Chapter Text
Player stared.
They didn’t know what else to do but stare as Calypso sobbed.
The captain was dead.
They should’ve seen it coming.
Their ears rang as they walked towards the Firebrand, shaky hands wrapping around the hilt.
They waited for the new voice to join the chorus of taunts in their head, instead, the others quieted.
“Do you regret?”
Player’s voice hitched.
“… yes,” their voice was barely a whisper, guilt wrenched through their entire body, so powerful they stumbled.
“You have one chance. Be strong, young hero.”
Their vision flashed with white.
“Captain, back away from the sword!”
Player blinked, looking around.
Captain Trotter was kneeling before them, Firebrand just beside his hand.
“NEVER! The ancients prophesied to the skies of this for this here moment. A sacrifice, coated in innocent blood… if one of us has to die for us to escape…”
Shit.
“THEN SO BE IT!”
The captain lunged.
No. No– Not again.
Player turned, shoving Calypso out of the way. They got her out of the way just barely.
But they hadn’t moved quickly enough to save themself.
The blade plunged deep into their abdomen. Pain blazed through their body as the wound was scorned with burns. A pained gasp left their throat.
“PLAYER!” Calypso screamed.
Even the captain, blinded by the voices of the sword, paused.
And that was enough time for Player.
They grabbed the blade's guard and wrenched it out of the captain’s grip. Pain racked their body as the blade sliced through more of their flesh. They were immediately hit by another wave of nauseating voices as the blade screamed at them. Despite it, they kept moving, pulling the blade out of their chest and holding it for only a heartbeat before throwing it as far as they could to their side.
The blade clattered against the ground, scraping against the ground as it slid into the piles of gold. Dizzily, they subconsciously placed a hand on their wound as they looked away from the wretched sword.
“Sharkbait..?” The captain’s eyes were clear now.
Player smiled weakly before crumpling to the ground in a heap.
“SHARKBAIT!”
Captain Trotter kneeled down next to them, frantically trying to check their injuries.
“Oh admins…” Calypso gasped as she darted over.
“Dammit, Sharkbait, keep yer eyes open,” Captain Trotter begged.
Player let out a small grunt of pain, their mind clogged, everything sounded like they were underwater.
“Captain— we need to get them out of here. We don’t have the supplies to treat this here.”
“We can’t move ‘em, not like this, they won’t last that long,” his voice wavered. Calypso and the captain exchanged looks.
They had to do something. They couldn’t just bleed out here.
Player coughed, pushing themself up into a sitting position despite the pain that ripped through their entire body, nearly causing them to fall back down.
“Don’t move you damn fool,” Captain Trotter tried to push them back down, but they resisted.
“Got.. got it handled, just give me a second,” they gasped, knuckles clenched with pain. They reached for the Ice Dagger, unsheathing the blade from its pocket in their jacket, ignoring the way the other two tensed.
Pressing the blade against the wound, a sheen coated the wound and the edges crusted with frost, preventing further blood from leaking out.
“What in the…” the captain muttered, though Calypso merely winced.
“Cool.. trick huh? That should keep it.. sealed for a while…” they sheathed the dagger and collapsed back down, the captain carefully catching their head with his hand and lowering them back down.
He cautiously slid an arm under their knees and the other across their back. He picked them up with ease.
Player was too exhausted to resist the urge to lean into his grip.
Maybe they were just dizzy with blood loss, but they could’ve sworn they felt Captain Trotter’s grip tighten when they pressed against him.