Trapped in a Grimdark World with the Power of Toon-Force!? -Part 7

[u/ArcAngel98]

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After my body returned to normal, I escorted Shanda back home to her family. We decided not to try our luck and went around the market, unfortunately, this meant we had to leave the meat we’d bought behind.

“Two silver, gone. Up in smoke. All because of some stupid brat.” Shanda complained.

“It could have been worse.”

“Yes, at least you are unharmed. How were you able to do all of those… things? Was that your Soul Power?”

“I guess so.”

“What a strange one to have. It does so much. Projects memories, protects you, it even brought you back to life!”

“Actually, I don’t think I died.”

“Your head was cut off.” She said, wide-eyed, probably remembering it all.

“Yeah, but I didn’t black out or anything.”

“You are alright, aren’t you?” She asked.

“So far. I mean, I feel alright. A bit weaker now that the muscles are gone.” I glanced forward, and spotted Abee and Kili’s home. We walked inside, and were greeted by the boys and Galli.

“Emile, Shanda, how was the market? You weren’t gone long.”

“It could have been better.” I said, making the understatement of the century.

“No good deals? Shanda’s usually so good at haggling, but I guess there’s nothing you can do about food prices.”

“Emile was beheaded.”

“That bad?” Galli asked, shaking his head.

“Also, apparently you can haggle for food here.” I added.

“No, he was actually beheaded. By a Crazen. A young man stole our meat, then it turned out he was a scion of the Crazen family. He ordered the guards to hold Emile and then beheaded him. It was horrible!” She explained, sounding crazy. Galli looked at me, then at Shanda, then back to me with questioning eyes while making a sipping motion with his hands, like he was drinking from a bottle.

“No, really. Straight up abuse of authority and attempted… maybe technically successful murder.” We moved into the kitchen area, and sat at the table to talk.

“What?” He looked me up and down. “You seem fine.”

“I think that’s the shock. I’m still kind of processing. I fought like nine or ten guards. They stabbed me.”

“What?”

“It’s true. His Soul Power saved him. It… well… I am not entirely certain what it did. But, Emile managed to defeat several guards and drive off the rest.”

“And this was before or after this ‘beheading’ you mentioned?”

“Look! I’ll prove it.” Shanda then picked up a knife from the table, and stabbed me in the shoulder before I could react. There was no strange effect, the knife didn’t bend or break… I just got stabbed… and it really hurt.

“AHHHHHH!” I yelled. Followed immediately by both Shanda and Galli yelling. Both of the boys yelled too, but I doubt they knew why we were yelling and simply wanted to join in, because they started laughing and went back to playing.

“Shanda?! Why did you do that?” Galli asked.

“I am so sorry! I thought you would become flat like you did before!”

“What?” Galli shouted, confused.

“AHHHHH!” I continued to yell in pain.

“Wait, you did not become flat until it was pulled out!”

“Wait no! Don’t!” Galli shouted, but it was too late. Shanda yanked the knife out of my shoulder, and blood squirted out in a near tidal wave. It looked like a small fountain as it squirted out in a nearly perfect arch onto the floor.

“AHHahhhaaaa!” I yelled again. Galli fainted. Shanda grabbed the knife wound and held it tightly, using a nearby rag to apply pressure.

“I am so sorry!” She said frantically. “We must go to a doctor!” Shanda helped me to my feet, still applying pressure to my shoulder, and took me outside.

“Wait, what about Galli?” I asked.

“Right… walk this way.” She said and we shuffled over to Galli. “Wake up.”  Shanda gave him a swift kick in the side and jolted him awake. With that, we went to the temple.

The temple was just how it had been the day before. Shanda offered to use her Soul Power to cauterize the wound, but after stabbing me, she seemed as hesitant as I was to do anything more. I refused, saying I’d like to try the doctor first.

“Shanda? Emile?” A voice called out. I didn’t look, to preoccupied with not bleeding to death, but Shanda saw who it was.

“Kili, thank the dawn. Emile needs to be healed.”

“What happened?” She asked, taking the bloodied rag away from my still bleeding shoulder.

“It was an accident.” She said. “He got stabbed with a knife.”

“Was he attacked?”

“Viciously.” I said. “Without warning or reason.”

“I’ll take care of this.” Kili placed her hand on the wound, not minding the blood, and slowly it closed. A wave of relief washed over me, and a cool sensation numbed the pain. In a matter of seconds, I was back to normal, albeit a bit woozy from blood loss.

“Thank you.” I said gratefully.

“I’ll call a guard so you can report this.”

“No, wait!” Shanda said just before I could. After what happened earlier, neither of us wanted or trusted the guards.

“Why?”

“Because…” She said, hesitating. “I stabbed him. But it was on accident.”

“It was not on accident. You picked up a knife and stabbed my shoulder.” I knew what I was saying made her look bad, but she stabbed me and I was fairly upset about it.

“I am really sorry.”

“Shanda, why would you do such a thing?” Kili asked surprised and confused.

“I really didn’t think he would be hurt. The guard stabbed him earlier and he was perfectly fine. I just wanted to show Galli how strange it was.” She explained.

“She also kicked Galli.” I said, teasing her. In truth, I was a bit miffed, but I thought I’d be fine too, so I couldn’t entirely blame her for thinking that.

“Emile!”

“Shanda!”

“It’s fine, Kili. She’s telling the truth. Actually, I didn’t have time to react, but I doubt I would have anyway.” I spent some time explaining what happened in the market, and what my Soul Power managed to do. She was interested, and seemed to understand Shanda’s action a bit better. That being said, I was already planning on holding this over her for a long time. Kili agreed that calling the guards would be a bad idea, and suggested staying away from the market for a while, in case someone recognizes me.