Berserkr (boyxboy)

Chapter 12: BERSERKR

Upon the very second that Vali witnessed those seven arrows fly through the chilled air and pierce their way through his Alpha's back – serrating flesh and spearing bone – a phantom pain seared, burning wrought agony throughout the Omega's entire being and transforming it into something more, something potent, something bigger. Something... that changed him from the inside out.

He stared, screaming so loudly into his chapped palm that somehow, no sound managed to make it out of his throat. And as he – frozen in horror – witnessed his Alpha fall... Vali rose.

Vali had experienced sadness, anger, and frustration before. Yes, many of those negative emotions were familiar, familial even. But... this maelstrom of rage, of fury, of madness... those were feelings that the Omega had never once fathomed.

... Until now.

"Vali, what's happening?" Tofa's hysterically frantic voice was barely a puff of air against the windscreen of Vali's terror, a thin apparition in the background of his fracturing mind. But it was enough to shock him out of his dreadful fugue long enough to stumble like an Ale House drunkard down from the trunk he'd been precariously balancing himself upon, knuckles white as he fisted them. "Oh by the gods, ya' look like ya've seen a–"

"Don't!" Vali interjected sharply, shouting out the plea before Tofa could finish his sentence. He couldn't bear to hear that word, he couldn't let it become real.

As if denying it could change the truth. But right now, Vali's mind didn't care as it grasped frantically at any of the steadily fraying scraps of hope that it could scavenge like a lifeline.

And not to mention, if Tofa had mentioned anything akin to death in the wake of what he'd just witnessed, Vali may have just crumbled to the ground right alongside his Alpha.

So, maybe if Tofa didn't finish that sentence, the nightmare wouldn't solidify. Because it couldn't. It couldn't.

Vali's arms braced tightly around his waist as he bent over, attempting to keep his upper body upright despite the torturous spinning that had suddenly manifested within his skull. Tofa's touch was like a brand when he moved closer, draping a comforting arm around Vali's shoulders, his tough both a comfort and a horrifying reminder of reality. Sinking to his knees, Vali's lips trembled, eyes fixated on the cracks between the floorboards, watering profusely as they stared at absolutely nothing.

It was then that Tofa understood the gravity of the situation.

"Did he..." Tofa wavered, his voice trailing off to a whisper, "Is he..."

Vali forced himself to take deep, shuddering breaths, trying his best to wrestle control over his trembling body. "They shot him," Vali croaked, his throat closing up as if his entire being were rebelling against the words themselves. "My Alpha. They shot him."

Tofa's gasp of disbelief was so emphatic – so incredulous – that Vali could feel it as it sucked all the air from the loft – a loft that was quickly becoming much too stifling, much too empty, much too... safe.

"But that can't be possible," The smaller Omega protested, thoughts racing around each and every inch of his skull at a breakneck speed, falling rapidly in line with that of his steadily deteriorating friend. "Our Alphas, they're supposed ot be the strongest..." As if a switch flipped, Tofa's eyes widened with realization. "Wait... What about Kerr? Did ya' see him, too? Is he alright?!"

Vali's voice was barely audible now, the faintest, pitiful wisp of a sound as he rocked on his knees – backward and forward, backward and forward – gaze still fixated on the floor. "I don't... I don't know. I don't know. I don't know."