"Divine bond." Narinder x The Lamb

Chapter 14: Shamura

"Great leader!" a follower yelled, "We found something in Silk Cradle!"

The Lamb turned around, "Is it a skull?"

"Y-Yes! How did you-"

"Great! Thank you. You may rest."

That was the convention that happened before Narinder was shoved into Silk cradle with Shamura.

He wished he could say there were more after that but so far it was just silent...unless you count Shamura mumbling under their breath, "5 becomes 4 becomes 3 becomes 2 becomes 1..."

Narinder sighs, as he walks, Shamura following close behind. He thought, Shamura lost their skull causing memory loss and...Narinder looks back at Shamura...them just..not fully being there...and Narinder gained a little of every disability...what would happen to him when Shamura was fixed? Would he be a little crazy too? Narinder shook his head, no, he shouldn't think of that.

That's when Narinder looked around and realized, "Shit, where the heck are they?"

"Shamura," Narinder called out, his voice a little urgent. "Do you know where we are?"

Shamura blinked, their eyes unfocused as they struggled to understand Narinder's question, "Nari? What are you doing?" they say in a voice you would use to talk to a child, a smile spread across their face.

Crap, Shamura was in a memory, a memory where Narinder was probably little. He didn't want to freak Shamura out, so he played along.

"Um...trying to find something..." Narinder explains.

"Oh? What are you looking for? Your blanket?"

Narinder smiled, "Yes, the pink one you made me..."

Shamura blinks, "I made it for you?"

Narinder frowns, they didn't remember, "Um...nevermind..."

Narinder keeps walking, Shamura right behind him, he keeps thinking, and thinking, he looks back at Shamura.

Oh Shamura...

~*~

"Narinder...brother...come sit next to me," Shamura said, patting a spot beside them. A younger Narinder nodded and sat.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing, brother...in fact, I have news that should make you happy...I think you are old enough.." Shamura said.

"Oh? For what?" Narinder asked.

"The crown." Shamura pulled it out, "Now, this holds great power...you need to be very responsible with it..ok?"

Narinder stared in awe as he nodded, "Yes! Yes! Ok! What is it for? Famine? War?"

Shamura laughed, "No, no....this...this...is the red crown...the crown of death."

Narinder's eyes widened, "Death? Why this one?"

"Narinder...if there is anything I know about death..it is that you can't escape it...no one can..just like no one can escape you."

Narinder blinked, "It's through process elimination, isn't it? Leshy obviously was always going to be chaos, Heket is, of course, going to be famine due to not eating enough...and Kallamar..well, he gets sick a lot..."

Shamura sighed, "Well...yes...you are right..but this does not mean it's not something you'll like. And this does not mean death is not as powerful...after all...everyone goes to it soon enough."

Narinder nodded, "Right..yes...of course...thank you...I take this with honor.."

Shamura smiled as he placed it on Narinder's head, "Good...I trust you..."

Narinder smiles, "I love you Shamura...."

Shamura smiles, "I love you too...brother..."

~*~

Narinder snaps back to reality and looks around, "Shamura? Shamura!?" Shamura was nowhere to be seen, "Shamura!!" Narinder frantically looks around, calling Shamura's name, but they couldn't find them.

Narinder breaks through silk, a few spiders drop down and try attacking but Narinder, powered with worry, almost immediately kills them, where was Shamura!?

Narinder then hears something, it sounded like a voice. He looked at where it was coming from and found...a cave...no..Shamura didn't go inside did they? Oh no. Narinder ran inside, "Shamura! Stay where you are!"

The voice replies, "Narinder? Is that you? What are you doing here brother? Shouldn't you be dealing with people passing on?"

Narinder looks around, "Shamura where are you!?"

Shamura's voice goes quiet.

"Shamura!!!"

That's when a faint glimmer of light caught Narinder's eye, drawing him deeper into the cavern. Following it, he moved carefully through the darkness.

"Shamura! Answer me!" Narinder called out, his voice echoing off the walls of the cave. But there was no response, just the eerie suffocating silence.

As Narinder pressed on, he finally stumbled upon a small room-like clearing bathed in a soft, ethereal glow. And there, in the center of the chamber, sat Shamura, their eyes closed in silent meditation.

"Shamura!" Narinder rushed forward.

"Welcome brother..." Shamura smiles, "How are you?"

Narinder pants, tired, "Shamura...I-" screams, no not again...not now..he just found them. No, Narinder ran to Shamura, but instead he finds himself getting to know the ground, shit.

~*~

"Brother! Narinder! Stop this! This isn't you!" Shamura yells, "Take a deep breath. It's ok....please jus-" Shamura was cut off by Narinder swinging at their head, they dodged.

"Narinder please! Brother! Your mind is clouded by greed! You cannot let it control you! Please Nari-" Narinder swung their scythe at Shamura's head and Shamura failed to dodge. It took off the top of Shamura's head, causing them to fall over. Narinder swung their scythe again.

Shamura yells, their begs for Narinder to think clearly ringing in his head, but it falls on deaf ears.

~*~

Narinder snaps back to reality, they were clutching onto Shamura tightly, tears in their eyes, and muttering apologies. When they felt multiple pairs of arms wrap around them.

Narinder looked up, it was Shamura, smiling down at them, "Brother....there's no need to apologize. I will never not forgive you..."

Narinder smiled, "Thank you Shamura...thank you so much..."

Shamura held him tighter, "Now...did you find your blanket?"

Narinder sighs, "Not yet Shamura...but I'm sure-" Narinder was cut off by the sound of creaking. He looked up and saw....the ceiling of the cave was creaking and soon enough, out came a piece of it. It fell to Narinder's feet and in the rubble was...a skull...Narinder blinked, "I think...I found it..."

Shamura raised an eyebrow but that was wiped off their face when that's when they were clocked in the face with their own skull when it flung itself into their face.

Narinder looked away as he heard Shamura's screams as it went back into their head. Even if he wasn't looking at it, those screams would be forever stuck in his head.

Shamura soon calmed down and looked around, "W-What happened!? I-I...holy shit...I...I'm back...I remember...Narinder...." Shamura was going to continue but that's when the cave started creaking again, "Shit...Narinder run!!" Shamura yelled, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the cave.

They ran as fast as they could, just barely making it out, having to jump to make the last few inches. Shamura sighed in relief, "Thank god. You ok Narinder?"

Narinder lets out a relief sigh as well, "Yeah..I'm fine...."

Shamura gets up, "Let's go....I'm sure The Lamb will be very happy to see you." Shamura smiles but Narinder just raises an eyebrow.

"Who?"