How To Survive A Calamity

"We need to go after Alex and the others..." A burning pain ran through my throat as i struggled to speak those words.

My breathing was growing more and more shallow and my vision was beginning to wane and get darker.

Everything hurt.

All over my body, pain was the most familiar sensation i could recall.

A good number of my bones were broken during the course of the Sand Worm's battle, and even some of my organs had been ruptured.

It was hard to breathe and thick streams of blood wouldn't cease from pouring out of my bloody lips.

'Ah, pain is all in your head, Vic. Get up, buddy, come on...'

How long had it been?

Since i was this.... indisposed?

The last time i felt this thoroughly broken and drained was after my battle with the Silver Sentinel, Hamlet.

My Ether core was almost empty, after exhausting more than half of it to blow up my left arm and i couldn't even stand up all on my own.

This is bad... It was now i was beginning to feel the weight of my actions and the implications of my current state.

I managed to move my head — my neck felt as heavy and rigid as lead — and shifted it slowly.

I struggled to keep my eyes open.

"... Where's Don?"

I couldn't move one my own, but there was still a way, yet. I couldn't despair.

I kept telling myself inwardly.

The Sand Worm was just one big obstacle along the way, i still had to complete the Quest.

Deandra was the one who responded, her face and expression was drained.

"He still hasn't woken up."

"Are you kidding?" I answered incredulously.

Don was still out cold, even after all this time.

I don't think i punched him all that too hard, though?

Wasn't that guy really useless at this point.

'Ah, maybe i could kill him for the experience, instead?'

Since he hadn't woken up even after all this time and everything that has happened, wouldn't he just be better off dead?

If Don could be turned into Experience for me, wouldn't he not remain as useless as he currently was?

That was on the premise and assumptions, of course, that killing other humans or Awakened would count as giving experience.

I got rid of those bandits from that village before, but i had totally overlooked everything that may or may not have happened after that.

Maybe it was also a matter of difference between Awakened and mundane humans?

Suddenly, i had this sneaking thought i had never actually considered before in the past.

Would killing other humans or Awakened give me experience?

Would taking the lives of others...

Also make me stronger?

—I would have to ask Meta.

—or find out with Don... I added wistfully.

In any case, there were only two ways Don as an actual person could be useful to anyone right now.

One, as Experience points!

—Or, a conveniently comfortable mode of transportation.

Xavier's pale expression had a dark shadow cast over his face as he looked down on me from above.

"Victor's condition is more dire than it looks. You don't seem like you'd be able to even move on your own like this?"

I scoffed — or at least, tried too.

"Yeah, you don't look so hot yourself, either."

I felt my consciousness flutter and threaten to disperse and tried to inhale a breath.

My caved in chest and lungs constricted as i wheezed hoarsely.

"What are you... talking about? I'm perfectly...cough! Fine..."

Pfftt!

As i made a display of trying to force my broken body to get up, i threw up a pool of blood, unable to hold it back any longer.

My body trembled and shook on the spot, before remaining in place.

Meanwhile, i vaguely felt a shadow cast against me as Ceres stood over me.

I managed to shift my heavy gaze.

"What?"

Ceres just coldly stared at my figure.

"Your left arm, is it okay?

"...what?"

Ceres' question was so abrupt and unexpected that my response was slack.

'Does it look fine, though?!'

But of course i didn't have it in me to actually say that.

"Uh...yeah..." I meekly answered in a weak, hoarse and submissive voice.

'Ah...'

There was something about Ceres' presence and her gaze that was simply oppressive to me, for some reason. Almost always makes me want to squeal.

Post traumatic stress disorder, maybe?

Or was this just the natural instincts and nature of a prey reacting to a predator?

"We don't have much time, there's no telling what Nicodemus or the Demon could do, or be planning." Deandra said, drawing the topic back on track.

"That's why we sent Alexander and the others."

"They could also very well be in danger as well, that's why we need to hurry."

The short exchange which sounded repetitive at this point was between Xavier and Deandra.

I wanted to roll my eyes, but my eye lids felt heavy and my head was throbbing.

A low groan was squeezed from my body as i trembled again and tried to move.

"So what...are we waiting for? L— ugh... Let's go..."

"Haa... You can't come with us, 1499." Deandra's coldy said.

I felt her dark and heavy gaze converge on me and just kept silent.

"..."

'Can't say i almost didn't see this coming.'

Regrettably, there was nothing i could say to refute that. Plus, i wasn't really enthusiastic about speaking much in my current condition.

My whole body felt as heavy as lead, groaning and moaning under my own broken weight. My sunken chest constricted painfully with each dreary breath i struggled to draw

The pain that anchored my consciousness and reality blurred my perception. More quickly than i liked, i could feel it slip and fade away as my thoughts became more slower and murky.

'Dammit...'

In the end, i could only curse under my hazy breath.

It was annoying, but...

"You're right."

My shoulders sank even further.

"I'm in no state to continue."

The sound of my voice trailed with each words i barely spoke.

"That's why, you guys have to hurry and go."

"What about you?"

"What about me?" In response to Deandra's question, i dryly said while hanging my head forward.

"I'll just stay back here with Don, that idiot. There's nothing else i can do right now, aside from only be a burden. As expected of the bottom ranked no-talent right? Exactly. So you guys go ahead and be the heroes, instead, or whatever. Maybe this is also good; you can't imagine I'd have contributed much even if i was in full condition. Oh, that and, just thinking about fighting against an actual demon scares the shit out of me, you know? So yeah... this works."

For some reason these kids were giving me sympathetic and pitiful looks.

Deandra shook her head softly and sighed tiredly.

"You aren't... useless, Victor. You are a bit more useful and much stronger, and braver than you or anyone else gives you credit — I've seen so myself today.

"Thanks...i guess?"

"Victor will be fine. If we all survive a bit more longer, then we might be lucky enough for the Academy's help to arrive." Xavier inputted with a smile.

'Academy's help?'

As if he could guess my thoughts and confusion through my gruesome expression, Xavier nodded immediately.

"The student council."

There wasn't more time to waste than we already did, so after everything else was finally said and Don, the outcome was as obvious and expected.

I was ultimately left behind at the chamber with the corpses of the Sand Worm, and the unconscious Don, while Deandra, Ceres and Xavier went after the Alex and the others.

After a while, i drew in a hoarse breath and raised my head, brushing my messy hair back rigidly with my right hand.

"Are they finally gone?"

My head thrubbed, but i managed to take a look around.

I was the only one left behind, aside from Don and the Sand Worm corpse. Next to me was the idiot Don's unconscious body.

At that moment, i drew in another breath and fought through the accumulating dreariness weighing on my mind and heavy body.

What was it? It felt like I'd been taking in a lot of deep and painful breaths for the last few minutes...

Eventually, i lingered before slowly rising up.

"I guess i should get moving, too."