Uzi's cheek burned like fire ants chewing through skin; blood trickled warm down his jaw; he wiped it away with the back of his hand; holy magic already tingling to seal the cut. He locked eyes with the knight across the creek; the purple mist-face swirling in what looked like amusement; bow drawn taut for another shot.
"Guntic; Garnet; get behind a tree," Uzi barked; voice low and urgent; pointing to the nearest half-burned trunk; its green side offering slim cover.
Garnet didn't hesitate; she grabbed Guntic's arm; pulling him low as they scrambled; ash kicking up in soft puffs. "Water destroys them; Uzi," she called back; breath ragged; eyes wide above her scarf. "Dilutes the poison; turns them to nothing. Or go for the core; right in the center of the chest; that's their heart."
Uzi nodded sharp; mind racing; the creek's ashy water too far to splash without getting skewered first. He bolted; not waiting for the next arrow; feet pounding the gray ground; dodging from tree to tree. The first stump took him; bark rough under his palms as he slid behind it; breath heaving.
Then it hit him like a hammer to the knee. His leg; the one crushed under the first knight's boot weeks back; it wasn't fully healed. Pain shot up his thigh with every step; a dull throb turning sharp; muscles weak and protesting. He didn't have his full strength; this body still betrayed him; limits Rathra had baked in deep. Holy magic could patch; but not rebuild overnight.
He didn't care. Uzi gritted his teeth; pushed off the stump; limp-running as fast as the bad leg allowed; weaving between blackened trunks; ash swirling in his wake. The archer fired; arrows whistling like angry bees; one slammed into a tree just ahead; violet poison spreading through the bark like little snakes; slithering veins of purple twisting up the trunk; wood hissing and crumbling where it touched. Another arrow clipped a branch overhead; poison dripping down; eating through leaves that weren't even there anymore; the air turning foul with chemical rot.
Uzi knew it was probably game over if one hit him square. The poison would crawl inside; faster than his magic could burn it out; turning blood to sludge; limbs to dead weight. He couldn't let that happen; not with Guntic and Garnet counting on him; not after everything.
He channeled his power; holy light building in his veins; gold glow wrapping his fists like gloves of fire. He could no longer think about the voice from yesterday; that echoing whisper in his head; or Rathra's scratches; the stone petal; the face in the water staring blank. The smoke still smothering his lungs even just a little; ash particles clinging inside; making every breath scrape. He shoved it all down; locked it away; focus narrowing to the knight; the bow; the next move.
Uzi ducked low; knees scraping ash; aimed his body like a spear. The archer shifted; bow dipping too slow; not expecting the ground-level charge. Uzi exploded forward; bad leg screaming but holding; tackling the knight at the waist; both crashing into the creek bed; gray water splashing up in filthy arcs.
He straddled the archer; fists raining down; each blow slamming into the armored face with cracks of gold light. Poison surged back with every punch; violet tendrils biting into his knuckles; burning like acid; but the holy magic healed it in the same instant; gold pushing back the purple; a war in his skin. Just sitting on the knight sent poison flooding his lower body; thighs; knees; feet tingling numb; spreading slow like ice water in his veins. Uzi didn't care; rage drowned the pain; he ripped the helmet off with a savage yank.
Underneath; the poison gas face swirled; eyes forming from violet mist; mouth curling in a silent snarl.
"I won't fucking lose this time," Uzi proclaimed; voice raw; holy light flaring brighter around him.
He coughed out blood; metallic tang filling his mouth; the poison fighting harder now. The archer bucked; massive hands shoving Uzi off; sending him tumbling into the ash; ribs jarring. The knight began to stand; joints creaking; bow already in hand; string pulling back for a point-blank shot.
Uzi coughed up more blood; wiping his mouth; forcing holy magic down to his legs; burning out the numbness inch by inch; muscles twitching back to life.
The archer aimed; violet arrow glowing like a promise of death.
Then screams shattered the air. Guntic and Garnet; raw and terrified; echoing from up the hill.
Uzi and the archer both snapped their heads; eyes widening.
Four more archers crested the rise; bows drawn; flanked by three sword-wielding knights; armor dripping the same sickly purple. They moved fast; surrounding Guntic and Garnet before they could run; poison handcuffs snapping around wrists; violet chains slithering like live things; spreading up arms; making limbs go weak; slow paralysis creeping in.
"No!" Uzi screamed; scrambling to his feet; about to charge up the hill; bad leg be damned.
The voice from earlier came back; low and mocking; right in his ear like a whisper from smoke. "You know; in this moment; the archer is distracted; you could finish the job and escape; and then follow those old geezers; and find out where they are taking them; idiot."
Uzi stopped dead in his tracks; breath freezing; mind splitting in two. Run after them now; get captured too; or listen to the voice; the thing that haunted him; and play smart.
In the heat of the moment; heart pounding like war drums; Uzi turned. He powered all his holy magic into one arm; gold light doubling; tripling; the glow so bright it lit the creek like midday sun. He jumped; bad leg buckling but holding; slamming his hard fist into the archer's chest.
The impact cracked like thunder; his hand plunging through armor; hitting what could only be described as a hard part; the core; a pulsing violet orb in the center. Uzi smashed it; fingers closing around; crushing with everything he had; shards biting into his palm but holy light sealing the wounds instant.
The archer shuddered; body fading; poison mist dissolving into harmless vapor; bow clattering to the ground.
Uzi didn't wait; he ran into the trees; limp-sprinting for cover; hoping to get a safe distance to follow; track the knights without being seen. Ash choked his lungs; branches whipped his face; but he pushed on; holy magic pulsing to keep the poison at bay.
He looked back one last time; through the blackened trunks; heart twisting.
Two of the poison men stared right at him; helmets off; misty faces swirling. One didn't have a helmet on; that thing smiled; violet lips curling wide; eyes glowing with promise.
Uzi shivered; ducked deeper into shadow; the smile burning in his mind like fresh poison.