The Last Esper [BL]
Chapter 34: Save his life

Chapter 34: Save his life

Before Rong Ye could react, the wolf was already in the air, jaws wide open, heading straight for his neck.

Then, a figure stood between the wolf and Rong Ye.

"Rhys!" shouted Eun-woo.

The impact was instantaneous. The wolf’s body collided with Rhys’s, its fangs digging into his right forearm, the only shield Rhys managed to raise to protect his face.

The crunch of torn flesh and bone filled the forest.

Rhys let out a guttural wail, pain tearing at him from within. At once, Eun-woo launched himself at the wolf. His hands pushed hard against the animal’s flank. As he touched it, Eun-woo thought about wanting to repay the wolf for all the pain it had caused Rhys. Then, a high-pitched shriek erupted from the wolf’s muzzle.

In the blink of an eye, the animal spun on its hind legs and shot off into the woods, fleeing with its back arched and its jaws foaming.

Eun-woo stood still for a moment, his eyes fixed on Rhys. His arm was covered in blood, and a large chunk of flesh was missing from one side, leaving part of the bone exposed. A strange black liquid oozed from the wound.

The poison had already done its work.

Rhys began to breathe heavily. His chest heaved. His eyes, once heated by adrenaline, were now narrowed.

Rong Ye couldn’t move.

"Rhys..." Rong Ye muttered, still not understanding what had just happened.

Rhys’s body shook. His legs gave way. The rifle fell to the ground with a thud, and a second later, so did he.

Everything around Eun-woo lost color, sounds and smells disappeared, he was only aware of the pain in his chest that was beginning to invade his entire being.

At some point, his throat began to burn, and only then did he realize that he was screaming, and that his body was moving on its own.

"Rhys!" Eun-woo rushed to his side, knelt down, took his face in his hands, and gently placed him on his lap. "No... no, no, no... Everything’s going to be okay, everything’s going to be okay, everything’s going to be okay..." He kept repeating, tears streaming down his cheeks and his body trembling.

Rhys was breathing heavily. Blood was pouring from his mouth, and his body was jerking in violent spasms. His forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his bitten arm had gone completely numb. The skin around the wound was already turning a purplish gray.

"Rong Ye!" Eun-woo cried through tears, turning to him. "Help him! Please!"

Rong Ye stood there, pale, his eyes wide open, his lips parted. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from Rhys.

That idiot.

Rhys had thrown himself between him and a damn mutant wolf.

His stomach tightened as if he’d been punched. He didn’t know which part hurt more: the bite on Rhys’s arm, the wet sound of his fall... or the fact that someone, for some stupid reason, still thought he was worth saving.

Why?

Rong Ye didn’t understand.

Caelan and Jae appeared shortly after, perhaps drawn by the echo of gunfire and the growls still ringing in the air.

Upon arriving, they both froze for a moment. The scene before them was a chaotic mess of blood and churned earth. Jae gulped, his eyes wide, while Caelan rushed without a second thought to Rhys. He dropped to his knees beside him and, with trembling hands, gently took the injured arm, inspecting it with a frown and pursed lips.

"Caelan..." Rhys whispered, recognizing his friend’s touch, his senses dulled by the poison. "Cut... my arm... cut it..."

"No..." Caelan replied, swallowing and turning his gaze to Rong Ye. "Do something!"

"Cut it off!" Rhys gasped, spitting blood.

Eun-woo held Rhys’s head tightly to prevent him from hitting the ground in spasms, Jae helped him by taking Rhys’s other arm.

Everyone was trembling, partly from the cold, partly from the rain, partly from the incident, but mostly from fear.

Afraid that Rhys would die.

Caelan stood up, running both hands through his hair, then kicked the ground and let out an abrupt scream.

"Damn!"

Rong Ye swallowed saliva.

He approached, one step at a time, as if he didn’t trust his legs.

"There’s nothing we can do," Rong Ye said. He looked at Rhys. Then at the woods, where the wolf had gone. And then back at Rhys. The poison was spreading fast. "But maybe he has a chance if you cut off his arm..."

"Shit, shit, shit!" Caelan muttered desperately. He didn’t want to do it. He couldn’t. But he knew that if he asked Rhys, his friend would do it without a second thought. That’s why he had to do it. To save him.

He ran back as quickly as he had fled and, without hesitation, launched himself at Rhys’s injured arm. He pinned it down with his foot as if it were a broken branch, and with one brutal movement, he applied all his strength.

Rhys arched his back suddenly and let out a piercing scream, the loudest Caelan had ever heard from him. Then he collapsed, unconscious.

Caelan had only managed to dislocate the arm, but it was enough to open a deep wound near the shoulder. Some of the venom began to ooze out.

The bad news was that the bone, having popped out of place, had severed a vein. Rhys was now bleeding out, and Caelan didn’t know if that was an advantage or a curse. If it had been an artery, Rhys would probably be dead by now.

"You did well," Rong Ye said, not coming closer. "But now he’s going to bleed to death."

Caelan looked up, his eyes flushed with rage.

"What do you mean he’s going to die?! You said that would save him!"

"He’s bleeding out! What do you want me to do?! The poison’s out, but I didn’t count on you ripping his arm off like some kind of wild beast."

"I didn’t mean to hurt him!"

"Well done! Your noble intentions just doomed Rhys to die!"

"Shut up!" Caelan slapped Rong Ye. "For once in your damn life, think of others!"

Rong Ye’s face spun with the impact. The blow resonated loudly in the silence surrounding them. He stood still for a few seconds, his head tilted, his cheek burning. He didn’t raise his hand to his face or hit back. He just took a deep breath.

When he looked back at Caelan, his eyes no longer held arrogance or contempt, but a strange mixture of fury and guilt.

"Enough!" Jae intervened, standing between them with his arms outstretched. "Stop fighting! This isn’t helping!"

"He’s dying, Jae!" Caelan shouted, pointing at Rhys, whose skin was already paling with sweat and blood. "He’s dying, and this asshole dares to—"

"Maybe we can still save him!" Rong Ye snapped. "If Eun-woo bonds with me... maybe..."

A sudden silence fell over everyone.

Caelan blinked, stunned.

"What the...? Are you kidding? How is he going to bond with you? You’re not a Guide!"

Jae looked at Rong Ye with the same puzzled expression. Eun-woo, on the other hand, didn’t move. He remained kneeling on the floor, Rhys’s head in his lap, and showed no intention of leaving him. His eyes were fixed on Rong Ye, ignoring everyone else.

"Is what you’re saying true?" he asked Rong Ye.

Rong Ye looked him straight in the eyes.

"With a Guide... you could use your powers. You could control them. Even... even regenerate a wounded body, on the verge of death."

Eun-woo’s heart skipped a beat. He pressed his lips together, not daring to speak.

"Oh, right!" Caelan shot back. "With you, Rong Ye’s grand plan! Just when Rhys is on the brink of death, you show up with a magic solution that only you can activate!"

"Do you really think this is a ruse?" Rong Ye snapped. "If I wanted Rhys dead, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be helping!"

"Helping?" Caelan took a step toward him. "You never help without bad intentions!"

"Don’t listen to him!" Rong Ye said, raising his voice to Eun-woo, his gaze never leaving Caelan’s. "You told me yourself: you don’t control your power. You know that. Without a Guide... without me, you won’t be able to do it. Not as needed. Not in time."

Eun-woo looked down, trembling. He was still kneeling on the floor, Rhys’s head resting in his lap. He gently stroked Rhys’s hair, as if the gesture alone was enough to anchor him to life.

"Eun-woo! You can save him too! You don’t need anyone else!" Jae crouched down beside him and took him by the shoulders, his voice cracking with panic.

"It’s not enough. He’s not going to make it alone," Rong Ye said. "You said it yourself, Eun-woo. You can’t control your power. You need a Guide. You need me."

"That’s enough!" Caelan spun around. "That’s a lie! You’re not a Guide! You’re just stalling for Rhys to die so you can get him off your back!"

Rong Ye looked at him for a second... and smiled mockingly.

"If you want to save your friend so much, why haven’t you done anything to stop the bleeding?"

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