Bleed Together
Shade's face hardened as his gaze traveled over Mare's shoulder. "Oh no you don't Samos." He raised his gun and fired a single shot over her head towards the dense forest behind them. Everything seemed to slow down. The bullet never even seemed to make a sound. Instead the air was filled with a high pitched shriek. Mare turned as the bullet flew through the cloudy sky towards the metal clad figure retreating into the brush. His broad shoulders and metal instincts never acknowledged the bullet as it flew towards his exposed leg. Then it turned. The bullet flipped, spinning mid air, and came rushing back. Now the high pitched shriek was Mare's. She tried to get in front of it, but it just slipped through her grasp, and struck Shade right in the heart.
"No!" It wasn't Mare's voice. It was a rough voice. A hoarse voice. A voice she couldn't tell if she'd heard days ago or in the last few minutes. With the only strength Mare could muster, she turned. Behind the blood and death and tears of the Barrow's stood three people.
Ptolemus Samos; on the edge of the woods. And almost touching the mess stood two Oliverara's. One, a knife pinned to her throat, with Silver blood trailing down her neck. Another, a piece of shrapnel digging through her torn uniform and her chest, with Red blood coming out of the wounds. Both were panting, and heaving, and spitting, and screaming.
"Why did you kill him!"
A Few Hours Earlier
Ellyn's skin was cold against Oliverara's, but the blankets they were curled up in were warm. The early morning light shone in Oliverara's eyes and she rolled over. She sighed happily as she curled into Ellyn's arms. She was still asleep and Oliverara took the opportunity to admire the way the sun reflected off of her skin. So angelic and sweet. As she stared Ellyn's eyes fluttered open. "Hey love," Ellyn whispered.
"Good morning," Oliverara giggled. She planted a gentle kiss on Ellyn's forehead before putting her face back into the crook of Ellyn's neck. "You didn't have to stay here all night."
Ellyn's hand ran across her back. "I wanted to."
They stayed in the warm bed for another hour just smiling and enjoying being together. Their bodies a mess of limbs and soft bruises. Neither one of them had ever been happier. Oliverara had not a care in the world for the first time since the switch.
Until someone started pounding on the door.
Both girls shot out of bed like they were on fire. Ellyn's skin had turned rock solid as Oliverara bent the walls at their metal seams. Their uniforms were on in seconds and Oliverara opened the door as Ellyn stood against the wall behind it. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was Tolly.
"My blood Tolly! You scared us," Oliverara said. He came in and threw his arms around Oliverara.
"I'm sorry, but I wanted to see you before you went off on your rounds, and I figured since Ellyn never came back to the mess hall that I shouldn't bother you during the night."
Ellyn smiled. "Yeah I'm sorry I ran out like that. You seemed so insistent on me meeting your," she laughed, "cousin. I see why now."
"I reworked a few things on the schedule," Ptolemus said. "You two will be stationed near the back exit of the prison where the guards go in and out. Just the two of you." His sly smile made Oliverara's heart leap. She threw her arms around him again.
"Thank you Tolly," she whispered. "Thank you for looking out for Ellyn and I."
Ptolemus hugged her back. "Don't thank me Oli. Just be safe."
Oliverara and Ellyn grabbed their prison mandated weapons and started on the hike up to Corros. A few other members of the new army went as well but most were doing a training session with Ptolemus that day. Oliverara was thankful for that. She was also thankful that Elane was one of the members coming with them. Oliverara surveyed her sister's lover, checking from a distance if she was okay. Elane looked as regal as ever in her uniform, but the gun on her hip stood out abnormally against her thin waist. It looked too big for her hands. Her red hair had been cut from it's long flowing locks to a shorter pixie. The way her hands strayed to where her hair used to hang made Oliverara think it had been cut recently. Otherwise Elane looked fine. No bruises or cuts or marks on her porcelain skin. No dirt on her uniform. No mud stains on her boots. Part of Oliverara was thankful, but the other part was jealous. Her time in the army wouldn't have been complete without mud, dirt, pain, blood, and daily agony. This army was getting treated like little kids playing war.
"Pull your collar up higher," Ellyn whispered to her. Oliverara looked at her quizzically but did as she was told; untucking the grey collar and pulling it to her chin. She felt like an idiot.
"This looks stupid," she whispered back.
"What's worse, looking a little stupid or having that hickie on your neck visible?" Oliverara's face flushed. So much so that the Red blush of her cheeks shone through the silver paint. Thankfully the woods were shadowed so no one saw the un-Silver like color on her skin.
Corros Prison stood as a hulk of metal and stone before them. Lines of prisoners were being led inside in Silent Stone chains to the tune of guards barking orders at them. Their shoulders were hung and their backs were hunched over from the weight of the suppressing chains. Oliverara felt bad for them. She knew the feel of Silent Stone. She also knew the thrill of destroying it.
Her and Ellyn went around the barbed wire fencing of the prison and were let into the back. The cold chrome doors felt comforting to Oliverara. She could destroy them in seconds. Ellyn took a seat on one of the stone steps, stretching her long legs out. Oliverara's eyes trailed up and down her lover's body, small flutters in her chest making her breath catch. Ellyn noticed her staring and a grey flush ran up her neck. Oliverara paced around in circles in the dying grass. No greenwarden had been back here in awhile. Ptolemus had been so sly putting them back here. Secluded, safe, no outposts that could see to their spot, thick walls protecting them from Elara's gaze, and as little traffic for a prison as possible.
Or perhaps he didn't want anyone to see his Red mistake sister.
Oliverara jumped. The voice ricocheted through her mind with force. Ellyn looked over at her with concern.
"Oli are you okay?" Oliverara just nodded. There were bells and whistles ringing in her brain. She rubbed her temple to ease the pain.
I'm-I'm not a mistake. Tolly loves me. Wait, could the voice hear her too?
The voice made a sharp barking laugh. Oh sure he does! That's why he didn't call your father to ask to stay with you instead of being sent to this new army. That's why he never defended your name when Evangeline outed you as a Red Rat. That's why he never told your parents what was happening. Because he loves you SO MUCH. Pathetic Rat.
Oliverara shook her head. Of course Tolly loved her! He took care of her, protected her, kept her secrets, and most importantly, he never called her a mistake. Or a Red.
Are you so sure about that?
Oliverara couldn't tell if that was Elara's voice or hers anymore.
The plane was landed and hidden deep in the woods off Harbor Bay. No one had spoken in quite a few hours. The silence laid on them like a heavy blanket, or a dense sea fog. Not like talking would have solved anything. Maven was still on his warpath, Nix Marsten was still dead, and Evangeline had still snapped at the thought of her sister pretending to be Silver. The only thing keeping their ragtag crew from falling apart was Farley tapping away at her communicator with that stern look on her face. She had been communicating with someone for the past hour, constant beeps and clicks coming from her machine. Whoever it was Farley never said. Just pointed to where Cal was to land the plane and went back to her machine.
Mare was sitting quietly on a stone; her face blank and ashen. Both Cal and Kilorn had tried to talk to her but she had stonewalled them. Only Shade was allowed to sit near her. Their bent heads betrayed their quick whispers but Evangeline didn't care to eavesdrop. Her blood, her Silver blood, was still boiling at the thought of her Red sister. Her Red sister sitting on her throne and wearing her clothes and playing around in her life! Evangeline curled her bracelet tighter around her wrist, digging in until gray lines appeared.
"My connection is bringing us a newblood from Harbor Bay any moment now. Name: Ada Wallace," Farley finally spoke. Her voice was so sudden everyone jolted. "He's bringing her through the pipe system and will meet us on the edge of the city. So we need to move, now." At that command Kilorn and Shade were both up. Mare, Cal, and Evangeline followed behind them. The trees were thick and the ground damp thanks to the proximity to the water. It leeched cold through the dense branches and made goosebumps rise on Evangeline's arms. Evangeline's feet were sore; she'd never walked this much in her entire life. Trained? Yes. Warped? Yes. Danced? Yes. Walked through forests and swam rivers? No. The group paused as Farley went back to her machine. More beeps and clicks came. Farley pointed to the bushes facing them. A rattle sounded as a man appeared with his hands up. Not in surrender though. His forarms were pointed out; an anchor tattoo proudly showing. He was alone.
"Crance where is the girl?" Farley asked. The man sadly stared for a second before shaking his head. Farley's head dropped into her hands. "No, you're joking."
"I'm sorry Captain. I went to the fence of House Rhambos's property but the girl never came. Her friend said she'd disappeared right after a Silver military transport came through. My crew is looking through the nearby riverbeds for her body." The man scratched his head with an apologetic look. Evangeline sighed and shook her head. She didn't care about the dead girl. What she did care about was the look of utter defeat on Farley's face. The cry of anguish that left Mare's mouth. The looks of desperation and sadness Shade and Kilorn wore. She too felt a bit of grief over their mission; failed before they ever got started. Maven was killing every name on that list and he had beaten them to it again.
Crance came closer to Farley. "You're not alone here though Captain. Some of your rebel friends got here first." The bushes rattled again and out came at least ten red scarved members. All of them donning guns and knives on their belts. The Colonel followed behind, a look of disapproval on his cold face.
He stepped right up to Farley who closed her eyes; ready for a verbal lashing for all her mistakes. "I'm sorry Captain," he said calmly. Farley's eyes opened in shock. "I'm sorry about your girl and the man in Courant. You tried; it wasn't your fault."
Farley nodded but she didn't look the Colonel in the eye. He put his hand on her shoulder, a small sign of comfort. Mare was leaning against Shade; wet tears streaking down her face. The other Scarlet Guard members looked just as downtrodden. The weight of Maven's plan was crushing all of them. There didn't seem to be any hope left for their mission. Even Evangeline felt the weight, although she didn't know why.
"There must be something else we can do. Another way to give a good hit to that pretencious Silver. There's gotta be," Farley sighed.
The Colonel shook his head then stopped. His eyes lit up and he smacked his hands together in joy. "There is!" He yelled excitedly. "There is another way! We have one more move up our sleeves!" Everyones eyes were on him, excitement shining through their despair. Only Farley shook her head.
"Do we have the manpower for it?"
The Colonel shrugged like it didn't matter. "We'll find out. Even if we don't, we'll give it everything we've got."
"What are you talking about?" Mare asked. "What's our move?"
Farley and the Colonel exchanged brief nods of confirmation. Then Farley's grin took over her face. "We're gonna storm Corros Prison."
The twisting metal of Corros Prison called to Evangeline. It whispered her name and calmed her nerves. Just beyond those metal walls were cages upon cages built out of silent stone. Even through the jet's frame Evangeline could feel the chill. It also could've been her own imagination. Evangeline shuddered and moved away from the window. The jet had been landed a mile from Corros as they waited for backup from other Scarlet Guard veins in the area. Farley and the Colonel were in the back room talking on their machines and prepping weapons. Cal and Mare were outside the jet talking while Kilorn watched them in jealousy. It was just her and Shade inside the cockpit.
"Of course Mare has two attractive guys vying for her attention," Evangeline scoffed.
"Jealous?" Shade asked.
Evangeline laughed. "You know me better than that Shade."
He smiled and nodded. "That I do. I know your sister far better though." Evangeline's laugh cut short and she turned away from Shade. He looked at her quizzically. "You still mad about her playing you in that interview?"
"No, I'm still mad that despite her blood my sister seems to get the long straw in every transaction," Evangeline sighed. Shade nodded.
"I can understand that."
Evangeline turned back to him. "Are you joking? How could you understand?"
Shade shrugged. "Well I understand sibling jealousy. I understand that as a newblood it hurts to see another newblood get treated with respect and honor, while I got kicked around and almost killed. I understand that you don't hate your sister, you just believe that someone like her should've had more hardship in their life." Shade got up and came up to Evangeline. He set his hand gently on her shoulder. "I understand that you don't know the horrors and hell your sister has been through, but believe me, she has suffered far more than she has gained in this life."
Evangeline nodded. "I'm sorry, I just never imagined I'd have to live a day in her life. I guess I'm not as tolerable towards her as I thought."
Shade shook his head. "No you are. Trust me Evangeline, once you're back with your sister you won't have these feelings anymore. All of this anger you have is just stress." He smiled at her and Evangeline felt a bit better.
"Is it true that Oliverara can warp under silent stone?" Evangeline whispered. She didn't want to know the answer. She didn't want another reason for her blood to burn at the thought of her sister. But Shade nodded yes. And that was all the fuel Evangeline needed to storm out of the plane. Cal, Kilorn, and Mare gave her no care, until a chunk of plane was torn off and flung across the clearing into a tree.
"Maybe don't destory the one transport we have," Kilorn grumbled. Evangeline's look silenced him.
"The rest of the army should be here soon if I overheard Farley right," Mare said to no one in particular. "We should get ready to march." Her and Cal got up and wandered back into the jet. Evangeline took a seat on the log they'd been perched on and hung her head. She loved her sister. She loved her brother. Did she love Tolly more? No of course not. Right? Evangeline's head spun and bile rose in the back of her throat.
She sat like that for a half hour until the purring of an engine on stealth mode kicked up the wind around her. Two jets cruised down into the clearing armed with guns on their wings. They were fighter jets. And from the blue lines on their sides they weren't Nortan. Evangeline watched the red clad soldiers descend from the planes carrying weapons by the tens. She had to admit, Reds certainly knew how to prepare for a fight. The army grew and grew until Farley and the Colonel came out from their conference. Their grins covered most of their faces as they surveyed the Reds and weapons gathered before them. Even Cal seemed impressed.
Finally the march to Corros began. Evangeline's third time hiking through the woods. Both times had led to dead bodies. Evangeline's hope for this mission quickly was going down the drain. Leaves, dirt, mud, grass; it all stuck to her boots and pants. The smell of ash grew stronger as they got closer to Corros. As the edge of the woods came closer the Colonel haulted them. His machine beeped and clicked a few times before the roar of an engine sounded back from the clearing. The two Lakeland fighter jets rose up above the trees, stealth mode off, and flew over the prison.
In seconds the loudest explosion Evangeline had ever heard ricocheted through the forest.
The Scarlet Guard army flooded out of the trees and onto the ground of Corros Prison. Where the front walls had been there was now a pile of rubble and wires. Ammo and bombs rained down from the fighter jets on the walls and fencing around the prison. Sirens screeched through the air as Silver soldiers came running out of the disaster zone. Evangeline recognized some of them. She recognized Sonya Iral in one of the towers right as a bomb toppled it to the ground. She recognized Rohr Rhambos as she hurled rocks and rubble at soldiers. I never liked her, Evangeline thought about the tiny bitch. Her knife went easily through Rohr's chest.
Shade suddenly blinked into existence next to Evangeline. "Your talents will be better used inside the prison Evangeline. More metal, more targets, and more chance to get some fear into these Silver guards." His grin made her sick but she agreed and took his arm.
The jump into the prison stirred Evangeline's stomach but not bad enough to hurl. Fire sparked around her and dust from caved in walls and blown out walkways made her cough. Scarlet Guard members rushed around helping weak Silver prisoners out and away from the fire as another round of bullets hit. "What are we looking for?" Evangeline asked as Shade blinked around the area.
"Your brother."
Evangeline's heart dropped. "Tolly's here?"
"That's his army of Silvers we're fighting out there." Shade absently pointed to the courtyard. "We need to find him and convince him to surrender. We can use him for bargaining from Maven to get your sister back."
Evangeline's eyes narrowed. "Of course. All this is for Oliverara. Typical."
Shade looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry Evangeline but your sister is highly valuable to our cause. I can't help that and neither can she." He put his hand on her arm and Evangeline braced for the jump, but it didn't happen. Instead Shade smiled at her. "Now please, find your brother."
Evangeline sighed, pushed the anger down into her gut, and reached out for Tolly. Searching for his telltale marks of battle. His uniform style, his pattern of knife jabs, anything that resembled her brother. And she struck gold. His stereotypical armor pattern. Hard chestplates and shoulderpads molded onto steel and bronze. The mark of a Samos fighter. "He's going down the back stairs," Evangeline said.
This time the jump made her vomit.
As Evangeline hurled onto the cobblestone wall Shade jumped again in front of the metal clad Ptolemus. "Hey Samos long time no see," he grinned. Ptolemus froze and his reach went for a knife, but he paused when he saw Evangeline.
"Evie?" He asked. "Is that really you?" Evangeline wiped her mouth and nodded.
"Yeah Tolly, it's me." She smiled as best she could through her headache and pain. Ptolemus didn't hesitate to wrap her in a tight hug.
"You're okay," he whispered. "Thank the stars you're okay." He pulled back suddenly. "Have you seen her yet?"
"Who?" Evangeline and Shade both spoke.
Ptolemus looked between them in shock. "Elara Merandus is here! She's in Corros! Isn't that why you're here? To kill her? To save Oli?"
"Elara is here?" Shade gasped. His mouth moved but no words left. Then he blinked and came back to Earth. "Wait, save Oli? Isn't she with Maven?"
Ptolemus shook his head. "Elara brought her here disguised as a soldier. To keep her from messing up Maven's and her plans." He looked around the demolished building. "If Elara is alive Oli is still in danger." Evangeline watched in shock as Ptolemus turned to leave.
"Where are you going?!" She yelled.
"I have to find Oliverara!" He called. "Elara will want her out of here. I can't lose her again!"
Shade's hand grabbed his arm threateningly. "Ptolemus, come with us. We will find Oliverara and the Scarlet Guard will handle Elara." Shade looked him in the eye. "It's over Ptolemus, Oliverara will be safe now."
Ptolemus shook his head. "No. Elara will kill her!" Tears filled his eyes. "Elara told me that if anyone found out about Oliverara being here she would die a horrible death beneath Whitefire. I need to protect my sister and kill that monster! Then this will be over!"
Evangeline couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Tolly, you can't kill the Queen! Just surrender and come with us. The Scarlet Guard will send Elara running back to Maven and we can get away from this mess her and Maven created!" Ptolemus shook his head slowly.
"No Evie I can't." Ptolemus pulled away from Shade's grip. "I can't leave Oliverara on her own. I did when she was a child. I did when she went to war. I won't do that to her again! It's my job to protect her." He gave one last look before stepping back and turning to leave.
Evangeline Samos snapped.
"Ptolemus Samos you are a Silver and worth far more than that Red Rat! Surrender now!" Evangeline pulled his armor down until his body hit the ground and she brought her sword to his throat. The blade cut against his neck, silver drops dripping down to his chest. His wide chrome eyes looked sad and scared. They were emotions unbecoming of a Samos.
"What did you just call my sister," he whispered. Ptolemus rose from the ground, his armor rattling and twisting out of Evangeline's grasp. The metal walls screamed as they curved under his power. Shade stood between them, his arms out to jump one if necessary, but his anger was aimed at Evangeline. The way he stood, the way his fists curled, the look in his deep eyes. Ptolemus threw the sword across the battle scarred field. It struck dirt and buried down to the hilt. Evangeline gasped at the action. How dare he take her weapon! She was so shocked it took a second for his words to go through her head.
"I said," Ptolemus bowled past Shade and loomed over Evangeline "what did you just call my sister!"
"She's our sister," Evangeline hissed, "and I just said that you're worth more than she is. Oliverara can take care of herself just fine, she doesn't need you to pro-"
Ptolemus slapped her. Hard. Evangeline fell to the ground holding her jaw. She could already feel a gray bruise forming.
"What is wrong with you!" Evangeline roared. She lept up from the ground and banged her hands against Ptolemus's chest. He didn't move. "How dare you hit me!"
"How dare you call Oliverara a rat! She's your sister! Your blood is hers!"
This time it was Evangeline's turn to slap him. Or more like punch him. She nailed him dead in the eye. She hoped it would turn a ghastly gray by dusk. Ptolemus just shook his head and groaned in pain. "She was born a Red," Evangeline hissed. The words were pouring out of her now. Whatever stopper had been holding back Evangeline's feelings towards her twin had been pulled. So she just kept screaming, "You're going to stand here and defend her while she tries to act like some perfect Silver princess? She's a killer! She's a freak! She's a Red, c'mon Tolly listen to me! You can't protect her; she's only family cause Dad was too cowardly to kill her!"
Despite the battle going on around them the world was silent. It was just Evangeline and Ptolemus, and the words hanging in the air. Evangeline didn't regret them at first. It was true. Oliverara was only a Samos because of Volo's cowardly behavior. She still didn't regret them when Shade disappeared; angry words flashing by too quick to catch. She still didn't regret them when tears fell from Ptolemus's eyes. Evangeline did regret them though when she turned from her brother to walk away.
And saw Oliverara standing in the rubble behind her.
She looked so normal. Perfect buzzcut, scar shining under freshly peeled makeup, metal weapons holstered at her hips, and a striking black uniform gripping her figure. Even the tears falling down her face looked like they were meant to be there.
"Oli-" Evangeline didn't know what to say. All she could think of was what she had said. And it was too much.
"Fuck you," Oliverara hissed, then slipped through a hole in the crumbled wall and back into the fight. Ptolemus was gone too; smashed through a dilapidated doorway. Evangeline called to her sword which returned to her hands; cracked and chipped. It was useless to her now; too fragile.
It might as well have been made of glass.
Oliverara walked like a zombie through the fire and rubble of what was left of Corros Prison. Her brain was muddy and foggy, like Harbor Bay on a fall morning. Or the Choke after a nasty firefight. Her metal senses guided her around holes and dips whle deflecting stray bullets from the attacking Scarlet Guard, but Oliverara's mind was elsewhere. Buried in the words of her sister. And the whispers of Elara.
Oh don't act so shocked! You had to have known your sister didn't care for you. You're a Red! She was socialized to hate people like you. She was socialized to find you disgusting and demeaning. Look at you! Covered in dirt and ash with that hideous face! You're no soldier! You're a freak. You've known it all your life; it was about time you heard it from your sister too.
Oliverara shook her head. She'd always suspected that Evie thought of her differently but to hear her own sister call her a freak. A Red. A killer. Oliverara wiped the tears from her face, more makeup falling to the ground in perfect flesh colored flakes. Her head pounded with ringing and banging, and Evangeline's firm statement bouncing through her mind. More tears fell from Oliverara's eyes.
That's right Rat. Cry, cry like the pathetic monster you are.
"Shut up!" Oliverara screamed. Her hands went over her ears in vain. She clawed at her skin and let more flakes fall haplessly to the ground. The voice snickered.
"Oli! Are you okay!" Ellyn's voice cut through the malicious laughter of Elara and brought Oliverara out of her daze. The beautiful stoneskin dashed across the burning courtyard, bullets bouncing off of her hardened skin. She grabbed Oliverara's shoulder and the rough stone dug into her. "We need to get out of here," Ellyn said quickly. "Ptolemus and the others are retreating into the woods before the Scarlet Guard starts taking hostages. We need to go!" Oliverara just nodded.
"Is Tolly okay? I went looking for him when the first bomb went off," Oliverara whispered. She hadn't even gotten to talk to her brother, what if he agreed with Evangeline? Her heart sunk into her gut.
Ellyn shook her head. "I don't know Oli but he looked fine when he went past me. Now c'mon we have to get out of here!" Ellyn practically dragged Oliverara's body across the courtyard in haste. More fire raged around them as the Scarlet Guard entered the prison to claim their victory.
"Leaving so soon girls?" The silky voice of Elara Merandus made both of them freeze. Or more like it forced them to. Oliverara's joints locked up and her muscles turned solid. Ellyn next to her struggled against the force but even she couldn't break Elara's grip. The Queen walked around them, her hair and dress perfectly untouched by the debris around her. "You didn't think I'd just let you run off?" Her ghastly blue eyes stared at Oliverara. "Now I think you two have some explaining to do," her smooth tone turned to a harsh growl.
Oliverara wanted to play dumb but she knew there was no chance. Her makeup was gone, her scar was on display, and Ellyn's hand had found its way into hers. Elara didn't need to go picking through their brains to know that Oliverara had broken her rule. Ellyn flinched as Elara slithered into her mind anyway, just for kicks.
"Oh tut tut you poor stupid girls," Elara hissed. "I thought you would have known better than to disobey me Oliverara."
"Please," Oliverara choked out. "Just wipe Ellyn's mind and let her go. You can do whatever you want with me just please let her go."
Elara smiled cooly as she backed away from them. "Oh she won't remember any of this," she snickered, "because she's going to be dead."
"No!" Oliverara cried out. "Elara please I swear on my family's name and honor I'll do anything if you spare her life!"
Elara shook her finger condescendingly. "Oh I'm not the one who gets to decide if Ellyn will live or not." The two girls were released from her grip and hit the ground hard. "That all depends on how willing you are to die." Oliverara shot up and looked at Elara in confusion. The whisper sat herself gently on a stone slab, like she was going to watch a game or performance.
And that's exactly what it was.
Elara's icy eyes gleamed as Ellyn rose stiffly to her feet, stone skin hard and impenetrable, her eyes dead and lifeless. She drew the gun from her hip and fired twice at Oliverara. Elara laughed as Oliverara dodged them and rolled to Ellyn's other side. "Take your choice Red Rat. Kill your lover or let her kill you!" Elara swished her fingers and Ellyn's body lurched forward to lunge at Oliverara.
"No," Oliverara sobbed as she jumped out of the way. Ellyn's grey eyes stared at nothing as she lunged again to the sound of Elara laughing.
Oliverara danced around Ellyn's stumbling body as tears cascaded down her face. Her senses yelled at her to pull a knife or shrapnel or crush her under one of the metal walls. She couldn't do it though. The metal felt too heavy in her control. It weighed down her mind. Her feet tripped her up and dirt flew everywhere as Ellyn almost jumped on top of her. Oliverara rolled over and back up to her feet. Her body swayed unsteadily at the motion. Dammit Samos get ahold of yourself! Oliverara's head screamed. Think of something think! You're a trained General of the freaking Nortan Army! You can get out of this c'mon!
Elara snickered as she made Ellyn fire from her gun again. The bullets ricocheted off the wall over Oliverara's head. The terrified magnetron didn't even bother to deflect them. Instead Oliverara dropped to the ground and slid between Ellyn's legs, knocking her over. Elara's grin widened and she pulled Ellyn back up. Oliverara kicked up her leg and nailed Ellyn in the back of the neck. Her body dropped once again face first into the ground.
"There you go Rat," Elara snickered. "Do what you do best: hurt the people you love." Oliverara gritted her teeth against the sting of the words and grabbed Ellyn by her curly hair. She threw her lover backwards onto the ground and brought her knees down onto Ellyn's stomach. She felt her hardened exterior soften to flesh and Oliverara's boney knees sunk into Ellyn's gut. Her hands came down and pinned Ellyn's thin wrists to the charred ground. Her lover's eyes stared up at her with a blank cloudy look, no recognition or even sadness.
A knife slipped out from Oliverara's belt. It hovered next to her head, wobbling under the nerves ringing in her powers. Elara leaned forward, watching, waiting for the moment of impact. Ellyn's head leaned back, her neck exposed to the shiny blade. More tears coarsed down Oliverara's face and dripped onto Ellyn's pale skin. "I'm so sorry love. I pray this is the right thing to do." Oliverara closed her eyes and let the knife go.
It dropped like a stone down towards Ellyn, then turned upwards. Slicing through the air faster than a bullet it pierced through Elara's chest and squirted silver blood over the grass. Oliverara opened her eyes to see the queen, blood dripping down the front and back of her dress, gurgle and gasp through the silver mess. She tried to stand but her legs collapsed and her body hit the ground.
The Queen of Norta was dead.
Oliverara jumped to her feet, chest heaving with panic. It worked. She couldn't believe it, it worked! She had killed Elara Merandus! "Oh my blood I killed Elara Merandus," she said in horror. Ellyn groaned from the ground and rubbed her head but Oliverara's panic instincts took over. She charged out of the clearing and through the ruined walls of Corros. The last of the explosions from the Scarlet Guard's attack sounded behind her. I gotta get out of here. I gotta get out of here!
Oliverara ran until she reached the front of the prison. She saw the remains of Ptolemus's army disappearing into the woods. Her body went to follow, but her mind had other ideas. You didn't think you could get rid of me that easy did you Rat?
Oliverara spun around but she was still alone. I-I killed you. I saw you-your body! How are you still here!?
Simple. You're the strongest magnetron, but I'm the strongest whisper to ever live. And you won't ever be free of me Rat. Never. Elara's laugh made Oliverara's head spin and burn. The sound riveted through her worse than any migraine. Now, let's go find your Scarlet Guard friends. It's time they saw what you really are.
Shade appeared in front of Mare, the army behind him falling back from the Scarlet Guard's bombs. He looked proud. Tired and bloody, but proud. He smiled at Mare, a real smile. "We've done it," he whispered. "We took the prison." He raised his voice higher above the gunfire. "We've taken the prison and we've taken your Silvers!" The jubilation on his face was unlike any joy Mare had ever seen. "We found the body of Elara Merandus," he cheered. "She's dead! The Queen of Norta is dead! We won Mare, we won!" Then Shade's face hardened. His gaze traveled over her shoulder. "Oh no you don't Samos." He raised his gun and fired a single shot over Mare's head towards the dense forest behind them.
Everything seemed to slow down.
The bullet never seemed to make a sound. Instead the air was filled with a high pitched shriek. Mare turned as the bullet flew through the cloudy sky towards the metal clad figure retreating into the brush. His broad shoulders and metal instincts never acknowledged the bullet as it flew towards his exposed leg. Then it turned. The bullet flipped, spinning mid air, and came rushing back.
Now the high pitched shriek was Mare's. She tried to get in front of it, but it just slipped through her grasp, and struck Shade right in the heart.
His body dropped. No hesitation. No bloody gurgle or gasp; he just dropped. His knees hit the ground first. Sideways. Not straight down. That would be too neat. Too clean. His knees bent at such an awkward angle as they hit the ground. Like every part of him had given up the moment the steel touched flesh. Next came his torso; curled inwards as his blood filled his stomach. Then his head. His arms did nothing; provided no support. His head made a thud. Like when a stack of books gets pushed off a shelf. So plain and firm. Just, thud. And the red blood that seeped over the grass didn't care about the neat uniform he wore, or the red scarves he already adorned because of the pride he held. It didn't care that there was a woman he loved waiting on the plane. It didn't care that his family was on a base somewhere in the ocean, or that his sister was standing over his body, screaming. It just ran and ran until it touched Mare's boots, and then it kept running. Running away from the horror behind it.
"No!" It wasn't Mare's voice. It was a rough voice. A hoarse voice. A voice she couldn't tell if she'd heard days ago or in the last few minutes. With the only strength Mare could muster, she turned. Behind the blood and death and tears of the Barrow's stood three people.
Ptolemus Samos; on the edge of the woods. His uniform rattled as his arms trembled. He won't admit even to himself that a few tears came out that moment. He turned again, away from all responsibility, and ran into the woods. He'd meet his army at their checkpoint, and they'd discuss how to tell the King his mother was dead. Ptolemus would cry that night; silently, to himself, and without responsibility.
And almost touching the mess stood two Oliverara's. One, a knife pinned to her throat, with Silver blood trailing down her neck. Another, a piece of shrapnel digging through her torn uniform and her chest, with Red blood coming out of the wounds. Both were panting, and heaving, and spitting, and screaming.
"Why did you kill him!"