Searching for Andromeda 74 Sacrifices to Attain One's Goals Part 4.8

Ephraim had never felt sicker before as he watches three people struggle for their lives. He rigidified his grip around his sword. There must be something he could do. There SHOULD be something he could do.

But Ephraim had seen what the necromorph could do. Charging without any plan at hand would be SUICIDE. He had to strategize. But how can one strategize when clearly the other party seems to be too overpowered.

How can one find the answers when there isn't one?

But Ephraim had someone he needed to protect. It was in his hands now to save them. He wasn't in a fictitious movie. There aren't any Marvel nor DC characters to save them at the last minute. It was only him now and Sam. And he was the only one with the weapon.

He got to do something. Because no one else would.

Ephraim took a deep breath. He had made up his mind. "Samuel, go inside the door!"

"Wh-what?!"

"I will try to save them," Ephraim said, with a plan that is still unclear in his mind. "You have to go inside where it's safe!"

Samuel scowled. "I'm not leaving any of you behind—!"

"Samuel!" Ephraim gritted his teeth as he hears yet another scream of pain. He held both of Samuel's shoulders.

Through his spectacle, Ephraim let out a pained expression and a look that Samuel couldn't explain. "Go!"

Samuel stared at the leader of the force he was assigned with. Samuel held his chin high as he closed his eyes. Samuel began running towards the door, heading straight to the light.

Ephraim didn't have time to waste. If his theories were right, then doing THIS would help them. Doing THIS would save them. A sacrifice is necessary to save three more lives.

He advanced towards the necromorph—no, he rushed towards the person whose belly had the claws of the monster deeply embedded to. Ephraim let out an outcry as he swung his blade straight to Vashti, who's dilated pupils gleamed as Ephraim struck the blade to her heart. Ephraim pushed the blade forward, piercing deeper until the tip of the sword divulges from her back.

Vashti's eyes widened as Ephraim pulled away, panting. His sword was still pierced to Vashti's heart. The next thing Ephraim heard is three loud thuds to the ground. The necromorph had just dropped Hosea, Pelmon, and Yael to the floor.

Pelmon coughed continuously. Through his blurry eyes, he turned to where Ephraim is.

"Wh-what did you do?!" Pelmon screamed as he ran towards Ephraim. He clenched his fist, punching Ephraim's face. Ephraim then fell to the ground, his cheek red from Pelmon's hit.

"How dare you do this to Vashti—"

Before Pelmon could even continue talking, he retched up his blood, gagging and coughing a thick, red liquid to the ground as it spills on the corner of his lips.

Ephraim's eyes widened as his jaw gaped. Ephraim felt as if time had stopped as he sees the tip of his blade piercing Pelmon's chest.

And with a dull, heavy sound, Pelmon's body fell to the ground.

Ephraim slowly raised his head as he sees dried, cherry-colored blood occupying the whole trunk of a girl. Her grey hand held Ephraim's sword tight and then pressed it deeper to Pelmon, who untethered a morbid scream of pain.

Vashti began to strike his body with Ephraim's sword continuously as her smile gets wider and wider. Ephraim's body trembled in fear as he beholds the brutal sight. He was completely frozen on the spot as he watches Vashti drawing Ephraim's sword, which was shrouded with thick, cherry-colored liquid.

She walked towards Ephraim, whilst he began to back away. Ephraim's eyes were now locked to her diluted, gleaming red pupils. And he had grown weaker and weaker the longer he stares at her. That ill, disgusting feeling he had begun to grow stronger as he catches a whiff of her rotten scent.

"Now . . . give me more and more of your life force . . ." Vashti grinned widely, "give me more of your power . . ."

"HAAHH!!!" An ax swept off Vashti's neck, cutting her head short. Vashti's head fell to the floor and rolled to one of the ruins. Ephraim blinked, getting out of the nightmarish feeling he had looking at her eyes.

Vashti's body fell onto the floor, next to Pelmon's body. The necromorph's claws were still intact to the headless body.

It was still intact to the headless body?

Before Ephraim could even point that out, Yael stormed towards Ephraim and then dragged him away from the monster. They were hiding at the back of a large ruin now—a distance away from the monster, who now began to unbridle a rambunctious noise. The necromorph's blared a howl that made Ephraim cover his ears and half-close his eyes. And through his spectacles, Ephraim sees the necromorph's claw retract from Vashti's body.

And then his eyes widened as the claw slowly separating like a ball of yarn slowly being deconstructed. The necromorph's claws scuttled towards Vashti's severed head and then—it merged with it. And little by little it attached Vashti's head back to the body.

Frankenstein.

Ephraim covered his mouth as he felt ill. The head was now intact to the body but was disproportionate. It was bent and was bloodied and warped.

Ephraim turned towards Yael, who had now closed his eyes as he held his ax firm. Yael showed no sign of physical pain. Either he was unscathed or he was hiding it. He looked strong, but his closed eyelids made Ephraim unable to decipher what he was feeling.

Ephraim glanced back to the entire vicinity and then noticed one thing.

"What is Hosea doing . . . ?" Ephraim mumbled.

Hosea had now crawled to Vashti, with the necromorph's smaller claws stabbing his back several times. But Hosea did not show any sign of pain; he continued to crawl, and crawl, eyes only ahead. Ephraim shuddered as Hosea embraced Pelmon's dead body whilst the necromorph continuously stabbed his back. And as Ephraim was about to go to Hosea, he was stopped by Yael, who had turned his head away from the scene and chose to close his eyes instead.

"Yael . . . ?"

Chapter end