As she was about to slump down again something strong wrapped around her sides and kept her upright, while a whole lot of feelings came tumbling down together with the adrenaline that was no more. Mashyuu’s voice sounded worried at first, and then panicked once he saw the actual damage the sword had inflicted. The warmth had slowly made way for a stabbing pain and made the young maiden grunt shortly, yet bit her lip when cloth was wrapped around her waist and a cold shield bumped into her back to keep her upright and shielded at the same time. The slayer tried to say comforting words to her as he commanded Itsu, but they seemed contradicting to the way he was acting, and it made her chuckle softly, the smile remaining in her lips as she was hoisted unto his broad back and laid her face down against his shoulder, with one hand softly gripping his brown gi as he walked on. ”I’m fine, Mashyuu, truly, just calm down for a bit and take a deep breath…” Kenna smiled against his shoulder, until another grunt filled her lungs and made her side sting like hell. She heard Mashyuu scowl and back away, then silently put her back down and readied himself to fight. Itsu was already busy keeping the many skeletons that had appeared at bay, and Mashyuu soon joined her side, but only after having cast a spell to engulf the young raven-haired maiden inside a protective shell of sand. The last thing she saw before the light was shrouded by the sand was the slayer’s back as he charged into the fray.
Kenna didn’t notice much more of the fighting, having both sight and sound brought back to a minimum. The ruckus and clamoring resonated from afar, while the maiden trapped within the sandy cocoon felt her consciousness fading as she lost more and more blood, the decreased focus now her senses were deprived within the protective case of sand soothing her into closing her eyes and taking a rest. By the time she’d been taken out of the protective barrier and scooped into the slayer’s strong arms she was more gone than present, and drifted in a status of being awake and asleep, while her blood had soaked the left side of her clothing entirely. Within this silence and darkness of her unconsciousness, a mental meeting between the god and his vessel was bound to be repeated again.
“You’re doing it again, my child…. Always jumping into things with such reckless abandon.” Akhator’s voice boomed throughout the darkness of her mind, gentle yet firm. Kenna could not see where he was, but did not seem creeped out by that fact either, and only stared off into the distance as she heard the ancient Fire God sigh deeply. Beside her a single spectral flame appeared, glowing brighter with every passing second until it hung about at eye-height, a 3 foot flare with faded edges, and the face of what seemed a demonic presence. “Last time you were here was because of fire… and now, steel. The irony befalls you, to be struck down by that what you represent.” Akhator said softly. “But at least now you aren't as freaked out as you were then; you’ve matured a bit, my child.” Kenna, who’d only remained silent now frowned and glanced at the flaring spectral entity beside her. ”What do you mean, before…? Do you know something I don't? About my past?” He did not meet her gaze, nor bothered replying right away and instead forced a deafening silence upon their conversation. He started fading, and spoke only seconds before she was pulled back into the light. "Even if I know, a God should not bother with lost causes, such as is your memory. Now wake up!”
The scent of fire filled her nostrils yet again, and Kenna shook her head as she tried to clear it of the veil of emptiness that shrouded her mind. She accidently bumped her head into something hard, and when getting a closer look at whatever it was, gazed upon the earth-colored gi that wrapped around Mashyuu’s broad torso. At the moment she wanted to move her legs the Earth God Slayer put her down beside the fire, and her legs gladly took in the warmth radiating from it while she glanced up into the blue eyes that were signature to this man’s visage. Both seemed to share a moment of silence and blush before Mashyuu announced he would take care of the bandit chief by himself, and the maiden was about to protest if it wasn't for Itsu joining her side and putting a strong hand on her shoulder. She bit her lip as she tried to suppress the pain in her side and nodded in response to the untold fact the azure-haired beauty had so simply conveyed to her. This wound had to be dealt with first if she wanted to be of any use. Thus when Mashyuu closed the iron door behind him, Kenna asked Itsu to bring her something thick to bite on. She carefully reached out for the sword that had been left in the fire by the previous owners of the camp and took a deep breath as she readied herself for this suicidal deed. It would scar badly, but she had already gone through the scorching pain of metal before, so rather feel that again than to bleed to death. Hypothermia be damned, nor the probable infections she’d get if she didn't. Itsu brought back a piece of wood and frowned as she saw Kenna poking at the sword before taking it out of the fire, but helped her bite down on it after having been given the right instructions to help out. The metallic heat felt pleasant as it came closer to her skin, but the sizzling and searing pain that followed after made her cry out in agony, even through her make-shift gag. After a few minutes the hot red steel was removed from her skin, showing how nicely the deep cut had been scorched closed. Crawling a bit further away Kenna spit out the gag and laid on her good side, panting heavily with sweat trickling down her forehead as she stared at the great iron gates behind her. A loud bang echoed as something hit the iron doors, startling the two women and leaving them with a scared heart for the fighting slayer behind said door. She struggled badly, but Kenna defied the warnings Itsu gave her as she tried to scramble to her feet and even lashed out at the loyal right hand with Antares’s scabbard. ”I won't sit by and watch as he fights alone Itsu! I can't. I don't want to, and you won't stop me!” Kenna nearly threatened, shakily keeping Antares at the height of her own chest. A hand pressed against the throbbing closed wound in a futile gesture to try and ignore it, but she couldn’t. Her body was yet too weak to do so, and thus she hunched forth, softly sliding her leg as she moved against the iron door and slowly pushed it open with her back. ”I know you want and can help. He said to keep me safe, so come and keep me safe then while you fight alongside Mashyuu.” Kenna grinned as she slipped in between the doors, only to stumble upon Mashyuu being downed and attacked by two hellhounds yet again. Their growling and the snapping of their teeth at and in his flesh seemed to put the young raven-head on the edge, as adrenaline flowed through her veins once more, allowing her the power to kick and act instead of stare and stumble.
Itsu plowed into the beast on top of Mashyuu and back-kicked the one messing up his arm at the same time, leaving it yelping as it was sent flying towards Kenna. The wounded maiden gladly drove her sword’s edge into the beast’s throat and twisted the blade around, killing whatever arteries nearby for a more certain death. She had however not noticed how the bandit leader had aimed for her at that point, but was lucky to see Itsu interfere after getting the Earth God Slayer back on his feet. For her own safety Kenna moved away from the threesome engaged in battle, and watched closely as they kept their own against the strong and swift lunges the bandit leader thrust their way. A sweep was dodged skillfully, and the win was about certain, be it not for the hellhound that did not just wished to perish so easily. It growled and jumped at Itsu’s neck with bared fangs. Kenna wanted to open her mouth and shout a warning but fell short of breath as her side jolted in pain, but felt her heart skip in relief as the slayer easily intercepted the beast and smacked it down. His heroic actions however left his back uncovered, and the bandit leader saw this at the right time, charging in with a look pinned on destroying his opponents. She wished to scream but couldn't, and without a thought moved forward and bit through the pain that surged through her body, unknowing that this pain was not her wound acting up, but rather the blood in her very veins that opened up to the lineage of her ancestors. She blurred and appeared again inbetween Mashyuu’s unsuspecting back and the lance’s edge in the blink of an eye, with both her and the bandit’s surprised eyes meeting in the fray. A sharp pain flung itself upon her and forced a soundless scream from her body as the lance tore through skin, muscle and bone in one fell swoop, leaving Kenna dangling at its speartip while the blade protruded from her chest’s left side. She gasped weakly as a hand clasped around the wooden shaft of the polearm, spitting up a decent amount of blood as she did. Antares felt the grip of its owner falter and sent a small jolt through her fingers to keep her mind present for those few more seconds before they disconnected from the steel. The blade dropped down, its tip getting stuck between two pieces of rubble and allowing it to stay upright as it did, while Kenna’s lips moved to speak his name without a sound. As the blade unleashed its anger through a fierce series of jolts, throwing the bandit leader’s nerves into such disarray that he couldn't even properly hold the lance anymore, Kenna smiled weakly as she felt the ground underneath her feet, sturdy at first but shifting rather quickly. Her head turned to face Itsu and Mashyuu for a few seconds, with her smile still lingering as she uttered a soft apology. ”Heh… s-sorry...for watching your ba--” She never got any further than that, as her consciousness staggered and her eyes rolled back, the darkness overtaking her as she fell backwards and crashed into the ground, still impaled by the bandit leader’s spear.
1844