Chapter 406 - Together, Finish It

With the grossed out look present on his expression, she trusted him as she readied herself for the final confrontation with the gargantuan, emerald-eyed alpha. 

Just as it returned to its feet, she nimbly scaled the verdant battlefield.

"Come on, you've got this, Aiko," he muttered.

It's painful, but I have to be patient and trust that she can hold her hand, he thought.

It took total willpower to command her body to move with its inherit swiftness as he dodged around its massive paws, managing to climb its body before standing atop its snout.

"Gahh!" She yelled out.

—The war cry bolstered her resolve to commit the repulsive act as she dug both of her silver gauntlets into the beast's glowing eyes.

A squelch echoed as she reached into its eye sockets, causing the alpha to howl in pain as it began thrashing.

Come on…! She gritted her teeth.

Yanking her arms back, she plucked the emerald eyes from the hound's sockets before jumping back.

As she landed on her feet, she discarded the eyes with a disgusted "yuck!" resounding.

Left blinded as its empty sockets spewed a mix of blood and pus, the beast writhed in agony.

"…Nice job, Aiko. Guess it's my turn," he moved forward.

He was able to safely approach the agonized beast as it howled in pain, though the problem rose in getting close enough to reach it as it thrashed around violently.

It's massive claws dug up the soil while it's tail smashed against the surrounding trees. With no sight to guide it, the grotesque mouths present on the sides of its body opened, releasing verdant flames that sprayed the nearby grass. 

Hot! Hot! He jumped back. 

Waiting for the mindless barrage of flames to end, he approached once again with abundant sweat clinging to his skin. 

Nice and steady. It was necessary to blind it for this next step…otherwise, I'd be turned to ash, he thought.

Waiting for the perfect moment, he found it as the beast momentarily lowered its head with its maw parted to unleash its pained howls.

"Got you!" He yelled.

Stomping his boot down on its lower lip, he managed to hold its jaw completely open while holding its upper lip with his free hand.

It wasn't an easy feat; not only did he make up for his weakened state through reinforcement, the beast's jaw attempted to close, bestowing a sharp pressure on his injured shoulder. Maybe worst of all for him, the deathly breath inhabiting the beast's mouth caught his nose like a storm that carried a sewer-dwelling skunk. 

…Let's get this over with! He thought.

As a glimpse of verdant smoke peeked from its throat, he didn't hesitate to flip his blade in his hand, roaring out as he stabbed it upwards through the roof of the alpha's mouth.

Without hindrance, the steel reached into the skull of the monstrous entity, piercing its brain as a whimper released, only followed by the lifelessness of the hound.

"…Done," he huffed.

However, an unseen, final retaliation from the hound came in the form of a powerful swipe of its paw that slammed against his chest--forcing the air from his lungs. 

Crap!...I wasn't expecting that--my reinforcement wasn't active…! He thought. 

Stumbling back, he was caught before falling as Aiko supported him from behind. For a moment, he blanked out from the sheer impact of the unseen, final hit from the monstrous hound. 

Despite the full-body ache that resounded through his bones like an agonizing chime, he forced himself to his feet. 

"Thanks," he forced a partial smile. 

"You smell pretty bad right now, you know," Aiko said between breaths.

"Yeah," he chuckled, "I don't think you can talk."

After a minute of regaining their breath, the young man walked over back to where he placed the tree log, bringing it back atop his unafflicted shoulder with a sharp exhale. 

...I think I should be fine, he thought. 

"I don't think they'll blame you if you don't return with wood after this…" Aiko spoke worryingly. 

He chuckled wryly, wincing a bit as laughing brought on a sharp pain, "...Listen, I did not just fight a pack of dogs just to return empty-handed. Besides, the sickness did seem to disappear with that big one." 

"Still…" She muttered. 

Looking at the worry that shined over her amethyst eyes, he sighed before standing beside her. 

"If that's the case, then why not lend me a shoulder?" He asked with a small smile. 

She seemed delighted to help, assisting him in carrying the gray-skinned tree log as they slowly traversed the forest. 

"Any clue on which way to go?" He asked. 

Aiko shook her head slowly before answering, "...Not at all." 

"Looks like we're in for a bit of a journey, then--" his words ended with a chain of coughs that spilled blood from his lips. 

Nearly keeling over, he dropped the log to the ground, only saved from falling by the girl's assistance. 

"Ren?!" She called his name desperately. 

"...My bad, looks like I got a bit reckless back there, huh?" He answered quietly as his voice became hoarse. 

Lifting the garments covering his torso, he revealed the state of his upper-body to both himself and the girl: a black, extensive bruise scaled over his chest, making even the slightest breaths send a visceral pain through his body. 

"Ren, that's…" Her voice quivered as she saw the affliction. 

He dropped his coat back down as he huffed,  "I didn't feel it then with all of the adrenaline...but the big guy hit me pretty hard back there." 

Shit, just breathing is taking everything I have. Each breath feels like a dozen knives, all pressing against my chest with a sharp pressure. All of the blood I've lost...my body feels mostly numb, he thought. 

"We...we have to--" Aiko stammered out. 

She was stopped as she watched him slowly shake his head. It was that look in the eyes; without him saying anything, she understood what it was he intended by that somber veil over his hazel irises--a pain he tried to hide with a smile. 

"Aiko," his voice came out weak and raspy, "...I can't move." 

"What're you saying?" She asked quietly with wide, trembling eyes. 

He didn't answer as he looked down at his hands, witnessing his vision swirl and blur from a combination of the weakness of his body and the realization coming to his mind. 

I must be bleeding internally...quite a bit, he thought. 

The noises of the wildlife inhabiting the mystical, deadly forest seemed louder than ever, as if cementing the situation he found himself in. 

I messed up. Just one, little mistake, and...bam. Just like that...I'm probably going to die, he thought. 

"I'm only going to slow you down, Aiko," he finally answered. 

"Why? Why're you telling me this?" She asked in a quiet tremble. 

He focused on breathing for a few moments before answering, "You have to go without me--"

Before he could properly finish his words, a slap landed against his unafflicted cheek as his head turned, mostly out of surprise. 

For a moment, he sat there with a completely perplexed, shocked look inhabiting his eyes before he held his cheek, looking up at the girl as he was unable to stand. 

Even though he was the one that just received an abrasive smack, she was the one that looked to inhabit far more pain than him as tears flowed down her cheeks; with futility, she attempted to compose herself, yet the waterworks didn't stop. 

"You really think I'm that weak?! That useless?!" Aiko shouted. 

Her tearful yells traveled against the ambience of the forest, unnerving him as he tried to stop her, "Aiko, calm--"

"Even after all this time, you still won't trust me…!" 

"What're you…?" He let out slowly. 

Through the tears that traversed her amethyst eyes, she took a moment to answer as she compiled her breath, "...Do you really think I'm so weak that I'd abandon a friend…? Do I seem that helpless? That scared?" 

Hearing such emotion-filled words fall from her lips as they were accompanied by her tears, he couldn't find any words to respond with. 

...Is that really how you feel, Aiko? I guess...it's true. I've treated you like a child all this time, like a little sister I have to shield from the harshness of this place. But, you came here of your own volition, didn't you? You came here with a goal of your own...hell, you even cleared the first floor alone, he thought. 

"Aiko, I'm sorry…" 

"No more talking! You're coming back with me!" She affirmed. 

"But--" 

"No 'buts'! Now, come on!" She rejected his words. 

There was nothing he could do; the usually meek girl took on the complete, unmatched stubbornness of the Lucrauvian prince as she helped the young man back up by lending him her shoulder. 

"...Thanks," he muttered through an arduous breath. 

"Mm," she nodded. 

Slowly, but surely, they trudged through the dreadful forest in search of their camp.