. This was beyond her. It was beyond any of them. Where was the voice that had helped her? Why did it not speak? Where was it? The sword’s point was suddenly right before her. Moss froze. Her reflexes hadn’t been fast enough. She was caught. Oh by the gods she was caught. Panic swelled within her. The sword spoke again. “Moss.” It was the woman’s voice from before. “I can’t control them.” She sounded strained, as if her focus on the conversation was an afterthought. “So many voices. So much passion. You can’t… Touch me... Bare. Do you understand? I apologize about... friend. The killing was… Is… Almost quenched. We must… Go home. To [i]her[/i]. Fix… Control.” Moss blinked as the blade flashed with a bright light. Before her there came a very strange thing. Her mind couldn’t comprehend it at all at first. A wooden boat that had, mysteriously, silver-like… wheels? It was a [i]buggy![/i] A buggy! A goblin buggy from the lands across the sea! Where goblins lived on the surface in their Tricity and held grand races. Moss felt her heart jump with excitement. A loud thunk shocked her back to her senses. The sword had fallen into the water. How would she… She noticed something white in the buggy. It was cloth. Carefully, ever so carefully, she wrapped the sword once more and got into the driver seat of the buggy. Truth be told, she had no idea how to use it but she had a vague understanding of how. There seemed to be some strange devices at the front. A smooth bone wheel she placed her hands on. She felt her feet touch something and the buggy lurched forward, jostling her. Moss began to grin stupidly. This was going to be fun. Yet it was not the fun of it that propelled her forward. After securing her wounded pupils in the back and the sword, Moss had taken them up and out of the creek. It was still dark and there were no roads to speak of, so it was all chance. Well, until Teefee flicked something at the front and light burst forth. After a few stern words with Teefee, Moss had told her not to touch anything anymore. She didn’t want to end up breaking something or sending them into a ravine at a sudden burst of speed. She had no idea how to use the buggy as it was, well, at least properly. She took the path of least resistance. It was a bumpy ride all the same. But at least now, they had a chance. Moss looked back at Zafrina and Rahdayo. He had her propped up against him in the back, the young man looking sleepy. Zafrina was still unconscious. The bleeding had stopped but she looked too pale. It drove Moss to action. They had to get help. They just had to. But would it be too late? [hider=Summary] The sword saves them from an untimely demise but at a great cost. 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