Chapter 38

                                    

                                          
"When one person is missing the whole world seems empty." 
― Pat Schweibert, Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss
                          
***   
                          
"You really think I would be so easy to kill?" 
                          
The blade that was lodged in the side of my chest stunned me. I think it managed to puncture my lung; somehow it managed to slip between my ribs since I was having trouble breathing.
                          
He leaned down so his face was centimeters away from my own.
                          
"I'm not through with your torture yet." He whispered and twisted the blade making a gurgled gasp escape my throat as pain sparked anew in my body.
                          
I managed to stab him but not in the heart. How did I miss? I punctured his lung too, but he seems to not be feeling the wound, his breathing normal. 
                          
As my vision became fuzzy around the edges, something ignited in me—some kind of last resort, a last burst of the will to live—I don't know but with a strangled yell I pushed him on his back and now that I had the upper hand, began to punch him in the face. Over, and over, and over again.
                          
The bastard started to laugh, which fueled my fury further.
                          
I don't know for how long I lost it but when I came to, my knuckles were bloody, my breathing ragged, and Cloud still laughed as his injuries began to heal.
                          
 "You could've killed me you know! What made you not stab me?"
                          
I punched him again as I felt my own wounds close but not before I felt blood flow out as I pulled the sword out, throwing it to the side carelessly.
                          
The agony that flared through my side caused me to fall forward but I quickly used my forearms to stay elevated. The scream that left me didn't sound like me. 
                          
I should've taken the chance to end his life with his own weapon but something stopped me. I just couldn't do it.
                          
Better my life than his.
                          
"Such a beautiful expression," He whispered, stroking my cheek.
                          
I gasped and straightened my back so I wasn't so close to him.
                          
"I've been wanting to punch the idiot for a long time now." I said, hoping to change the subject.
                          
"Alright, so he got what he deserved. Now, what?" He smirked.
                          
I huffed out a breath. "I don't know. I'm tired."
                          
I felt drained, completely empty. I didn't know what to do. I just wanted to lie down and die.
                          
Cloud flipped me on my back and stared at me almost in regret.
                          
"Looks like this is the end for you," he said as he gently placed his hand on my forehead.
                          
I felt something inside me being tugged and slowly being pulled apart. My mouth opened in a silent scream.
                          
Z-zephyr, what the hell is he doing?
                          
This is...impossible. He should n-not be able to tear our bond. If he does, it will...be the end of me and you will be in unimaginable pain. 
                          
I wasn't the only one feeling the strain.
                          
H-how do we stop him?
                          
We...do not.
                          
We can't let him win, Zephyr!
                          
Then you must end his life.
                          
No.
                          
"Quite a strong bond you have here. I'm surprised since you've only been aware of Zephyr for such a short time."