Hetalia: We Will Never Surrender Chapter 27

    I groaned some more as I began to pick myself up from the floor. Ugh, what just happened? Why am I on the floor? The last thing I remember is warning everyone that Freland was on his…I gasped as I remembered the very intense feeling of something very precious and essential was roughly torn from me before I blacked out. Whatever that was, Freland did it…did he do it to any of the others?! But before I could do or think anything else, I heard a friendly voice.

    "Germany!" cried Italy as he abruptly helped me sit up and hugged me very tightly. "Are you alright?" Italy, who was crying, then continued to sob even more into my shoulder. I quickly glanced at Italy and from what I could see, he had no injuries. While that did relieved me, I was still concerned by the way Italy was sobbing. What happened…for Italy to break down this much? Could it be that…

    "Yeah, I'm alright. But…did I almost die?" I guessed softly. Before Italy could answer, two more friendly voices cried out.

    "Germany-san!" exclaimed Japan as he quickly got up from the floor and stumble his way towards us. Why was he also on the floor?

    "West!" my brother also exclaimed as he got up from the floor and rushed right at us. He was on the floor too? Did Freland…

    "Japan! Prussia!" Italy sobbed even more as he also somehow managed to grab Japan and Prussia and pulled all of us into his embrace. While I was also glad that Prussia and Japan also seemed to fine, I was still concerned about what had happened.

    "I'm so glad…that you'll alright..." sobbed Italy.

    "What did happened?" I asked, firmly but kindly.

    "Oh gosh it was awful!" I heard America exclaimed. I looked up and saw that America was still by Wales' bedside and while he did looked relieved and happy, he also looked like he just went through a traumatic experience.

    "Yeah, Freland ate your spirit! He killed you!" added Prussia. My eyes widened in surprise, but then they lowered in understanding. So that's why Italy is hysterical…and why I had that strange feeling right before I blacked out…I guess that when my spirit was being eaten…now that is a disturbing gift…I hope…

    "Freland ate yours too Prussia! And Japan's!" Italy continued. My heart took a big leap. And it definitely wasn't because I was joyful.

    "What? Are you two alright?" I asked, very worried and a bit sad. I really didn't want anyone else to go through that…

    "So that did happen…" muttered Japan, ignoring me. Then he faced me and smiled. "Yeah, I'm alright Germany-san."

    "Wait a minute. I admit, I do remember Freland touching me and having that icky horrible feeling but if he ate my spirit…how in the world am I still alive?!" asked Prussia. I gasped when I remembered that Prussia had died when we were all influenced by Kurtir's illusions. I don't doubt that Italy was mistaken…but my brother is definitely alive right now…so…

    "That's because Red here saved you," I heard England say. Again, I looked up and around till I saw him kneeling by window. I furrowed my eyes when I saw that the window was broken and England was patting on something invisible.

    "Uh England…" I began to say when France interrupted me.

    "I know, it's unbelievable that giant red dragons exist. But believe me, this wonderful friend of England's saved all of our lives." Giant red dragon? Then my eyes widen when I could suddenly see England pat the head of a red dragon so big that he could only fit his head and neck through the window.

    "Holy cow…" said Prussia softly as he gazed at the dragon.

    "Where did he come from?" asked Japan.

    "I would like to know that too," added Russia.

    "Well, for one thing Red is actually is Wales' friend," England started to answer. My heart felt a pang of sadness when I heard my dying friend's name. I glanced over to her and saw that she was still pale, feverish, and in a coma-like state. I also glanced over to China and found that he was in a similar state to Wales. Wales, China…you two are going to make it…right?

    "Oh…but that still doesn't tell us where he came from," said Russia without any impatience whatsoever, like he was sensitive about the fact that Wales was dying too.

    "I'm getting to that. Wales carried around a whistle that if you blew it, Red would hear it no matter where he was and would come to you as fast as he could," England continued. Then Italy gasped.

    "I blew it! I blew it when I was trying to see if Wales…left any bit of her spirit behind in it," finished Italy softly with a pained expression, obviously remembering when we all thought Wales had sacrificed her life. But it turned out that she was still alive…I just hope that she stays that way…and China too.

    "Hang on! If Wales had that whistle all along, why didn't she blow on it before?!" exclaimed Prussia.

    "Because Red is very old and she obviously didn't want to endanger his health by traveling all the way from her house to mine," England snapped a bit. I gazed at the dragon closer and saw that England was right. Red, whose scales I can see now were dull, was breathing very heavily and he looked very exhausted.

    "He isn't going to die is he?" asked Canada with worry as he walked closer to Red.

    "I…I don't think so. I'm just surprised that he found the strength to fly all the way here, let alone found the strength to e…to kill Freland before collapsing," answered England.

    "Maybe he was stronger than Wales thought he was," said Russia as he patted the dragon's neck.

    "In any case, Red is very exhausted right now and I doubt he can move a single muscle, am I right Red?" asked England of the red dragon. To my surprise, Red gave a low growl in response.

    "Is that a yes?" asked France with a raised eyebrow.

    "Yeah," answered England.

    "Good thing you didn't blow on it earlier, huh Italy? If you did, Red wouldn't have found the strength to kill Freland and end the war," asked Prussia as he playfully hit Italy on the arm. My eyes widened at my brother's last three words. "…end the war." The war…it's over…it's finally over…

    "Yeah," mumbled Italy, his expression unusually unreadable. Before I could even begin to wonder what Italy must be thinking, a new voice made itself heard. Very loudly.

    "What in the heck is a dragon doing here aru?!" For a brief moment, there was only a shocked and hopeful silence. Then all of us turned to face the direction the voice came from and sure enough, China was awake. Startled and confused, but awake. Which meant that he was very much alive.

    "CHINA!" cried Russia and Japan with pure happiness as they rushed towards him and all but crush him to death by hugging. He's awake…he's going to be alright! He's going to live!

    "CHINA! You're awake! You're alive! You're going to be alright!" exclaimed America as he rushed over to China's bedside. Italy, my brother, and I also rushed over to China. While China still looked weak and sick, he certainly didn't look like he was going to die any time soon. Which lifted a huge weight off my chest, as well brought relief and great joy to my heart.

    "America?" asked China softly, like he couldn't believe that he was seeing the rash but loyal blond man in front of him. Oh that's right, China doesn't know that America is alive yet. "How…"

    "He did do spirit objectification! And when I managed to escape, I managed to bring him back to life!" exclaimed Canada happily as he also ran over to China.

    "There is a lot that we need to catch you up on, but the first thing you need to know is that…the war is over," said England.

    "Really ahen?" asked China.

    "Yes, it is," I assured him with a relieved smile on my face. It really is…

    "And you helped us do win it," added France.

    "Just next time…don't…do that! Just let me take the blow! Okay?!" cried Russia as he wiped his eyes. "It's not that…I'm don't appreciate that…you care about me enough to risk your life like that but…I don't want be afraid like that ever again! I don't want to ever see you almost die again! Promise me that you will figure out some other way to save my life other than almost sacrificing your life!" Russia…

    "Alright aru," China responded after a second of silence. "I will promise I will do my best to always have your back than sacrificing myself aru, but only if you promise the same to me."

    "Deal," Russia. I smiled, remembering a similar promise between me and Italy many years ago.

    "Hey, where's Wales aru?" asked China. I winced at that question, as I involuntarily looked behind me. A part of me hoped that Wales will be awake too, so that all of us could properly celebrate that we were all alive and had won the war. But that hope disappeared when I saw that she was still unconscious, and she looked as sick as ever.

    "Oh no…what happened aru?" asked China as he gazed at Wales, worry and concern written all over his face.

    "In order to…save all of us…she casted Exitio," answered England, his voice quivering a little and his head lowered.

    "Isn't…isn't that the spell you said would kill her if she casted it ahen" China asked. But she still casted it anyway…despite the fact that she didn't really know us before all of this began…she was still willing to sacrifice her life of all of us…

    "Yeah," admitted England, his head still lowered.

    "She's not going to die," America suddenly said as he walked back to Wales' side. He then bent over and picked her up, before turning around and facing us.

    "America, what are you doing?!" exclaimed Canada.

    "Taking her to the hospital. There's nothing stopping us now," America replied. At the sound of his words, I felt some more hope bloom within me. He's…he's right! We can have proper doctors look at her and take care of her properly! And China too!

    "What about Red?" asked Canada. Before I could find an answer to this predicament, Canada was answered by a growl from the dragon himself.

    "He says he will be fine, and that he needs sleep more than anything else," interpreted England. I guess talking to all his…'imaginary' friends is the reason why he can understand dragon talk…I must ask him to teach me later…or hopefully Wales.

    "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" ordered Prussia as he turned towards the door. Truer words have never been spoken.

HHHH

    "Is it a bad thing that the doctors are talking to them so long? Or is it a good thing?" I asked my best friend Germany anxiously. It had been a few hours since my friends finally left England's house and drove quickly to the nearest hospital. After the doctors quickly took Wales and China away, the rest of us have just been waiting here in the lobby. Waiting like that, I can freely say it was amongst the worst hours of my life.

    Then finally, about five minutes ago, two doctors came and asked for China's and Wales' family members. This caused Japan, England, America, and Canada to stand up and leave with the doctors to the opposite end of the lobby, where the rest of us couldn't hear them. But instead of this calming down my butterflies somewhat, it only intensified their fluttering.

    "I don't know Italy…I just don't know," Germany answered. I hung my head, hoping beyond hope that Wales will survive, as well as that there will be no further complications with China. Please let China really be out of danger…and please let Wales survive…please…

    "Well? What did they say?" I heard Russia ask, fear in his voice. I picked up my head and saw Wales' brothers and Japan standing there, looking grim.

    "There is no need to worry about China. He is out of danger and he will stay that way," said Japan with a small smile. I let out a sigh along with Prussia, Russia, and Germany. That's a relief…but...

    "What about Wales then? She's going to make it too…right?" I asked Japan and Wales' brothers. Any relief that was on their faces immediately disappeared leaving behind only grief and fear. My heart dropped a little in response. No…it can't be…I'm…I'm just imagining their expressions…

    "The doctors say that because she has pushed her body to its limits…it's a miracle that she is even alive right now," answered Canada right before he closed his eyes and bit his lip, like he was trying not to cry.

    "They also say that if she gains consciousness again, she will most likely make it," added America.

    "But the chance…of us seeing…her beautiful green eyes again...hardly…exist," finished England, his voice quivering. Hardly…exist? I was hardly aware of England sobbing, and of America trying to build his brothers and everyone else's hope up again.

    But, I was definitely aware of my heart dropping like a stone, and the cold feeling of despair threatening to consume my body. The only reason why it didn't, was because I still had a small flame of hope. Hope that my dear friend will survive, despite the very large chance that she wouldn't.