𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐲 ▷ Stiles Stilinski¹

91|life and death

She almost scoffed, "You're asking me? A month ago, I'd never even touched a sword."

Which made it all the more impressive that she was fighting these warriors off masterfully with the weapon.
I hoped she'd be able to forgive me for what I had said to her about Scott.

Lydia kept Stiles off to the side, which I was more than thankful for. He was far too weak to be able to fight against these things.

We kept going, Scott clawing at them, Kira slashing them with her sword, and me trying to push them back. I couldn't exactly take the air away from a demonic spirit, so the best I could do was keep them at bay.

Just as I thought we might've been getting the upper-hand, one of the Oni disarmed Kira. She went to get her katana, but two Oni were prepared to kill her right there.

I went to retrieve it for her, but somebody already had it. Stiles was standing up from the spot where he had been with Lydia, holding the sword to his own stomach.

I stopped in my tracks, not believing what I was seeing. "Stiles," I stuttered. "What are you doing? Put that down."

Scott had heard me, no longer fighting the Oni to face our best friend. "Stiles. Stiles, no."

"What if it saves you?" Stiles stated. "What if it saves all of you?"

I looked down to see black spots in the snow. My nose was still dripping. Why hadn't it stopped yet?

"What if it's just another trick?" Lydia countered.

"No more tricks, Lydia," the Nogitsune claimed. "End it, Scott. Let your friend fall on his own sword. Do for him what he cannot do for himself. Do it, Scott. Be his kaishakunin."

"Scott, don't even move," I warned him. "We will find another way."

"If you wait, you'll die too, little Sylph," The Nogitsune warned me. I touched the black liquid below my nose, knowing immediately what he was talking about. "You feel it already, don't you? I warned you what would happen, little sylph. If Scott does this, then I'll make it stop."

"Riley, what's he talking about?" Scott asked me.

"She's dying, too," Stiles answered quickly, staring down at the sword. "They're all going to die unless I do this."

"That's right," the Nogitsune said. "Give up the game."

Stiles' hands were shaking as he held the sword, staring at it intensely. But then, something changed. His grip loosened and he looked over his shoulder slowly.

"You have no moves left."

Stiles slowly lowered the sword, "I do." He threw the sword back to Kira, who caught it with ease. "A divine move."

The Nogitsune growled.

"Stop fighting them. It's an illusion," Stiles insisted. "You have to stop fighting them. It looks real and it feels real, but Scott, you gotta trust me, it's an illusion."

We all turned to face the Nogitsune, who was fuming with rage. The others were hesitant, but I shrugged, gathering my courage.
"I'm already dying anyway."

I began to walk forward as the Oni formed to protect the Trickster. My friends joined me, all of us stepping in unison.

The Onis' blades cut me the same as earlier, slicing at my flesh. I almost gave up, but I knew that I had to keep going. I trusted Stiles.

Scott walked faster, slipping around me to shove the Nogitsune through the doors.
When we passed through them, we were in the school, where we were originally trying to get.