Chapter Text
Ch 3:
Kid struggled in his third attempt to lift the rubble off his legs. If he was human, his internal organ would have been smashed, but even as a reaper, he had a huge gash at his waist. Groaning, he was forced to lower the concrete back onto himself as his arm muscles burned. He panted, letting his head fall back, looking around frantically. Through a small gap in the wreckage he could see students fighting witches. He caught a glimpse of Black Star wielding Tsubaki, charging a witch.
Liz, Patty… Kid groaned again, gripping the debris and applying all of his strength. His muscles screamed but he powered through, a final desperate shove sending the concrete flying away from him and freeing his lungs to fully expand.
The reaper stood shakily, ignoring the blood running down his side. He was running on adrenaline and the knowledge that no acts of self preservation would matter. The fighting had moved, leaving Kid alone. He had no idea how long he had been trapped but he staggered in the direction of the E.A.T. classroom. Kid needed to find his weapons and fast.
The D.W.M.A. was in utter chaos. Students and faculty were rushing past in a frenzy, dodging blasts from witches. No one paid much attention to Kid, they were all still in shock. He made his way to the E.A.T. room and felt his heart drop as he found it empty. There was a hole in the upper section leading to outside, likely another entrance point for the witches.
Suddenly, Kid was blasted back with magic, colliding with the desks behind him. He looked up as a silver-haired witch pounced on his chest, laughing maniacally. The reaper didn’t recognize her, but she wore clothing reminiscent of Medusa’s, except that the chest displayed a graphic of a snake forming an arrow.
“The cult of Medusa shall crush the academy!” the witch cackled, raising her hand to blast him again. Kid kicked her off and rolled away from the magic burst she hurled at his face. Without Liz and Patty, a witch was quite the tall order. He darted past her and jumped out of the hole in the wall, landing hard on the stone. He grimaced in pain, the wound on his abdomen still oozing blood. Struggling to stand, Kid looked around the panicked fighting and finally saw his weapons.
Liz was wielding Patty, shooting at witches left and right. Her left arm was cradling her side, nursing some injury Kid couldn’t see. There was a gash on her forehead. Like most of the other students, she was covered in dust and scratches. Kid tried to run to her, but the silver-haired witch landed in front of him, giggling as she blasted him back.
Liz caught sight of her meister as he collided with the wall of the academy. “Kid!” she screamed, but she didn’t think he could hear her. She blasted the witch closest to her and bolted towards her meister.
The silver-haired witch grinned, holding out a long, wickedly sharp jagged blade. She raised it above her head as the pale reaper looked up at her.
“No!” Liz shot the witch in the back and she yelped in pain and surprise.
“Why you little bitch!” the witch bellowed. She spun around and knocked Patty out of her sister’s hands, sending the younger pistol flying. Patty hit the wall in human form and crumpled unconscious.
“Patty!” Liz stepped towards her sister but the witch smacked her across the face with the handle of the blade and sent her to the ground.
The silver-haired witch smiled broadly and raised her blade above her head, glaring at the Thompson sister kneeling in front of her. Liz looked up in fear.
“No!” Kid cried, wrapping his arms around the neck of the witch and pulling her away from his weapon partner. As the witch struggled to breathe, she slashed randomly backwards in desperation. Kid tightened the nook of his elbow while his other hand grabbed the blade’s handle, plunging the dagger into the witch’s chest. The witch’s eyes went wide and then empty as she crumpled to the ground in a lifeless heap.
“Kid, you’re hurt!” Liz scrambled to her feat.
“I’m fine,” Kid forced out. Making eye contact with Liz, he said, “Patty,” and the two rushed to check on their downed partner.
“Patty?” Liz asked desperately.
Patty groaned as she blinked back into consciousness.
“Thank Death,” Kid sighed with relief. His breathing felt tight, but he ignored it. The fighting around them had ceased. The witches that hadn’t been defeated were currently fleeing the scene. Students were slumping with exhaustion.
“Kid!” Stein called as he ran over. “You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine,” he muttered, waving him off.
“Kid, you’re bleeding.”
“It’s not a big deal…” Kid trailed off as he looked down. The witch’s dagger had sliced into his existing wound from the explosion. The light-headedness he was feeling was not from the high of battle, but rather the low of blood loss. “Oh… That’s… that’s not great…” He stumbled back, his hands slick with blood as he dropped to his knees.
“Kid!” Liz rushed to his side, staring down at him. “Just breathe okay?” she begged, needing to take her own advice as she struggled for air. “You’re going to be okay, alright? You’re going to be okay.”
“No…” Kid muttered, trying to sit up.
“Kid, easy,” Stein insisted. “Stay down, let me try to stop the bleeding.”
“You won’t be able to…” Kid trailed off. He could feel his life slipping.
“Just hold still.”
“Stein…”
“Let me take a look-”
“Stop!” Kid barked. Pain threatened to flood his brain, but he pushed it aside. “It’s not going to work, nothing is going to work.” The reaper propped himself up on his elbows, avoiding looking at the front of his shirt, no doubt soaked in blood. “I’m… this is it. I’m dying.”
“What!” Patty cried, crawling to her meister’s side. “N- No, you can’t die!”
Tears fell from Liz’s eyes. She could see the damage. She knew he was right. “No, no, you’ll be okay,” she lied.
“Liz… I knew this would happen.” Kid coughed. “Reapers get a warning. I knew I’d die today. This is it.”
More tears streamed down Liz’s cheeks. “You… you can’t die…”
“I’m sorry,” Kid said weakly. “It’s okay Liz, it’ll be okay.” He smiled softly at her. “I’m a Death god remember? I know what’s next.”
“Kid… I… I love you,” Liz sobbed, holding him close to her. “I love you, please, please don’t go.”
Kid smiled at her, his eyes watery, and he held her hand. “I love you too,” he whispered.
His eyes closed and Death the Kid was gone.