The splatter of blood rained down on us, soaking our skin. Looking up his bony body shielded us from Wickum's attack. I could only stare as a smile formed on his face before falling into the sand. gasping for air as he lay on the ground. The sand turned dark as Leo bled out on the ground, Wickum's face turning red in anger as he howled. 

The rumble of footsteps vibrated through the sands, pausing Wickum looked at the group of men as they closed in from the base of the mountain. Leading the mob, a girl zipped through the sands, a single braid trailing down her back whipped through the wind as she sprinted ahead of them. Unlike the other Liberators, she wore no armor, only a lone blade attached to her hip clad in black. "Fucking Liberators!" Wickum muttered slashing his blade towards us cutting through my arm. 

Laying on my back a shadow darted over head as the sound of metal clashed, the girl striking her blade at Wickum with a ferocity I had never seen before. Wickum dodged like I snake sliding through her attacks stabbing his dagger with precision only to get deflected by her blade. Staring each other down the girl panted slightly. "You sick, how could you be working with the beast-men," she snarled her voice echoing over the thunderous footsteps.  

Wickum retort with vindication, "working with the beast-men? Little girl, you don't know how wrong you are." Crouching slightly, he resumed his continuous assault on the girl, roaring louder and louder with each strike. She struggled to keep up with his pace, the dagger slicing through her brown skin. "tch, you traitorous bastard." Slipped from her mouth before she touched the blade of her sword, muttering in a low tone, 

"I am the voice of wrath" 

"Both purity and wickedness shall tremble in fright" 

"Violent carnage for all who fight" 

"Void of compassion" 

"Nor known to cruelty" 

"Soaked in the blood of my enemies" 

"Yet my hands will remain unsoiled" 

"Please, hear my vow 

"Saying your final prayer to the gods?" Wickum remarked as he swung his blade. Opening her eyes, she utters, "Equipoise" 

The sand shot up around her as the words fell from her mouth, a bloodthirsty aura dominating the area. Fear covered me like a blanket as they continued to exchange blows, kneeling in the sand I clutch my blood-soaked arm as I feel a nudge. Celeste mouthing the words, "let's go" I begin to crawl away before Leo's body came into my sight. He wasn't dead, but he wasn't moving either "we can't just leave him." I mutter, rolling her eyes Celeste continues to crawl away before standing up and limping through the sands. 

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Grasping his arms, I drag Leo's body through the sand using every ounce of my strength, the girl continuing the fight with Wickum. The rest of the Liberators arrived and began to do battle with the beast-men, chaos ensuing the area. Yet, through all that chaos I could still feel the heat dripping off the girl as she plunged her sword through Wickum's flesh, the sword slicing through his arm sending it flying through the crowd. Bellowing the beast-men swarmed the girl as Wickum clutched his missing arm retreating into the crowd. 

Reaching the bottom of the mountain, I could see Ren with the remaining group of the Liberators. There were only 6 of them and they had put him in the back of their carriage. Reaching him panting I drop to my knees in front of our saviors, "Please, help my friend." Panting Leo's eyes were shut as he held his shoulder. The blood trailed through the sand behind us. looking at each other, two of the men shrugged before carrying him away towards another wagon. Ren sat up in the wagon a big grin glued to his face, Celeste had crawled into the wagon, collapsing the second she sat down. Not responding to any of our calls or nudges. 

"Where are the rest of the slaves?" I ask looking around the area. There was nothing but sand in the distance. Shrugging his shoulders Ren laid back without a care in the world, "Don’t know, don't really care the sooner we get out of here the better." The two men that carried Leo away appeared, the look on their faces told me something was wrong. "Your friends not doing well, with his weak body he already lost to much blood, he also has Lockrot in his body. There's nothing we can do for him if you want to see him, now's your chance. 

The words shocked me, did they not have blood they could give him? A transfusion would save his life, wouldn't it? What the hell is Lockrot? I swallowed my frustration knowing it wasn't their fault for his condition and left the area. Approaching the wagon, I didn't know what I should say or what face to wear. He had betrayed me and saved my life, and my heart was at conflict at how to approach the death of my best friend. Approaching the wagon, I see his brown curly hair covered in sand. 

Sitting up he gives me that familiar smile, "Hey Finn, we made it out." Sitting on the wagon I nod in agreement my mouth unable to move. I sat there for a few minutes before he spoke up, "Listen, you should know I didn't betray you if I didn't tell Wickum, none of this would have happened." Staring at him with wide eyes, I didn't understand what he meant, "what are you talking about? All of this, you're telling me the Liberators are here because of you?" 

Chuckling lightly, he spits up a pool of blood, "No they were already on their way here, that's what the beast-men told me. If you guys had escaped they would search for you, and with the Liberators on the way, it was a big risk for them. So, he gave me a choice, either I find a way to keep you all here." He paused for a moment stuttering to finish his sentence. "Or what Leo." 

"Or he would kill you all, and make it look like an accident. Kill a few to save the majority, he's also the one who released the slaves before the Liberators attacked. No one knew where they were holding you guys so I had to run through the tunnels searching every room." The telling of Leo's story left me stunned, a beast-men had helped him escape? Was this some kind of joke? Looking at his face I could tell he was serious. Sitting up he vomited more blood before smiling again, "Of course, I couldn't take the chance he was lying so I told everything to Wickum." 

Warm water ran down my face, the guilt heavy on my shoulders. "Don't cry man, I know I'm dying. Tell Celeste and Ren I'm sorry, I know Baltor and Zefire died because of my actions." 

Closing his eye's slowly he stopped talking, and I knew my friend was gone.