Chapter Twelve: Sacrifices

Chapter Twelve: Sacrifices

In a split second I would have been dog meat but when I raised my head I found myself staring into Marcas' back. His sword was held up high as he blocked Thomas' strike pushing it away.

"Mother, are you alright?" he asked.

"Gee, thanks for thinking of me," I said sarcastically.

"Take care of her for me," he said ignoring my comment.

He cautiously circled Thomas with his sword drawn.

"You think you're so high and mighty playing the knight on a white horse," Thomas sneered.

Marcas didn't reply but came closer to him. He had a guarded expression on his face, which meant Thomas was hiding something.

"Let me go, you baboon!" Vanessa shrieked as she is dragged by two of Thomas' men into the view of Marcas. Her dress was ripped slightly and her hair was messed up. She took one look at Marcas and Thomas and shut her mouth.

"How are you going to save all of them?" Thomas asked.

It was true; he had trapped mother, sister and lover in one place with no place to escape. Who knows what he was doing elsewhere? I forced myself not to think of Alias.

"I'll make this easy for you Marcas," he replied. "If you win I will release them but if I win they are mine."

They began to fight and at first Marcas had the upper hand but something felt wrong.

"Be prepared to meet your fate," Marcas announced.

"Oh, no my friend you should be prepared," Thomas said maliciously.

He snapped his fingers and suddenly he held the sword of Freid in his hand and his sword was back into its sheath. With no hesitation he persisted at Marcas with the pressure of the sword. The pendant began to glow again glowing brighter each time Thomas struck Marcas with that sword. What would cause Thomas to have the upper hand now?

"I don't think he can hold on much longer," mother concluded.

"If you didn't show up at father's study last night none of this would have happened," I angrily.

"What are you talking about?" she asked confused.

"I saw you walk in on father and Hitomi," I said with bitterness.

"Is that what you think happened?" questioned mother.

I cast my eyes to the ground.

Flashback: "Varena! Wait don't go."

" Van, I 'm sorry I didn't knock… I just wanted to know… never mind."

"No, obviously this is important to you. What's wrong?"

"I just wanted to know what I did wrong to make us so far apart."

"It's my fault Varena I would ask for more time but I don't want you waiting around for me."

"I'll wait because we have all the time in the world.

"You see, it was just a misunderstanding," she said with gentleness.

I looked over at Marcas and seeing him struggle made me realize why I had that vision. I was the one who had to fight Thomas to save Fanelia from destruction.

"Mother I want you to stay clear," I warned her.

I stood up ready to go, but she stopped me.

"You can't go up against him," she insisted.

"I have to believe in my heart that I will change fate. Besides I think that's what grandmother and uncle Folken would say," I confirmed gesturing to the graves while walking towards the fight.

First I sent a silent message to Vanessa. She responded and kicked the guards in the not-so-nice- place. She ran quickly to my mother leading her into the trees. All the while the noise distracted Marcas causing him to lose his balance for a moment. Thomas saw this opportunity to break through his defense. This was the part where I came in. I sprinted in front of Marcas holding my arms in front of me as if I was holding up a shield. The pendant glowed burned brightly and a gust of wind came and went. I waited for some pain to inflict but I felt nothing. I opened my arms to see that Thomas holding his sword in midair. I glanced down at my chest to see the glowing light. It was although the light had repelled Thomas' attack.

"Trinity, what are doing?" Marcas asked aghast.

"Marcas, this is my fight not yours. Go you are needed at the castle, I'll take care of Thomas," I answered.

He was about to protest when Hitomi demanded he leave revealing her hiding spot. I felt relieved yet worried at the same time.

"Trinity, catch," Alexis yelled throwing my sword over to me.

"Thanks," I replied gratefully.

"You kick his butt!" she said giving me a thumbs-up.

I saw Marcas leading my mother and Vanessa away.

"So you want to fight me?" Thomas asked in disbelief.

"To protect my country and those I love," I vowed. " Why Fanelia?"

"It possesses the power of Atlantis," he said holding up the sword of Freid.

"Using the sword will destroy Gaea!" I exclaimed.

"Fanelia must be destroyed, it is the key," he said.

"Then I will fight you with all my strength, woman or not," I shouted charging at him.

He easily stepped aside and I missed him by inches. I stumbled over but turned around determined. He attacked with no warning. I managed to block his blows. His sword was much too hard to obstruct. My arm was getting sore and my hands throbbed form holding his hits causing me to drop my sword. I fell back on the ground.

"Such a weak girl, you don't pay attention to the details. Dilandau was the best at that," he mocked.

"You know Dilandau?" I asked confused.

"No, but I heard that he was one of the best fighters in Zaibach he was the one who inspired me," he replied.

I stared at him with shock. This person was so obsessed with power that he didn't pay attention to the fact that Dilandau was merely a fake.

"Now to take care of you," he said striding closer to me.

I backed up with my elbows and feet. I couldn't escape him. My sword wasn't far away but reaching it required me to get past Thomas. Not exactly what I had in mind.

"Nowhere to go. Your father and brothers aren't here to save you neither is that Lord DeCour. What a pity," he said toying with the tip of his sword before pointing it right in my face.

Abruptly, everything that I learned in swordsmanship flashed back at me:

"Concentrate and listen to the movements around you." (Marcas)

"Never lose your focus use your sword as a magnet linking to the enemy." (Van)

"You'll thank me for this after doing another 50 push-ups." (Folken)

"Trust your instincts." (Alias)

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"Any last words?" Thomas inquired.

"Come and get me," I challenged.

He drove the blade forward.

Authors Note: You may be wondering what is happening at the caste. Apparently Thomas had a lot of men on the fortress. While he is fighting with Marcas and Trinity, there is an attack on Fanelia.