A Poisoned Meal

Currently, Lex's thoughts were running amuck.

Two poisoned dreamers...one heart.

Lex possessed the befouled heart so he should use it, rightfully so. And yet, Hanz had saved him, and if it wasn't for the strange eye he'd used, they'd both be corpses.

'Well at least there's an obvious thing to do...wake him up. Yet, was that the better choice? How fast was the poison?

It'd been around an hour since they feasted, yet for Lex, he'd been covered in the poison for around two. It'd been a long time since it had seeped into his horrific wounds, especially the chunk out of his arm of which he'd stopped bleeding through his ability.

Wait...this wasn't just ordinary poison; this was poisonous blood. Additionally, they'd cremated the living shit out of the insects foul protein...there should be too much.

With that, it was decided. Since he was covered in the poison at the moment, and could drop dead at any moment, he acted fast.

[Would you like to consume 'Befouled Heart']

'Yes' he answered hastily.

Suddenly, the beating heart in his hand disappeared.

Had he consumed it? What did it even mean by consu-

"Ack" he spat.

Suddenly, blood began flowing into his mouth, almost seeming to drown him.

All he could do was spit it out and throw it up. However, tremendous pain began to overwhelm him, as well as worry.

'I...I can't move'

He cried out in agony.

It seemed things were getting worse and worse. Suddenly, blood was pouring out his eyes and nose now, his face a bloody mess. Literally.

Hearing his the screams, Hanz perked up confused. In an instant, he was on guard; his dagger suddenly rested in his hand.

"What the hell happened? Another monster?"

Lex didn't answer. He couldn't; his mouth was still filled with blood. In fact, he was now choking on it.

"Hey....Lex. What's happening?"

The young man rushed to his aid. However, he couldn't figure out what to do, or how his new companion had become so bloody.

Before him was a terrifying sight. Blood covered the floor of the cave, and the handsome companion's face was now painted in blood; he didn't look human at all.

Instead of tears, there were gushing streams of blood pouring out his eyes. His nose wasn't much better. As he spat out mouthfuls of blood, he struggled to breathe. After all, both his nose and mouth were now flooded.

What was Hanz to do? Now, he watched hopelessly as his companion was drowning in his own blood. Then, Hanz himself started to feel a little off.

He was becoming drowsy.

Out the corner of his eye, Lex spotted the youth's eyes begin to dart around aimlessly, as a flushed complexion made it's way onto Hanz' baby face.

'Fuck'

The rivers of blood seemed to have no end. In fact, he almost started to believe he'd die before they stopped. What the hell was happening?

It was then that something strange appeared before Lex's eyes, suddenly a sigh of relief left his mouth, followed by the regurgitation of blood.

[Consumption Complete: Befouled Heart Gained]

[Lex Ester has...]

He didn't have time to read the rest, the situation was dire.

'What are the chances he started feeling it now? Damn it'

He cursed inwardly.

In a hurry, he summoned his Warped Dao and slashed at Hanz's arm, causing it to bleed rapidly.

"What the hell are you doing? Have you gone...mad?"

Hanz yelled angrily, slurring his words.

The youth attempted to grasp his dagger, getting ready to defend himself if needs be. It seemed the insanity of the dark forest had not left his companion. However, something was wrong, his hand felt numb, and his finger didn't seem his own.

The dagger fell from his hand, clashing with the ground as Hanz's hand twitched.

"Shut up. I need to get the poison out"

Hanz looked at the fire in his companion's eyes and complied. He wasn't sure what poison he was talking about, perhaps his new friend had seriously gone crazy. It seemed plausible.

However, something made Hanz trust Lex to an odd degree for a practical stranger. His sluggish movement suggested he had indeed been poisoned.

Lex got to work. The poison was already well into Hanz's system. This was not going to be easy at all; quite the contrary.

With the bleeding stopped using his ability, Lex investigated the blood, attempting to find a way to separate the Hanz and the poison.

Lex grimaced. He had no clue into what he had to do. After all, he'd never studied anything like this.

"How do I separate the blood from the poison?"

He asked Hanz, desperate.

"I...don't know. I never really got much of...an e-ed"

Hanz's body was losing the fight against the toxins. It seemed like he would drop at any moment.

And he did.

"Hanz...fuck. I don't know what to do..."

Hope was lost.

In that moment, Hanz did not reply. Instead, he simply sighed, pondering on how'd he'd even been poisoned, how his parents would react to his death...would they survive? They'd struggled even when he was working three different jobs, and now they'd lost that income...what would happen to them?

He grasped Lex's hand, fighting all the pain, and a small bit of light escaped from his finger tips, entering Lex.

As the air left his body...he died.

Lex shook Hanz's body to no response. Slowly, he shook softer and softer until he rested the body down. He knew by then that his savour was dead.

[Item Received: Walker's Eye]

[Item Received: Wolf Fang]

[Item Received: Alpha Hide]

Seeing this, Lex couldn't seem to react. It was a good thing at a bad moment.

A mix of emotions clouded his mind.

Soon, the mental fatigue of weeks of torture from the dark forest, and an insane deficit of sleep, along with an influx of conflicting thoughts plaguing his mind caused Lex to pass out, lying dead on the floor.

Hanz was gone.