Author's Note: Well now that I have you all sitting at the edge of your seat waiting for the big fight scene I must disappoint you all...Janelle and Kate make up like civilized people and promise to never fight again as they set out on their mission to create peace through out the countries...HAHAHAHAH. Sorry, hahah, that wouldn't happen, atleast not in a story I author,hahaha. Okay now then really it's time for one of those great big A/N to recognize all the wonderful reviewers :D
blackStreek, Litara, dares to dream, UNCgirl13, Alliekat1996, SabbyRinaBanina, BACswimma, addicted2TPierce, The Shang Kudarung, xDarlightx, Sea-Aggie, Empress of Theives, and Bookflower
You guys are all great for reviewing!! I love hearing what people have to say, even if you don't like it, tell me C:
Now then to thank xxTunstall Chickxx (THE xxComma Queenxx who won't let me have white out) and Sweet Sassy Sarah(who had to laugh with the mongrel about my -ahem- views on tresspassers ). You guys are AMAZING :D
I am not tamora Pierce
Jarret leaned against her desk as she tightened a strap on one of her arm sheaths. He watched her with pleading green eyes. They had been arguing all morning. Jarret didn't want her to get hurt, she refused to simply back down. They both knew that by now Janelle would never let Kate out of this; she would have the younger girl imprisoned, if not killed, within the day if Kate didn't beat her. Then, not even The Panther could be that dishonorable.
Kate flipped a cloak over her full-length breeches and sleeved shirt, to shield her for some time against the early winter weather. She turned around to leave but found Jarret standing right behind her, inches away.
"Jarret, we've gone over this. I cannot, and will not, back out of this."
"I know, and I wont try to stop you anymore, but I can still wish the best for you." He wrapped his arms around her.
She didn't realize it, but she automatically leaned into him, taking comfort from his warmth and concern. Any fears she had seemed bearable with him there. He kissed her forehead but she pushed him away gently. "We need to talk about that, but not now. Later. I need to focus."
"Right. Sorry."
"No harm done, lad." Her smile was weak but he didn't question her.
"Let's go then, my sweet." He opened the door to usher her out, only to see a very curious Viper.
"Well then, Blaze and Shadow, or should I say 'Sweet' and 'Lad'. " She started laugh but was cut off with only getting a squeak out as two hands picked her up and turned her around.
"Don't tease her today, please." He kept his eyes stern but not frightening, "Especially not about us."
"There is no 'us' yet. " Kate turned her back on them and started down the hall.
Vi looked up at Jarret with a large grin on her face. "Yet."
He returned her grin with a subtle nod, but there was a hopeful look in his eyes.
They followed Kate out of the building and across the grounds until they reached the practice yards set aside for elite assassins only. Janelle stood across from Kate with two trainees on her sides. One was Leo, the healer, the other was a girl who worked with the camp mages on her Gift, which was very strong battle magic.
"This is elite business Janelle, you should have left them out of this," Vi yelled across the cold practice ring.
"She needs two attendants just like Kate," Jarret told her and looked around. "Speaking of which, where's Xander?"
"Here I am." The blond youth came over from the practice courts that the trainees used. "I couldn't sit still this morning." Xander looked at Janelle's attendants then to Vi. "We should at least have someone who has a little more of the Gift than I do. Like a healer."
"I know, but the only other mages around here are over there. " She pointed to the other side of the ring, "And Kate refused to let Caley anywhere near here if she could help it."
"She doesn't need to be caught up in something that doesn't concern her," Kate scolded them.
"Very well then." Jarret silenced them and turned his voice to the strict official tone. "You each have your attendants. This single combat trial of rank will end when one of you is immobile and the other presents the commanding officer with a dagger. I shall be the commanding officer overseeing this. You may prepare yourselves."
Kate removed her cloak, handing it to Xander, and began to work the muscles in her arms. She looked over the area they were to fight in: snow, at least a good hand's width deep covered the ground, that was alright with Kate, she was used to fighting in the snow and ice. Other than that, it was very open and easy to move around in.
The people of their groups stood back allowing them to prepare in peace. Jarret was talking to Xander and Leo off to the side, Vi was glaring at the other mage girl, who scowled back.
Kate shifted her gaze so she could observe Janelle and she noticed that they mirrored each other, blade for blade. She never noticed how alike they really were.
They were the same height, had the same broad shoulders, big hands, they even had they same defiant but proud stance. The only major difference that the eye could see was in their appearances; Janelle's dark hair and skin compared to Kate's lighter hues.
They were even armed the same. Long daggers strapped to their thighs, two sets of dueling daggers tied to their forearms, throwing daggers held in place on their biceps, and to top it all of, their Gifts.
They looked completely empty handed to the untrained eye, but if you knew what you were looking for, you could see the faint lines around the weapons.
"She's a great battle mage Kate. Be careful," Vi warned her and cast a wary glance around like she wasn't supposed to be telling her this. "She throws raw power and wont think twice about opening with a magical attack. Just be ready." She gave her one reassuring hug and attempted to grin but failed before she stood back.
Jarret straightened up and cast a glance over to make sure Janelle was ready but then he looked Kate straight in the eye. Pain showed in his but he blinked it away and she nodded.
"Places!" Jarret yelled, the two young women stood on the edges of the ring. The others went farther back.
"He better make this fast or we'll have an audience," Xander whispered to Vi and nodded to a few wandering trainees.
"Begin!" Jarret yelled, and looked torn between wanting to see the outcome and not being able to watch.
Janelle wasted no time at all in attacking Kate. In one quick motion she pulled a throwing dagger from its sheath and threw it right at Kate's throat. Kate barely had time to dodge. She leaned away, but still felt it graze her neck right under her ear. Kate looked up and felt her neck. When she pulled her hand away, blood was on her fingers. She wiped it away on her breeches and pulled her plain dueling daggers out of their sheaths.
The two women charged at each without a second thought. Kate's eyes visibly changed to red before their spectators, and Janelle refused to give her a chance. Janelle struck hard and fast, dueling daggers going straight for her head. Kate ducked under each blow while trying to get in one of her own.
Kate finally managed to hook one of her hilts in Janelle's and push it out of the way. Kate landed a kick in Janelle's chest, throwing her back. Kate went to move in on the fallen opponent but out of nowhere, a blast of silver flew at her. She managed to push it aside with a quick block.
"What was that?!" Kate demanded.
Janelle jumped back into a fighting position and they circled each other. "That was real magic you little brat."
Kate's red eyes flared brighter. "Has anyone ever told you that you remind them of a snake in the grass?"
"Funny," she sneered, "On one of my trips to Carthak I ran into a rodent that you remind me of. A nasty little creature it was. I think the locals called it a mongoose."
"A mongoose?" Kate asked slightly taken back at the thought.
"Yes. You see, they know how to fight but remind me of a rat. So, in my terms, they just need to be exterminated." Janelle threw another dagger but this one burned with silver fire.
Kate rolled to the ground and came up fighting again. Sparks from the metal clashing and silver and aqua fire flying around them in every odd direction.
Their spectators grew worrisome as more trainees came to watch. Word spread like wildfire. "The Panther's putting an end to that hot head Shadow," and "The Shadow's gonna get rid of Panther once and for all."
Jarret was mesmerized with worry as he watched, not The Shadow and The Panther, but Katelyn and Janelle.
Bursts of the fire started to fly toward the crowd as they were deflected from the fighters. A mix of silver and aqua came right at Jarret but he wasn't paying any attention. Xander shoved him out of they way and let his arm take the hit.
"Are you stupid?" he asked his leader."Without the Gift you could die from being hit with that."
Jarret ignored him, he was busy watching Kate hold off one of Janelle's long daggers.
"Get back!" Vi yelled at the trainees. "Get back unless you want your hides tanned! That means you to Caley, she didn't want you around this in the first place. Go." She gave the young girl a good shove out of harm's way.
The two women were easily matched. Kate swung, Janelle blocked. Back and forth in a flurry of blows. After a while of this the packed snow on the ground was peppered with blood spots and was as slick as a sheet of ice.
Janelle swept Kate's legs out from under her but before the Bazhir could pounce on her, she rolled away and got back on her feet. She quickly wiped the sweat from her eyes and saw Janelle on her again.
They locked daggers, they were down to three daggers each by now, and held the remaining dueling set and the single signature blade that they were required to take to Jarret when they were done.
They were trying to push one dagger through the other's defenses. Both their arms were shaking with effort. Blood dripped down, out of Janelle's mouth and off Kate's forehead. Bruises covered them from head to foot and their clothes were flaking off from burns. They each had welts forming over the burns of the raw power. To say the least, they had seen much better, and easier, fights.
"I. Will not. Lose. To you," Janelle hissed.
"Too bad. Because. I won't. Let you. Win," Kate said with a lot of effort.
They both broke the other's grip and two daggers plunged down into their chests. Kate looked down and saw a dagger sticking out of her, right between her collar bone and shoulder, the same place she had got Janelle. They locked eyes with each other for a moment out of fear but it quickly turned to hate as an enormous blast of silver and aqua fire blew them apart and knocked over their audience.
Jarret was the first to rise after the small explosion, watching the two figures in the snow for movement.
They laid there as still as ever in the once white snow that now gave off an eerie red glow as the sun reflected off the bloodstained ice crystals. This fight had become more than a test of strength, cunning, agility, or knowledge. It came down to them and their stubbornness and willingness to push on.
Finally one figure rose to her feet. She shook as she pulled herself up, and took small but steady steps across the packed snow to the other girl. The tired woman laying in the cold snow saw the other closing in on her. With one final push of effort, she threw one of her remaining dueling daggers at her assailant.
The dagger pierced her thigh, adding to the blood running down onto the ground.
Kate dropped to her knees next to Janelle, dagger at her throat ready to make a swift kill.
"Kill me," she spat up at Kate. "Get it over with!"
"No. I won't kill you. You will yield to me." Kate took in deep breath trying to stay focused through the blood loss.
"No."
Kate would not stand this any longer. She shoved one of her daggers into Janelle's thigh like the one in her own. Ignoring the other woman's flinch at the pain. "Say that you yield," she said through gritted teeth.
"Why?"
"Because I think it would be more punishment for you to know that you owe me rather let you go free." Kate let her red eyes settle on Janelle. "Now say it."
Janelle broke the glare, like she was ashamed. "I-I yield," she croaked.
She took Janelle's signature blade from its sheath, a simple hilt with a serrated blade made to make painful slashes, not clean cuts. Kate was relieved that Janelle took a yield, she forced herself up once more and staggered over to the fearful and wide-eyed Jarret.
Kate managed to bow and present Jarret with Janelle's signature blade marked with Janelle's blood and her own, clean, signature blade with the black glass hilt. "Sir."
He took the daggers in one hand and looked at her, almost shocked. "I accept this token of your victim's defeat. I declare The Shadow victor of this trial. The Shadow will take her place as the Second Elite. This match is now dismissed." He proclaimed. To Kate he whispered, "It's officially over."
"Good." She started to fall but he caught her and picked her up gently.
"Vi, get a camp healer over to her room right away," Jarret called out. "Xander help me."
"Leave the daggers in 'til a healer sees her, else she'll bleed out." Caley, the young trainee with dirty blond hair and grey blue eyes came up beside Jarret.
He might have ignored the girl but she seemed to have a clue of what she was talking about. "Come on then. You'll be put to work."
They rushed her into her building, placing her on the mattress, and before long the healers came, gave clear instructions after patching her up, and left. They group, consisting of Caley, Vi, Jarret, and Xander, hovered over her until Jarret ordered them all to bed so some of them could rest. He would watch over her tonight.
Vi fell asleep on the other side of the room shortly after the others left. Jarret sat next to Kate as she slept. He brushed a stray hair from her face and debated how he would tell her that the end of her braid was burnt off in the fight.
"Sleep well, and recover soon, my sweet." He kissed her softly and lay down beside her, careful not to touch any of her wounds, but close enough just to run a hand through her loose hair.
A/N: Told you that world peace would not be happening in this chapter :D ANy who let me know what you think in a pretty little review so i can continue posting with great speed and even give you all a nice little sneak peak into the next chapter, which several of you will LOVE. I know I did. :D
DOn't forget to vote on the poll on my profile ...
But here is an exccerpt for reading:
"Did I kill her?" she asked in a whisper.
"No,"
"Good, because I'm going to kill her now!"