Chapter Thirty-Five: A Promise Kept

(The Battle Of Starcourt, Pt. 6)

***

Hugin's caws were what Alistair heard first when he finally came to.

Blinking his eyes open, he groaned as he now felt the raven tugging frantically at his curls, panic radiating through the bond. Eyes now open, he saw Hugin caw and flap his wings in a panic, hopping from foot to foot as Alistair mumbled, "I'm awake. I'm awake. And I'm so glad you're okay."

Hugin cawed. Hugin okay. Not going anywhere. Bonded to Alistair forever.

Alistair smiled, but it faded as he looked back. Saw Max waking up.

Stumbling to his feet, he headed over to her, shaking her as he asked, "Max. Hey, Max. Are you okay?"

Max woke up, and at seeing him and Hugin, she nodded. Then she looked at Mike, getting to her feet and shaking him as he groaned, saying, "Mike... Mike. Mike."

Alistair hovered over them as Mike slowly woke up, Max shaking him harder as she said, "Mike. Mike! Mike, get up. Mike, can you hear me? Mike! Mike!"

Finally, Mike woke up and Max grabbed his arms, helping him up as she said, "Hey, come on."

When he was on his feet, she asked, "You okay?"

"Mike, are you okay, man?" Alistair asked a heartbeat after.

Mike looked at them, before panic and confusion filled his face and he questioned, "Where's El?"

Alistair's eyes widened, now registering the absence of El... and Billy.

"Fuck," he breathed as Max's face filled with horror, as Mike's did too, coming to the same realisation.

The three teens didn't hesitate, sprinting for the nearest delivery door, Hugin flying and croaking behind them.

They arrived at the door that led into Scoops Ahoy—the door the Party had been using all summer to sneak into movies. But a more terrifying sight would be behind the door as Mike wrenched the door open and they sprinted through the backroom, hearing roaring and... fireworks? Alistair didn't know and he didn't care as they bolted out of the backroom and to the entrance, coming to a stop as they finally saw what was happening.

The Mind Flayer, fireworks exploding above it—Lucas' plan seeming to have worked—the haze enshrining it as it faced forward, snarling. El, on the ground, and Billy over her before he stood up, staring down the monster. Alistair's heart lurched as he focused on El, she needed to move, she was too close, she had to get away.

The Mind Flayer snarled, a flesh-tentacle in its maw. A tentacle that lunged for El, as Alistair stared in wide-eyed fear, something cold and terrified spiking inside him, latching on, desperate to save El—

As the tentacle veered away and struck Billy's raised hands instead, as he shouted, "NO!"

Alistair's eyes widened, not expecting it, as Max let out a gasp of shock and terror, as he stared at Billy now blocking off the Mind Flayer because of his power.

Which was how he saw the second flesh-tentacle starting to peel away from the Mind Flayer's bulk.

Ice froze Alistair. NO.

A memory—hours ago, promising El he wouldn't let the Mind Flayer get her, El promising the same for him, sealing it with a pinky promise—and he had to stop it, it was coming straight for El, the Mind Flayer wouldn't get El!

Alistair was running before he even realised it, hearing dimly Max and Mike screaming at him, Hugin cawing frantically as panic thrummed through the bond, Alistair lunging in front of El and already  raising his hands to stop the tentacle, calling on his power again—

It came too late as the tentacle speared him through his chest.

***

>:)

(I'm sorry)