Void • Memoria [1]

39. More Than One

Tempo Memoria ( Keiko's Point of View Part 4 )

I kept my axe out in case of emergency. All of me begging for Ryuji to hurry back, why did he leave us anyway?

I watched as Hiro and the demon exchanged blows, even though the demon had 4 arms most of her attacks either missed or scraped him. It was strange, for someone who doesn't work out and struggled to even run down a handful of streets, Hiro seemed to have an inhuman amount of power and energy at the moment.

Their attacks created a large amount of wind that made me flinch on instinct. I felt so useless just standing here watching them, but I couldn't just jump into the fight.

I guess, I just wish Hiro didn't have to get a step above me for once. It's a dumb thought to have at a moment like this.

I'll have to ask him about this sudden change after this.

The demon managed to grab Hiro's hand, injuring herself in the process, she looked as if she was fighting against the pain as she grabbed his wrist with a second hand. She then used both hands to throw Hiro into the side of a car at full force.

I froze at the sight of the impact, after a few seconds when the demon began to walk to the car she threw him at I recollected myself quickly. In fear for Hiro's safety I quickly ran the fastest I could with the weight in my hands, I stood in front of the car to cut off the demon.

She stared at me in annoyance and raised a fist.

"Imagine your core as a clock, hurry!" The god I signed with said loudly in my head.

Before I could react to his instructions, the demon's fist quickly came down, all I could do was turn slightly to make my shoulder take the brunt of the blow. The force sent me hurdling out of the way, my axe falling out of my hands and hitting the pavement.

I accepted my death at that moment.

Expecting to be sent into a building, I felt myself slam into something else. Once I stopped moving and whoever caught me had caught their balance I opened my eyes.

"Hiro?" I was in disbelief, how did he move so fast? How did he catch me?

He put me down gently and stared at me, the look in his eyes sent shivers down my spine. He looked so furious, one of his eyes twitching as he put a hand on my shoulder.

"Is it broken?" He asked.

"I don't think so. It feels really warm, and... Sore?" I put my hand on my shoulder, gently squeezing it to feel for a bruise, and hopefully not any worse.

Hiro took a deep and shaky breath as he looked away from me and at the demon.

"She got in the way." Although she sounded angry, she also sounded like she was trying to explain herself.

As Hiro walked past me, heading back to the demon I noticed he had bits of glass in his back. It was hard to tell how badly he was damaged besides the small shards due to his lack of reaction to any pain.

I stood there in silence, the air felt thick with every step Hiro took towards her.

His brass knuckles appeared on his fists once more, the wrath he emitted made the demon take a step back.

She looked as if a terrified smile spread across her face.

"If I'm going to die either way... I'm glad it's by your hand, my prince."

Prince?

Hiro shook his fists as if to loosen his wrists, and he quickly charged at her after. She managed to grab him, one hand holding one of his arms, another on his leg, and a third on his side.

Her fourth hand was the one that was injured earlier, she attempted to grab his hand but the blade stabbing into her palm made her pull away quickly from the pain.

Hiro quickly took the opportunity to punch her head, the blade on his knuckles stabbing into two of its eyes. A loud painful shriek rang through the air, on instinct she let go of Hiro to cover her face.

With no hesitation Hiro made one of his brass knuckles disappear and he grabbed onto her horn and forced her face from her hands, nearly snapping her neck backward. He gripped her horn tightly, his grip strong enough to make it crack.

I closed my eyes tightly and covered my ears as he began to relentlessly punch her face in. I wish I didn't have to hear it, the cracking bone, the screams turned into loud gurgles as she choked on her own blood, only for it to fall silent.

I felt tears burn my eyes, I understood we have to kill them to save others, but why like this?

Even if she didn't look it, was she really much different from a human?

I felt an arm wrap around me and pull me into their chest.

"Did you have to do it so brutally? You're scaring the kid!" Ryuji yelled, holding me gently against him to comfort me.

I slowly opened my eyes, removing my hands from my ears to wipe the tears away.

"I'm ok," I said quickly, I didn't want to be a burden to them if I was too scared to do what I had to.

"No one else wanted to do it," Hiro said as if he was annoyed.

Ryuji gently ruffled my hair before walking to Hiro, a deep sigh of annoyance escaping him as he grabbed Hiro's shoulder and forced him to show his back.

"You put too much strain on him. You better heal him."

"Not my thing," Hiro said bluntly.

Ryuji stared at him silently, pinching the bridge of his own nose. "Alright." He said, grabbing the back of Hiro and slinging him over his shoulder.

"Let's go get food before the next fight," Ryuji called out to me as if to tell me to follow him.

I just stood there as I watched them in utter confusion.

"Is that... Not, Hiro?" I asked nervously.