Jesse ran after Hadrian, her entire body climbing up the obsidian structure trapping the other competitors in moments, eight limbs propelling her up the wall, her feet landing sharply on the 'roof' and her arms wielding her axe and sword.
"Gotta admit kid, you've shown you've got skills," Hadrian said, standing at the other end of the obsidian roof, holding his own sword casually, "but you're still no match for me!"
Jesse glanced past him to the huge pit behind him, then back to the smug-looking Old Builder.
Actually, now that she thought about it, the Old Builder was... surprisingly fast for his age.
Jace was running off on all fours to someone on the side, tail flapping in the air, but Jesse couldn't quite spot who it was- it was out of her peripheral vision. Ignoring it for now, she charged towards Hadrian, green and red eyes hard with anger. "We'll see about that!" she yelled sharply.
"I got this Hadrian!" Mevia shouted confidently, leaping onto the roof in a swift movement in front of Jesse, and lifting a sword, drawing it back to hit Jesse-
Jesse dropped to all eights, scrambling under the wide sweeping axe-blade as it whooshed over her head harmlessly, although it barely missed her head, and then whipped back to her feet in a moment and slammed into Hadrian full force with a loud hiss of anger. She flew forward as well, doing a little flip and landing on the grass safely while Hadrian was sent flying backwards into the pit by sheer momentum.
Jesse glared down at the Old Builder, who was scrambling to his feet in the pit. "Had enough there, old man?" she hissed, fists tightening on her axe handle and sword hilt simultaneously as she stalked towards the edge of the pit.
"Wait, wait!" Hadrian shouted desperately, making the spider hybrid pause as she stopped at the edge of the pit, looking up at Jesse with a sorry expression, "you're right, this has gone too far! It was just supposed to be a game!"
Jesse scoffed, glaring down at him with a corrosive hatred eating at her, boiling in her blood, threatening to spill out of her throat.
She wasn't usually this unforgiving...
but forcing people to play in his Games just because he wanted them to? Threatening to kill her friends and Reuben if she didn't agree to his horrible terms, enslaving people to work for what could be eternity if they lost?
She just couldn't forgive that.
She just couldn't.
"You expect me to believe that?" she asked harshly.
"Come on, sport," Hadrian said beseechingly, "haven't you ever had anything get away from you before? Can't you... forgive me?"
Jesse was watching him sternly, eyes beginning to soften slightly, when suddenly, every hair on her neck rose- she whipped around, raising her sword automatically in a block-
Mevia's enchanted diamond blade slammed right through Jesse's weaker iron one, making the spider hybrid stagger off balance and fall, landing harshly on her back with a startled yelp.
She was on a narrow strip of land that extended right over the pit that Hadrian had fallen into- for her to roll right or left would result in her falling into the pit... and then what? The only weapon she had was her axe and that wasn't enough to block attacks; and if it was she'd never learned. And Hadrian... well Hadrian had his sword, and his axe, and his pickaxe, and his shield... Jesse was definitely unequipped for this.
Off to the side, she heard a shriek of fear from her twin brother, but he was too far from them, even if he ran full-tilt from where he was he wasn't going to make it in time. She could already hear his feet pounding from where she was on the ground, getting closer and closer, but still surely too far away... the closeness was probably due to Jesse's hearing, it was more acute, she was just trying to trick herself that it was close enough to save her...
And why was it that when she was about to die she noticed all the little details? Why was it only then that everything seemed to move slower than a lizard on an icy day?
Mevia grinned down at Jesse with an almost insane light in her eyes, switching her sword to two glowing, shining axes, as she raised them above her head, poised to strike. "This game... is OVER!" she screamed the last word and the axe came swishing down violently.
Jesse squeezed her eyes shut instinctively, waiting for the axe to slam through her.
Waiting to die.
It didn't come. But what did come was the sound of someone slamming forcibly into the Old Builder, who let out a loud yelp in surprise as the someone slammed into her and she fell over onto her side. Something heavy thudded into the ground right next to Jesse's face, barely missing her ear. That would probably be one of the axes...
Jesse didn't dare open her eyes for a moment. And then she did, a little afraid of what she might see.
And then her eyes widened in shock, jaw falling open and practically hitting the floor at who was standing in front of her
"Well, I did owe you," Aiden said, extending his hand with a sheepish smile.
A/N: A bit shorter than usual, but I HAD to end on that note. Just HAD to. xD
What? Aiden?! How is he here?!
We will find out.
... next chapter. xD
angelwings: Oh! xD I didn't know that! xDDDDD Well I hope they like it. And I love the smiley. It is cute.
Toni42: Maybe I'll write that as a oneshot or something xD And so do I! Currently we're at (checks) 903 or 904, so... ninety seven/ninety six to go! xD
x.X. A.L. X.x
