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“Rat..?”
Nufuli was staring at the siren in front of him. The one with wavy hair, vibrant blue eyes, the dark trims on her armour, the #1 shield in her hands. V1 didn't move at all, standing tall and firm on the edge of the building, her deadpan eyes finding the leviathan’s.
“Nuf.. it's been a while.” Rat examined him, looking him up and down as she circled the duo–
Duo. Yes.
Nufuli almost forgot.
Slushly was standing beside him, confused. His yellow lightning sparked weakly. The brown haired man stared at Rat, as if trying to decipher how the two knew each other.
“With everything we did–”
“Yes. And?” Rat replied, raising her eyebrow. “Just because we were friends doesn't mean I won't hesitate to kill you now.” V1 gripped a sword in her hand. “I have new morals you see. Ones that say you can't get in my way.”
Nufuli’s tail swished slowly in unease. He didn't want to attack Rat.
Rat.
Rat is V1? That didn't make any sense, the last time he saw her– no this can't be right. Rat wouldn't do this. Rat wasn't one to join Vanguard..
“When did you join–”
Rat laughed, a chill paralyzing Nufuli where he stood. “I made Vanguard, Nufuli. I didn't join this wretched cause, I was the one who forced others in.”
“Why–”
“Because this world needs change Nuf! It needs order, and quite frankly without me here it doesn't have either.”
The leviathan couldn't move. His darkened eyes were fixated on Rat’s strikingly calm and unimpressed blue ones as they locked gazes. Nufuli’s tail was stiff, rigidly wrapping around his leg as he tried to move.
His body wasn't listening.
Rat.
Why Rat?
“Hey.. Nufuli?”
Why was it Rat of all people? No, this had to be some fucked up joke. The two were close, they trusted each other! Completed missions together! Stuck together through the tougher nights, protected each other.
“Nufuli..”
This was a dream. Yes, that explains it! He must've been thinking about Rat before he slept, and now he was dreaming that she was V1. That has to be right.
“Goddammit Nufuli snap out of it!” Slushly exclaimed, snapping his fingers in front of Nufuli’s face.
A sword to his chest.
Slushly coughed, his totem popping immediately. V1 pulled out the sword, the man falling to his knees. Slushly’s lightning around his body grew as he hugged his chest, continuing to cough in surprise.
“Rat stop.” Nufuli told V1 sternly, stepping up next to Slushly.
“Maybe I should kill your friend first.”
Rat charged towards Nufuli, passing the leviathan like a gust of wind. She pushed Slushly into the wall, a surprised gasp leaving the man’s mouth. A swift punch to his gut and Slushly was gasping for air, crazily swinging his sword at V1 only to notice it didn't do anything.
His sword passed through Rat’s skin like butter, then quickly closed up.
No red.
No blood.
“Rat stop!” Nufuli grabbed the siren's neck, pulling Rat off of Slushly. The leviathan’s tail thrashed in uncertainty when he slammed his former friend into the wall. Nufuli kept a firm grip on Rat’s neck, watching as she fixed her breathing.
“Why do you care about him? Back then all you cared about was the job. The work. You didn't– why do you care for him?!” Rat had no trouble screaming back at Nufuli even with the hands secure around her neck.
Rat kicked Nufuli in the face, the leviathan dropping his grip. Rat dashed towards Slushly again, only for Nufuli to grab her wrist and launch her into the wall. V1 dented the Vanguard Tower walls only for her to come out unscathed, except for a few clumps of ruffled fur.
Rat grumbled, making her way towards Slushly. Nufuli hoped with him standing in front of the man that she would reconsider. That she would take a second to look him in the eyes and remember those campfire nights, those hard nights as they tried to get by.
Nothing.
Rat simply shoved him out of the way, grabbing Slushly by the hair. The man yelped, trying to tug his hair away only to be shoved to the ground. Rat stomped on his spine, Slushly’s bone snapping along with the green particles of another totem.
“Nufuli! Do something!” Slushly cried out as Rat grabbed the man, slamming his head into the white walls, red dirtying the polished quartz. Slushly slid down the wall as Nufuli grabbed Rat’s shoulder only to be tackled, his former friend hitting him hard into the baseboards.
Rat laughed again, Nufuli's eyes blinking as he focused on Slushly across the room. “You haven't changed huh. You still run in without a second thought, without thinking.” Rat slammed her foot into Nufuli’s shoulder blade, the leviathan crying out in betrayal.
“He doesn't deserve to die! Remember– we only killed whoever we had to on the sheet of paper! Not innocents. Not people who had nothing to do with it—”
Rat took her blade, slashing Nufuli open multiple times with surprising speed. The leviathan choked, his totem popping in his hands, his mind reeling as he tried to make sense of why Rat was doing this. How Rat was doing this.
“That was a long time ago. I do things differently now.” Rat leaned down towards Nufuli, the leviathan’s tail stiff against his leg.
Slushly appeared in his view, swinging his mace directly into Rat’s chest. A normal player would've had their totem popped, their bones broken, a holler of pain escaping their mouth.
Rat had no reaction.
The mace punctured her chest, yes, but it didn't seem to do any damage to her.
Rat picked up Slushly, not carefully. She yanked the man off his feet, slamming him into the corner of the wall, Nufuli hearing an awful crack. Slushly yelled in agony, the floor breaking underneath him. The man fell through the floor, Nufuli scrambling to get himself up and off the ground.
The leviathan quickly ran to the hole in the floor, Rat groaning in annoyance as she followed.
Nufuli grabbed Slushly’s wrist, the man letting out weak noises as the leviathan hid him behind the exterior wall of the Vanguard Tower. He sat behind, not daring to look back as he handed Slushly a totem.
“Do it.” The man whispered, his totem popping in his hands. His neck mended itself back together, his eyes squinting in hurt.
“Are you sure? We only have one shot–”
“Do it Nufuli!” Slushly exclaimed, placing down an ender chest for the leviathan. Nufuli almost dove right in, ripping out a blazerod necklace. He put it around his neck, quickly reaching for the amethyst bracelet and locked it against Slushly’s wrist.
A ringing sensation filled his ears, his heart vibrating as if feeling a large amount of bass echo in his chest. Once the ringing died down, Nufuli could hear Slushly’s pulse and only assumed the same of the other.
They were bonded.
Just like #4.
Rat’s hand punched through the wall, her arm securing around Slushly’s neck. The man’s eyes widened in surprise as he was yanked through the infrastructure, the wall crumbling behind him.
No lasting damage.
It still hurt like hell, but he didn't die. Slushly didn't pop his totem.
He smiled as Nufuli made his way forwards.
“Not the only one immortal now.”
Rat threw Slushly away like a ragdoll, the man dragging his mace through the floor to slow his momentum. He managed to stop before he hit the wall, the duo smiling at each other. Slushly’s lightning sparked as his confidence grew with his partial immortality, the man moving forward quickly to continuously throw himself into his attacks. V1 tried to stop them, but she couldn’t kill the man without killing the duo at the same time.
Rat cursed, her attacks not letting up. Nufuli and Slushly hit the walls, suffered blade attacks, dodged V1’s body as she grew in height. It was hard, and continued to grow more difficult. Slushly and Nufuli were growing thin on resources.
“Slushly go! We need to restock.” Nufuli threw on his elytra, just getting out of reach from Rat to weave through the city’s buildings. He dove into #3’s base, a sound of someone following close behind him.
Nufuli landed with a stumble as Slushly placed an ender chest, collapsing into the side of it. The amethyst on his wrist glowed brightly, his breathing deep and laboured as he searched through his items.
“I need leggings.” Nufuli croaked, his own body exhausted. The blazerod around his neck buzzed in his ears, a thin sheet of brain fog clouding his thoughts.
“Here.” Slushly tossed him a new pair along with more potions and an extra set of golden apples. Nufuli stretched his arms, picking up the items and hiding them.
“Why.. why is she attacking me? We were friends, we did– we protected each other– we WORKED together–”
“Nufuli look at me.”
The leviathan raised his tired eyes to Slushly's.
“She's not the same anymore.”
Nufuli’s tail wrapped around his leg, a mix of an annoyed grunt and a guilty sigh. “I can change her. She can see what I have become.. I did it for the better! Rat will understand–”
“Nufuli. She doesn't want to understand your side. She wants us dead to fucking FOCUS.” Slushly exclaimed, stepping towards Nufuli.
Focus.
He could focus.
Nufuli handed Slushly the book of knowledge.
“I need you to promise me something.”
Slushly stared down at the purple cover, his hand grazing the spine and pages.
“I need you to use that on her. No matter what.”
Slushly froze, forcing the book shut as his eyes found Nufuli’s once again. The leviathan looked determined, as if he's already made up his mind and wasn't going to budge.
“I need you to promise me you won't be stupid.” Slushly chuckled slightly, mostly out of nervousness. Nufuli hesitated before nodding.
Slushly moved his gaze away from the leviathan to find Rat’s cerulean eyes staring at his soul. She seemed to hate Slushly with a passion as she dragged him into the main throne room, Nufuli following. The leviathan stabbed his spear into her shoulder, Rat finally letting out a sound of pain.
Nufuli dragged Slushly away from Rat only to be slammed into the ground with force, his horns hitting the polished floors. Rat then proceeded to throw him, stab him, keeping Slushly away as she continued to exhaust the leviathan of his resources and spirit.
But he didn't die. He still had the bracelet.
At least he did.
The bracelet disappeared off his wrist, Nufuli's quick heartbeat leaving Slushly’s ears as Galaxy joined the fight, his hand holding the amethyst in his hand. Index sat open in his other hand, stuffing it back into his pocket before stabbing his blade into Nufuli's arm.
The leviathan cried out only to be continuously slashed by Galaxy and Rat, red pouring from his wounds as he tried his best to fight back. Slushly helped of course, the man launching up and dive bombing Rat over and over to not result. He then moved to Galaxy, but the new #3 dodged his attacks.
Eventually Nufuli had enough of the pain when his back hit the throne. His bones ached, #3 and #1 advancing on him.
“SLUSHLY!” Nufuli exclaimed with his remaining energy. He coughed, pushing his back closer to the throne.
The man with lightning shook his head. “No–”
“SLUSHLY YOU PROMISED ME.”
Slushly wilted, his heart twisting in uncertainty.
“You will die–”
“JUST DO IT SLUSHLY!”
Slushly didn't hesitate when Nufuli used that tone and ran forward, flipping through the pages before landing on one that said:
Kanara Rupture.
He pressed it.
His body felt as if it expanded, his ears ringing as his head tried to quiet the loud explosion in his ears. He felt himself floating down into the mini crater he made, small black binary fading out around him.
He saw Rat.
Rat was leaned up against a pillar, her body was launched a few feet away after the explosion. Her fur was a matted mess, one of her hearts disappearing from her 3 heart count.
..
Then Nufuli.
He was still against the throne, his body full of cuts and unnatural angles for his bones. He blinked, coughing into his arm only to whine in pain partway through.
Slushly made his way forward, his body freezing a few feet away from the broken leviathan. Slushly was almost glad Nufuli wasn't still wearing the bracelet. He didn't want to hear his pulse diminish into nothing.
Galaxy stood on the edge of the crater, staring at Nufuli's dying form with conflict in his eyes.
Slushly kneeled down next to him, tears forming in his eyes at Nufuli’s sight. The leviathan couldn't move without pain, black binary leaking from his open wounds. His eyes were darkened too.
Slushly couldn't keep looking at him. He closed his eyes as he heard the last breath leave his mouth.
Slushly’s voice broke, a cry of sorrow leaving his now faintly shaking body. He covered his face with his hands, his head falling until it hit Nufuli’s side.
He meant it when he told himself he couldn't make any more friends. They either died or betrayed him, both in the same room with him right now. He knew Galaxy was staring at him as he wept into Nufuli’s unmoving body, but he couldn't get himself to care right now.
Nufuli.
His last true friend.
Dead.
Slushly brought Nufuli's body closer, hugging the man as he cried. The black binary seeped into the corpse's wounds, the body fading slowly Slushly's arms.
He continued to sob. He barely realized Nufuli was disappearing until he was half transparent.
He stayed next to him until the body was nothing but black ones and zeros.
Slushly stayed there, gripping the book he gave him.
He had to.
He had to.
He felt a hand touch his shoulder and quickly waved it away. Galaxy was standing behind him, his eyes unsure of what to do, think, say. His #3 shield glinted in the faint light.
"You." Slushly's voice broke with anger. Galaxy stayed still, staring at Slushly's angry features.
"This is your fault."
Galaxy seemed to wince ever so slightly at the words but continued to say nothing.
"I won't hesitate to kill you the next time I see you."