Chapter 59: Chapter 57 – Final blows

– POV General –

In this dark night, in this dense and gloomy forest, in this clearing surrounded by fire, Hestia and Edward were still standing before the two jaguars. After the intervention of Loki and Azeil, which had ended in the poisoning of the latter, their souls had been set on fire, just like their weapons. Covered in blood from head to toe, wounded, on the verge of fainting, but determined to finish it off even if it was by crawling to victory.

Thanks to the flammable root sap, the Captain's black blade and the tip of the Master of Arms' spear had become real torches. One last time, despite their exhausted bodies, they had circulated the remaining natural energy for one last attack. It was necessary to ignore the vision-obscuring pain, every muscle screaming, the blood rushing around and the broken or dislocated bones.

It wasn't easy, in fact it was very hard for the two friends who were obviously doing their best, but their motivation had been revived by Loki and Azeil. So much so that they had entered into a trance that Hestia knew well but had not experienced for a while. Thus, this concentration born of anger and the desire to live had just appeared, while their backs were against the wall with no chance of retreat. 

The time was more than counted, the life of Azeil was at stake because he had only 15 minutes left before he died on the cold ground of the forest. Between life and death, in 10 minutes he would start to suffocate, in 12 his vision would blur, in 14 minutes he would start to convulse before dying in atrocious sufferings at the 15th. The young blond woman knew it well and had no choice but to fight.

She who knew the simple antidote to save him but who had to defeat the powerful mountain that stood before her no matter what. It was necessary.Then as the Captain opened her eyes, the two beasts instinctively began to back away. In the eyes of the two pirates, this wild will to live and to win made them as imposing as two cornered tigers with nothing to lose.

While the equally determined young man was still staring at the smaller jaguar, suddenly Hestia moved without a word for her final face-off. Like a solemn moment, neither the other beast nor her friend moved, respectfully observing the final duel that would leave only one victor. Without waiting, the thorny feline just poisoned threw itself on her also just as determined to stay upright.

There was something beautiful in this vision, two beings whose destiny was linked by a fight to the death that they would honor until their last breath. As if time had stood still, a blood-covered Captain reaching beyond her limits and armed with a flaming sword formed a unique painting. Illuminated by the yellow and red flames, the scene seemed to play out in slow motion, leaving only the heartbeat echoing in the ears.

Then, as if the time took again its frantic race, the moment after the young woman and the beast found themselves face to face while the breaths were cut. This time, the fastest, it was her who swung her blade up and down to cut, burn and poison. With a nimble movement, the jaguar narrowly avoided the attack that came to cut the tip of its hair bristling with anger, pain and the little poison in its system. 

Yet Hestia did not stop, infusing some of her remaining energy into her sword, making it grow as the glowing blade drew in the dark. Powerful slashes split the air forming red circles as she moved forward. The Captain played on the peculiarity of her sword to carry it away, extending it to take it in both hands and the next second suddenly retracting it. 

< 1 minute >

As a result, the beast never knew how far to move, retreating further and further as the blows came at it faster and faster. The previously red flames turned black due to the natural energy but that didn't stop Hestia from continuing. The more she wielded her blade, the more blood she spat out, her wounds being painful not to mention her broken ribs… but she continued.

< 2 minutes >

Seeing this as an opportunity, the jaguar took advantage of a moment when she coughed to move to the side and turn around to send its tail, thin but powerful. Yet, despite her condition, the young woman saw it coming and with one clean, precise stroke sliced it, depositing poison. The movement had been so fast that she fell to the ground feeling her ribs torturing her while the spiked monster screamed in pain.

"ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR"

"COUGH COUGH"        

Their vision had blurred, they could feel their lives slipping away but as long as they were breathing they had to fight to the end. Getting up, Hestia staggered towards her opponent before running back in its direction to deliver the final blow. The air was heavy, the atmosphere was morbid and while several miles away the crew waited patiently, they did not know that their future was being played out in this forest of nightmares.

< 3 minutes >

The mere thought of her companions made her stronger, as if they were near her, encouraging her and whispering that she was not alone. The Captain's eyes were filled with blood, her vision blurred, but as if she was borrowing Kali's gift, she listened and matched her steps to her heartbeat. She was still using her strength but this time, like the skilled Lucas, she was guided by her body's natural instinct.

As fast as Joe, Hestia ignored the pain and anticipated each of its movements and those of her opponent as much as she could. Gripping the handle of her weapon as tightly as Edward had held the rope during the storm, Mysie's voice sang in her mind keeping her sane. They were all there, the young woman could feel them and could only lift her sword not with her strength alone but with everyone's.

Entering a wild madness feeling death coming, the huge jaguar having lost an eye, some of its spines and now its tail was not thinking at all. Roaring and wriggling all over the place, it beat the air with its paws without even knowing exactly where Hestia was. The poison was slowly entering its body through its blood, which it was losing a lot due to its wounds that made it suffer horribly. 

< 4 minutes >

Breaking the bones around it, the beast was blowing everything up as Hestia moving almost like a puppet reached its level. Large projectiles hit her, wounding her but she didn't slow down and once under the jaguar's neck, flashed her blade covered in black flames. Always growing and shrinking, she cut first the shoulder, the forearm, the torso, a paw, the ear but it was still not enough. She had to kill it or die trying.

The exhausted Captain had to be quick because a little further on, one of her loved ones was between life and death, his survival depending only on her. The jaguar didn't have long to live either, but every second counted and was bringing them closer to disaster. Taking support on a huge bone, Hestia propelled herself under the belly of her target before cutting it from the neck to the waist pouring its entrails on her.

"GRRRRAAAOOOOUUURRGVRVUR !!!"

< 5 minutes >

With a horrendous scream vibrating the ground, the towering trees and their foliage, the monster staggered trying to stay on its feet despite the mortal wound. The young woman was behind it and could hardly stand, dripping with blood and unrecognizable. She was about to fall to her knees when, in one last burst of strength, the jaguar opened its mouth wide to take her with it in death. 

"RAAAAAAH !!!"

Lifting her sword as if for the last time, as the maw was at her back, fangs above her ready to crunch, the final blow was fired. Turning as fast as she could, her blade grew and thickened before slicing clean through the beast's head. The four-meter jaguar had not seen it coming and while its eyes reflected a total incomprehension, they crossed the cold, cruel and powerful gaze of the young woman.

< 6 minutes >

While the huge head fell to the ground, her trembling body was also totally drained of all its strength, the last bits of natural energy disappearing. Hestia had finally overcome but she could feel her consciousness slipping away, the pain in her entire body catching up with her. Yet, as her eyes closed, a huge explosion reminded her that she was not done with her mission and that someone was waiting for her.

*BOOM*

It wasn't over yet because the second fight had begun, the second jaguar being caught in a rage after having seen the first one die. Turning her head, the young woman squinted her eyes trying to discern what was going on, although in front of her were only blurred images. The fire around them was getting dimmer but glaring, her breathing was jerky, her whole body was shaking, aching, her mind too but she had to move.

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< 7 minutes >

"M-Move"

Hestia knew it, she had to not pass out, she had to not let this victory leave a hole in her heart...she had to save Azeil because soon it would be too late. Gritting her teeth, she leaned on her trembling arms to get up, ignoring the other fight that was going on. One movement after another, the Captain couldn't bring herself to give up even as she went through immense pain and her mind was going.

"COUGH COUGH !!!"

Spitting out more and more blood, she almost crawled but still managed to move forward to where she had last left Loki and Azeil. Her steps were heavy, as she moved, her five senses seemed to disappear or maybe it was her imagination. The sound of battle seemed so far away, Hestia didn't know if she was breathing or not, the smell and taste of blood was everywhere and she couldn't feel her body anymore if only the pain.

The young woman felt a wave of nausea wash over her and tried to ignore it. It was like her mind was shutting down one part of itself after another until there would be nothing left. She wanted to vomit again but knew that if she did, she wouldn't have the strength to crawl any further. Shaking her head, the Captain was suddenly crossed by a wave of madness, disgusted by her own weaknesses, deciding to play the whole thing.

< 8 minutes >

Getting up for good, staring at the tree in the distance almost blind, Hestia began to run as best she could, hardly knowing what she was doing. She stumbled, got up to stumble again but didn't give up...she had to make the antidote. Her legs kept giving out under her weight but with determination she finally reached the tree where only Azeil was lying and breathing with difficulty.

"A-Az..."

The barely one-year-old white tiger was also even worse off than she was, clinging to life, rolling his little golden eyes in her direction. Almost crawling to his side, she paid no attention to Loki's absence as she began to prepare the antidote. Hestia grabbed her hunting knife from her boot and then, breaking off a piece of bone that was lying around to make a bowl, she began to scrape the root bark inside.

< 9 minutes >

Without waiting, with a trembling hand, she would then cut her hand to drip blood into the bowl before placing two drops of poisoned sap. The antidote against the plant was itself and if the doses were known, the antidote was rather simple and quick to prepare. Finishing by igniting the contents, the Captain now had a greenish red mixture that she hastened to pour into the mouth of her animal. 

She had done what she could despite her own alarming state, praying now that it would be enough as her mind left. The young woman had finished and as a weight was lifted from her heart, she dropped down next to Azeil wanting to stay awake but just couldn't. Both had their eyes turned to the sky they couldn't see and as Hestia's closed, she spoke a few last words.

"E-Edward...I-...I'm counting on you..."

Indeed, further on, as she wanted to help but sank into the darkness of her own consciousness, her friend was still fighting fiercely. The fire-breathing pirate with his flaming spear, just as she had done a little earlier, was determined to win. He turned his weapon skillfully despite his wounds, his dislocated right shoulder had stained his arm a dark purple color sending waves of pain.

The jaguar in front of him was leaping around, dodging every blow that came its way, circling Edward with speed. But every time it came close, the flames and the blade prevented it from swinging its paws, its tail or even its spines. The spear whirled around his head, to the right, to the left, and always stayed in motion, beginning to pull it back as well. 

Just like his Captain, the young man had entered a state of extreme survival, his blue eyes reflecting only wrath while emanating from him a great intention to kill. As the beast suddenly leapt into the air to reach him from above, he tapped the ground with his left foot to back away and counter with his weapon. The jaguar was only a few feet above and as it threw its paw, the spear hit it. 

The impact was powerful, the fiery blade sinking deep into its shoulder, but not without consequences for Edward. The force of the beast falling on him finished off his injury, the bone in his right arm breaking as the shaft he was holding broke. Moreover, he had not been able to dodge well and one of the claws was coming to hit him in the torso, cutting his skin from right to left making his blood gush red and hot.

"AAAAAARG !!!"

"GROOOAAARRUUGGRRH !!!"

Withdrawing his weapon that had gone through the jaguar's shoulder in a scream, both fell to the ground and at that moment, the first one to get up would definitely win. The tip of the iron blade was melting under the heat and the poison of the sap, which would make it unusable very quickly. With his right arm hanging down, his shirt torn and dripping with blood, Edward gritted his teeth and with his left arm, threw the rest of his weapon with all his might. 

This time it went through the jaguar's stomach, and the fight would soon be over. Reacting as quickly as he could, the young pirate approached it stumbling. The smell of blood was strong, the red liquid flowed on the ground with each movement, Edward was pale but his eyes were fixed on the beast. It tried to get up without success, all its limbs also trembled as it bled and was eaten away by the poison. 

Without waiting, ignoring its poor weak movements, the young man put his arms around its neck, which was a little too big to go around completely. It was the end. With a final cry of rage, mobilizing all his remaining physical and mental strength, he squeezed as hard as he could. Edward's muscles were contacting each other, his damaged arm was being put to the test but in a few moments it would all be over. 

"RAAAAAAAAAAHHH !!!"

The veins in his body were popping out, the tighter he squeezed the more blood gushed from his chest wound and the more the feeling in his right arm disappeared. The jaguar was struggling but it could not escape his grip being slowly strangled by the power of the young man. A little more, just a little more. He felt his consciousness slipping away too but drawing one last time on his gift was enough and suddenly...

*CROCK*

Edward had just broken the beast's neck with his bare hands despite the terrible pain he had also endured in the last few hours. He had succeeded, he had done it no matter the cost, he would be the one to see a new day dawn. As the red-bearded pirate looked into the extinguished eyes of his opponent of the night, suddenly he began to stagger before falling heavily to the ground in his own blood.

"H-Huh ? I-I...can't move and my whole body is fucking aching. I-I think I'm losing too much blood...sigh...but still..."

He looked up into the trees that he couldn't even make out, while his body lay motionless and shot through with a ghoulish cold. Edward felt his eyes close with a sudden urge to sleep almost forever, but he couldn't help but give a small smile. As he too sank deeply, his last words were filled with respect for the one he had fought and pride for Hestia and him.

"S-Still…T-That was two...two great fights...wasn't it, Captain ?"

Thus ended the very first test that the two pirates had faced upon their arrival on this new island as dangerous as it was mysterious. Victory was theirs, but neither could celebrate, lying on the cold ground and already in a whole new world. They were bathing in their own blood, Hestia next to Azeil and Edward next to his victim. These fights had been legendary, but had the victory been complete ?

Their heartbeat was faint, their body cold and the clearing looked more like a graveyard, which would not soothe those who were already on their way to rescue them.

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