Jarvan's chest burned as he spun and twirled, knocking a dagger from the air with his lance as he crashed to the ground, rolling to cover behind a tree. He pressed his back to the thick trunk and took a few deep gasping breaths.
THUNKTHUNKTHUNK!
Jarvan could both hear and feel the heavy collisions of the blades impacting the tree against his back. Katarina and Talon were staying well out of his reach, using throwing weapons for the most part to chase him around the forest. They had yet to land more than grazing blows, but they were quickly wearing the prince out as he slogged through the mud. They were going to run him ragged and then close in for the finishing blow, that much was obvious. Jarvan took a deep breath, pulled himself into a kneeling position and sprinted forward into the open, a swish of red and a brilliant blue flash of light above him catching his attention as he twisted, planting a foot ahead of him.
Jarvan sucked a breath in as his foot slid out from under him and he fell flat on his back as Katarina's curved short sword sliced through the air just above his nose as he fell. The red haired assassin hissed at him as she bounded away, kicking off of a root that crested the muddy puddle, disappearing in a flash of bluish light and then reappearing, putting distance between them. Jarvan's chest heaved as Talon appeared from nowhere at his feet, his eyes full of malice. They almost glowed with hatred, but Jarvan could tell the contempt the Noxian had wasn't aimed at him so much as everything he represented.
"You're more nimble than you look." Talon teased through gritted teeth over the roar of the rain in Jarvan's ears. "Enjoy the taste of steel." Talon raised his hand back, the sharp blade on his arm splashing rain to the side. The steel shown, almost howling for blood, even in the rain as the assassin grinned cruelly.
"Bite me." Jarvan grunted as he tucked his knees to his chest and kicked out, sending Talon flailing through the air. He crashed into a tree and ended up on all fours, grasping his gut for breath.
"You got cocky." Katarina snapped, smirking at Talon. The hooded assassin shot her a dirty look as he struggled to his feet. "He may be down, but he's not out by any means." Katarina licked her lips, a cruel grin matching her compatriots. Jarvan struggled to his feet, holding his lance defensively in front of him.
"Let's finish this quickly." Talon snarled, wiping blood from his lip. "I grow impatient with all this damned dancing."
"Shut up and face me like a man, then." Jarvan roared back. Talon's eyes narrowed as he glared at the Demacian Prince.
"I won't go easy on you any longer." Talon said, his voice quivering with anger.
"Talon, wait!" Kat began to say, but she was too late.
They're divided. Jarvan read the instance immediately and braced himself for the assassin's charge.
Talon exploded in a cloud of blades and brilliant light, momentarily blinding Jarvan before appearing behind him, his arm reached around Jarvan's neck. Jarvan had a scant second to summon his Lightshield as Talon's cut throat move tried to slice his neck. Jarvan could feel the razor's kiss as the blade seemed to slide off his skin as the rays of pure golden light enveloped him and exploded outwards, knocking Talon to the ground. As the shield faded, Talon came again, blinking towards Jarvan and then vanishing into thin air. Jarvan froze, his blade held defensively with both hands as Talon exploded above him. He cast out a wave of throwing daggers, thin silver cords attached to them as they spun like tops. He pulled them back, the spinning blades caressing Jarvan's leg as he dove away, rolling to his feet and lashing out with his lance. The blow connected with a sound like a gunshot as Talon was just barely able to parry the strike as it came down, knocking him down to his knees.
Jarvan spun, bringing up the butt of his lance up in Talon's gut as he dropped down into a hunch, the second rake of Talon's blades extending just over his head. Jarvan continued his spin as the blades withdrew, bringing his lance up, the broad side of it catching Talon's cloak and shredding it as the assassin did a backflip away. He reared his arm back, aiming for Jarvan's heart as he vanished and reappeared just outside of Jarvan's reach, above him, falling towards him with his blade ready to strike. Jarvan had already raised his own lance, prepared for the strike. The weapon exploded outwards, propelling the blade directly into the unarmored assassin's left shoulder as Jarvan lunged, driving the weapon forward. Jarvan saw the assassin attempt to roll away from the blow at the last second, but it still caught him in his shoulder midair. The aggressive charge had surprised the assassin. Talon reached out and grasped the lance, holding on for dear life before his shoulder was ripped apart.
Jarvan spun and cast Talon aside as he was flung around by the lance, skewered to the end of it. Jarvan retracted the blade with a fine trail of blood dripping in its wake as Talon hit the mud and rolled, slinking back as he fell to his knees, his left arm hanging limply at his side, his right hand grasping at the wound. He hissed in pain, his knees threatening to fall out from under him.
"Fool!" Kat hissed as she raised a fist full of throwing darts, the weapons clasped between each of the fingers on her fist. She threw the blades as Jarvan turned into her attack, the blades impacting heavily on his breast plate, two on either side of his heart, the third jutting from his shoulder pauldron. Jarvan grunted, the blades barely penetrating his armor. He raised his lance defensively but Katarina was already in the air. She appeared above Jarvan's lance, kicking off the weapon and spinning in a flourish of her swords, the blades striking his right shoulder and sparking as he tried to toss her over his head. Katarina jumped again, but this time she used her foot to drive the blade in his shoulder deep through the armor and into his flesh. Jarvan grunted against the searing pain as he felt warm, sticky blood begin to run down his arm. Katarina landed softly behind him, her boots splashing in the mud as Jarvan turned, reacting slowly. She raised her blades and kicked off, twirling up through the air as her blades spun around her.
As the Demacian prince raised his lance and deflected most of the daggers she hurled at him, she expected Jarvan to step backwards away from the swirl of death but what came next surprised her. The prince lumbered forward and stepped inwards towards her twirl of steel and cocked his arm back. As Katarina spun back around, Jarvan came into view once again and the world seemed to slow down as she realized how open she was. His fist collided with her cheek, sending her flying.
Katarina arced through the air, landing on her back in a puddle of mud, her blades landing beside her, one sticking straight out of the ground only inches from her head. She lay there dazed for a second as she tried to piece together what had just happened. She pushed herself into a sitting position and wiped blood from her chin where Jarvan had slugged her. She struggled to her feet as Jarvan knocked the two blades from his chest plate with his lance and then ripped the blade from his shoulder with a grunt. He cast the bloody throwing dart aside and cracked his neck, holding his lance between him and the two assassins. The prince sank low on his knees, unable to keep his defensive stance up with the wounded arm. He struggled to stand, but the pain from the shoulder wound was beginning to blur his vision.
"Cheeky." Katarina said, running her tongue over the gash on her lip. Her eyes were wild and happy, as if she was enjoying the pain. Her green eyes glinted with danger and anger, but mischief burned bright in them as well. "Get up you, idiot." She spat blood onto the ground and settled into a fighting stance. Talon shook off the wound, but his arm was still limp at his side. Jarvan frowned. He could take them one on one, but if they decided to come at him together, he didn't know how much he could take.
"I hope I didn't hurt him too bad." Jarvan growled menacingly, dropping his lance into the crook of his arm, wiping blood from his brow before it could run down into his eyes. Talon was struggling to stay standing, but at Jarvan's jeering he straightened up, obviously doing his best to make it appear as though he were unharmed.
"Don't cross me, boy." Talon growled, taking a step forward. He winced though, his ankle threatening to twist.
A weakness…
"Don't compromise yourself any further." Katarina snapped. "We move together."
"I never compromise." Talon hissed through gritted teeth.
"Now!" Katarina shouted, taking off at a sprint. She leapt, arcing up through the air towards Jarvan. The prince raised his lance as he turned, letting her get close, her short swords outstretched. Jarvan sidestepped and then struck down with a huge amount of force, as much as he could muster with one arm, his lance striking directly above her shoulder. There was a wet 'crack' as Jarvan heard something break. Katarina crashed into the mud and rolled to her feet, holding her shoulder back as she spun, tossing blades at Jarvan over the top of Talon's head as he charged.
"Pathetic!" Talon roared as Jarvan swatted the blades out of the air. Talon came back across and stepped into a thrust aimed at his head, the assassin slipping below Jarvan's charge. Talon exploded below Jarvan, his blade just barely nicking Jarvan's chin as he tossed his head back as Talon aimed for his throat. He felt a searing pain as blades lacerated his side and legs as the assassin came explosively upwards, inside his circle of defense. Jarvan spun backwards and away from the storm of blades, bringing his lance in as he did. Jarvan felt ice coalesce in his stomach as he heard the swirl of steel in the air behind him as Katarina materialized.
Jarvan spun and swept low, aiming to sweep the assassin's feet out from under her, but she hopped over the strike and planted a knee squarely on Jarvan's throat. Using his hand to clasp at the wound as he gasped for breath, Jarvan had to step away, rolling away from her strike. He felt his arm get shredded, perforated by a wave of blades as he raised his arm to defend against Talon's follow up attack, the blade ripping his hardened gauntlet to shreds. Jarvan called upon his Lightshield as Katarina assaulted him with another wave of daggers, the weapons bouncing off the golden orb of energy. Jarvan launched a standard past the assassin and struck out with his lance, pulling himself from the fray Katarina and Talon had brought down upon him, the hurricane of blades covering him in further lacerations and cuts. The Lightshield exploded, casting Talon and Katarina back as they finally pierced its awesome power. Jarvan drew himself to his standard, crashing into the mud and rolling, spraying water everywhere as he came to rest at the base of a tree. The prince slid to a rest in the mud, spluttering out a mouthful of water and dirt, unable to tell the trickle of cold water and warm blood on his face apart.
Jarvan struggled up onto his hands and knees, using his lance to help him to his feet. He leaned heavily on the tree, his breath burning his chest like he was inhaling fire. He felt blood dripping all over his body, the huge number of deep cuts and lacerations stinging as if he had disturbed a nest of digger wasps. His breathing was growing heavy and ragged as he struggled to stay on his feet.
"You're tougher than I would have imagined." Katarina said, wincing as she tried to raise her arm. Her collar bone was obviously broken and the pain showed on her face. Talon nursed the wound in his shoulder as well. Jarvan himself couldn't feel his left arm, the limb shredded and bleeding profusely. The wound in his shoulder was deep and the other lacerations were causing him to lose blood in the pouring rain much quicker than normal.
"I do love a challenge." Jarvan said between heavy breaths, wearing a lopsided grin. His eyes burned a brilliant blue, the rain washing sweat and blood into them as he tried to remain standing. "I shall protect the faithful, and while I still have someone who needs me, I will purge the unjust and return. I plan on honoring Demacia. I will not be defeated so easily!"
"Your allegiances mean nothing to me." Talon spat, raising his blade to his face, looking in the reflection. He pulled his mask down, revealing a gruesome scar that disfigured his neck. It started on the right side of his jaw and worked its way all around his neck. Another scar arced up his cheek from the corner of his jaw and over his nose. "Yours is merely another body for the gutter."
"Is that fear I smell?" Katarina said, snickering at Talon. "Pardon his rudeness, he received that scar in Demacia and doesn't exactly have fond memories of the place." She raised one blade in her good hand, and raised the other to her mouth. She smiled cruelly. "Let the bloodshed begin." She bore her pearly white teeth as she bit down on the leather wrapped handle of the blade.
"As you wish, mistress."
Katarina disappeared in a flash of blue light and Talon exploded in a cloud of blades. They charged forward as Jarvan raised his lance defensively, preparing for the worst of their charge.
A wall of flames erupted across their path, both assassins crashing to a halt on the ground. Talon slid into the edge of the flames and he scrambled backwards, his leather boots steaming as he splashed them in a puddle. He opened his mouth to snarl an insult at the prince but the roar of a demon-like beast echoing through the forest cut him off. The sound was demonic but feminine, as if an inner rage had taken over the body of a young woman. The ground began to rumble as a tree practically exploded, brilliant orange light erupting into the air in a rolling fireball.
Shyvana crashed through the undergrowth, her shoulders heaving as she shouldered an entire tree to the side, the trunk splintering as she charged. She leaped the last forty feel, splashing to the ground in front of Jarvan, sending dirt, mud and rock crashing down around them. She slowly stood up, liquid orange fire dripping from her fingertips as she straightened her back, looking down her nose at the two assassins who now sat, stunned on the ground. Steam and fire swirled around Shyvana, fury laced in her expression and pouring from her eyes. She stood loosely on two feet, though her hands were clenched into fists that dripped with molten glass and fire. Blue scales shown on her cheeks and crawled up her arms and legs, leathery blue skin slowly spreading along her limbs. Shyvana snarled, pulling her lips back to reveal razor sharp fangs that matched the horns that protruded from her hair as the ruby locks swirled around her, held aloft by the heat of her flames. Steam and smoke swirled in the air as she snorted in anger at the two wounded Noxian assassins who had skidded to a half-hearted stop many feet away.
Shyvana's eyes were reptilian slits that glowed orange like the sun and her hands, mighty claws each long again as half the length of her hand. She took a single step forwards and roared, the sound echoing around the forest and drowning out the sound of the rain as a bolt of lightning rumbling overhead.
Katarina took a step back carefully as Talon blinked lamely.
"Well…. that's a neat party trick." Talon muttered off the cuff, the sound of his own voice frightening him. Katarina took a second step backwards as her knees threatened to fall out from under her.
"Afraid, little girl?" Shyvana rumbled, her smile drawing her lips back to reveal her long fangs again.
"Shyvana…" Jarvan said, a small grin forming on his face. The dragoness turned to look over her shoulder and her eyes focused on him momentarily, anger dripping from her eyes. She blinked once and smiled, a softness in her expression that caused the smile to spread on his face. It melted immediately at the sound of Katarina's haughty, forced laugh.
"Hardly." Katarina managed to stammer, trying to keep her voice from quivering. "I was only enjoying your friend a little more than I should have." Shyvana froze, the hair standing up on the back of her neck as she clenched her fists. Flames exploded around her hands, threatening to burn her clothes clean away. Her armor hung from her body, clanking and shuddering as flames battered her body. Her cloak smoldered in the rain and flames, only the overly damp conditions keeping it from exploding into flames. The tone that Katarina had spoken in, the implication of her actions towards Jarvan, it only proved to infuriate the dragoness.
"Now! Talon!" Katarina shouted, launching forwards toward the dragoness, hoping the fury had blinded the dragoness. Talon exploded in a flurry of blades and light as he launched forward as well. Shyvana reared her fists back, enshrouding them in flames, and struck out, the blow striking both Katarina and Talon with a wall of flames. They were knocked back, but their blades continued onwards, striking at Shyvana through the flames. She roared as the blades barely grazed her skin, one bouncing off the scales on her face. The blow only served to knock her head slightly askew and that only served to anger the dragoness. Shyvana sprinted forward, kicking off the mud as flames swirled around her feet. She launched a flurry of left and right hand blows at Katarina as the assassin stumbled backwards. The heat must have been immense because she was struggling to keep her eyes open and Jarvan could see steam rising from the rain that fell towards them.
Katarina's leg struck a root that extended up from the ground and she fell backwards into the mud. She snuck a hand upwards though, driving a dagger into Shyvana's leg above her knee. She vanished in a ball of blue light as Talon launched a quick counterattack at the dragoness. Shyvana stumbled, her leg reacting slower than is should have because of the blade. Jarvan had clambered to his feet and tossed a standard between the two of them, the long pole striking the ground just before the assassin.
Talon smacked into the steel pole face first and bounced off, struggling to keep his footing as he bounded back, clutching at his smashed nose. "DAMNIT!" He roared as Jarvan snickered at him. Katarina appeared at his side, a grimace on her face.
"Keep it together." The red haired Noxian assassin hissed as she raised her blades up before her as best he could. One was still clenched in her teeth and she had trouble forming the words. Jarvan approached Shyvana's side as she pulled the dagger from her leg. She looked at it briefly and then licked the blood from the blade, a demonic grin appearing in response from the appalled look on Katarina's face.
"I'll teach you to attack my mate." The dragoness growled. Jarvan began to blush, but he didn't have time to even compute the words that she had said.
Jarvan leapt backwards as Katarina appeared directly above him and sent a hail of daggers piercing the ground directly below her as she spun through the air in a graceful pirouette before vanishing again appearing crouched on the limb of a distant tree. Shyvana snarled and merely knocked the blades aside with a blast of flames, many of the daggers splashing harmlessly into the mud. She looked to the side, barely glancing at the prince where he lay in the mud from diving aside. Talon appeared before her as her attention snapped back, barely catching a glimpse of the cloaked assassin exploded in a cloud of blades. Shyvana roared in indignation as blades glanced off her scales, some of the blades striking her softer flesh leaving gashes in their wake. Talon reappeared in front of her face, his blade drawn back as the blades drew back in, some of them slicing through Shyvana's cloak, others merely bouncing off her armor and scales. Talon swiped his blade towards her face, Shyvana sinking back as the blade carved an arc through the air just above her nose. Shyvana reached out and grabbed a hand full of his cloak and pulled him in, crashing her forehead into his already wounded nose and sent him snarling backwards. Talon snarled angrily as he lashed out at the dragoness and sent out a rake of blades as he ducked a flame cloaked high kick, his injured arm held over his nose, blood pouring from his face. Jarvan tossed his lance behind Talon and then took off with a grunt, sprinting towards him. Jarvan let his feet slide out from under him as he launched Talon into the air, ducking the blades as they retracted.
"Shyvana!" Jarvan shouted as he slid past, the assassin wearing a stunned look on his face as he hung in the air. Shyvana grinned as she drew her arms back, a ball of flame forming around her fist. She punched out, flames exploding out from her fists as they struck the assassin. Jarvan rolled and drew his lance from the ground with his good arm and swung, connecting with Katarina as she moved in to strike at the dragoness's exposed back. Shyvana connected another blow with the smoldering Talon as he arced through the air.
Katarina had slunk back just out of range as Jarvan's lance grazed her arm, leaving a slender scar along her exposed forearm. She raised her head to look for another blow, but one was already rushing in for her head. Katarina felt her cheek burn as the dragoness landed an open handed blow across her face. The blow snapped her head around, leaving her stunned, the blow burning bright red.
"He's mine, I tell you!" Shyvana hissed as she swirled and launched a flaming kick that landed in Katarina's side. She felt another crack as ribs shattered under the blow of the fury driven dragoness.
Jarvan spun as the swirl of cloak and the scent of slightly singed flesh filled his nostrils. Jarvan spun into Talon, the smoldering assassin's blade poised over his throat, now the back of his neck. Jarvan reared his head back as the Assassin was taken aback and then crashed his forehead into the older man's nose, sending him stumbling backwards, clutching the bleeding wound.
"What is it with you bastards and the fucking nose!?" Talon snarled as he fell backwards. Jarvan swung his lance around in an overhand blow that would have crushed his head, but Talon just barely managed to raise his arm to parry it in time. The metal sparked and Jarvan's lance rebounded, but Jarvan didn't allow him time to counter attack. The prince simply planted his boot in Talon's gut, sending him sprawling out along the ground, clipping him with the tip of his lance as he flew, the single handed blow just slow enough to avoid completely bisecting him. Instead, the blow merely glanced off his chest, leaving a deep scar along his chest, shredding his cloak and armor. The wound was bleeding profusely as he crashed into the mud. He lay still this time though, only the rise and fall of his chest to show that he was all but dead.
Katarina was sent flying in the same direction as Shyvana huffed with anger, the smaller assassin leaving a trail of smoke in her wake, the flaming blows threatening to ignite her clothes. Katarina struggled through the air, arcing towards a tree. She managed to twist herself about and then kicked off the tree, using it to propel herself towards the dragoness. Shyvana was taken aback by the speed at which the assassin came and Katarina was able to pierce through her flaming defense. She passed the dragoness and used the blade she clenched in her mouth to try and rake across the dragoness's stomach. Shyvana hissed but ducked out of the way as Katarina blinked away, appearing again in another tree before she blinked away again, spinning towards Shyvana in a flurry of blades.
"You missed!" Shyvana snarled, her arm reared back. He smashed her fist into the assassin's face, a mighty CRACK resounding. The assassin was sent flying again and Shyvana followed her arc, using the flames to carry her faster. She leapt up through the air, carried by the heat of her flames and found herself above the assassin, her arm raised back again. Shyvana struck straight down this time, hammering her fist into the Assassin's exposed abdomen, the blow driving her into the ground like a pile driver. She hit a puddle and though it cushioned her fall, it did nothing to protect against the pain that was welling in her abdomen.
Katarina gasped desperately for breath a few times and then rolled to her hands and knees, retching. Blood and bile spilled into the mud as the retching turned to painfully ragged coughing. Katarina rolled over, sucking in air at last, gasping for breath. Her left eye was swollen over, the old scar she still carried almost split back open.
Shyvana nudged Katarina's side with a boot, and the assassin squealed in pain.
"Get up." Shyvana rumbled. "I'm not done with you."
"Enough, Shyvana." Jarvan said weakly. The dragon turned to oppose him, but at the sight of the blood beginning to pool around him, the anger drained from her face.
Katarina laughed weakly, coughing up more blood. "I don't miss, bitch."
Shyvana silenced her with a snarl, the Noxian sinking back in fear. Shyvana turned back to the prince, looking him up and down, dread pooling in her stomach as she realized just how much blood had pooled on the ground. Jarvan held an arm across his stomach as blood poured from the deep gash, his head body swaying slightly as he struggled to stay upright. Jarvan crashed backwards towards a tree as Shyvana surged forward and caught him, though she only barely managed to ease the fall. Jarvan grunted in pain, struggling to keep head upright. Shyvana eased him down, the prince sinking down into the mud.
Katarina groaned and rolled over. Shyvana spun as she burst up from Jarvan's side and took up a defensive stance in front of Jarvan, her arms extended in front of her. Katarina pushed herself up onto all fours, her arms trembling as she struggled to keep herself from collapsing back into the mud.
"Talon's right. What is it with you Demacians and the fucking face?" Katarina said softly, the sound of rain drops hitting puddles filling the air, the deafening sound of battle suddenly absent. "You're formidable." She pushed herself delicately up onto her legs, but as she tried to stand, she sunk back to her knees. The assassin hissed in pain as she sheathed her blades with her good arm, an expression showing a mix happiness and pain as the twisting caused her broken ribs to ache. "You'll fare well when you arrive in Demacia." She wiped some of the red hair plastered to her head with mud from her face, tucking it behind her ear.
"I…" Shyvana said, trying to hide her surprise. "Thank you… I..." Her arms fell to her side as her anger finally subsided. Katarina nodded, finally taking an uneasy step forwards and then leaping into the air, disappearing in a flash of blue light and then reappearing again close to Jarvan. Shyvana began to spin and react, as Jarvan tried to lamely defend himself, all of his strength drained from him by the cold and fighting. He started to react but Katarina was armed with only a coy smile. She leaned down and planted a kiss on Jarvan's cheek. The prince and Shyvana sat there stunned for several seconds as she stepped away. She flashed away, just in time to dodge the swing that Shyvana had aimed directly at her chin. She reappeared next to where Talon still lay on the ground. Jarvan's hand went to where he had felt her hot lips pressed to his cheek, his face turning red. Shyvana glared at her as heat started to pour from her body and shot Jarvan a glare that pooled ice in his stomach.
"They call it the kiss of death." Katarina said with a cold smile as he turned to the prince. "For you Jarvan Lightshield IV, I hope it prevents it." Shyvana was glaring daggers at her, but Katarina could only smile painfully as she clutched her side.
"Thanks…" Jarvan mumbled, weakly.
"Get up." Katarina said as she clutched her side, splashing the injured assassin with water from a puddle. She sent a cascade of water over him, causing him to cough and groan as he clutched as his chest. He spluttered the water out of his mouth in a heave of coughing as Katarina tugged him to his feet.
"I can't believe I was defeated." Talon muttered lamely, grunting with pain as Katarina leaned heavily against him as he got to his feet. She grunted as her legs collapsed, Talon struggling to catch her. She squealed in pain as he tried to catch her side where her ribs were broken. She breathed heavily, letting the pain flow through her.
"And that is precisely why you lost, you pompous idiot." Katarina said with a breath of exertion. "Damnit that hurts…"
"Oh shut it." Talon grumbled, draping her good arm around his neck and helping her up carefully. He started to turn away, but Katarina tapped his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.
"Hold on a second…" Katarina said softly. Talon paused and turned back to the dragoness and prince. "When you're able… come and find me in Noxus. I'll answer any questions you and the prince have. It's the least I can do for your victory." Shyvana nodded sternly, though her eyes burned angrily.
"If anything comes of him… I will make sure you pay with your life." Shyvana snarled cruelly. Katarina smiled and nodded. Talon glanced at her and she nodded again to Talon. The assassin turned, nodded to the prince and shot an odd glance that was a mix of both adoration and fear at Shyvana. He leapt into the air and flashed away, disappearing into the night.
Jarvan sat lamely where he had fallen, his weapon sitting beside him in the mud as his mind struggled to grasp what the hell had just happened. Only the sound of rain could be heard around him as he blinked the water from his eyes as it streamed down his face. He tried to push himself up, but it only caused blood to pour out of the gash across his stomach. Jarvan sat back painfully, trying to put a frown on his face, but he couldn't find the energy for even that.
Damnit. Jarvan thought, sitting back, letting the pain embrace him slowly. I've lost too much blood.
"Are you okay?" Shyvana said softly, sinking to her knees next to Jarvan. Her bright magenta eyes shown brilliantly against the night as darkness swam around the edges of his vision. Jarvan stared at her for a few seconds, taking in the gentle lines of her face and the curves of her body, only accented by the shredded clothes and pieces of armor that the flurry of blades had left her. Worry crossed her face as Jarvan blinked.
"I…I'm…. tired." Jarvan murmured, his chin resting against his chest as he sank deeper towards the ground. He blinked slowly, his eyelids struggling to rise back up.
"Hey now…" Shyvana said, choking a bit on her own words, as Jarvan seemed to slip away. The mud around him was crimson, and more blood poured from the wound under his shoulder and the deep cuts that decorated his body. Worst of all was his stomach, where blood still poured from the wound. "You're fine!" Shyvana exclaimed as excitedly as she cloud, grasping his hand in both of hers and squeezing it tight, forcing a smile onto her face. Jarvan's body was deathly cold, much of the color having already drained from his face. The prince coughed raggedly, blood splashing down his chin.
Shyvana fumbled with the pouch on her hip, ripping it off her belt and spilling the contents out in the mud around her. A tinkling of glass, some bloodied gauze and a few other small items splashed down next to her. Shyvana felt as if her heart were being ripped out as she scraped the glass out of the mud. The last health potion that Isaacs had given her had been shattered. Shyvana suddenly felt broken and defeated as she looked to wear Jarvan lay in a pool of his own blood. Tears clouded her eyes as she looked at him, unable to help him. Her one hope had been crushed due to her own carelessness and now, Jarvan, her savior, her everything, was going to pay the price for it.
"….Thank you." Jarvan said, looking up at her, speaking softly and kindly, his hand slowly starting to go limp in her hands.
"Me?" Shyvana said weakly, choking back tears. "What did…" She closed her eyes for a brief moment, a warm streak marring her cheek. "What did I do…"
"For answering my question." Jarvan murmured. "For helping me find what was missing after two years." He gave her hand a squeeze, his fingers trembling as she clutched her hands around his. "Thank… you…"
"Wait…." Shyvana begged, tears clouding her vision as she tugged on his hand. "Wait… don't go…"
Jarvan could only feel the warmth around his hands and a few warm splashes across his face as tears poured down Shyvana's face, the dragoness clutching his hand firmly.
Rain poured down around them.
"No…" Shyvana sobbed. "Jarvan…"
His eyes fluttered shut as he took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.
"NO!" Shyvana screamed as Jarvan's hand fell completely limp in her grasp. Tears streamed down her face as she as she pounded on his chest. "YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME!" She screamed through wounded sobs, water and tear dripping from her face. She screwed up her brow as sobs shook her body, her shoulders hanging as she leaned against his chest, clawing at his armor, as if it were holding him to the mortal plain. "I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE AGAIN, JARVAN!"
"…I'll… only…. sleep a… lil'…while…" Jarvan murmured. His eyes fluttered open and he offered her a fleeting, lopsided grin. Shyvana felt her heart ache as Jarvan's head hung and his eyes grew dim and distant.
"JARVAN!" Shyvana screamed angrily, her entire body now convulsing with her grievous sobs. Her throat burned as she openly wept. She hated herself for realizing there was nothing she could do for the one she held dearest to her heart. As she cried and shook with pain, she felt her own body weaken, her sobs slowly dying. They had grown soft and low now as she clutched at Jarvan's chest desperately, trying to hold onto the spirit before it could escape. "Please…." Shyvana croaked, shaking her head. "Come back to me… Jarvan… My Jarvan… my prince…"
The haunting image of Shyvana crying over his beaten and bloodied body burned in Jarvan's mind like a brand as darkness began to enshroud his mind. He suddenly didn't want to sleep anymore, but his body couldn't move.
The prince felt frozen as the world around him faded to white, the chilling sound of a young dragoness's pain wracked sobs echoing through his mind endlessly.
It all faded to white.
Pure, brilliant, white.