23. Bella

23

BELLA

M y heart pounds in my chest as I watch Jytos square off against the massive waira leader. The beast towers over him, its matted fur caked with blood and grime. Jytos looks small in comparison, but his stance is confident, his tentacles waving wildly in anticipation.

"Come on, you nasty bastard," Jytos growls, his green eyes gleaming with a predatory light. "Let's see what you've got."

The waira leader lunges forward. Its massive jaws snap shut inches from Jytos's face. He dodges, quick as lightning, and lashes out with his tentacles. They wrap around the beast's neck and squeeze it tight.

I nock an arrow, my hands shaking as I take aim at a smaller waira trying to flank us. The bow feels foreign in my grip, but I force myself to steady my breathing. I can't let Jytos down. Not now.

The arrow flies true, embedding itself in the waira's eye. It drops with a strangled yelp, and I allow myself a moment of pride before turning back to the main fight.

Jytos and the waira leader circle each other, neither willing to give an inch. Jytos's tentacles lash out, scoring deep gashes in the waira's hide, but the beast seems unfazed. It charges again, and this time its claws find purchase, raking across Jytos's chest.

"No!" I cry out, my voice lost in the cacophony of battle.

Jytos stumbles back, blood seeping from the wounds. For a moment, fear grips my heart. Can he really handle this? The waira leader is so much bigger, so much stronger. What if...

I shake my head, banishing the thought. No, I can't think like that. Jytos is strong. He's survived this long on his own. He can do this.

But as I watch them trade blows, doubt creeps in. The waira leader is relentless, its attacks coming faster and harder with each passing second. Jytos is holding his own, but for how long?

I can see the strain in his movements, the way he favors his left side. The wounds on his chest are still bleeding, staining his black skin with a darker sheen.

I soon turn my attention back to the smaller waira. I pick them off one by one with my arrows. Each shot is a silent prayer and a desperate hope that Jytos will emerge victorious.

The battle rages on, a symphony of snarls and the wet sound of flesh tearing. I steal glances whenever I can, my heart in my throat as I watch Jytos and the waira leader trade blows.

They're evenly matched, I realize with a start. For all its size and strength, the waira leader can't seem to gain the upper hand. But neither can Jytos. They're locked in a stalemate, and I don't know how long either of them can keep this up.

"Come on, Jytos," I whisper, letting another arrow fly. "You can do this. You have to."

Because if he doesn't, what will happen to us? To me? The thought of losing him, of facing this world alone again, is almost too much for me to bear.

I watch as Jytos lands a particularly vicious blow, his tentacles wrapping around the waira leader's throat. For a moment, hope flares within me. But then the beast twists, breaking free, and the fight continues.

My arrows are running low, and the smaller waira keep coming. I don't know how much longer I can hold them off. Everything hinges on Jytos defeating their leader. But as I watch them clash again and again, neither gaining the advantage, I can't help but wonder: is it even possible?

I look on nervously as they continue their heated battle, a cacophony of snarls and roars that echo through the mountains. My heart thrums in my chest, a frantic drumbeat that matches the rhythm of my fear. Jytos is a blur of motion, his tentacles whipping through the air as he grapples with the waira leader. They're in a deadlock at this point, a terrifying dance of teeth and claws and raw, unbridled power.

I simply can't lose him. The thought is a cold, hard knot in my stomach. I've seen too much of what this harsh world can do to those who are vulnerable. And Jytos, despite his strength, his ferocity, is not invincible.

I scan the ground nearby, my eyes landing on a long-discarded spear. It's crude, fashioned from the branch of a gnarled tree, but it's solid, the tip sharpened to a deadly point. My hands close around the shaft, the wood rough against my palms. I know what I have to do.

With a deep breath, I sprint towards the fray. My heart is in my throat, my blood roaring in my ears. Jytos catches sight of me, his eyes widening in surprise and alarm. "Bella, no!"

But I'm beyond hearing, beyond reasoning. All I can see is the waira leader, its matted fur bristling, its eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty light. I hurl the spear with all my might, and it sails through the air, end over end, before embedding itself in the beast's torso.

The waira leader lets out a bellow of pain and surprise, its grip on Jytos loosening. It's enough. Jytos seizes the opportunity, his tentacles lashing out to deliver a series of swift, brutal blows. The beast stumbles backward, its sides heaving, its breath coming in ragged gasps.

Jytos turns to me, his eyes locking onto mine. There's a moment of silence, of stillness, and then he's striding towards me, his movements fluid and predatory. "You," he growls, his voice a low rumble that sends a shiver through me, "are either the bravest or the most foolish woman I've ever met."

I square my shoulders, meeting his gaze unflinchingly. "I had to do something. I couldn't just stand there and watch."

A slow, approving smile spreads across his face, revealing the sharp points of his teeth. "You did well, Bella. Very well."

The praise warms me, bolstering my courage. But there's no time to revel in it. The waira leader is regaining its footing, its eyes burning with renewed fury.

Jytos positions himself between me and the beast, his body a solid wall of muscle and sinew. "Stay behind me," he orders, his voice leaving no room for argument.

I nod, my hands curling into fists at my sides. I trust him, trust in his strength and his skill. But that doesn't stop the fear from coiling in my gut, doesn't stop the what-ifs from racing through my mind.

The waira leader charges, and Jytos meets it head-on. They clash in a tangle of limbs, their roars filling the air. I watch, helpless and terrified, as they fight for dominance, for survival.

My breath hitches in my throat as Jytos lands the final, devastating blow on the waira leader. The beast crumples to the ground with a guttural roar that reverberates through the icy air. But the victory is short-lived. Jytos stumbles, his tentacles going limp, his black skin slick with blood and sweat. He collapses beside his vanquished foe, his deep green eyes locking onto mine for a fleeting moment before they flutter shut.

"Jytos!" The cry rips from my throat, raw and anguished. I rush to his side, my hands fluttering uselessly over his massive form. His chest rises and falls in shallow, labored breaths.

I'm frozen, unsure of what to do. My knowledge of healing is limited to bandaging scraped knees and brewing herbal teas. This... this is beyond me. I glance around wildly, hoping to find something—anything—that could help him. But there's nothing. Just the cold, unyielding ground and the eerie silence that follows the battle.

I sink to my knees beside him, my heart pounding in my chest. My protector, my savior, is now lying helpless at my feet. The irony isn't lost on me.

"Jytos," I whisper, my voice barely audible. "You can't leave me. Not after everything we've been through."

My desperate words hang heavy in the air. I reach out and gently trace the contours of his face. His skin is cool to the touch, too cool. Panic claws at my insides like a relentless beast that threatens to consume me whole.

I swallow hard, trying to maintain some semblance of calm. "You're the strongest person I know," I say to him. "You can't... you can't let this be the end."

But he doesn't respond. His chest continues its torturously slow rhythm, each breath a stark reminder of his vulnerability. I feel helpless, utterly useless. I've always been the one needing protection, the one being saved. I've never had to save anyone before.

I lean closer, pressing my ear to his chest. The steady thrum of his heart is a small comfort, but it's there, strong and steady. "I need you, Jytos," I murmur, my voice muffled against his skin. "I need you to fight. To come back to me."

I don't know how long I stay like that, listening to the beat of his heart, praying to whatever gods might be listening. Minutes? Hours? Time has lost all meaning. All that exists is Jytos and the fragile thread that tethers him to this world.

Finally, I pull away, a fierce determination settling over me. I can't sit here and do nothing. I need to act. I need to find help, even if it means venturing out into the wilderness alone. The thought sends a shiver of fear down my spine, but I push it aside. For Jytos, I would face a thousand waira.

I soon rise to my feet. My gaze sweeps over the carnage that surrounds us. The ground is littered with the bodies of our enemies, a grim testament to Jytos's ferocity and his willingness to protect what's his. And I am his, just as he is mine.

I will find a way to save him, to return the favor and pull him back from the brink. Because that's what you do for the ones you love.