Callisto had changed immeasurably in the past few weeks. Gone were her street trousers, boots and tank top, replaced by the same clothing as the tribesmen, animal fur loincloth, halter and golden jewelry around her neck, ankles and wrists. Only the patch remained, covering her damaged eye. On her it exposed a great deal of her milky-white skin, but Spyke paid no attention to that right now. Her gaze had changed too, and gone was any sense of mercy or compassion. Her one good eye seemed blank, empty... lifeless.
But worst, was the white war paint, the jawless skull of the Hungan, painted across her pretty features, which were twisted in an expression of pure malice. Spyke didn't know if he should be frightened or enraged.
Callisto settled the matter for him as she launched herself at him, wordlessly, lashing out with a tribal spear, as Spyke flung up his arm and narrowly managed to parry, thrusting out his flaming spikes just enough to damage the weapon, and not its wielder. Callisto backflipped away from Spyke, reaching to the belt of her loincloth and pulling out a wickedly sharp, iron machete. Metal that Spyke's powers couldn't pierce, and a weapon he couldn't destroy.
"Callisto! Callisto listen to me!" he shouted, as he ducked, dodge, and parried her weapon, making no effort to fight back himself. He couldn't bring himself to attack her.
"She cannot hear you! She listens only to me!" said the Hungan, with a grin of triumph on his features. "You have but two options. Her death or yours!"
Spyke growled, about to take aim and shatter the Hungan's scepter, but as his attention shifted, Callisto took full advantage of this to slice into his shoulder, through the bone plating and nearly clean through to his shoulderblade, though thankfully he managed to avoid any serious injury as he leapt back from her, keeping his distance now. It seemed that being soulless had not diminished her combat skills, or her experience. All it had changed was who she was aiming them at, and Spyke now fell under that unfortunate category.
Spyke flung out his hand and shot a two-sided spear of his own, leaving both tips unlit as was his custom, to parry Callistos attacks. She was relentless, unmerciful, her entire body flowing with the attacks in a way that Spyke had once admired, but now watched fearfully, doing his best to avoid being hurt without hurting Callisto. He had to find some way of reaching her, convincing her to stop, or else he was a gonner.
"Callisto listen to me! You're being controlled by the Hungan! I've come to help you!" he shouted, dodging and parrying. However, each time the sharp iron blade cut a bit closer, as it began to slice into the thick bone of his makeshift spear. Each time it vibrated, and it was rapidly starting to fall apart.
"Callisto! All of us came here to rescue you! Me, Calliban, Torpid! We're all here for you!" he continued to shout, as Callisto changed tactics and dropped down low, swinging out her foot and knocking Spyke clean off his feet to slam hard onto his back. Callisto quickly regained her feet, kicking aside his weapon and placing her machete at his throat.
"Finish her," stated the Hungan. "Or she finishes you."
"Never!" shouted Evan, as he (reluctantly) kicked Callisto in the stomach, knocking her back. She lunged at him but he rolled backwards and onto his feet, seconds before her machete struck the ground where he'd been laying seconds before. "Callisto listen to me! This isn't you!" he shouted, dodging to one side as Callisto's machete nearly 'nicked his side, as he found himself backed up against the stone wall of the temple. "Callisto, listen to me... this isn't you!"
Callisto growled and hurled her machete at Spyke, who ducked low as it imbedded itself into the wall above his head.
He was about to stand and, now that she was unarmed, pin her down, but Callisto was faster, and flung herself at Spyke. She grabbed him around the neck, where his spiked plating didn't protect him, and started to squeeze, throwing him up against the wall as she slowly but surely crushed the life out of him. Already he could feel his vision starting to dim as he feebly struggled against Callisto, unable to throw her off. A simple twist, turn, and spike could remove her, but Spyke couldn't bring himself to do that.
"C-callisto.." he choked out, already short of breath. "Don't... don't do this... do you really... really want to kill me?"
Callisto's left eye glinted briefly for a moment.
He felt the hands around his neck loosen, and after the extra hard martial arts lessons Logan had given back at the Institute, that was all he needed. Quickly Spyke dropped down to his knees and launched himself forward, grabbing Callisto's midsection and kncoking her flat on her back. Quickly he flipped up and over her, then turned around, launching a dozen unlit spikes with expert precision, pinning Callisto to the ground. Growling, she struggled, but she was effectively pinned, unable to move. For now. She was a lot stronger than most of those Spyke had pinned in the past, and she'd be free in a few moments, and the attack would resume.
The Hungan's evil laughter interrupted them. "You fool of a God," he stated dangerously. "Where are your powers now? You cannot even defeat a single unarmed woman."
"I won't kill Callisto!" shouted back Spyke, as he growled, shooting off a flurry of flaming spikes straight at Hungan. However, the sorcerer was prepared this time as he dodged aside, protecting the scepter's vulnerable crystal head. That was all the time Callisto needed to wrench herself free of the spikes pinning her down, as she leapt to her feet with the grace of an acrobat. "Callisto listen to me! Its me, Evan! I came here to rescue you from the Hungan! Please, listen to me! The Morlocks, we all care about you!"
Spyke was rewarded for his efforts by a flurry of blows that he wasn't quick enough to fend off, as Callisto's fists slammed into his stomach and then across his jaw, knocking him to the ground, out of breath and helpless. With grim, deadly slowness, the former Morlock leader reached over to the wall and grabbed her steel machete, yanking it free and walking over towards Spyke, who lay helpless on the ground.
"Now you die," stated the Hungan, watching from the side with a grin plastered on his tattooed face. "If you will not be my warrior... perhaps she will..."
"No..." hissed Spyke through his clenched teeth, as he struggled to regain his feet. Callisto had shattered one of his lower ribs. It would heal quickly, but not quickly enough to be of any aid. He could not fight any longer, and thus he had only a few short moments to devise a plan to save himself, and Callisto. The one-eyed warrior stepped forward, blade raised. And then it came to him, how he could stop her. What had caused her to loosen her hold earlier.
Evan Daniel's arms hung limply at his sides, as he closed his eyes, praying to any divine being who cared to listen, then spoke the words he'd been too scared to before.
"-I- care about you, Callisto."
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Author's Notes:
Spyke vs. Callisto. One of my best fight scenes to date, and I think it turned out better because of the fewer characters involved. More space for me to write about their individual moves and motives.
Todd fan: *places leech behind you, then hands you back Spyke to huggle*
King of the Worthless: I dunno, but I assume the Hungan is all he's known by, so I'm leaving it at that. Plus, giving him a name diminishes his evil aura effect. "I, Bob, will rule over Africa!" See?
Kukume: Oh yes, lesser degree, some sort of polytheism. As you'll see in the next chapter, the tribesmen can be very superstitious, and this can be used to the heroes advantage. Spyke never really wanted company on this trip, that's why he left the Morlocks behind. Plus, he feels responsible for what happened. All in all, I think its justified.
Elrohirthewriter: Plenty to come, fret you not.
Beck2: Thanks, glad you like.
Snoweyes: Oh good, I was worried I'd get complaints left and right. I'm glad some people share my opinion on those two.