19 Righting Wrongs

Well, only the men that surrounded us died.

Although I was furious at Joe I couldn't kill him. My plan was already falling apart I didn't want to make it any worse.

Of the men the died their cause of death was fear.

They were so scared that their hearts actually stopped causing them to fall over and die.

There was no beauty in it, no red to dye the world, and no suffering.

"Hehe!" I hear a giggle behind me.

Turning around I see Willow with a bright smile.

"Awe, you killed them for me!" She says.

"I told you. I'm the one that's going to kill you. These ants don't have the right," I reply.

Turning back around I pull Willow over to my side and crouch down to look at Joe.

He wasn't dead like the others but he wasn't in good shape.

Stone Cold's main effect comes from looking at the one who's to receive the brunt of the terror.

For Joe that was unfortunately him.

And because I subconsciously didn't want him to die, yet I released enough fright to kill non-recipients nearby, it was actually worse.

At least once you die it's over but for him, he had to live through his worst nightmares and still come out stable.

I could see him foaming from the mouth and coming in and out of consciousness.

The scene around us could have been from a movie.

In the center, Willow and I kneeled looking down on Joe while bodies of men laid around us.

"Is he going to wake up?" Willow asks.

"Yeah, you want to do the honors?"

"What do I do?"

"Wake him up," I say with a wink.

She realizes immediately what I was saying and got a smile that probably reflected mine.

*Slice*

"GAAAAAAA!" He screams.

Flying off into the piles of bodies goes Joe's special part.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!" He shouts.

"Good job!" I say.

"Thanks!"

"I'LL K-" Joe begins to say before cutting himself off.

'It seems he has learned his lesson and has enough sense to not threaten her.'

"What do you want?" He says grinding his teeth.

"I already told you. I'm here to join the fight. I have an ability that lets me see enemies in the nearby vicinity. Plus you've already seen my capabilities. You don't want me switching sides do you?" I say snarky.

"What?!" He says dumbfounded.

"Do I need to cut something else off? He doesn't seem to understand what you're saying maybe if I remove an arm he will get it?" Willow remarks.

"No, no, that won't be necessary," Joe says as he gets a shiver down his spine.

The place where his thing once was is now just red.

"We're here to make a deal are you in the right mindset to understand the position you're in?" I ask.

"Of course!"

"Great! Willow and I will travel with you for a week and in return, we want a recommendation."

"A recommendation? For what?"

"To enter the HQ obviously."

"What! But I don't have the authorit-"

"Then get it or we will find someone who does," I say cutting him off.

Joe looks around to see his fellow men who fought alongside him laying dead. He sees the generals that he trained and grew up with headless. He looked down at himself and realized that he couldn't stand up because he was still shaking in fear and he lost his most precious thing.

Even though he was bleeding and intimidated he didn't want any of the others to end up like him or worse so taking a deep breath he gave his answer.

"How far away can you see the enemy?"

I smile knowing I got my plan to work even with the small mishap.

"I already have the plan made. Two-tenths of your men will be in front of us at all times. The rest including you will be behind us. I will warn the men in front and give them plenty of time to get ready for battle. They will attack and weaken the beasts and I will finish them off."

"But if I do that it would be like sentencing the men upfront to death."

"Exactly!"

"What kind of monster are you?"

"You should wish I am simply a monster."

With that Willow and I turn to leave but after taking a couple of steps I turn back to tell Joe.

"Oh, and under no circumstances will Willow and I ever be separated and that is not up for discussion."

"What kind of fucking sociopathic couple are you?"

Pausing for a moment I search for the right words to say, "I can't let my treasure out of my sight."

"Now get some rest our week starts tomorrow," After saying that Willow activates teleport and we appear in the middle of the forest.

"Hehe, I'm your treasure!" She says as she runs up in front of me and grabs both of my hands.

"You really are," I say with a smile.

"I'm tired can we sleep now?" She asks.

"Sure."

INSOMNIA: You don't need to sleep or ever feel drowsy. {This is a passive ability it will not cost mana to use}

Even though I don't need to sleep I still decide to rest with Willow.

Teleporting us up a tree I lay down first and place my back to the trunk of it.

Then Willow lays in between my legs and snuggles up against my chest.

I wrap my arms around her and hold her tightly.

"You never told me your name," She whispers.

"I know," I whisper back.

"Will you tell me?"

"Do you really want to know?" I ask excited to tell her.

"Yes," She practically begs as she somehow digs deeper into my embrace.

"You're mine once I tell you, you know that right?"

"I've always been yours. Didn't I tell you it is my destiny?"

"Arthur, my name is Arthur."

"That's a good name, I'm glad I finally know it."

"Willow is also a very pretty name."

This causes her to squirm.

"Good night Arthur."

"Night Willow."