CHASTITY
Story by LiveIron on SoFurry
I'm right here.
>The warmth is actually a little comforting in the cool autumn night.
>It gets past your suit's insulation, thawing away any chill from your flesh.
>The heat dissipates inside the blaze. The world is cast in both shadow and light at once.
>Rebecca's snarls and Patrick's laughter are clear above the flames.
>They're both streaks of orange and silver, the tigress still wearing her otherworldly mantle.
>Patrick's once-severed arm seems to be made of fire even as it grasps a half of his former staff.
>You try getting a bead on him, but the human dances around the tigress too quickly.
>His offhand strikes slip past her guard; embers and chaff spray beneath his feet.
>Every time you line up the sights he's on the other side of her.
>"Do it," Talia says. "I'll -- help."
>You take a breath.
>Focus.
>Ignore Rebecca's grunts, ignore the laughter and the flames.
>Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
>The tiny 2mm slug glints in the firelight, streaking through the air.
>It arcs past an errant striped tail and strikes Patrick in the head. Once again, it frustratingly stuns rather than kills.
>But it's enough to give Rebecca the opening she needs.
>Her roar is infernal when she slashes in an X; his body flies back in four pieces.
>Then there's silence.
>You stare at them for a moment before firing four rounds.
>Just to be sure.
>You look to Rebecca.
>She's still wreathed in red flame, her stripes and sword glowing a bright white.
>Her panting is deep and rumbling as she stares at his remains.
>The huge blade is tight in her grip.
>Her barbed tail stays steady.
>But you can see a shudder run through her.
>"Rebecca..."
>She turns to you and turns back, eyes glimmering in the firelight.
>You're worried she'll collapse again when her guard goes down.
>She stays standing, but her words seem caught in her mouth.
>You take a step forward when she has to gasp.
>"You okay?" you ask.
>"I -- Anon, I --"
>The thrumming fills the air for half a second.
>Then comes the sickening crack.
>You don't have time to see the tigress fall from the flying rod; the second one whirls into your ribs and lifts you off your feet.
>The scorched chaff scrapes against your hands and face as you tumble.
>You groan and cough.
>This time you're sure he broke some ribs.
>"You think --" Patrick says, gasping, "something that small -- could kill me?"
>His voice is ragged, gravely.
>But the bastard is still laughing.
>You get up to your hands and knees and watch the rods return to him.
>He's nude now, his tattered cloak shredded to pieces by Rebecca's strikes.
>His form is gaunt, his bones and muscles visible beneath pale skin.
>You can't tell if the red-orange glow is from the fire or from within.
>The white lines across his torso and one shoulder are certainly the latter.
>"And -- the housecat can't either," he groans. "Even if she wants to."
>You get to a knee, wheezing and watching him roll his limbs.
>His skin seems to constrain his body, taut against the parts beneath.
>The gaps from Rebecca's blade stretch at the edges.
>Any plans, Talia?
>"Kinda -- busy --" she replies. "It's still -- hot in here --"
>You run your hand over your rig; one disruption charge, your utility knife, and Steele's gun.
>You grunt as you try to stand.
>You've got no idea if it'll work. Every paranormal entity is different.
>But it's all you've got.
>Your thoughts scatter at groan beside you.
>"Rebecca!"
>Her claws scrape the earth, groping for her sword.
>A scream interrupts you before you can help.
>Patrick's arm stretches out of place as he hurls one of the rods again -- your side lights up in pain even when you dodge it.
>"Why do you still help her?" he shouts, pressing on his limp arm.
>You go to fire again, but you dive to the ground as the rod returns from behind.
>"I showed you her true nature! Twice!"
>The anger nearly overshadows his desperation.
>"Did you not look around you?" he asks, flinging both rods this time. "Did you not see that's how they all are? That it's their nature?"
>You roll away as the rod smashes the earth. A bright ringing catches your ear, and you see the other bounce off Rebecca's blade, once again used like a shield.
>You land a shot as the steel flies back to his hands.
>The monster hardly flinches.
>You get to your feet and manage to stay up for his next throw.
>"They kill, they fuck, they get away with it!" he screams, hurling the other rod at Rebecca.
>She deflects it as she stands, the metals humming once more.
>"I learned that the day I was born!"
>It flies at her again rather than returning to Patrick's hand.
>She fights back its furious blows, the rod dancing around her as wielded by a phantom.
>"She killed him," Patrick says, catching the rod he threw at you. "She killed him and they did nothing."
>You shoot the steel missile when he throws it again; it veers off course, but comes for you just like it did Rebecca.
>The gaunt human's hands go down as you and Rebecca deal with his weapons.
>"They did nothing when she did it to me."
>His sunken eyes are far off. Still filled with rage, but looking at some other time.
>All you have to do is not get hit.
>Stun him long enough for the charge to work.
>"She did it for years. Every day. I tried staying at school but they wouldn't let me."
>The Kolibri won't be enough. Even with Talia's power, it only makes him flinch.
>But there's no way you'd be able to fire Steele's cannon with one hand.
>"They finally listened when I cut the nurse. They finally took her away from me."
>The rods' strikes get slower, more powerful.
>His hands clench and his head tilts down.
>"But the shitheap they called a foster home was full of monsters just like her."
>"Rebecca!" you shout, pulling the Tridentia from its holster.
>You toss it as soon as she turns.
>She catches it in her off-hand; you activate the disruptor.
>"Stun him! Get him still!"
>Patrick's eye light up at the thundercrack.
>His rods hover still and the flames falter for a moment.
>The hole in his head spurts fire just when the charge goes off at his feet.
>You can feel his shriek in your teeth.
>The flying rods whip around in a frenzy as his body shakes and shambles. He tries to leave the field as his body comes apart at the seams.
>You can't let him escape. You've got to --
>Rebecca's deep roar cuts through the noise. You take a step back as her enormous sword spins through the air.
>It passes through Patrick's chest with ease and embeds itself in the charred earth behind him, leaving him pinned.
>He continues his screeching struggles, scrabbling at the metal and making it wiggle.
>The Tridentia thunders a second time.
>Sparks glint off the handle of the blade as it sinks deeper and holds firm.
>Patrick’s fingers fall off as he continues grabbing at the blade.
>You stumble over to Rebecca while the rods continue to whirl and Patrick continues to shriek.
>She's down on a knee, eyes scrunched in pain.
>You reach up and cover her ears; she holds you tight with her free arm.
>The air feels cool when it all stops.
>Patrick is still.
>The rods fall to the ground with a dull sound.
>His eyes are still open, his chest still moves.
>But there's hardly any anger in them anymore.
>He's finally tired.
>You let go of Rebecca's ears slowly; her arm doesn't move from around you.
>"Anon," she breathes, raising the Tridentia. "Is it done?"
>You shift in her grip, summoning the Kolibri and raising it in turn.
>"I hope so," you say.
>She huffs.
>"For his sake," you add.
>"For his sake."
>Triggers squeeze.
>Firing pins fall.
>And Patrick finally rests.