No, I still don't own, except Lyn, who I'm not sure I want anymore... THIS is one of the chapters that makes this fic PG-13. Oh, yes, and I was reading Dante's Divine Comedy before reading this, and the style may have bleed through a bit...
Most of the day was spent in the search for the last three teams. Lyn was forced to cast a few healing spells to keep their strength up; neither had eaten in a while, and they were still weak from their cross-country excursion. Lyn was fighting very hard not to fall into a stupor, still walking but unaware of what was going on around her. A recognizable ring of steel on steel aroused her with a burst of adrenaline.
Janus put an arm out to keep her from charging into the battle, which was down some stairs and around a corner from them. "Let them fight; the winners will be weakened, easier prey," he whispered, creeping down the steps.
Lyn didn't want to let them fight, she didn't want to prey on the winners, but she still nodded. It was time leave her old life behind, something she should have done a year ago. It wasn't that she -wanted- to change, but that she -had- to.
Peering around the corner, the pair saw that the corridor widened into a room, where a team of Mystics battled a pair of Humans. The Mystics had the obvious advantage, one casting magic and one with a sword. The Humans, however, were putting up a good fight. The unarmed man was attacking the swords-Mystic, a Freelancer, with skilled blow, and avoiding the sword. The other, armed with a club, was hitting the magic user, who was strangely not taking much apparent damage.
The bird-like Freelancer feinted high, then cut low just as its opponent charged in. Pulling the sword out of the man's skull, the Mystic raised the blade. The cloaked magician, a Juggler, freed a hand and sent a stream of fire toward the bloody steel. Lyn knew what was coming next. The Freelancer whirled with it's fiery sword, cleaving the clubbing Human in two.
Janus touched Lyn's arm, then pointed to the Freelancer, who was cleaning it's sword. Lyn hesitated just a moment, then nodded and stood. She stepped around the corner, tightening her hold on the chain, and she heard Janus start a spell. "Birdie!" Lyn called, causing the Mystic to squawk and raise the blade. A darkbomb went off on the Juggler, and Lyn raised her chain to deflect the charging Freelancer's sword.
Twisting the chain around the sword, Lyn pulled down. The Mystic didn't let go in time, overbalancing and falling. Taking a step back, Lyn chanted, calling fire. She pointed a chain-enwrapped hand at the feathered creature and the fire shot forth. With a loud screech, the Freelancer fell to the dungeon floor. From behind her, Lyn heard Janus call.
"This one juggles defense! Use a spell after I hit it!" As the young man spoke, his scythe flashed, wounding the Juggler.
Lyn's mind was in a fog, but she understood Janus' instructions. With another chant, she hurled a bolt of ice at the red-clad Mystic, then frowned. That spell was weaker then it should have been.
Janus spun around, hitting the creature with his scythe once again, burying the tip in the Juggler's chest. The Mystic's eyes widened, and it fell back, pulling free of the metal with a wet slurping sound. Breathing heavily, Janus looked around. Seeing the dead Freelancer, he nodded slightly. "How are you on magic?"
"I'm out," Lyn replied dully, unseeing eyes covering the carnage.
"Zeal," Janus cursed, banishing his scythe. "I'm out too, and there's still a team left. And they're the ones with the item."
"How… how do you know?" Lyn asked, glad they were at least on speaking terms again.
For answer, Janus motioned to niche in the wall. "That's empty." He looked up at Lyn, red eyes meeting red eyes. "We have to stop them. Ambush, I think; we can't take another fight. Stay quite, stay close, and stay ready."
A soul-sickness showed in Lyn's eyes as she nodded. "We should hurry…"
Janus softened just a little, sensing how near she was to breaking. "Right. Let's go …Lyn." It was the first time he'd said her name since the fight, and she warmed at the sound of it. And then Janus became stern again, and he ran out of the room, Lyn on his heels.
With blue hair streaming behind him like water, Janus seemed to be following a path he knew, never hesitating at intersections. The two youths ran nearly silent despite their weariness, quiet being too deeply ingrained by harsh teachings. From up ahead, torchlight began to outshine the sickly lichen, and Janus called his scythe to his hands. They rounded a last corner and saw two men running for a closed gate. Lyn tightened the chain, and they had caught the Humans.
Instinctively, Lyn flung the chain around the man's neck, crossing her arms and pulling it tight. He lurched forward, but caught himself with his arms and started to fight back. Lyn was pulled to her knees by his reaction. Realizing what he was doing, she managed to get a knee on his back, and she rested her weight on it, still pulling back. Why wouldn't he just die?
Janus caught his target cleanly through the neck, nearly severing the head. The Mystics beyond the gate watched expressionlessly as Janus retrieved the small artifact, then turned to see what Lyn was doing. He saw her with the chain around the man's neck, strangling him. Why hadn't she just used enough force to break the spine?
Each little motion as the man tried to breathe pulled on the chain, until Lyn thought that she could feel the muscles in his neck, feel the windpipe beyond, which she was slowly crushing. No, she didn't want it to be this way! He was supposed to be dead by now! Her arms slackened a moment, and then pulled the iron links yet tighter.
By Zeal, Lavos, and all calamities, is she -enjoying- this? Janus wondered, paling at the thought. A day, half a day, before, she had trembled at the thought of killing! But what other possible explanation could there be, as she relaxed her arms enough to give her victim the hope of mercy, only to wrench in from him the next moment.
Die already, just die! I have to do this, so go peacefully! the girl screamed in her mind, bearing down on the Human's back harder. He was curved so much it seemed his back would break, and he shook in the grip of her chain, making small gagging noises. With one last shudder, the man went still, though she held the pressure for a long moment after. And then, with a slow blink, she released the chain, letting the body fall to the ground.
Confused and slightly troubled, Janus went to the gate, statue in hand. "We bring the token," he spoke, and couldn't wholly keep the tremble from his voice.
The guard, a Hench, forcibly looked away from the girl who came up behind Janus. "I sees you got it," came the growled reply as the purple creature opened the gate. "The generals be waiting for ye, beyond the door." Janus nodded and left the dungeon, mindful of the auburn haired girl who followed.
Well, I think the question of romance has been answered... More input would be nice, though. RRRT, anyway. Once more, only two...
Erik: Hope you still say that after reading this...
Shigatsu87: I probably should have mention you can't vote in the poll you started! laughs But thanks for explaining. Is your view of the 'contest' the same still...?
Well, that's all for now!
