3 A Smile, as Sweet as Nicotine

She stood over him, as he struggled. He couldn't even breathe; who could, after something like this had happened? Would he die? Should he beg for his life? He wasn't like the heroes of legend, he couldn't grit his teeth and push through pain. Tears cut through the second skin that was created from dry and caked blood, the dirt hungrily swallowing the remains.

I hung my arm loosely across her shoulders, and looked at him with contempt. Placing my lips next to her ear, I whispered with a smile. Hot breath fogged in the chilled air, particles of moisture reflecting starlight.

"My dear Chimamire, I suppose you already know what you need to do."

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Nakimi awoke with a start. Blankets clung to his sweat-drowned skin, and heaving breaths hung in the air. Immediately after sitting up, a gust of cold air reminded him that he had left his window open last night; strange, considering he never forgot to do so. But with how little sleep he had gotten recently, he wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't the least bit out of it. As he stood up to close it, he heard the familiar suffering of strained stairs screaming and squeaking against heavy steps. Nakimi doubted he had been sleeping at all; considering Liane had gone missing, it was understandable. While Nakimi had a close connection to Liane as well, he was having trouble falling asleep for a different reason. Every night since she vanished, his nights had been plagued by horrible dreams of a hideous creature with a half-rotted face, murmuring something indecipherable. And it's eye. It only had one, but that detail didn't fade even as he awoke. He supposed his mind had crafted a scenario from children's tales to explain how someone of Liane's strength could have disappeared without a trace.

Before he could ponder his dream further, Sam had finally made it past torturing the stairs, and could now beat the poor old oak door until it decided it was easier to open the opposite direction it was meant to.

"M-morning, Sam."

A yawn caused him to stutter a bit, but Nakimi offered a tired smirk to assure Sam he was fine.

Sam returned this with a stone face, but Nakimi could see how horrible he was feeling; and looking. Deep purple bags protruded below his recessed eyes, and the stubbled start of a beard giving him the look of a half-plucked porcupine that got a bit too much off the top.

"Hmm? Ah, morning to you too. Breakfast is downstairs. No news yet. But... she'll be back soon."

Unlike the past few weeks, Nakimi could hear the doubt in his words.

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The rest of the day was faded under a cloudy overhang, which disappointed both by denying sunlight and refusing to rain. It was quiet, even by the often drunk-filled streets past the tavern. He supposed all the rich old men who filled those seats had decided the land was no longer safe. It was almost scary how much of an influence Liane had on the town. Nakimi had been born way past her prime, but the rest of the population knew her as a gold-plated hero whom could slay even giants. It made him glad that he didn't know her that way, in a sick and cowardly sense. If it truly set in that a beast more powerful than a giant had made its home in the peaceful woods... well, he would doubt that the little critters in there would keep it away from here too long, especially after tasting human flesh. Slapping his cheeks, he banished the thought from his mind; there was no proof she was dead. There was no proof she was eaten. And there was no proof that-

An out of breath man crashed into him, a crazed look in his eyes.

"S-shit, get out of the way, y-you! You... y-you're the kid with Sam, right?! You know where to find him?!"

Before Nakimi could respond to the sudden questioning, the man dug his dirt crusted nails into his shoulders to prevent his escape.

"L-listen, listen fucking good! S-she's been found..."

"Huh? T-that's a good thing, r-righ-"

"DIDN'T I SAY TO LISTEN?!! L-liane...! well, she's been found... in... five places...!"

The man sucked in a breath, having not inhaled since he began speaking. Nakimi was stunned; how can someone be found in more than one place? It was impossible, unless she was... oh.

Against his will, he could feel painful and acidic tears pushing against the back of his eyes, and bile rise into his mouth to leave a sour burn in his throat.

Before he could even fully absorb the news that the man had given him, once his breath was caught, the man forced out news far worse than what Nakimi's mind had leapt to.

"L-liane... she's... still alive."

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Of course, the mere moment Liane's name had left Nakimi's lips, Sam had gone. The man had forced him to take his place as a messenger, but Nakimi couldn't hold hate for this; for someone to see what was described in person, it made sense he shouldn't have to live through it again when speaking of it.

"W-wait! Just running into the woods isn't a good idea-!"

Nakimi had been attempting to keep track of Sam as he ran, but it was an impossible task from the start. When a hidden root snaked around his ankle, he was planted chin-first into the hardened black dirt. His teeth dug into his tongue, causing a hush of blood to paint his teeth and stain coppery tastes within his mouth. But what was worse, was that the slim chance he had of catching up to Sam was gone.

Sam was powerful. Emphasis on 'was'. But he was trained on two-handed blades. With the loss of his arm, he was no stronger than any other guy with a bit of experience with a blade. He couldn't win against whatever devil could have killed- no, whatever devil was cruel enough not to kill Liane.

His tears mixed with blood that gave a steady stream from his lips, and he anguished the fact that it was his fault Sam had given up his arm. The fact that it was his fault that he could no longer hold a blade.

The fact that it was his fault Sam was about to die.