The Unraveling - It Spreads
Blessed
12-11-2024, 12:18 PM
The world blurred into irrelevance; there was only the monster, the blood on the ice, and the chill she felt in her heart.
The worm writhed beneath her assault, and every motion only served to feel like a mockery. Barghest was beyond reason. She tore at the cracks in its armored flesh with the desperation of someone who had nothing left to lose.
Every breath was a struggle in the frigid air, a battle between her body's limit and the demand of blood by her rage. Blood, her own and the worm's sickly clear fluids, slicked her fur and pooled within her maw as the beast convulsed, thrashing violently in its death throes. Barghest clung to its massive form, her teeth sinking into the wounds with savagery and pulling away more and more of it’s insides.
And then it flung her away, easily throwing her to the ground in such a way that she’d nearly caught herself and thrust back into the fray—only she landed wrong. Her rear ankle made an audible snapping noise, her weight crumbling harshly as her jaw thudded against the ground. Stinging, cutting, her ankle felt equally on fire and cold as ice. Thankfully her fall muffled the sound of her pained cry, her ears folding back as she took a register of the pain and exhaustion in her body.
The silence that followed was deafening. Was it over? Her bright gaze shifted from the limp and dangling sight of the worm, seemingly defeated—to the crumpled form of her sister.
Gem.
Barghest stumbled toward her, her legs trembling, her breath hitching with every step. Her teeth clenched, refusing to cry out from the pain of her foot. She fell to her knees beside her sister, her paws trembling as she reached out to touch her, to confirm what her heart already knew. Gem’s fur was still warm, her expression eerily peaceful, as though she were merely asleep. But the blood that had once surged through her veins now painted the ice in a damning display of crimson. The ice shard that had truly taken her life protruding from her jugular like a sick final victory from the beast. The ache in her chest dwarfed the pain in her ankle. She wanted to curl up beside her sister, to wail and scream and demand the gods undo what had been done, but others were watching. And Barghest didn't have the luxury of falling apart, she still had to make it home. Take Gem home.
“I’m sorry,” Barghest whispered, her voice cracking as tears blurred her vision. She fought down a lump in her throat, brows knitting together as she muttered her apologies. “I’m so sorry, Gem.” What was she going to tell her mother? How could she, knowing it would break her heart?
She lowered her head to Gem’s shoulder, the weight of grief crashing over her in full in this cold cavern, and even colder world.
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The worm writhed beneath her assault, and every motion only served to feel like a mockery. Barghest was beyond reason. She tore at the cracks in its armored flesh with the desperation of someone who had nothing left to lose.
Every breath was a struggle in the frigid air, a battle between her body's limit and the demand of blood by her rage. Blood, her own and the worm's sickly clear fluids, slicked her fur and pooled within her maw as the beast convulsed, thrashing violently in its death throes. Barghest clung to its massive form, her teeth sinking into the wounds with savagery and pulling away more and more of it’s insides.
And then it flung her away, easily throwing her to the ground in such a way that she’d nearly caught herself and thrust back into the fray—only she landed wrong. Her rear ankle made an audible snapping noise, her weight crumbling harshly as her jaw thudded against the ground. Stinging, cutting, her ankle felt equally on fire and cold as ice. Thankfully her fall muffled the sound of her pained cry, her ears folding back as she took a register of the pain and exhaustion in her body.
The silence that followed was deafening. Was it over? Her bright gaze shifted from the limp and dangling sight of the worm, seemingly defeated—to the crumpled form of her sister.
Gem.
Barghest stumbled toward her, her legs trembling, her breath hitching with every step. Her teeth clenched, refusing to cry out from the pain of her foot. She fell to her knees beside her sister, her paws trembling as she reached out to touch her, to confirm what her heart already knew. Gem’s fur was still warm, her expression eerily peaceful, as though she were merely asleep. But the blood that had once surged through her veins now painted the ice in a damning display of crimson. The ice shard that had truly taken her life protruding from her jugular like a sick final victory from the beast. The ache in her chest dwarfed the pain in her ankle. She wanted to curl up beside her sister, to wail and scream and demand the gods undo what had been done, but others were watching. And Barghest didn't have the luxury of falling apart, she still had to make it home. Take Gem home.
“I’m sorry,” Barghest whispered, her voice cracking as tears blurred her vision. She fought down a lump in her throat, brows knitting together as she muttered her apologies. “I’m so sorry, Gem.” What was she going to tell her mother? How could she, knowing it would break her heart?
She lowered her head to Gem’s shoulder, the weight of grief crashing over her in full in this cold cavern, and even colder world.
Barghest is an androgynous woman, meaning she exhibits both masculine and feminine traits at the same time.