Scruffy’s Adventure

Written by Scruffy–hime

Edited by Luciferia

Chapter 16:  Anger

Scruffy had stopped shivering after an hour. But he had not woken up and his breathing was shallow. Airi had not stopped worrying since he passed out. She had tried to wake him, calling his name and shook him. But his only movement had been the slow breathing.

Airi flinched when there was a knock at the door. When Airi opened the door Vera shot her a disgusted look.

“I just came to see if there was anything he might need.” She said with disdain.

Vera’s expression changed to confusion when she saw the terrified look on Airi’s face.

“I… I think he needs help.” Airi said causing Vera was now concerned and entered the room. She instantly walked over to Scruffy laying on the bed and then shot a foul look at Airi.

“What did you do!” Vera yelled.

“I started acting weird after I drank that drink. So Scruffy drank my blood until it was out of my system but now it's affecting him. He has been asleep like that for a while now and i don't know what to do.”

“I’ll need to go get mom, she might be able to help him.”

Vera darted from the room and ran down the stairs. Screaming for her mother to come help. Lirasi and Vera burst into the room.

“What happened?” Lirasi asked in a commanding tone.

After Airi explained what happened Lirasi slapped her across the face sending her crashing into the table.

“You bitch!” Lirasi screamed. “That drink is poisonous! You should have just died like a good whore!”

“Can you help him? Please? There has to be a way to save him?” Airi pleaded.

“There is no cure for Hallthir. Even diluted it is a deadly poison that will kill him within hours… He’s been dead since he drank it out of your system…”

Tears poured from Airi’s face. All she could manage to say was, “No…”

Airi felt numb to the pain as Lirasi kicked her, knocking her onto her back. She pinned Airi to the ground and pulled the knife from the table. Airi didn’t attempt to stop her as she held the knife over her head.

She didn’t understand why she cared so much for him. Before she could ponder the thought for long Lirasi screamed out in pain.

Scruffy was standing behind Lirasi. He had grabbed her by the wrist and snapped it effortlessly. He was still unconscious as he pulled the knife from her limp hand and tossed her out of the room. Airi looked up at him in fear. He had short black horns with red veins running through them. His skin had turned white, as if all the blood had gone from his body. All his wounds had healed up. He had a faint black aura around him and the floor underneath him started to freeze. He growled at Lirasi showing his dual sets of fangs.

Vera screamed in horror as she ran from the room. Scruffy opened his eyes showing a deep violet color surrounded by black sclera. He looked into Airi’s eye. His expression a mix of longing, and concern. She felt as though his gazed had pierced her core, causing shivers to run down her spine. Almost as soon as he had opened his eyes they shut again and he crumpled to the floor. His breathing slowed.

Airi scrambled over to Scruffy as his body reverted back to human. She shook him and called his name trying to rouse him.

Lirasi finally coming back to her senses walked back into the room. Her face covered with terror.

“He’s a demon?” Lirasi asked timidly.

Confused Airi looked at Lirasi and asked, “What do you mean demon?”

“It’s rare for a demon to be this far from Nolztay.” Lirasi said ignoring Airi’s question.

“What are you talking about!” Airi yelled having no patience left.

“If he is able to be this far from there he must be a very high ranked demon. That poison may not kill him… We will probably need to cut of his head and burn the corpse if we want make sure he dies.”

“I won’t let you!” Airi yelled, and then let out a low hiss at Lirasi, “Please… Just let us leave and we won’t come back.”

Lirasi left and slammed the door behind her Airi could hear her calling guards and barking orders to not let them leave as she walked down the steps.

Airi went back to shaking and calling out Scruffy’s name begging him to wake up.

After several minutes Scruffy started to stir and groan.

“Scruffy? Scruffy wake up!” Airi said frantically. “We need to leave!”

“Huh…? What happened?” Scruffy asked still groggy.

“I'll explain later. We need to leave now!”

Still dizzy, Scruffy got to be feet, folded the map, stuck it in his pocket and then grabbed the knife. Scruffy put on the navy blue shirt Vera had brought for him earlier.

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“We won't make it far with you still in chains.” Scruffy said as he remembered getting the key earlier, “Here.”

Scruffy dug the key from his pocket and unlocked the shackles on her wrists and ankles.

“I don't have the one for the collar but this should be good for now.”

“When did you get a key?”

“Earlier tonight they wanted to talk with me and I convinced them to give me one.”

Airi wanted to ask why they had called him but decided against it as they readied themselves for what they might have to do. Airi cracked open the door and saw two guards posted outside. Scruffy was still recovering and could hardly stand. Airi took the knife from him.

She flung the door open and plunged the knife into the first guard's throat before she could react. Blood sprayed from her neck, covering Airi as she crumpled to the floor gasping for breath as her life faded. Before Airi could pull the knife from the corpse the second guard had drawn her sword and swung at Airi. She jumped back narrowly avoiding the tip.

The guard swung at Airi again this time grazing her shoulder as she stumbled.

Scruffy ran from the room and rammed his shoulder into the guard. They crashed into the wall causing the woman to drop her weapon. Airi scrambled forward and grabbed it. Before the guard could recover Airi stabbed it through her chest. As the guard died she let out a piercing scream.

Scruffy and Airi heard the loud footsteps of guards running. Still dizzy, Scruffy took the weapon from the body as Airi pulled the knife from the other bleeding corpse.

“What now?” Scruffy asked, panicking.

“No idea.” Airi replied.

The guards would be upon them soon and by the sounds of things there were far too many for them to handle.

“I'll distract them. You take the map and I'll meet you there.” Scruffy said in a rush as he gave Airi the map and pushed her back into the room. “Wait a minute then run.”

Before Airi could argue Scruffy had closed the door. She heard him yell something and then run down the hall.

After waiting a minute Airi cracked open the door and peeked out. There were no guards in sight and from what she could hear they must not have caught Scruffy yet.

Airi ran down the hall the other way and went down the stairs. No guards were waiting for her at the bottom. It seemed all the attention was going toward Scruffy as if they had forget she existed.

Airi bit back a scream as something smashed into her bruised leg. She turned to see Vera standing behind her. She was holding a sword still in its sheath. Vera could hardly move the heavy weapon and it seemed as though she couldn’t get it out.

Vera attempted to take another slow swing at Airi who had fallen to the ground. With her good leg Airi kicked Vera’s feet out from under her. As Vera fell Airi lunged at Vera and pinned her to the ground. Airi used her claws to ripped into Vera’s throat before she even realized what she was doing.

Blood spewed from the child. Vera’s face filled with terror as she realized what had happened. She clamped her hands over her throat trying to stop the bleeding. Vera gurgled and coughed blood as she tried to breath. She suffered for mere moments before dying with the look of horror still on her face.

Airi felt her panic rise again as she realized she did not even have time to think about killing Vera. Airi grabbed the knife from where it had tumbled to. Deciding she wanted the sword as well she quickly pried it from Vera’s small dead hands.

Luckily the sword had a strap on the sheath allowing Airi to sling it over her shoulder. She peered out the front door into the street they had arrived from. There was another two dozen guards outside.

Airi ran back into the dining room and into the kitchen. There was a heavy door at the back that took her several tries to open. The door opened with a loud squeak alerting the three guards posted at the back. Airi lept out of the way as one shot an arrow aimed at her head. Landing on her feet she tossed the knife hitting one of the women in the shoulder causing her to scream in pain.

Airi kicked another out of her way and then sprinted down the back alley as the guards recovered and started to chase her. Not knowing where she was going Airi ran down the alley turning at every opportunity. After making several more turns and ducking behind another building the guards lost track of her.

“You two go that way!” one yelled, sending two guards ran off in the wrong direction and one came right at Airi.

Before the guard found her Airi drew the sword. Waiting till she was close enough Airi swung it at the guard. The guard did not have time to react as Airi cut her head clean from her neck. Blood and gore sprayed from the body as it crumpled to the ground.

Airi sheathed the sword and crept into the shadows, thankful that it was still a dark night. Staying hidden was easy for her. Her feline grace let her move through the shadows without a sound.