Infiltration 5
ShiKon thought that KiNa was dead for certain.
It’s all my fault!
He attacked the black-eyed monster to protect her. He drew the creature’s attention when she was cornered and stunned. She saw him fly across the room. She saw his robes shredded and dark with blood. She saw him fall and the creature loom above him.
Then the guardian of light came and saved them both.
ShiKon didn’t know what it was. Her eyes were so hazy and clouded with fearful tears that she could hardly make out the form. It seemed like a man. A man with great glowing wings.
That can’t be real, can it?
Of course, just a short time ago, she didn’t think something like the black-eyed monster was real, either.
The creature was terrifying, for certain. This fear, however, was unnatural and immobilizing. When she looked at the scythe that was now in the creature’s hands. When she saw the cold gray skin and the dripping black hair. The dark voids within its eyes reflected something that trembled just on the edge of her memories, but she didn’t know what.
It knew my name…
ShiKon fought many tough fights in her life. But, this creature struck her with a terror so deep that when she finally did regain her senses, she lashed out at it as if her life depended on it. It was pure instinct driven from something she couldn’t remember.
It wasn’t attacking until I struck at it. Maybe I caused all this.
The Light Guardian fought to hold his ground against the monster. Though he swung his staff with precision and moved with sure and flowing grace, his strength and speed were hard-pressed to match his opponent.
The monster, on the other hand, lost all semblance of sanity and fought like a wild animal. It slashed the sickle blade with the ease of inhuman strength and battle-honed practice. In flickers of blue flame, it disappeared, only to reappear on the other side of the Light Guardian.
The Light Guardian appeared to know this trick, though. He remained focused on the creature, sweeping around to meet the scythe blow for blow. Crackling blue energies raced up the glowing gold staff only to be repelled with a whiplash that sounded like a lightning strike.
We are so in over our heads here.
Finding that she was in control of her limbs once more, ShiKon pushed herself to a crouch. Thankfully, the battle was taking place on the far end of the room. Books and furniture took the brunt of the blows - paper, wood and cloth slinging through the air as the dark blade sliced through everything, seeking an opening in its opponent’s defenses.
The doorway was a straight shot for her, unblocked by the fight. It would take nothing to make a run for it. Fear goaded her to race down the stairs, out of the crazy tower, and into the safety of the shadows of the streets, somewhere she knew all too well.
I can’t just leave KiNa.
Her green eyes flickered back over to his cringing form. He was still alive and still conscious. But she didn’t know if he had it in him to make an escape.
I can’t believe I’m doing this…
Rather than racing to the door, she went the opposite direction, towards the slumped form of KiNa. A short time ago, it would have been everyone for themselves. ShiKon had only one person to look out for, and that was herself.
Still, he risked his life for me.
He wasn’t always impressive or brave. He was a huge nerd and his plans were pure crazy with more holes than sliced cheese. But she couldn’t deny that he protected her and probably saved her life.
I’m just evening the score. That’s all…
The thought was nothing more than a hollow lie as she took a hold of his arm.
“ShiKon…?” his voice was watery to her ears.
“Come on, we have to get out of here,” she tugged at him. “You can walk, right?”
“I think so,” KiNa rasped, struggling to make sense of what was happening.
A gutted bookcase crashed into the wall right above ShiKon’s head. The room shook as a brilliant white light illuminated the chamber, flashing spots across her vision. “Move… move!”
He redoubled his efforts, leaning heavily against her shoulder as he caught his balance. He moved with a slight limp as they struggled towards the door, half stumbling when they reached the stairs. The doorway behind pulsed with alternating blue and white light as the battle raged on the other side.
Somehow, she managed to guide KiNa down the stairs without falling flat on their faces. They made for the gate, then down the hall to the half-open door, breaths rasping in their throats.
Where do we go from here?
“Master… SoYa’s… office…” KiNa croaked.
“We can’t go there. What if they find us and make the connections?” she protested.
“Healing supplies,” he told her. “They aren’t looking… for us… with a battle like that… up there.”
“I hope you’re right,” ShiKon hissed rushing them down the hall as fast as the boy could limp.
A few times, she got turned around, trying to run through an unfamiliar building in the pitch dark. A few guards still raced up and down the halls, but ducking into well-placed shadows kept them from being discovered. With some of KiNa’s navigating and careful mind-mage senses, ShiKon finally found the door to Master SoYa’s office. When she opened it, she was grateful to see that it was vacant and safe.
Quickly, she moved KiNa to the comfy sitting chair, then stripped off the torn robes and his under shirt.
This looks bad.
ShiKon was no healer. But she did know she needed to clean and bind the wounds to prevent further blood loss and infection. She also knew they needed to get rid of the blood-splattered robes to prevent suspicion.
KiNa pointed up at a small chest on Master SoYa’s shelf. The girl grabbed a step-stool and climbed up, pulling the chest down and sliding the lid open.
Bandages, salve, and disinfectant. Perfect.
The girl’s hands shook as she worked to pull the lid from the disinfectant. With untrained motions, she poured it on a rag and held it to the gashes across the boy’s chest. KiNa gave a low cry of pain as the wounds fizzed. ShiKon quickly shoved her free hand over his mouth.
“Be quiet, you big baby!” she reprimanded more harshly than she meant. “We’ll get found out if they hear us!”
He moaned, the sound muffled under her fingers. Working as quickly as she could, ShiKon finished cleaning out the gashes. They were still bleeding opening, even as she began wrapping his torso with the bandages and holding cloth.
“We need to get you back to Master SoYa,” the girl whispered. “He’ll be able to heal this.”
“Can’t risk it… too many out there,” KiNa shook his head through bared teeth.
She knew he was right about that. They would be caught before they even got to the city gates, if the gates weren’t already under heavy guard. There was no way she could move him as far as the base, not without causing more pain and likely more damage.
“I can go find him and bring him here,” ShiKon offered, trying to hide the worry in her voice. “He should be back in his room where we left him.”
“Locked in…” KiNa added with a slight laugh. “He’s never going to forgive us for this.”
“Shh… shh… It’ll be fine,” the girl wiped his face, trying to comfort him. “Master SoYa just wants you to be okay.”
The boy’s face looked suddenly downcast, “We failed, didn’t we?”
“We didn’t fail. We just didn’t know what was there,” she reassured him.
“We failed. We didn’t take down the leader,” KiNa repeated somewhat bitterly.
ShiKon frowned, “You weren’t going to do it anyhow. You were chickening out.”
He wheezed a few heavy breaths, then shook his head. “I’m not even sure what good it would have done. It sounds like there’s something much bigger controlling the Manor.”
“You stabbed him, though, didn’t you?” she pointed out.
KiNa froze, blinking a few times. “Actually… yes.”
“And your dagger was poisoned.”
“Yes, it was,” the boy ‘s expression turned thoughtful. It flickered between relief, shame, and sorrow.
“That means that…”
“Whatever it was might be dead soon,” KiNa swallowed.
ShiKon also felt relief about that. “Let’s hope it dies. Whatever that monster was, it doesn’t need to be here hidden in the top of a school full of kids.”
“Yeah,” the boy agreed. He didn’t sound so certain, though.
“Okay, you stay right here,” she got to her feet. “I’ll go find--”
KiNa’s hand reached out and grabbed hers. His fingers were clammy and shaky, but they gripped her hand with more strength than she realized he had.
“Stay with me,” he begged softly.
“What? But if I don’t go and find…”
“If you go out there, I might lose you,” he choked a bit. There was real sorrow in his words and on his face now. “I almost did… I almost lost you before I could tell you…”
ShiKon felt her breath catch in her chest. Her heartbeat quickened under the warmth of his fingers. Her voice was quiet and almost girlish, “Tell me what?”
KiNa didn’t answer. His eyes fluttered as he struggled to keep them open. Then, with a quiet slump, he passed into a silent sleep.
She touched his face with her cool hands, stroking his faded-freckled cheek. That sensation returned, the annoying and undeniable emotion. A helpless, worried feeling accompanied it now.
He’s right. Leaving now wouldn’t be a help to anyone if I’m captured.
Instead, ShiKon remained at his side, stroking the hair out of his face. Her insides wrenched about as his words resounded in her mind. She knew that they mirrored her own unspoken thoughts.
Please stay strong, KiNa. I don’t want to lose you before I can tell you…