Warnings: Blood

     ~Vikk's P.O.V.~

     My reflexes kick in strong and I whip out my sword, spinning around to face whoever is behind me. The instant I see who it is however, and the sword is clattering to the ground. He's staring right at me, an unreadable expression on his face, but at the same time... He's not. Even though he's now dull and gray, completely encased in stone, I can still remember his features perfectly. Black pants, a darkish red hoodie with black pockets and strings as well as a hood, a combed back wave of golden hair, and eyes bluer than the clearest of skies. Lachlan!

I want to smile, to welcome him back, to run and hug him after... One thousand years was it? But I'm not quite done yet.

     "Now how does one free a person inside of stone..." I mumble, circling around his frozen body.

     I come to a stop in front of him after moving around him a couple times. I tap a finger to my lips, wondering how I might go about doing this. And then an idea pops up in my head, maybe a crazy far fetched on, but an idea.

     "Maybe... I just have to- woah!" I exclaim, reeling back.

     The moment my hand makes contact with the strangely warm stone, a blindingly white glow is emitting from his chest, right where his heart should be. In fact, the glow is in the shape of a heart now that my eyes have slightly adjusted.

Just like that, all coming from the glowing white heart, the stone starts to crack and fall away. First of course, all the stone around Lachlan's chest and torso break off, with the heart still glowing. Then in large chunks, his limbs are freed, and they begin to twitch. And then, painfully slowly, the stone mask over his face gradually shatters, and crashes to the ground. So he doesn't panic and faint or anything like that, I splash my last night vision potion over his head. I hold by breath as Lachlan blinks twice, looks around, looks at his fingers and moves them, looks around again, and then finally looks at my with the expression that he just noticed I was standing there.

"Who ar- Vikk?! Where- why are we- weren't w- wait. What." He rambles, brows furrowed.
"You feeling okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine, but could you please explain why-"
"I'll explain everything in a minute. First we have to get out of this ocean monument before these night vision potions run out."
"Ocean monument?! Why-"
"Think you're okay to swim?"
"Yeah- But Vikk-"
"Good, let's go."

To be honest I truly do feel bad about rushing Lachlan, but I don't want to be stuck down here in the dark and drown. Poor Lachy looks so confused and scared, but nonetheless I toss him an iron sword, and don't hesitate to break through the wall a second later. Almost instantly ten or more guardians are swarming around us, their magic beam things training onto us and charging up.

     'SWIM' I mouth to Lachlan, just barley avoiding a beam.

Lachlan spins around, strikes a guardian hard across the face, and swims after me. For being immobile for a thousand years those fighting skills are pretty impressive. I commend silently, watching are the surrounding water clouds with blood. We shoot away from the main room, adrenaline letting us slice through the water like butter. Banking sharply to the right, we begin swimming down a long open hallway, another five or so guardians gliding around. So taking a brave jet forward, I duck under two of them, swim over a thirds beam, stab the fourth through the eye, and cutting the fifths tail off. Okay we need to stop for air. I note urgently, turning to wave over Lachlan.

     I swiftly place down a few doors against the wall, creating a little room of air behind them. Lachlan doesn't even wait for me, instead crashing through into the fresh air. I follow suit, slamming the door behind me just as a guardians beam passes where I just was.

     "Fudge mate..." Lachlan wheezes, combing back his dripping hair, "That was close."
     "Yeah..." I breathe, wringing out my clothing.

     I turn around to peer out the door and see if the coast is clear, when something big is passing my the doorway. Something much bigger than a normal guardian, with a mighty swooshing tail, and large spikes littering its body. Crap.

     "Elder guardian!" I shout, backing away from the door.
     "Wha-"

     Lachlan is cut off as the doors are shattered to pieces, curtesy of a well aimed beam from the elder. Water floods in, and we barely have time to take in a deep breath before air ceases to exist. I desperately swing at the elder with my flimsy stone sword, to which it easily swims away from. It backs away to a safe distance before training another beam onto me. Knowing there's no way I can reach it fast enough, and no where to hide, I brace for impact. Ugh, using my powers would really help right now. But I don't know how long I can last without air once I use them.

Five seconds pass, nothing happens. Ten. Fifteen. I crack open an eye to see Lachlan darting around, striking at the guardian and then retreating when it spins around. Eventually though, the guardian whips around and bats Lachlan away with its tail. I place down a door quickly, and Lachlan and I take a quick deep breath before its being destroyed by the elder guardian. The guardian, backing up, stares us down for a couple seconds. Lachlan and I float beside each other, unsure of what it's trying to do. Suddenly, with surprising speed for its size, the guardian is charging towards us. Lachlan and I dive to the side, just barely managing to dodge the rushing elder. It smashes into the wall behind us, sending up a cloud of blue dust as the prismarine shatters. I'm praying that just made an opening for us to get through. I hope silently, waiting for the debris to settle.

Good news is, it did indeed smash a hole right through the side and out into the open. Bad new is, it's regained its focus and is charging at us again. Double bad news, I can see at least thirty guardians patrolling outside the walls. And then, I get an idea. Probably a very risky one, but considering the circumstances, one I'm willing to take.

As the elder guardian rushes past yet again, Lachlan and I moving to dodge it, I desperately wave to Lachlan. I grab his attention quickly, tapping my head to tell him I have an idea. I then hastily point towards the gaping hole in the wall. He nods to tell me he understands and we just manage to swim away from the next charge. The elder, thrashing in anger, whips around with super speed and whizzes towards us. Lachlan manages to get out of the way, but I get caught in one of its spikes. I can feel the searing pain in my side where, undoubtedly, the spike sliced through my skin. But setting my jaw firm and pushing past the pain, I follow Lachlan as he shoots out through the hole.

     Okay here goes nothing. I think, swimming away from the monument a good thirty blocks before turning around to face it. Lachlan slows to a stop, redirecting himself so he swims up beside me. He sends me a 'what are you doing?' kinda of look but I simply stare ahead at the hole. Just as I see the elder guardian is about to escape and chase after us, I concentrate all my energy into lashing my arms out. All at once, multiple spikes made of stone and gravel are shooting up through the ground, covering up the entire gap, and trapping the elder inside. I can practically see the guardian, trying to head butt through the thick walls of stone and thrashing in anger. Well... It had the effect I wanted to... But... I trail on in my mind, gazing the approaching guardians, and the bubbles escaping my lips. I lost more breath than I was... Hoping...

     As I can feel - and see - the effects of the night vision potion fading away, and the lack of energy in my body after casting the spell, I find my vision hazing. I should have practiced my powers more... Maybe I wouldn't be so drained... I find myself thinking, noticing my limbs becoming weak, my lungs tight, and the world around me flickering in and out from blackness. I can only make out a few things through the darkness.

Lachlan with his sword out, trying to fend off the surges of guardians.

The look of shock on Lachlan's face when he realizes I'm not fighting back against the guardians, now crowding around me.

Pain. Pain erupting everywhere on my body. Stars swimming in front of my vision.

A dark figure, different from the shape of guardians, pushing through and wrapping his arms around me.

A never ending sea of blackness.

~~~

~Lachlan's P.O.V. (Short)~

     Words can not describe the feeling of absolute pain encompassing my body. Using the last of my strength, I kick at the stray guardian, sending it back into the depths of the ocean. My lungs about to burst, my head finally breaks through the surface, and I raggedly breath in the oxygen I longed for. Dragging the limp body of Vikk, still clutched in my arms, to the shoreline, I drag him and myself up onto the sand. The gritty minerals are instantly stained red, fresh blood - a small amount that does not belong to me - seeping over the sand. With one final look to make sure Vikk's head is well above the water, I collapse on the hot sand, wondering if I'd even wake up... And get some answers. After all, from what we just went through, survival seems impossible.

~~~

Question of the chapter:

What power and what ability do you think Lachlan has?

My answer: Again, no comment since I already know 😋