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“Vitalasy,” Red greeted, drawing his sword.
“Reddoons,” Vitalasy greeted back, raising his own sword. The fox-hybrid leaped forward, slashing in a wide arc, Red blocked the hit with his shield and stabbed his sword forward. Vitalasy cursed and backed up, resetting his position before striking again.
Across the field, Subz and Ash danced a similar battle.
“You’ve gotten worse catboy,” Ash taunted.
“You weren’t good in the first place, you can’t talk,” Subz replied, unfazed. His cat ears flattened against his hair, the only sign that he was angry. He fought back harder.
The battle was pretty evenly matched. Subz got a hit here, Ash got a hit there. They went back and forth, back and forth. It seemed like it would never end, until-
“SUBZ! SUBZ HELP-“ Vitalasy’s panicked voice rang out across the battlefield. Subz’s ears shot straight up. He tried to see what was happening but Ash’s sword came up, blocking his vision. Subz hissed and parried the hit.
Ash tried his best, but he was no match for a determined Subz. Subz sent him sprawling with a swipe of his sword. He looked up across the field. His blood turned to ice.
Red was standing over Vitalasy, smirking, twirling his sword between his fingers. Vitalasy was backed up against a tree, fox ears flattened, crouching down.
Subz started forward, but he was too late. Time seemed to slow as Red raised his sword. Subz lunged forward as Red brought the blade down, driving it into Vitalasy’s heart.
Subz screamed. He drove his sword forward, and Red cursed as he barely avoided it. He drew his axe and started fighting back.
Red was a talented fighter, but he was no match for Subz, fueled by rage and grief. Red stumbled as he tried to keep up.
“Shit,” he cursed. “Ash!” He called. Ash ran over and joined the fight. Even with the two of them working together, they were barely keeping up with Subz.
Subz snarled as Ash’s sword sliced into his leg. He kicked his leg forward, sweeping Ash off his feet, and stabbed his sword into Ash’s chest. He yanked it out and turned to face Red.
“Oh you’re so going to pay for that,” Red growled. He leaped forward.
The two of them battled back and forth, striking and parrying and dodging. But Red, caught up in a rush of adrenaline, failed to notice Subz’s subtle movement. Subz had stealthily drawn his axe into his left hand while keeping Red busy with his sword.
The axe smashed into Red’s side, cracking one of his ribs and driving the wind out of him. Red crashed to the ground, struggling to breathe. He turned to look up at Subz. His amber eyes met Subz’s mismatched, one purple and one green.
And then Subz buried the head of his axe into Red’s head.
Subz immediately dropped his weapons and ran towards Vitalasy, feeling Red’s heart being absorbed as he dashed towards the tree where the fox hybrid was crumpled.
Red’s sword was still buried in Vitalasy’s chest. Subz crouched down next to him, shaking his shoulder. He could see Vitalasy’s chest faintly rising and falling. Other than the sword stabbed through him, he had a deep gash in his leg where his armor hadn’t been able to cover the skin. There were numerous cuts on his arms.
“Hey, hey Vi, stay with me, Vi-“ Subz fumbled for a healing potion. His hands felt numb and he swore under his breath as the smooth glass bottle slipped between his fingers. As he moved to pick it up, Vitalasy’s hand twitched.
“Subz.. Subz, it’s okay, I’m- I’m already done for.. don’t waste your time..” Vitalasy rasped, his voice so quiet Subz could barely make out the words. The fox hybrid’s vibrant green eyes started to dim, and his eyelids fluttered.
“No Vi you idiot, I’m not giving up, c’mon Vi stay with me,” Subz pleaded. He gripped Vitalasy’s shoulders tightly, frantic. “Vi please stay with me, Vi please I-“ His voice caught and he gulped. “I love you.”
Vitalasy’s eyes had closed. But as his breathing slowed, his eyelids fluttered open one last time, then closed again. He whispered his last words, so faint Subz could barely hear him.
“I- I love you too Subz.”