Chapter 64
Dwindling numbers
Nova Roma
Selene stood in the center of her temple, her granddaughter Amara facing her with her palms out.
"Focus your power in your hands and nowhere else" Selene said.
For the past few hours Selene had been trying her best to teach her granddaughter how to control her mutant power.
Amara did as she asked. She felt the warmth move to her palms.
Selene nodded with pride, "Good, now put your hands together and bring it out slowly"
Amara cupped her hands forming a ball and brought out the heat inside her hands. A tiny flame appeared in the center and it slowly increased in size.
Amara smirked slightly before looking back up, "I'm doing it" then she glanced to the side.
She saw a few figures move around in the shadows of the torchlights.
Then Dean peeked out from one of the columns and placed a finger over his lips signaling silence.
Selene noticed the flame began to flicker, "Focus my child" she said seemingly oblivious to the incoming threat.
Amara continued what she was doing to keep the sorceress distracted, hoping those in the shadows could rid her of her oath by killing Selene.
Tim soundlessly rolled across the floor behind another column. He looked back at Billy.
Billy gave him a thumbs up.
Tim looked at Dean and nodded.
Dean looked at the others that were waiting behind him and put up 5 fingers for a countdown.
5
Tim drew his staff.
4
Billy held his daggers in a reverse grip, ready to attack at his full speed.
3
Lily held her bow and pulled back an arrow.
2
Joey held his single dagger, praying that this would end quickly.
1
Dean moved first and the rest of them followed.
Jon, at the back of the group, tripped over a small step he didn't see and fell face first into the marble floor.
Jon hit the marble floor so hard he cracked it, making a noise loud enough to be heard for miles, and creating a small tremor in the ground.
Tim winced from how loud that was.
Dean facepalmed and shook his head, "Great"
Jon chuckled, "Oops"
Amara lost control of the flame and it vanished.
Selene, completely unfazed, slowly turned around to face the group of teenagers.
Billy shrugged sheepishly, "At least it wasn't me"
Jon got up, "I didn't see it!"
Billy laughed as he looked up at him, "How could you when you live all the way up there?"
Jon was about to act when Lily stopped him.
"Guys" Lily said urging them to stop and focus on the task at hand.
They both looked ahead where the others were all staring.
Selene smirked, "That's quite an entrance" she said staring intently at Dean.
Dean felt uncomfortable, "You don't seem surprised to see us"
Selene laughed lightly, "I could sense your power from miles away"
Tim tilted his head in confusion, did she mean the group or Dean specifically? Because he shouldn't be that much stronger than everyone else.
"Who are you?" Selene asked.
"Demigods from Camp Half-Blood, sent to kill you" Joey said.
Selene scoffed, "That old horse never could mind his own business"
Lily looked at Amara, "Princess, stand back and let us handle this"
Amara frowned, "I'm afraid I must obey my lady's command" she said with regret.
Selene smirked, "If we had more time I would have liked to see how you would've fared against them" She said to her granddaughter curiously, "But I'll handle it this time" she unfastened her mantle, letting it drop to the floor behind her.
Amara backed away, "I must warn you warriors, Selene is not to be underestimated"
Dean entered his offensive stance, "Neither are we"
"Is it time to fight yet?" Billy asked sounding impatient, having no idea what's going on is annoying.
"Yes it is!" Dean said and the two of them charged first, Dean from the left and Billy from the right.
Selene readied herself, "Lets see what you're capable of"
Billy got to her first, slashing with his daggers.
Dean, only mere moments behind, slashed horizontally.
Selene raised her arms and blocked them both using the metal plates on her gloves.
Lily released the string of her bow and let an arrow fly right as Jon leapt and swung his axe downward.
Selene tilted her head to dodge the arrow and leapt backwards to avoid Jon's swing which cracked the marble ground, 'Probably be best to avoid those' she thought.
Tim went into his utility belt and threw a few bronze shuriken.
Selene raised an arm and the shuriken imbedded into the metal plates. She made a mental note to keep an eye out for those before she grabbed Joey, who tried to sneak up behind her, and threw him at Billy who was already running at her.
Joey knocked into Billy and both of them flew back.
"She's fast" Dean said noticing how she was able to keep up with all of them at the same time.
Lily quickly fired three arrows at her.
Selene raised her hand and the arrows stopped in midair.
Lily raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"So she's got a Neo thing going on" Dean made a reference to the matrix.
Selene then rotated her hand and the arrows turned around to face them.
"Except it's better" Tim said.
The arrows flew at Jon, Tim, and Lily. Who each dodged them before charging at Selene.
Lily dropped her bow, seeing as how her arrows were useless, and drew her sword and shield.
Tim thrusted his staff aiming for the plateless parts of her body.
Selene dodged a few thrusts before grabbing the staff.
But before she could do anything Lily went to slice off her hand.
Selene used her other arm and blocked the attack.
Jon joined and swung his axe diagonally.
Once again she backed away knowing full well that that weapon couldn't be blocked by her plates.
Dean jumped over Jon, taking Selene by surprise and slashing downward.
Selene floated upwards and out of his reach, making him miss.
Billy and Joey got up.
Selene looked amused, "You intrigue me" She said referring to all of them but still staring intently at Dean, "Yet I feel that you're holding back"
"Why's she staring at me so much?" Dean asked feeling creeped out.
"Maybe she wants your sausage" Jon joked.
Dean cringed, "Fuck you dude" that was the last thing he wanted to think about.
"I shall force you to reveal everything to me" Selene said as she reached out with her hands. A portion of the flames from the torches separated and flew towards her. 6 balls of condensed fire circled over her head, which grew to the size bowling balls before flying at them.
"Look out!" Tim shouted and most of them moved out of the way.
Jon stood his ground, not registering the danger, "It's just a stupid fire—"
The sphere exploded upon hitting Jon's breastplate sending him flying backwards into a supporting column, breaking it.
The spheres exploded upon first impact, severely damaging the marble floor and the supporting structures.
Dean deflected the sphere with his shield, letting it explode behind him, and he tossed his shield at her.
Selene grabbed the incoming projectile but then had to react quickly to Dean's fist which she caught.
Dean then brought down his blade with all his might while she was distracted.
A bead of sweat trickled down her brow, she wasn't fast enough to block that.
Right before the blade touched her an indigo barrier formed around her, stopping the attack.
Selene giggled, "Oh you're good" she cooed, "I wonder what you taste like" she took down the barrier and reached out to grab his forehead.
Dean kicked off her chest and skidded back as he landed on the ground. His shield having fell out of her grasp, dropped in front of him.
Selene clenched her hand that almost had him, "I'll have you soon enough"
Amara stared at the teen who fearlessly attacked the sorceress, 'Quite the specimen isn't he?' she heard a voice in her head.
Amara looked up at Selene who was looking at her.
Selene smirked at her, 'I think I've found you a suitor' she spoke telepathically.
The others joined Dean.
"That force field looked mighty sturdy" Tim pointed out, "We won't be able to do anything while that's up"
"I know" Dean said not liking it.
"If we shatter the force field it'll give us the window we need" Lily said.
Selene descended until she stood on the ground, 'No need to waste energy on floating'
Joey glanced at the torches around them and contemplated something, "I think we can put a stop to her pyromancy"
Jon got up and brushed off any rubble that was on him, "That would be helpful"
Dean grew an angry look and punched Jon in the face, "I told you to take this seriously!"
Jon frowned and looked away, not wanting to admit his mistake.
"I don't wanna go back home carrying your corpse" Dean said sincerely.
Jon nodded.
Selene looked impressed.
Tim looked at Joey, "What's your plan?"
"From what I saw she didn't create the flames, she merely borrowed and manipulated the ones around us" Joey said.
"So if we put them out she won't be able to use them anymore" Lily presumed.
"Cool, what's our plan of attack?" Billy asked.
Tim took some canisters out of his belt with a smirk, "Operation smokescreen"
"Take out the torches and surround her. Ready? Break!" Dean said.
Tim threw the canisters and the room was filled with thick smoke.
Selene's vision was clouded, "Your tricks won't help you" She went to manipulate the flames from one of the torches but they weren't there.
She looked around and saw the lights from the flames extinguish one by one.
Selene willed a portion of the last flame to fly over to her before it was extinguished.
"Shit" Tim said, they weren't fast enough.
Selene formed a ring around herself with the flame and it grew tentacles before attacking all the teens around her.
Dean raised his shield to block one of the tentacles, "She can see through the smoke!"
Another tentacle grabbed Joey by his leg and threw him into a column cracking it.
Jon swung his axe at one of the tentacles.
The tentacle dodged the swing and wrapped around Jon's hands.
Jon cried out in pain as the flaming appendage seared his skin.
Billy sped by and slashed the tentacles, freeing him.
"Bro you ok?" Tim asked getting in front of him.
Jon winced, "Fuck that burns"
Lily stared at his black charred hands, "That looks really bad"
The smoke dispersed, revealing Selene. She gathered the flames and formed a massive skull, "That's only a taste of what's to come!" The skull flew at them and screeched driving fear into their bodies.
Tim threw a canister that exploded and shot a foamy substance that put out the rest of the fire.
"What was that?" Lily asked with a look of bewilderment.
Selene looked annoyed, one less method of pain for her to use.
"Fire retardant" Tim said nonchalantly.
"Is there anything you don't have in that belt?" Dean made fun of him.
"I like to be prepared" Tim gave his reasoning.
Dean shook his head, "Boyscout"
"I don't think you'll be able to hold anything properly" Lily said ti Jon.
Jon ripped the sleeves off his shirt and wrapped them around his hands before grabbing his weapon. He grit his teeth as he squeezed the handle, "I got this"
Lily was amazed, his anger allowed him to endure great pain.
"The lot of you are beginning to bother me" Selene said to them. She could tell that they were good enough to replace her old personal guard, "Bow to me, pledge your allegiance, and let your leader face me alone if you wish to live past this night"
Lily stepped forward and glared at the Sorceress, "You've misunderstood wench"
Selene raised an eyebrow, the audacity on this one.
"YOU!" Lily pointed at her with her blade, "Won't live past this night" she promised with confidence in her voice, "You can try to hurt us" she glanced at Jon who held his axe firmly despite his burns, "You can try to break us" she glanced at Joey who got back up after crashing into the marble column, "But we won't ever waver, not to your cruel ways"
Billy nodded, "What she said"
Selene took a moment to analyze the mouthy girl that spoke with disrespect. She figured out what Lily was by the style of her armor and her self righteous attitude.
Selene laughed, "An Amazon dares to call me cruel? Your people have murdered millions, simply for what lies between their legs" she gave a rough estimate of the body count, "They kill any man they lay with after they're done with him, and if a child happens to be the wrong gender they kill it then and there to supposedly 'rid the world of man's hate'" she said the pretentious quote the Amazon's tended to use, "Don't lecture me on my methods girl, at least I see the use in them" she referred to men.
"I liked getting getting whipped with the fire, can we go back to that?" Jon asked sounding bored of not understanding what was going on.
"My sisters' methods are flawed, but so are yours. I won't allow either to consume this world!" Lily charged at her with a burning passion.
"Then you'll be the first to fall" Selene said finally deciding to add some lethality to her attacks.
The others followed her lead.
Lily swung her blade downward.
Selene moved faster than before. She blocked the attack with ease by raising her arm and then punched with her other one, aiming for the girl's stomach.
Lily went to block with her shield but wasn't fast enough. She managed to move the trajectory of the fist to her ribcage by knocking it with the edge of her shield.
Selene smirked deviously at the last second before her fist connected.
In an instant Lily flew backwards from the force of the hit and crashed into a statue of Selene which shattered and buried her in ruble.
Everyone stopped in their tracks.
Only Billy and Dean caught a glimpse of Lily's flying figure as she flew past them.
"Oh shit" Dean said feeling a little shiver crawl up his spine.
"She's been holding back a lot!" Tim said as a bead of sweat trickled down his brow.
Jon shouted a battle cry as he charged at her.
Having no time to think the others joined the assault.
Selene moved out of the way from a swing of Jon's axe and punched him in the face sending him flying into the marble wall cracking it.
Billy zipped by her and went to slash her back.
Selene spun around and went to hit him with an elbow to the forehead.
Billy dropped and managed to avoid it but tumbled out of control, one hit like that for him could mean the end.
Tim projected an illusion into her mind that he sidestepped to the left and went to sweep her legs when he actually jumped and thrusted the point of his staff towards her face.
Without a second glance Selene caught the staff, 'Mind games won't work on me' she spoke telepathically before throwing a punch aimed at his chest.
Tim's eyes widened as he realized he didn't have enough time to block or dodge.
Dean leapt and bumped into Tim, knocking him out of the way, as he held his shield up to block.
Selene's fist hit the edge of his shield which sent Dean spinning.
Dean used the momentum to spin around and slash with his blade.
Selene put up her barrier once again blocking his attack and Joey's, who had snuck up behind her, simultaneously.
Dean and Tim fell down right after.
Selene took down the barrier and backhanded Joey sending him flying into the marble wall as well, "Pest"
Amara's hopes dwindled the more she watched. Her grandmother truly was as powerful as the stories she heard as a child.
Dean, Tim, and Billy regrouped.
"What happened?" Dean asked them.
"I was fast enough to keep up with her but I was this close to being taken out" Billy said showing the distance between his two fingers.
"I tried my illusions and she saw right through it, and then I heard her voice in my head!" Tim said sounding concerned.
"She has telepathy" Dean figured, "I don't think your tricks are gonna work on her right now"
Jon got up and joined them, half of his face swollen and bruised, "We're running out of options" he spat a mixture of blood and a couple of teeth out.
Lily crawled out of the ruble, slowly. The spot where she was hit, the armor was shattered, drenched in blood, and a rib was sticking out.
Billy winced, "Yikes" he said staring at the bone sticking out, "Eh I would still tap"
Lily joined them, "If I didn't deflect that I'd have a hole in my chest, we can't wait any longer"
"No, one more try, we can do this. I got a plan" Dean said sounding confident.
Joey lastly got up, "Please tell me you're gonna blast her with a giant bolt of lightning" he said hoping for a grand display of power.
"Even if I could, I don't think that would work either. Her barrier is the problem, once we break that she's ours. She's still not fully trying to kill us, take advantage of that. Play around with her, if you can take it" he showed his shield that had a fist shaped dent in it, "Let yourself get hit, once she leaves an opening just follow my lead"
Selene saw them speaking, "Have you decided to reconsider?"
Dean faced her with a determined look, "Not yet, your immense power has provided us with challenge, we wish to test ourselves" he said feeding her ego.
Selene smiled, "Yes, I am quite immense aren't I?" She said feeling flattered.
"Stay together, and stay whole. Go!" Dean said and they charged.
Selene prepared herself as the leader led the charge this time.
Dean ran at her and at the last second slid on the marble floor, aiming to slice her legs as he covered his body with his shield.
Selene stomped on the shield, stopping the slide prematurely. And hopped off it to avoid Billy's attack that was meant to follow up.
Jon tried to catch her with the hook of his axe but she flew sideways avoiding it.
Tim swung his staff, aiming at her midsection.
Selene dodged it and threw a punch aimed at the center of his body.
Tim instinctively moved his staff in front of the fist blocking the majority of the force but still sending him flying back.
Joey threw his dagger as a distraction.
As Selene went to stop it she sensed Lily coming from behind her, while simultaneously Dean and Billy were a few seconds away from striking as well.
Selene put up her barrier and blocked all of it.
"Now!" Dean shouted.
Jon swung his axe down with all his might and struck the barrier.
Selene winced as if it was painful.
The barrier was still intact but the spherical shape slightly caved into the ground.
"Do it again!" Dean shouted and this time they all attacked together.
Jon once again swung as hard as he could.
Selene grit her teeth, a crack appeared on the top of the barrier.
"It's working! One more time!" Dean said and they all raised their weapons.
Selene took down the barrier and punched Dean and Jon simultaneously sending them flying into another column, breaking it.
Billy stabbed downwards with both his daggers but Selene backhanded him, sending him tumbling backwards.
Joey went to stab her but Selene snatched his dagger and knocked him down with an elbow in one swift motion.
Selene turned around and blocked Lily's blade before throwing a punch at her.
Lily held her shield in front of her, letting it take the brunt of hit, and was sent flying backwards.
Selene then did a 180 and threw Joey's dagger.
Billy moved out of the way of its path ad he ran at her.
Selene then waved her hand and changed the trajectory of the dagger, making it fly straight into Billy's calve.
Billy fell face first and winced as he pulled out the dagger, she guided it straight into the gap in his armor.
Tim pole vaulted and drop kicked her from behind.
Selene was knocked forward and turned around just as Tim swept her legs with a low swing, making her fall on her ass.
Tim then thrusted his staff towards her chest.
Selene caught the tip of his staff before it got too close.
Dean then slashed at her faster than she could anticipate, forcing Selene to put up her barrier again to protect herself.
Jon seized his opportunity and swung his axe downward as hard as he could.
Selene's barrier shattered from the force of the hit, the edge of the axe sliced her midsection.
"Get everyone out!" Dean shouted as he brought his blade down to chop her head off.
Selene raised both her arms to block, the blade cut through the plates but stopped short when it reached her flesh, blood dripping down her arms.
Billy grabbed Amara and rushed out. Tim helped Lily and Joey while Jon smashed the last supporting column.
The temple shook and debris began falling, signaling the structures coming demise.
Dean pushed down on his blade trying his best to finish her quickly, but she had too much energy for him to over power her.
"You'll be buried with me if you don't let go" Selene said as she held his sword at bay.
Dean grit his teeth, but if he left she'd escape the collapse of the temple.
Selene used his momentary distraction to reach out and absorb his energy.
Dean caught her hand, "You're not getting out of here" he raised his blade and switched to a reverse grip to stab downward.
Selene went to block her face again but this time Dean stabbed right through her stomach and imbedded into the marble floor.
Dean ran out just as the ceiling fell on her.
Selene screamed as she put her hands up in fear.
Dean met the others outside.
"Let's light a bonfire" Tim said as he grabbed a detonator and clicked the button.
The explosives all around the roof that he had Billy place before the fight went off simultaneously, creating a massive explosion.
The explosion could be seen and heard throughout the island.
Lucius and Quintus went outside and saw it where the temple should be.
"That must be it" Lucius said sounding hopeful, "I hope that witch felt all of that" he said with hate in his voice.
"We must rally the people and go to the temple at once" Quintus said not wanting to waste any time.
"Damn" Billy said staring at the explosion as he held Amara by the waist.
"Unhand me, peasant!" Amara demanded, not liking where his hands were.
Billy backed off, "Ok, chill"
"You're just on a role today" Tim laughed.
"I didn't even do anything!" Billy shouted not understanding why women are mad at him today.
"Except be yourself" Jon said shrugging
Dean watched as the explosion vanished and the marble crumbled to pieces, never taking his eyes off it.
Lily walked up next to him, "You think she's dead?"
"I didn't cut her head off, so I don't know" Dean said not liking this uneasy feeling.
Tim walked up to them, returning to their current situation, "Ok, now who wants to check—"
A fist broke out of the ruble startling them all.
"And there's your answer!" Billy said shaking with fear.
Selene bursted out of the ruble, Dean's sword still stuck in her gut, burns and scorch marks all over her. With a furious look she pulled out the sword and threw it aside, "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!"
"Oh man" Joey said fearing what she might do.
An indigo blue aura erupted around her, enveloping her body like a wild flame.
The ground began to tremble and gusts of wind blew outward from Selene.
"What the hell is going on?!" Tim shouted.
"She must be releasing her power!" Joey assumed.
Selene raised her hand and aimed it at Dean. An indigo blue sphere of energy appeared in her palm the size of a basketball, "You'll pay for your insolence!" The sphere flew towards him fast.
Dean went to dodge but found it difficult, the sphere seemed to have a gravitational pull preventing him from moving out of the way. He did the only thing he could think of and put his shield in front of him to block.
The sphere struck his shield and instantly exploded.
The teens covered their eyes from the blinding light and the flying debris.
When the light faded they looked back in shock. The ground where Dean once stood was completely blown away, nothing but a giant trench and bits of shield and armor scattered about.
"Oh no" Lily whispered with a sad face.
Joey came up behind Billy, staring at the smoking trench, "She blew him to smithereens" he said shaking in terror.
Billy looked shocked, was he really…gone?
Jon grit his teeth in anger, "That bitch!" He went to charge at her.
Tim stopped him, "No way! We need to do this together now more than ever"
Jon looked at him angrily, "Who named you leader?!"
Selene looked pleased, "You thought you could get away with destroying my temple? Ha! You thought wro—" she paused as she felt a sharp pain course through her body. She looked at her hands and saw them begin to shrivel up, 'I've lost too much energy, if I don't absorb one of them fast I'll be too weak to fight'
"Hey I'm the one he wanted to be in charge in the first pla—" Tim was interrupted by a sonic boom.
All their heads turned simultaneously in bewilderment, Selene had just vanished from the spot she was just standing in.
"What just happ—" Lily paused as she spotted Billy who had also moved from where he was standing.
Billy had a blank stare on his face, as if there was something he couldn't comprehend.
Lily then looked behind him where she saw Selene.
Selene seemed to deteriorate and physically age rapidly. Her body began to shrivel and her hair turned white but then it stopped.
She had placed her palm on Joey's forehead and absorbed his life force, reversing the aging effects and returning her to her youthful state.
"Quickly before she kills him!" Tim shouted.
Jon leapt and swung his axe downward with a battle cry.
Selene backed away before she could finish draining the boy and avoided the swing.
Joey dropped to the ground, unconscious.
Lily checked him, "He's still alive"
Billy was still frozen still in the midst of all this.
Tim looked at Billy, "What happened?"
Billy shook his head, "I-I don't know. I saw her move towards me so I went to dodge, then boom she just vanished and was behind me"
Tim's eyes widened, "She broke the sound barrier…"
Billy nodded in fear, "I think she was going for me but I moved so she settled for Joey instead.
Selene felt the energy she just took heal her injuries, 'Moving that fast is risky, It uses too much energy'
"How are we supposed to defend against that?" Jon asked starting to find their situation hopeless.
"You said she was going for you but you moved before she disappeared right?" Tim asked, "Maybe she can't change direction when she's moving that fast"
"I saw her before she was able to absorb Joey's energy, she started aging fast. Moving like that probably consumes too much power" Lily said.
"Then I don't think she'll use that again, but if she does" Tim looked at Billy, "You need to make sure you don't get caught and that she doesn't catch any of us either"
"Ok" Billy said.
Tim then looked at Jon, "If she uses her barrier again you smash it to pieces"
Jon nodded, "No problem"
"Lily and I will take the lead and try to make an opening for one of you" Tim said figuring out their best plan of action, "I know you're all thinking about Dean but we can't let that stop us now"
'They're a bothersome bunch, but I need to weaken them before I can finish them' Selene thought as she pointed her hands towards the temple ruins. A stream of energy projected out and towards the ruins.
The massive chunks of marble, loose rocks, and dirt began to separate and form a couple dozen piles. The piles then morphed into these rocky humanoid creatures.
"Ok, that's different" Lily said.
"What's the plan now wise one?" Billy asked.
Tim twirled his staff, "Same as before, we just have to smash some rocks first"
Selene then pointed at her assailants, "Dispose of them!" The creatures ran at them.
Tim thrusted his staff through the head of a creature but it didn't stop it, "We have to find their weakness" he flung the creature back into their herd.
Lily chopped off the lower half of one of them but it still kept coming, "Limb dismembering doesn't stop them either"
Billy couldn't manage to quite pierce their bodies with his daggers, "I don't think I'm suited for this"
Jon stepped forward and swung his axe smashing 5 of the creatures into pieces, "Who wants some?!"
"Nice Jon keep it up, Billy keep an eye on Selene then" Tim said as he swung his staff and smashed the head of one of the creatures.
Billy looked around but didn't see Selene, "Umm, I don't see her"
The rocky creatures surrounded them and they formed a circle in response.
Tim looked baffled, "What do you mean you don't see her?! Where could she have gone?"
One of the rocky creatures suddenly morphed into Selene and she punched Jon in the face, knocking him into Billy who both fell down.
Lily turned around and saw Selene's appearance change into that of the rocky creatures before she disappeared into the herd.
"She can shapeshift!" Lily shouted as she chopped of the arm of a creature that swung at her.
The rocky creatures started closing in on them, making their circle smaller and smaller.
Billy got up, "How're we gonna tell which one she is?"
Jon swung his axe smashing another 3 of them, "Take em all out!"
"Sadly that's the best we can do for now" Tim thrusted his staff through the chest of a creature and it crumbled apart, "Try the center of their chest"
Lily pierced the chest of a creature and it crumbled in a similar fashion, "It works!"
Billy went to try when one of the creatures changed into Selene and she punched Billy, knocking him on his ass, before changing back and going back to the herd.
Jon instinctively swung his axe in the direction she went in but smashed 2 of the creatures to pieces, "Damn it, she got away"
Tim looked back, Billy was still ok, "We have to stay together, that's the only way we can—"
Selene jumped out of the herd and fired an energy blast in the center of their circle.
The shockwave from the blast sent them all flying in different directions.
The rocky creatures swarmed each of them now that they were divided and vulnerable.
"Uh oh" Billy did what he does best and ran around to avoid the rocky creatures.
Lily looked around trying to spot the others but couldn't see them, "I don't like this" she slashed wildly trying to clear her way through the herd.
A bunch of them had jumped on top of Jon trying to pry his weapon away but he knocked them all off in a fit of rage, "Stupid rocks!" He started swinging his axe like crazy, smashing the creatures a few at a time.
Tim rolled onto his feet swung his staff to keep them back, "Guys! We have to regroup!"
Selene leapt towards Tim and went to grab him.
Tim instinctively swung his staff at her.
Selene grabbed the staff and pushed against it.
Tim tried as hard as he could to hold her back but she overpowered him and forced him back.
Selene laughed, "Let's see if you like my mind games!" She said before her eyes glowed indigo blue.
Tim suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his head and cried out.
'Obey me boy, submit to me' Selene's voice echoed in his mind.
Tim did his best to resist her, 'I'm not…a puppet' he struggled.
'We'll see' Selene said before she continued her mental assault.
Tim dropped to his knees, he felt his psyche being ripped apart.
Suddenly Selene felt her mental assault being pushed back, like a powerful force greater than her own fighting back.
Selene then felt a sharp pain in the back of her head, 'What?!'
'You won't be corrupting anyone's mind while I am present' Charles warned her.
Selene traced his mental presence to a far away location, 'Stay out of this stranger, or I'll—'
Tim struck Selene in the face with the end of his staff, knocking her back, 'I owe you one Professor'
'Never mind that now, I've sent Logan to assist you' Charles said.
'Ok, do you know if Dean is alright?' Tim asked.
'I can't sense him, he's either unconscious or…' Charles didn't want to say it.
Behind them the others had managed to eliminate more than half of the rocky creatures.
Selene frowned, 'I have to hurry before my creations are all destroyed. Without this one they'll have no more tactics to use' she rushed forward with a fist cocked back.
Tim backed away as she punched the ground making a small crater, 'I can't avoid her for long on my own'
Billy grabbed a creature and threw him into a pile of them, knocking them all down.
He spotted Tim being pursued by Selene so he sped over.
Selene was on the verge of catching Tim when Billy slid underneath her and stabbed both her calves with his daggers.
Billy stood by Tim, "I got your back"
Selene fell to her knees and grit her teeth, "You insolent brat!" She pulled out the daggers and slowly stood up.
"Logan's on his way, we just need to hold out a little longer" Tim said.
Selene threw the daggers and directed them with her power.
They both moved to dodge but the daggers followed them.
Tim managed to block it with his staff.
Billy went to knock it out of the way but it moved around his hand and went for his face. He was fast enough to put his other hand in front of his face, letting the dagger pierce right through it, stopping mere millimeters from his face.
"Ouch" Tim said looking at the wound.
Billy winced and held back a cry as he pulled the dagger out of his hand, "That really hurt" he admitted.
Selene used their momentary distress to hit Billy with a haymaker to the face, knocking him on his ass.
Tim went to thrust his spear at her but Selene punched him in the chest in a burst of speed before he could do anything.
Tim skidded on the ground clutching the spot where he was hit. His armor took the hit, dented, and he still felt it.
Billy sat upright, feeling a bit delirious from that last hit.
He looked up and saw Selene staring intently at something with a hungry look.
Billy followed her gaze down to where he sat with his legs spread out. He was wearing tight pants which tended to leave an outline of something by his crotch.
Billy's eyes widened with fear.
Selene laughed maniacally before pouncing at him, intending to rip his pants to shreds.
Billy hastily crawled backwards with a petrified look, "No no no no no!"
Selene missed him and dug her fingers into the ground. She chased him, still trying to claw at his crotch.
Billy rolled backwards into a stand in a hurry, "Oh hell no!" He jumped over Selene who clawed at him.
Selene turned around, grabbed his foot and threw him into the ground with enough force to make a mini crater.
Billy groaned as he laid there motionless.
She went to grab his face when Tim thrusted his staff right through her from behind and came out her stomach.
Selene angrily pulled the staff out from her stomach, yanking Tim towards her, before spinning and striking him in the forehead with her elbow.
Tim tumbled next to Billy, his head split open.
Selene pulled out the staff and held it as her wounds slowly healed, "To die by one's own weapon" she pointed the staff point at him, "How shameful"
Tim feared for his life as he stared at his weapon.
Author's note: Greetings true believers! Tis the season of giving so here you go. This one turned out to be alot bigger than I thought so I split it into two, I'll be posting the next one tomorrow. Hope you enjoy! Read and review please :)