Knowing The End (SAA Book 2) ✔

28: An Accursed Affray

Oren immediately found his voice. "Watch out!" he shouted, voice breaking on a whimper of agony. His legs couldn't seem to move, as he was immobilized with fear and the searing pain.

Clayton ducked and swept a leg under her ankle, making her fall to the ground as the human's legs spread on either side of her waist. He crouched over her stomach and he raised his dagger.

She reached up and caressed Clayton's cheek, making the man pause in confusion. Once she got his attention, she smiled softly. "Let's just forget about this. Would you really want to be burned alive as your fiance watches?" she asked in a persuasive tone. Clayton kept the dagger raised, guard unwavering.

"Don't try that. You're no Goddess."

Euthenia summoned a gout of fire in her palm, and he stepped off of her quickly, and as she fired. Clayton shifted to the side and narrowly dodged it. He felt the lavalike heat of the bolt just brush his side. Oren lifted his head for a short while before he let himself go limp. He lost all of his strength to move.

He looked up to see the bow he dropped before. The ivory scaled quiver lay next to the weapon with arrows spilling out of it lazily. He reached for the bow, and with its weight he could only drag it. He fetched an arrow and readied it within the string of fine cotton and lined up the shot.

It was hard to aim, considering he was laying at an angle. He stilled his trembling hands and aimed the arrow right to the back of Euthenia's head. Then, the elf mustered up the courage to shoot. He released the arrow, closed his eyes and let his ears paint everything else.

He heard the same 'thck,' only with an added crack and light, liquid drops. He winced as a heavy thump shook the marble floor. There was a shift in the ground, and he soon felt the crispness of outside air. Grass crushed below his weight, and some longer blades tickled his nose. His hand gripped the bow tightly.

Opening his eyes slowly, he came to the misty jungle of his homeland. He looked over to the fallen body of Euthenia, who was simply smoldering away. Her body was covered in stab wounds, and coincidentally Clayton was holding the same bloodied dagger. The arrow that Oren fired... it was sticking out of her forehead, silver blood running down her face and cheeks.

Oren looked away, feeling the throbbing pain return to him once the shock settled. His eyes slipped closed and he fell unconscious with the sunlight pouring over him, golden rays resting between the cracks of the leaves above.

Clayton scurried over, plummeting to his knees as he supported the elf on his lap. "Oren?" he wiped away the blood but it just kept coming. "Baby..?" The elf was silent as a response. Clayton took two fingers to Oren's neck, and when he felt nothing, he pressed his ear to his chest to hear a fain, very slow pulse.

"Oh thank God," he muttered, sighing with relief. He slackened but he was still able to keep a firm hold on his lover. "I love you so much. I should have never let you go by yourself..." he gently rocked Oren back and forth, pressing one hand to his eye to keep the blood from escaping.

Oren was limp and heavy.

_

Clayton lay awake with Hunter in his lap, who tugged at his shirt. The air finally became breathable, like a weight had been lifted from the house. Clayton no longer had to worry about his lover dying.. It wasn't physically possible. Though it still occurred to him that he'll die and Oren will be left alone.

He hated that thought.

Oren lay there motionless, a thick patch to his right eye. The deep wound would definitely scar, and his eye was damaged to the point of no return. His iris was completely white and milky, unable to fully open. Oren was off and on all day, awake and asleep by the hour. Every time he awoke, he whimpered in pain and tears would pool up at his only functional eye.

The painkillers didn't seem to quell Oren's distress. Clayton's attempts to assuage the agony were to no avail, for every time he thought he was onto something, the pain would hit Oren full force again.

Quivering hands gripped Clayton's, bringing him back to reality. He looked over to a weary Oren. The bandage covering his eye was covered with the rosy taint of blood and the thick, familiar scent of iron filled the air. Hunter looked up to Clayton, worried for his other father.

"How are you feeling, love?" Clayton asked tiredly. His eyes were heavy, and he could practically feel his cheeks sinking from the stress and lack of nourishments. His first priority was always Oren, despite Hunter.

"Just great," the elf croaked, even through the hoarse voice came his occasional sarcasm, which made the human smile. "Biddily-boddily." Oren made himself cackle by saying that. Clayton knew he was still a little woozy from the pain medicine he took earlier.

"Papa? Are you okay?" Hunter chimed.

Oren nodded weakly, grasping Hunter's smaller hand with his other. He swiped a thumb over the boy's palm. "I'll be fine, Hunty. I just need time to heal. It's not like I'm going anywhere."

That phrase worsened Clayton's worries. His thoughts had returned to his head. "Hey, uh.. Hunty? Can you leave the room for a minute? We're going to talk about some adult stuff." The child made an 'o' with his mouth and hopped off the bed, frolicking to the door.

"I'll be in my room, daddy!"

"Okay sweetie."

Oren flashed the other a confused stare. "What was that for? What do you wanna talk about?"

Clayton let out a heavy sigh. "So... You know how you literally can't die? I was thinking that.. I will someday die and you'll be left alone."

"What..? Oh.. No no, you don't understand. Euthenia told me that I've transferred my DNA to you, either through saliva or whatever. She told me that the immortality is in my blood. We've... Uh, traded saliva many times."

"So.. You mean I'm..."

"Yeah. The whole family is. Thanks to Euthenia, we'll be alive until the end of time." Oren, despite his subsiding pain, let out a genuine smile as he reached up and stroked Clayton's cheek.

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