This comes after Dibbka 6.

Cold, dry wind blasted into Slate's face, but he barely noticed it. It had been nearly an entire night since Dibbka, Kirsta, and he had begun their journey through the Wasteland. No doubt the other two were feeling the effects of the harsh environment, but Slate himself was fighting a much different battle at the moment, and so hardly noticed the chill and the wind. The demon that fought for possession of his body had flared up when they had entered the Wasteland, and it was more fierce than ever before. Sweat dripped down Slate's face, despite the cold the night had brung, and his hands shook slightly. The horse he rode even seemed nervous, probably because of the tension in its rider.

"It seems like dawn is on the way," Dibbka said.

The other two turned, and they saw the sky just starting to lighten, signifying the coming day. Bringing the horses to a halt, they dismounted and began to set up the small tent they had brought with them to shelter them from the beating sun, and the larger one they had brought for the horses. In half an hour, the sun was rising in earnest, and the three travelers were resting in their shelter. A small amount of water and food was passed around, then they tried to get some sleep before they had to move on.

***

Slate woke up to someone shaking him. Hard. He opened his eyes to find Dibbka stooped over him in the tent.

"Kirsta's gone, and I heard a scream just a second ago."

Slate was up in a moment, sword in hand. He rushed out of the tent and looked around. There, about a hundred yards that way. Movement. Dibbka saw it as well, and they rushed off towards it. Another scream broke through the air, and Slate doubled his pace. As the pair of them neared the area, they saw Kirsta sliding down the steep walls of a sandy pit. At the bottom, a huge antlion opened its jaws in anticipation of the meal it was about to get. Slate howled in rage, and the black aura around him flared to life, nearly blinding in its intensity. Dibbka stopped, gaping, as Slate was nearly swallowed in the blackness. Then Slate was flying through the air, his sword held point downward. He arced over the edge of the pit and drove the tip of his sword down into the body underneath the large jaws. The antlion thrashed about, whipping Slate around in its death throes. It finally came to rest, and began to sink slowly back into the sand. With a final twist, Slate wrenched the Hellblade free from the carcass and looked around.

Dibbka had already helped Kirsta up over the edge of the sand trap, and she was sitting on the ground, breathing heavily. Slate marched up the slope, hardly inconvenienced by the sliding sand. He walked straight to where Kirsta sat, grabbed her arm, and yanked her to her feet. Dibbka put his hand on his own sword defensively, noticing that the aura had barely faded. It was still dangerously strong.

Kirsta tried to pull away from Slate, but he twisted her around to face him. "What were you doing?" he shouted.

"I...I had to go to the bathroom, and I saw something moving over here, so I went to see what it was, and, and..." She trailed off, her eyes glistening with tears.

Slate lifted his hand with his sword in it, and Dibbka tensed for a fight. Slate then swiftly back-handed Kirsta across the face, knocking her to the ground. Dibbka started forward, but stopped when Slate glared in his direction.

"You almost got killed, and you put me in danger as well. Maybe next time you should think before you go wandering off." Slate finished shouting, and glared at Kirsta.

She just sat there, tears running down her cheeks, sobbing silently. Then, the aura around Slate began to fade, slowly at first, then more quickly. His whole body shook once, and he forced his hand open, dropping his sword on the sand. The glare on his face softened until it was replaced with a look of utter despair. He knelt slowly beside Kirsta, and she looked up into his face, her eyes shining wetly.

"I'm sorry," Slate whispered.

Kirsta cried out and flung her arms around him, clutching him desparately as she cried into his chest. Slate hesitantly put his arms around her, and held her to him while she let her grief out.

After a few minutes, Dibbka cleared his throat noisily. "We should be getting back into the tent. We need rest before we start travelling again, and it's dangerous to stay out here for long periods of time."

Slate nodded, and slowly got to his feet. He then pulled Kirsta up next to him, but when he let her go, she faltered and almost fell. Catching her at the last minute, Slate lifted her in his arms. She leaned against his chest, and closed her eyes. She looked almost peaceful like that. Almost happy. Almost. Dibbka bent down and picked up Slate's sword. Then they walked back to their campsite.

***

A few hours after the antlion incident, Kirsta was sleeping peacefully, but both Dibbka and Slate couldn't sleep. Dibbka because of growing concern over the situation, and Slate because of fear of losing control again. They hadn't said a word to each other since they had returned.

Slate finally broke the silence. "Dibbka, you are my friend, right?"

"Of course I am. Why?" Dibbka sounded puzzled, but concerned as well.

"If I ever...ever try to hurt her again...please, do anything you can to stop me. Even if you have to kill me."

Dibbka looked at Slate at this, and saw sincerity in his friend's eyes. And something else, as well. Fear. Fear of hurting Kirsta for real.

Dibbka nodded. "I can't promise I will kill you, even if it comes down to that, but I will do anything short of that to stop you. I know it isn't your fault."

"Thank you."

Dibbka could see that something was still troubling Slate, and he thought he knew what it was. "She knows, too."

Slate looked at Dibbka, surprise in his eyes.

Dibbka pressed on. "She doesn't blame you, Slate. She knows the demon is hard to control. She loves you, and she will continue loving you no matter what."

"Thank you, again."

With that, Slate moved over to where Kirsta lay. He lay down beside her, and she murmured in her sleep and rolled over, snuggling up against him. He tensed slightly, then relaxed and put his arms around her. Soon his breathing was even, and the two of them slept together.

Dibbka still couldn't find respite in sleep. His fears about Slate and the demon were somewhat lessened by his faith in his friend, but they were still present. But a much more pressing concern was in the front of his mind now. The concern that as they travelled, they were drawing closer to an evil that neither Slate nor Kirsta knew existed. His brother. He still didn't know for sure, but he just had a feeling, and he couldn't seem to ignore it. He just wasn't sure what he should tell Slate and Kirsta, if anything. He finally drifted into a fitful sleep, visions of his brother in his mind.

***

The sun was going down, and the Wasteland was cooling down fast. They got the tents packed up quickly, and passed around water and food once more. The horses were fed as best they could be. Slate looked darkly at the remaining food for the horses.

"We don't have much left. We may have to give them up before long."

Dibbka nodded in agreement. None of them liked it, but they didn't have enough supplies to take care of the horses for much longer. A few days at most. Their own food and water would run low hardly more than a week after that, so they needed to find something soon, or else they would all die in this cursed place. They finished packing their things on the horses, and Dibbka and Kirsta mounted. Slate, however, remained on the sand, his sword lying sheathed in his hands, rather than strapped to his back as it normally was. He stared at it for a long moment, and Dibbka was about to say something when Slate turned to him and held the sword out to him. Dibbka just nodded, reached down, and lifted the huge sword from Slate's hands. He pushed it under the other things packed on his horse. Slate then mounted his horse, and they started off.

Soon after they started for the night, Kirsta asked Slate why he had given the sword to Dibbka. In response, Slate reached over to her and took her hand in his. She looked surprised at the gesture. He had changed so much in the last few days. Although the demon was evil, it had somehow also changed him for the better. Kirsta hated thinking that the thing could be good in any way, but he was opening up in a way he never would have otherwise. Kirsta looked at him and smiled. They were going to be okay.

Slate turned to her briefly, a little bit later, and whispered, "I will never hurt you again."

It was meant for her ears only, even if there was only one other living creature to hear it around. Kirsta felt tears coming. For the first time, she was crying because she was happy. And she hoped with all her heart the Slate was able to keep his promise.

***

Dibbka was lost in his own thoughts. He had the spell that was leading them in the back of his mind, but he was still preoccupied with misgivings about what might be waiting for them in the Wasteland. This journey might be worse than they all thought.

***

Slate was also lost in his thoughts. He was so confused right now, and had the demon to worry him on top of it all. He only knew one thing for sure. He really did love Kirsta, and he would never forgive himself if anything happened to her.