Chapter Text
The rain poured down from the dark, cloudy skies above. Each drop a tiny hammer against Wemmbu’s exposed skin. His breath came in short, rugged gasps and every futile effort to get more air just burned his lungs even more, causing him never-ending pain. The rain was also getting to him, he was slowly starting to get cold. He and Zam had been fighting for what seemed like hours. He could feel the open air on his head, chest, and feet. The armor that had formerly been protecting him was long gone. With only his pants and elytra on, he knew he wouldn’t last long. But he wasn’t going to let Zam know that. He held his axe with all his strength so as not to show weakness. He tried to keep his head as high as possible, widen his stance, and look his opponent in the eyes. He tried, but it was more to convince himself he could keep going. It probably looked pathetic and desperate. He didn’t care though, he wouldn’t give up, not until Zam was on his knees begging for forgiveness.
Wemmbu’s sword met Zam’s with a loud clang as they clashed amid battle. The impact sent a painful shockwave down his arm, causing Wemmbu to stagger backwards. Adrenaline rushed through him as he gritted his teeth in pain, determined to strike again.
In reality, Wemmbu could barely stand upright as his vision was getting blurred by a combination of rain, sweat, and blood. He struggled to find stable ground to stand on the uneven ruins. And to top it all off, he could barely feel his legs, let alone the rest of his body. Even keeping his eyes open was a task on its own. Every blink, every breath, every step, every slight move of his body, was a painful reminder that he had nothing left to give.
Why couldn’t it all just end already? If Zam could just let down his guard for a moment, it would all be over. Both of their sufferings would come to an end. But it didn't look like Zam was giving up anytime soon which angered Wemmbu more. How desperate is Zam to kill him? What the hell is his deal?
Their sturdy shields collided with a loud clang, the two locked in a fierce struggle for dominance, their muscles stung as each fighter yearned for victory.
“I don’t want to kill you. Can I just say that? ” Zam interrupted the streak of silence between them. His sharp gaze met Wemmbu’s with unreadable intention. It annoyed him. If he wanted Wemmbu to believe him he should at least try to act like he meant it.
Wemmbu didn’t indulge in Zam’s attempts to rethink himself. His judgment was blinded by his unstable mental state and aching body. He just wanted to get this over with, even if he died while doing it.
“I’m scared I’ll do it by accident if we keep doing this.” Zam’s voice started getting more sincere. It was louder, lower, and more hurried. But it made Wemmbu even more mad. The arrogance of this guy, seriously? He was scared he’d kill him by accident? Wemmbu had started getting tired of Zam's relentless efforts to undermine him.
Wemmbu quickly drove his shield into Zam’s side, knocking the air out of his lungs and sending a painful wave into his ribs.
He stayed quiet and lunged towards Zam, his body screaming in protest. The dirt beneath their feet had started to mix with the rainwater making a slippery slushie of mud that restricted their movements. Their feet kept slipping in the mud, causing their blows to land with less and less force, sometimes even missing entirely. Wemmbu’s sword cut through empty air missing Zam by an inch. He cursed to himself.
Wemmbu quickly spotted Zam’s sword approaching him with quick speed. His blade shone in the dim moonlight as it sped towards Wemmbu's side. He tried to frantically block it with his almost destroyed shield, but his efforts were useless as the edge of the sword made contact with his exposed side, forcing him to his knees. As he struggled to regain his footing again, he watched helplessly as Zam kicked the sword from his hands sending it skidding multiple meters out of his reach across the battlefield.
Wemmbu was gasping for air. The fall had taken a lot of his energy and his adrenaline had started to finally wear off. He looked down at his gut and saw a pool of blood forming at his feet. He couldn’t see clearly anymore. Zam was just a blurry yellow mass to him. He could just about see Zam saying something, but Wemmbu only heard muffled sounds that were completely covered by the sounds of the heavy rain. His consciousness was starting to fade again. He tried to fight against it but to no avail. His head was ringing, his body felt heavy and his heartbeat was increasing by the second. He was getting tired. Maybe he could close his eyes just for a second...
“Wemmbu!” A loud voice rang in his right ear. Someone was shouting his name in urgency and worry. He tried to open his eyes and look who was calling him, but he was too tired to look up. The person kept shouting his name. He could only look down at the ground, noticing the person had surprisingly nice dress shoes. Someone who wore a suit? Egg? After a few seconds, Wemmbu noticed the person was trying to get him to stand up. His body was too heavy to move, and he got sick from the motion. Wemmbu tried to respond, to say anything, but he couldn’t. His throat was too dry, and his body felt too weak. The person's grip tightened and he could now feel his arm was around their neck, carrying him and walking away.
The fierce battle had finally ended, but he was too exhausted to even process what had happened. But for now what he could understand was that a wave of relief washed over him, and he slowly allowed himself to take a nap. The warmth rediating from his friend's body brought him comfort. And he felt the darkness swallow him whole. At that moment, everything seemed to be alright.