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Chapter 14 - First Blood

After the voice finished her speech, the magma saws stopped. Then they went back, moving across the air as if they were strings returning to where the Moderator was, mixing with her dripping hair.

The pool of magma that had formed underneath the worm's corpse and had been slowly melting its flesh returned towards the craters it originally came from.

The moderator stared at us, her 'face', disturbing as it was made just of stone and without any human features on it, remained silent.

After I don't know how long, she finally turned around, returning to the earth, leaving behind her just a few pools of magma that illuminated the cave.

The three of us let out the air we had been holding in a heavy sigh as our bodies collapsed to our knees. The only thing that remained was Milaine's flames that helped to erase the remnant pain and injuries that we had.

Milaine's flame started to lower its intensity, her glow reduced again, only leaving a dim light over us.

As we broke apart, finally freeing our hands, I focused my attention on my breathing, focusing only on catching some air.

It took more than usual to calm my body. It was not until the chills from my instinct completely left that I finally managed to calm myself.

After a few extra moments, I finally moved my body, searching for the girls.

At first I noticed Livia. She was behind me. Her palms were on the ground, her face looking down, and her body was arching as it followed her breath. She was also trying to catch some air.

'Liv, fuck...'

I moved my hand, wanting to touch her, but I stopped when I heard a loud cough from my side. When I followed the sound I found Milaine.

At first it was a loud cough that expelled a small mouthful of blood, but soon the next cough expelled an alarming amount of it.

Of the three of us she looked the worst. Almost all of the sports sweatshirt she was wearing had been completely destroyed, and part of her T-shirt as well.

Her skin was pale and dark circles formed under her eyes. Her arms were badly burned, although they were healing, the speed was considerably slower than a few moments ago.

But the most unsettling thing was the silence. Again, just like Livia, nothing came from her mind.

'This doesn't look good.'

I tried to stand, maybe to help her, but I stopped when I felt a sharp pain in my crotch.

'Fuck, this again? What's wrong now?'

As I lowered my gaze I untied the knot of what was left of the tablecloth, which now looked like a torn rag, and moved it next to the books that were, thankfully, intact.

When I placed my hand over the source of the pain I noticed something strange. An unknown wetness.

"What?" I mumbled unconsciously.

I quickly moved my pants and placed my hand on my boxers. At first I thought I had wet myself, but when I placed my hand and looked at it, there was blood.

I felt confused and dazed, my instinct hadn't warned me about this. It always guided me when I was in danger and seeing the unknown blood caught me off guard.

"Leo," a voice said from my side.

When I turned my head I noticed Livia. She had moved to help Milaine stand.

Livia looked at me then at my hand, and her face contracted and her expression hardened.

She moved her gaze, bouncing between me and Milaine. I supposed she was deciding whether to help her or check on me.

"Help her," I said.

I already had a theory of what was happening, but that didn't make it easy. My mind was still struggling with the idea.

'Nobody told me that I would also have to suffer that.'

It took me a bit of time to deliver the next words.

"I... I think I'm menstruating," I murmured with a hint of uncertainty and fear in my voice.

'Shit, that sounded way worse than I thought.'

I couldn't even have the time to feel shame as I started to feel dizzy again. My body felt weaker, but it had been like this since we arrived at Vulkris.

Being a woman was really a disadvantage in a place like this.

Livia's eyes didn't really soften as I shared my new situation. In fact she only looked more worried. I could almost see how she was about to let go of Milaine to come help me.

Leo... Dami... wait a bit longer, I'll find you...

This time Milaine's inner voice came back. I instinctively looked at her when I heard my name being called, but my heart gave a loud beat when I heard the second name.

'Dami? That was mom's name...'

[The effect of your flaw: Immortal has ended]

Before I could really think about anything else, the notification from the system sounded in my mind, refocusing my attention. It was from Milaine's status.

Milaine, who had kept looking down, resting on Livia, started to move again. She raised her head and looked at her surroundings. The inner destroyed mouth of the corpse, where we were standing, Livia's support and then finally me, staring at her.

Right, Vulkris.

The moment Livia noticed Milaine could stand, she rushed towards me, kneeling and softly grabbing my wrist, the one that had blood.

"Are you okay, Leo? How many days have you been? Do you feel cramps? Headaches? Breast tenderness? Do you tend to bleed a lot?"

'Ehhh... what?'

I was not really sure how to react, maybe because of exhaustion, maybe because of dizziness or maybe because I was still thinking about the life-threatening situation we just survived.

Cramps? Headaches? Wait, really? She got her period now? Such bad timing, we better hurry.

"We need to move, let's get out of this corpse before you get an infection," Milaine said as her body finished healing the remnants of her injuries.

Although her voice was hoarse and she still had the dark bags under her eyes, she moved her body with strong and firm steps.

'Does she have infinite stamina or something?'

I tried to stand, but I couldn't. My legs started trembling the moment I tried to stand, and the pain in my lower belly didn't help.

Livia tried to help me, but she couldn't. Her arms were too weak, and I was considerably larger than her. Of the three of us she was the smallest.

I had never asked her how tall she was, but I had an idea: she couldn't be more than five foot six tall. And the fact that she didn't have an athletic physique didn't help either.

When she noticed that fact she bit her lips and tried to hold back some tears.

"J-just give me a minute, okay? I can stand." I said, trying to sound confident

The thought of being dead weight was only making me anxious. I was already moving my fingers to cast the Sigil when Milaine's voice entered my mind.

"I got this," Milaine said.

Before I could cast the sigil she walked towards me, kneeling in front of me. It was the first time that I looked at her from such a close distance.

Even with the dark circles under her eyes, I couldn't deny the fact that this chick was pretty, not cute like Livia or as beautiful as Violet. 

But she had her charm, maybe the doll-like expression she tried to force was the thing, or maybe it was the bust size with a lean body type. I was not sure, really.

I didn't especially like her, she was suspicious, foul-mouthed and acted like she owned the world.

I also didn't like the fact that she insisted on us picking a gift. But to be fair, deep down, if I didn't get the warning from my future self or Violet, I probably would have picked one early on.

'She also picked up my books...'

In a weird way she seemed to care, especially about Livia. And maybe because we had already survived two life-or-death situations in such a short time, I didn't dislike her that much.

"What?" I asked, trying to sound neutral.

My flame might not heal menstruation, but at least it should ease the pain.

Just as she finished her mental words, her hair started to glow again, the light came back. She wrapped her arms around my body and lifted me.

"No way!" I said.

I felt a bit of shame by how easily she lifted me even when I was about three or four inches taller. 

"M-MILAINE!! W-What are you doing?!!" Livia yelled.

Livia's voice sounded much louder and higher pitched than her usual tone. I could notice her disbelief and alarm.

It took me a bit by surprise, to the point that it even triggered chills from my instinct.

Ugh, my ears! Right. Livia is that type of girl, better to be clear before she thinks I'm trying to mess with her obsession.

'That again? Why does she keep talking like she knows Livia? And what does she mean by obsession?'

"Livi—" Milaine was interrupted.

"Olivia!" Livia corrected.

Right...

"Olivia, I'm carrying her only outside the sandworm, nothing more. Okay?"

I searched for Livia's face, and she made a weird expression, looking at her hands, then towards me.

"O-Okay... but do you really need to lift her? L-Leo is strong, she can stand up," Livia stammered.

I wanted to speak, but my instinct sent me chills again. I was not sure if it warned me because it didn't want me to cast the Sigil or because it wanted me to stay silent.

In any case, I decided not to interrupt the girls' exchange for now and just observe.

Besides, even when I wanted to reject it, deep down I liked the warmth of the flame. It not only erased the pain but also made me less anxious.

Come on, Livia, I'm so fucking tired, I can't deal with your mental gymnastics now...

Ughh, we also need to discuss the gifts, the sandworm's food, the resistances we need, the Moderator and its message, and how to treat Eleonora's period…

I glanced at Milaine, her inner voice that really reflected her true self behind the poker face just confirmed my past assumptions.

'She really cares. Even when she's tired she keeps thinking ahead.'

The words of Violet came back to me once again.

"She reminds me of you in a certain way."

'Shit.'

"Livia, sorry, I don't think I can stand for a bit," I said.

It was a lie, maybe if I used the Sigil I could stand, but I decided this time to lend a hand to Milaine.

Livia's expression quickly softened and she nodded.

"O-okay, I'll grab your books then," Livia said as she kept glancing at me.

Oh thank you so much, Eleonora.

Milaine didn't keep talking with Livia and walked outside the remnants of the sandworm's corpse, carrying me.

After the collision with the Moderator, the corpse of the sandworm really got destroyed. Most of its body was like an amorphous mass that was cut and burned.

Over the sandworm's body almost a quarter of the ceiling had fallen on it. The thing managed to support a lot of weight despite its horrible state.

We walked dodging the craters, the rubble and a little blood from the worm that had reached the ceiling and was dripping down.

When I looked at the ceiling, I realized that some parts were missing and faced outwards.

The image of the red sky was not a pretty sight.

'I hope nothing pops out from it...'

After some time we arrived at a considerably 'safe spot' far from the chaotic scene.

Milaine gently laid me down on the floor and leaned me against a wall.

Livia immediately sat down beside me, trying not to touch my abdomen too much.

'What is one supposed to do in a situation like this? I don't even know how women deal with menstruation,' I thought.

Before I could say anything, Milaine's thoughts came back.

Well, we have to clean that up and try to make an artificial tampon. We better improvise something.

Then she turned her gaze to Livia and spoke.

"Livia, take off her pants."

***

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