I don’t know if I’d become a tiger-donkey-unicorn if the kid managed to bite me, but I wasn’t taking any chances. He’d already cut up my left front leg with his claws. I poured my magic into the injury, dulling the pain. This stabilized me enough to be able to bop the yowling tiger boy in his nose with a well-timed front hoof. He stumbled back onto his butt, giving poor Sapphire a spare few seconds to breathe. I was about to spin around, refocus on Alton and the two-on-one fight happening over him. Lilian and Belkross versus Salim. Honestly, in hindsight, it was surprising that it’d taken this long for the bomb to go off, but here we were. Salim’s machinations had been partly responsible for Alton’s mutation-on that I was dead sure-and Lilian was trying to reverse it using Wyrlynd’s curse.
At least, I hoped that was her motive. She wasn’t an angel. She and Belkross were likely on the opposing side’s team actually, but I still wanted to trust her. If only for Alton’s sake. I still had a vow to keep. The vow Nakoda and I had made to protect Alton ever since we’d rescued him from the wrecked Jenivere.
I was about to turn when the little Rider in question suddenly squeaked out, “Guys! He’s back! Revalynd’s back!”
I looked to where he was pointing with his lance. Sure enough, Revalynd was running on all fours over to us. My donkey half immediately screamed for me to run away, NOW! Outside looking in, it did look pretty bad, especially with Sapphire’s grapnel still lodged into Wyrlynd’s side. That being said, even with context-tricking the boy into using his curse to try and fix Alton-it was all still all kinds of horrible.
Paco also reacted to Nakoda’s shout. He trained his rifle on the incoming, big-teeth-and-claws-having-threat. “If nobody does anything, I’m shooting,” he called out matter-of-factly.
Beneath his shout another voice groaned, “Uuuh-Ow! What’s-ow, ow, ow-g-going o-on?”
Wyrlynd was trying to sit up with limited success thanks to the grapnel. He was back in elf form, his mouth, chest, and hands caked in blood. He blinked repeatedly down at the grapnel and then followed the cord attacked to it back to Sapphire’s gun. His eyes went wide and in that moment it became impossible for me to know what he was thinking.
Sapphire’s face fell. “…You lost control,” she said, a tremor in her voice. “I…I had to…”
Wyrlynd looked down at himself again. Really looked at himself, at his blood-covered hands. He then took in a deep breath before grabbing the grapnel and yanking it out of his side. Because of the pain his eyes flashed amber and his teeth sharped into fangs, but he didn’t fully transform. He released the bloody grapnel, allowing it to return to Sapphire’s gun, and then stumbled to his feet. He swayed drunkenly, his own blood streaming down his side.
“GROOOOOOOOWRRR!”
Revalynd’s booming roar made his son spin around, surprise suppressing pain, if only for the moment. “Dad? No, Dad! I…They’re t-trying to save their friend!”
Wyrlynd stumbled forward, reaching out towards his father. On instinct, Paco turned and aimed his rifle at him. Thank the gods for Turtle. The big lizard moved quicker than I’d ever seen him do before. He leapt in between the boy and the gunslinger, shaking his head repeatedly. Paco backed off, retraining his gun on Revalynd just in case.
“Dad!” Wyrlynd screamed. “Stop!”
Nakoda didn’t understand the kid, but they must have been on the same wavelength. He dropped his lance, threw his hands straight up, and yelped, “Please don’t eat us, Mr. Tiger-Sir!”
Revalynd leapt.
And all maybe four-hundred pounds of him landed in front of Nakoda. Standing on his hind legs, back arched, claws outstretched on either side, he lowered his face low enough for his breath to ruffle Nakoda’s hair. The color drained from my brother’s face (along with some other things, I’m sure). A tense moment followed where I was sure that Paco was going to shoot, setting the tiger man off. Yet, mercifully, the gunslinger stilled his hand. Revalynd’s eyes glanced past Nakoda, to his son.
“Dad,” Wyrlynd called over to him beseechingly, tears spilling from his eyes. “It’s okay! I-I’m sorry! Please stop!”
Revalynd didn’t relax necessarily, but more humanity (or, I guess, elvanity) returned to his eyes. It suppressed the tiger’s rage and bloodlust. Good thing, too, because it was another monster’s turn to retake center stage.
A blur of dark movement out of the corner of my eye snatched my attention. Salim was using his shade to keep both Lilian and Belkross occupied. The flying shadow zipped back and forth, evading their weapons and Lilian’s flames, while also threatening to fly into their mouths. Meanwhile Salim was still kneeling at Alton’s side, this time grabbing him with both hands. The man’s gaping mouth still hung wide open, overtaking the front of his skull entirely. Salim’s face was slick with sweat as he whispered continuously under his breath.
Straining my ears I made out, “Your vessel is in danger! Do not let it slip away, allow it to be taken! I feel your power! Use it-!”
“HAHAHAHAHA!” the laughter burst from the mouth, turning the very air around them green. It terrible presence buffeted me, giving me no choice but to take several steps back. “SO THAT YOU MAY GROW COMPLACENT? EXPECTING MY AID EVERY TIME YOU ARE OVERCOME BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN WEAKNESS?”
Salim shuddered beneath the pressure of his god’s power but managed to push forward. “Then t-take what you will and abandon me!” he snarled.
“TAKE? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO GIVE THAT IS NOT ALREADY MINE?”
“…Blood,” Salim began.
“YES, BLOOD.” The mouth frowned thoughtfully before smiling again. “ALONG WITH YOUR VOICE, SO THAT YOU MAY NEVER ASK FOR THIS BOON AGAIN.”
I don’t know if it was a coincidence or if Salim’s god noticed Lilian distracting the shade long enough for Belkross to get through. Either way, both requirements were paid with a single swing. The mercenary’s blade sliced through the air, cutting open Salim’s throat. Blood sprayed across Alton’s body, into that twisted, horrible, grinning mouth. The blood was quickly followed after by strings of green energy that hummed with random, overlapping words said in Salim’s voice. They flowed from his throat and into Alton’s chest, into his heart, binding them.
Pop!
With sound of a tiny bubble bursting both of them disappeared into thin air, taking the shade with them.