Chasing Dreams (Dropped)

Chapter 124: Ren's Choice

Ren held his shoulder feeling the pain but also being a bit hesitant to even see the damage that was done. He could tell based on how badly his shoulder was screaming that the wound he had received was probably far worse than anything he had suffered before.

"Don't look..."

"Don't look..."

"Don't look..."

Ren's mind screamed at his body. Begging him to avert his gaze and keep his mind focused! A single stare would be enough to crush his will. A single glance would be enough to tell Ren that what he was doing was stupid. A single look would be enough to make him give up.

Regardless of his mind's warnings.

Regardless of his mind telling him not to do it.

Ren lowered his gaze, choosing to look at the wound given to him by his former idol.

"...?!" Ren felt his throat swell. What he saw was much worse than what he had expected. "Ugh..." the main sunk in like a viper's fangs. Reminding Ren repeatedly of the stupidity of his actions with an electrifying pain. Blood flowed from between the cracks of Ren's teeth as it forced its way out through violent coughs.

"You are a fool, just like Irene." Michael's words struck Ren's back like a hot knife, making him cough up blood more violently than before. Michael altered his gaze focusing on the hideous wound left by his parting shot. "Tachibana."

Ren's shoulder had been completely blown apart. Just looking at the wound Ren's entire left side felt numb. He couldn't feel his shoulder, nor his arm. Everything from the neck down felt like it had gone to sleep.

Michael's illuminating smile lost its usual glow. Now donning moonlit frown with a stare of bitter nostalgia.

The wound given to Ren was the exact same as what Irene had given to Michael many years ago. Back when Irene drove her sword so far into his shoulder that it nearly tore his entire arm off.

Ren now was going through the same pain as Michael. Ren stared at his wound with eyes of dread. His shoulder had been obliterated, leaving only mangled flesh and seared bones. Ren looked to his arm which was barely holding on to the rest of his body. Only keeping itself there with a handful of muscle fibers.

Blood poured from the wound splashing onto the ground like a shower of red rain. "Ugh..." Ren desperately tried to hold himself together, both physically and mentally but every time he did it felt like pieces of glass were shattering more and more. "Fuck fuck fuck..." Ren didn't even have the strength to shout. He wanted to scream at Michael, curse him for the piece of shit that he was. But he couldn't, all the remaining strength he had needed to be perserve to heal and survive.

Otherwise...

He'd die.

Nyssa would die.

And everything he had done up until this point would be for nothing.

Ren's vision slowed as he looked around. He first set his eyes on Nyssa, watching her float inside of the tank as if in an eternal sleep. Ren then looked to Winston who watched with eyes of glee. Ren figured if he fell here Winston would probably dissect him and turn him into a mindless puppet like he did Damien. Then Ren looked to Mei expecting to see her watch him with eyes of dread, but reality couldn't be further from that.

Mei watched Ren with eyes of lust and euphoria as if this outcome was one she had been dying to see. "Trust you..." Ren thought "Fuck that...everyone here is screwed up..." Finally Ren turned to Michael solidifying his gaze. It was difficult to stare at him for long, mainly due to Ren's vision becoming spotty and Michael's glow growing even brighter.