Ortus Woods - OutskirtsNick fell deeper and deeper into the dark, both in consciousness and hopelessness. Although his body was broken and cold, his mind was at peace. It was too tiring to move, so why try? What was he to do? His life was concluded with this night, and if not, then he would simply repeat what he had always done. The routine was the same, and it would remain the same until the conclusion of his life, so he wouldn't miss much...
It was then when Nick felt something strange, almost like a faint spark, igniting to a small candlelight in the dark of his soul. The soft blue glow of the candlelight antagonized the void with its persistence, mocking its surroundings with its flickering dance.
"No. You're wrong."What was once pessimistic thoughts soon burst into desperation. Of course he would miss much! He was only 18 and had his whole life ahead of him. If not that, then there was watching his siblings grow, and if not that, there was sheer spite, wasn't there? No, there was more than that. Now that it was the end, now that it was time to die, Nick did not want to go. The little light remaining within himself wanted to see more, wanted to do more. If he died here, then he would never be able to see what could be. His life would be just another tragedy. Even in this sea of hopelessness, he raged at the thought that there would be no happy end. He raged and the flame grew.
"No, no more. Get up..."Nick's mind screamed in revolt of death. This ragged, wretched form wanted to see daylight again! It wanted to live! This flame within would be the light out of this darkness! It would rage through him and burn with an intensity that nobody has ever seen!"GET UP!!!"Nicholas's eyes shot open as he felt something within ignite, not only the primal drive to continue living, but as if his spirit had somehow done the same. Nick growled and painfully sat up. He glanced down at his injuries, only to grimace at the oozing blood seeping from the gaping cuts deep against his torso and right forearm. If he did not treat them as soon as possible, then he was going to bleed out. The one in his arm seemed especially bad, likely due to a severed artery. He was going to live, so there was no other option.
Nick struggled to drag himself to the dead Hellhound Alpha. Its blood glowed white-hot in the night, defying the cold rain with its brilliance. Taking the ruined hunting knife he had before, Nicholas stabbed into the blood and kept it submerged until it glowed red. After that, Nicholas swallowed hard and clenched his teeth before pressing the blade against the wound on his right arm. Searing pain shot through his body as the blade burned into his flesh, cauterizing the wound. His screams of pain instead came out as defiant roars. Good. The pain meant he was alive, and he was going to need to summon every ounce of his will to survive this night. He then pressed the knife against his chest and growled as it cooked his flesh. He was damaging his body irreparably, but it was a small price to pay as opposed to bleeding to death.
It was then when his surroundings came into focus. There was another car behind his, and gunshots and growling in the forest. As evidenced by the duffel bag nearby, they were trying to offer him aid, but now they too were being hunted. It was time to return the favor, even if it crippled him. Nicholas reached into the bag and pulled out a Springfield XD-M .45 and a combat knife, and sprinted into the forest...
*POP POP POP*(Devil May Cry 5 - Voltaic Black Knight - 00:18)
Miranda saw three hollowpoint rounds enter one of the hellhounds through half-inch holes, but leaving ones five times the size out the exits. Standing at the hellhound pack's flank was a battered 18-year-old boy, glowing with a pale-blue light and murder in his eyes. His right forearm and chest were burned horribly and his clothes were in tatters, but it was as if his injuries had no effect on him. This was the boy who had killed the hellhound alpha earlier, and it looked like he was intent on finishing off the rest of the pack, once and for all. The beast fell dead, and before it hit the ground, two more shots entered another beast. Nick dashed at a second, and in his other hand was a combat knife, which found its way in the base of a hellhound's skull. Nick swiftly tore the knife out and took aim with his other hand before firing into another's skull. A hellhound lunged at him, but met a powerful figment-fuelled punch to the top of its head. A loud crack rang out as the strike fractured the monster's skull, and then one hollowpoint obliterated the brain inside.