A/N at end, be kind enough to read it :
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Chapter Twenty One
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Sweat dripped down the young boy's face, stinging into his bronze eyes. He quickly swung the generic pole arm trusted to him by his Spearman father into its aged case resting on his back. The giant metal weapon clicked into its temporary case rather easily, something the inexperienced warrior did not expect.
The shift of weight caused the young man to stumble forward, taking sloppy and trembling steps while trying not to break his important stride. His sweat laden palm clenched unconsciously, wetting yet securing the paper in his calloused hands. Searching among the battle ready parties, he spotted the recipient of the parchment; the teenager quickly made his way over to the fidgeting leader.
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Jorge's dark eyes quickly scanned the ranks, mentally recalling Alex's hasty orders.
So this was what it meant, he realized with eyes locked onto the blonde leader's immobile form, to be a true jobs man of Victoria Island. Here they were, merely a week after the designation ceremony, already laying their lives on the line for civilians, and ultimately, their whole continent. It was an immense feeling, the weight of the lives of innocents and other fighting souls around you, all pressing down on your shoulders until your back caved in from the inescapable pressure.
Jorge shook his head back and forth, bangs flopping in the temporary breeze his motion had created. Now was not a time for any sentimentality or emotional offshoots. He had to center himself on getting him and his newfound troops out of this: alive. His vision of the soon to be battle zone was impeded by a mop of brown, unruly hair.
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His throat felt raw from the constant screaming in his new important role. Rick rubbed his throat while glancing at the bustling crowd around him.
A young girl tripped, her untied bunny pattern shoelaces the apparent culprit. Mobs of people continued their desperate path for the door, ignoring the newest victim of the latest attack. A boot lunged particularly close to the fallen child's head; a small whimper followed by a sob of terror cut through the panicky air.
Rick watched as Jackie sprinted over to the now crying girl, lifting her gently yet urgently before whispering hastily into her ear. Tears stopped, the little girl nodded and wiped at her face before lifting her arms above her head. The Asian Thief quickly scooped the youth into her arms, taking off at a rapid pace for the crowded exit way.
He watched the tender moment silently, eyes twinkling at Jackie's tender actions. Maybe he should reconsider where he placed his attractions, he thought halfheartedly, eyes glued on Alex's still figure.
Or, he mused, maybe not just yet, as a small smile slid onto his face.
Rick cleared his throat, wincing at the forgotten pain, before he quickly returned to bellowing with what was left of his voice and nimbly directing the herd of villagers to their safety. As much as he disagreed with being kept out of the action, he knew the operation he happened to be running was of vital importance.
In fact, he thought cockily, it was perhaps more important then the fighting companies themselves. His voice continued to float over the chaos at the only secure exit even as the ringing coming from his belt loop signified an important announcement.
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"Are you sure that is what you heard?" Jorge spoke urgently.
"Yes sir. Here is the note, as well."
The brown haired youth backed away slowly, trying his hardest to read the squad commander's face. It was void of emotion. Hidden deep beneath the midnight locks, however, a different fate was suffered.
How could she- why would. No. This is getting me nowhere. I need to be calm. Okay. What could I possibly do to help this situation. Think Jorge, think. What options do I have? Which is best? Which could stop her from-
"Sir?" The Spearman looked up warily. He did not want to anger someone with such power, especially with such dire circumstances, but something needed to be done.
What to do, what to do... I could just send him back to his rank and hope for the best. Or-
"That's it!" the normally quiet boy shouted, rather out of character.
"Orders, sir?"
"Go and fetch me the strongest-"
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Alex stood up straighter, if that was at all possible and took two slight steps forward. In her left hand was the magical communicator, poised and ready for use.
On her back was a single Broadsword. The metallic weapon had a short, thick black hilt and relatively invisible crossguard: it was a slashing weapon through and though. The sword was crafted in a triangular manor, more specifically an upright isosceles triangle. The widest point on the blade was at the top of the hit, narrowing at an equal race until meeting in the dead center at the hilt. Virtually any part of the weapon touched would cut and sting.
In her right hand was her trusted Scimitar, the blade on the stronger sword slightly more tarnished and worn. Alex had doubled her training since the meeting, the scratches were proof of her dedication.
"Jackie, Jorge and Rick: can you hear me?"
The unanimous "yes" caused Alex to push on.
"Rick, how is the evacuation procedure running?"
"Smoothly Alex-sama, we should be finished here in a matter of minutes."
"Alright, good. When you finish, I would like you to join the second layer of Archers and their guards as the commanding officer. The communication device should be proof. Get going."
With an affirmative answer, Rick snapped his device shut and reached behind his back to feel his trusty bow. Reassurance aside, he continued to move the parents and family friends out of the building with his brisk pace.
"Jorge?"
"Yes Alex-senpai?"
Alex growled into the device. These honorifics would need to stop immediately. Her subconscious reminded her of the more pressing matters before she could protest.
"Are the ranks prepared?"
"Yes, I believe so."
Alex's head swung over her shoulder to see Jorge nearly fifty feet behind her, a row of combat armored Warriors behind him. She ran over to him, thoughts flashing in rapid fire movement through her head.
Everyone has got their weapons, it seems. Most of that armor looks too heavy to drag along to a meeting. Something just isn't adding up.
"Jorge, call up the other squad captains. Explain to me who and where."
"I am leading companies one and three, Alex-senpai, the Warriors, Bandits and battle Mages. Each two hundred and fifty group has been separated into fifty man squads which will attack in group formation. The Archer company will be following your call until Rick can arrive, unless you want-"
"No. You take the Archer units and I will take the first wave of Warriors."
Jorge looked up in slight awe; her voice left no room for reason and demanded authority.
He would have to ask her how she managed to do it later, much later.
By this time the other two temporary leaders had arrived at the front line.
The first was the young girl Alex had spotted at the meeting. Instead of the haphazard chains which had covered her previously, the girl seemed to be fit into a standard magician robe.
Standing adjacent to her was a familiar face: Joni. Alex hid her slight surprise and decided to trust Jorge's judgment.
It wasn't like there was time to sit down and debate it, Alex thought ruefully.
"Name?" she questioned, looking down at the newly met girl.
Her hair was blonde and shortly cut, as was popular with many of the new apprentice girls. Alex's steely, pale blue met a pair of brilliant blue-turquoise eyes. She was rather cute, Alex thought distractedly.
"Rachel," was the quick no nonsense answer. The blonde Guardian grinned at this. She liked the girl already.
"You are to lead the next line of defense: Clerics with an assortment of Bandits and Assassins. Separate your squads into ten groups of seventy.
For half of the groups, put thirty Clerics and twenty of each Thief job into circular formations, with the Clerics as the nucleus.
The other half will go into a row pattern formation. If a Thief named Jackie makes it to your company, you are relieved of command, understood?"
"Yes Alex-sensei." The blonde shook her head at the name, gritting her teeth.
"Joni, I want you to do similar formations, and basic training ones. The battle Mages can fend for themselves. Once you get everything situated, rush forward to meet the enemies. The time has come."
Joni nodded appreciatively and hurried back to his squad, formulating the proper attack patterns as he ran.
Alex look a brief moment to look down into her device; she immediately wished she hadn't.
Jackie's soulful eyes bore into her own, an unidentified emotion splashing out of the chocolate orbs.
"Jacks?" Alex asked softly, turning her head back to the enemy to break the uncomfortable stare.
"You never promised," her voice was sharp and cutting. Alex winced at the unexpected tone.
"Promised...?" the blonde trailed off, unsure of what was being asked.
"To not die." It took all of Jackie's will to keep her voice from shaking.
Alex glanced over at Jorge who was giving her the same glare.
"Jaclyn, stay safe for m- your family. If you've learned one thing about me..."
"Yeah?" The hopeful pitch in her best friend's voice nearly broke the taller girl's heart.
Her stony gaze turned over to Jorge.
"You two look out for each other, got it?"
"Alex?" Jackie still had that hopefully glint etched deep into her face. Alex looked back at the enemy.
"If you've learned one thing about me, it's that I don't make promises I don't intend to keep..."
The Guardian couldn't look back into her communicator,
"And I don't lie."
Alex quickly snapped the magical object shut, refusing to meet Jorge's gaze.
"Alex-"
"It's time."
Alex strode back to her commissioned groups, looking at each and every Warrior.
"It is time to defend. It is time to protect. It is time... to fight!"
The deafening roar at the end of her word's lightened Alex's heart somewhat. They would not go down without a fight, for that she was sure.
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"Are you in place?" Jorge spoke into his com.
"Yeah, I should be able to lead and-"
"Get ready," The floppy banged Mage drew his wand openly for the first time that day, a dull wooden shield strapped to his weaker arm.
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"Was that the last of them?" Rick panted, voice raw and aching.
Jackie scoured the room, trying her hardest to focus her mind on the task ahead.
"I believe so. Let's get into new position."
Thoughts tumbled onto one another in a whirlwind of action. Jackie was mad, scared, anxious, apprehensive, frightened, enraged and worried all at the same thing. The one thing she wasn't was the one she needed to be most: focused.
Okay Jackie, what the hell are you doing?
She closed her eyes for a brief moment, pulling together her thoughts in a self taught version of meditation. Rick watched on curiously until nudging her shoulder. They had fighting to do.
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Alex felt calmly reassured by the steel under her street clothes. It had been a training school basic spell, allowing the user to temporarily meld armor into common day clothing.
The spell had a trigger, and the user could choose to feel the heavy armor underneath, or the processed fabrics on the surface.
Alex had a body fitting set of plate armor on underneath her casual wear, and if she strained her ears she could hear the whispering clink of metal as she shifted to grab her broadsword.
Her distracted train of though ended when the same comforting clink reached her ears from nearly ten yards away. The enemy was here.
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The Archers let loose a volley of finely sharpened arrows as the foe approached the first line of defense. The newcomers didn't seem to expect this, as nearly twenty five fell to the floor, moaning from arrow wounds.
Urgently restringing or reloading their respective bows, many of the apprentice Archers brashly shot off a second stream of arrows.
This time expecting the attack, the opposition raised shields or covered in groups from the deadly attack.
Due to the lack of experience with their weapons, most of the arrows failed to connect with flesh a second time.
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With a sword raised above her unguarded head, the lone Guardian of Victoria Island charged forth.
Her right arm twitched, causing her first opponent of the day to raise his arm to block the faint. The blonde haired girl quickly thrust forward her left arm, wrist up, to cleanly slice through the chest cavity of the now defenseless enemy.
Another armored fighter charged forth, emitting a war cry to announce his presence. Alex muttered under her breathe of his stupidity while raising her right arm to counter the blow, simultaneously twisting and yanking her Broadsword clean of the now limp body.
A thick squirt of blood covered her illusionary street clothing.
Alex grimaced but continued to plow forward , arms gliding and twisting with a superior grace to most she cut down.
The stained metal flashed through the dimly lit arena, light glinting and flashing at random angles and between numerous swings of her personal dance.
She spun, limbs a flash before chopping and counterattacking through most of the enemies' stingy armor.
Alex didn't dare look around her to check on the progress around her, instead issues commands and sequences mid-parry and swing.
An accumulation of bodies littered her well traveled path, extremities and mangled flesh trying to feebly pull itself back together again near her steel toed boots.
As a new rush of reinforcements surged forward into the battle, Alex took the brief second to impulsively wipe the astringent sweat out from her eyes. She had cleared the right flank of the enemy, and in a split decision decided to double back and fight in a more group orientated setting on the left side of the battle.
She rushed towards a group of six isolated Warriors and Bandits: three held one handed swords or axes with battered shields, two were fighting with biting daggers, and one held a two handed sword. That was where the problem lie.
The group surrounded the new jobs men had a much longer range of reach, holding numerous spears and pole arms.
Alex watched in somewhat horror as the invaders slashed and stabbed at the near helpless group; there was no guarantee she would make it to them in time.
The wielder of the two handed sword, similar to her old blue hilted one, charged towards two of the weaker spear holders recklessly, swinging his blade in a slashing arc. The resultant attack left the two foreign Warriors bleeding on the dusty floor, leaving an opening for his five companions, which they took gratefully. The blonde girl nearly spit in disgust at the cowardly actions.
The young man with black matted hair tried to shift his sword up to meet the pole arm in a direct path for a collision course with the top of his helmet less head. Said piece of armor had been knocked off during the skirmish with the two Spearmen.
His startling purple eyes looked up with fear and defiance at his current attacker.
Between the energy used for his duel attack and the constant sword swinging before said situation, his stamina was nearing empty, fast.
All of this was only fed further by his surely frazzled nerves and heightening fear. T
he teenage Warrior flinched, effectively closing his eyes and waited for his inevitable death and the pain to accompany it. It never came.
The raven looked up to see a fighter with blonde hair standing protectively in front of him, her Broadsword cleanly gutting the pole arm user.
The saved youth winced again, taking in the widened eyes of his attacker, shocked even in death, and the thin trickle of blood seeping from his mouth.
The savior's other hand was parrying a spear with her sturdy Scimitar easily; her corresponding leg lashed out viciously to incapacitate the enemy before swiftly decapitating him.
With unknown speed, the blonde girl dropped both swords, one still lodged into the dead enemy's stomach, and went after the last two of the remaining attackers.
With a smooth practiced motion her fist struck out in a intricate dance. Halfway through she drew her four inch dagger, plunging it into the heart of the second to last pole arm user. Instead of falling to the ground in a bloody pool, he left this world with a distinct popping sound, before vanishing completely.
The final Spearman suffered a similar fate with the blue hilted sword traveling through his skull, complements of the black hair, purple eyed victim. He was panting as he rested his head silently on the blade of the sword, driven into the ground from the momentum of his attack.
"What's your name?" Alex asked curiously.
"Everyone calls me Tyler," the boy replied, looking up at the Guardian with a crooked smile on his face. He stared up at Alex's inquisitive face with confusion. Her puzzled expression was replaced with a gleam of knowledge in her blue-gray eyes and a small smile on her face.
"So that's it."
"Huh?"
"Ah," Alex rubbed the back of her head with embarrassment.
" Nothing. Let's get you over there to safety."
She pointed over to the Clerics, nearly a fifty feet back. They all seemed to be in rapid work, conjuring up the strongest healing spells manageable for ones at their level of apprenticeship.
Tyler went to stand up, but his knees faltered, overcome with the grief of battle. Alex looked down understandingly, nimbly strapping both of her swords to her back after trying to wipe off most of the congealed blood on the cracked floor surface. She then slung Tyler's arm over her back, seeing that he was three inches taller then her, if not more, and proceeded to support him over to safety.
As she reached the border of Clerics, she placed Tyler down as gingerly as humanly possible.
"We should train together sometime," She grinned down at him, features softening for the first time since the battle had started. He returned the expression and nodded his approval.
"What's your Com number?"
"Com?" he asked up, confused.
"The standard issue communicators?"
"Oh!" He quickly gave it over with a slight blush of embarrassment tinting his cheeks.
After quickly punching it in to her own, Alex nodded before turning back to the battle, new plan in mind.
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Jorge brought his shield arm up to swipe at the bangs plastered to his sweaty forehead.
He whispered another silent spell, swinging his wand in a full arc as his lips moved near silently. A claw of magic struck out at an opposing Bandit, tearing into his skin and ultimately killing him as he lay writhing on the floor.
Jorge looked over to see Jackie removing her daggers from a man's neck and side, grimacing at the flood of blood pouring from his limp body.
An axeman ran at the sorrowful Thief from her blind spot, and before Jorge could call out to warn her, an arrow punched into his eye socket, dropping him effectively.
Rick pulled back his bow coolly, reaching over his shoulder to pull out another arrow to load. At once, all three of their Coms started shrieking.
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"I've figured it out."
"Figured what out Alex?"
"Just meet me back by the Cleric formation, I have a plan."
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The four recovered back by the Clerics, receiving complementary healing which they shouted their thanks, with the exception of Rick, who didn't have a voice to call out with.
"Have any of your enemies just disappeared?" Alex asked eagerly.
Jorge and Jackie shared looks and nods.
"Alright, I think I understand it now. This is what we're going to do..."
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Tyler cried out in slight pain at the novice Cleric who was healing him. He knew it wasn't the poor guy's fault, but damn, if that didn't make it any less painful.
"Who was that?" The purple eyed boy nodded towards the blonde savior and her three friends. She had dried blood and dirt caked onto her serious face, but nothing seemed to startle the girl. She was quite a looker, he thought, stopping the grinding of his teeth to smile deviously, and obviously very strong.
The Cleric looked down at him as if he should check for head trauma.
"That's the number one rookie, first Guardian in centuries."
"That is the Guardian?" His jaw nearly dropped.
"Yeah, that's her."
" The mysterious one everyone's been gossiping about?" He laughed to himself.
"And I got her number."
The novice shook his head at the obvious stupidity of the boy.
"No, she has your number," he smirked, " And just wants to beat your face into the ground."
The cocky smile fell off of Tyler's features as he visibly paled.
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Alex lead the formation, Jackie and Jorge at her side and four steps behind her with Rick centered and four steps behind the two. With a sudden speed, the group turned towards the exposed right flank, running at maximum velocity. Alex scanned the crowd, eyes glinting as she found her mark.
"Now!"
Rick, Jackie and Jorge sprinted off towards the center, starting their fierce attack on the core of the mob. If they could break the troops up, Alex would have a chance.
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"Joni!" Alex ordered into her Com, "Take half the remaining forces and shift around to the left flank. Take the other half and have them cut through on the right side."
Never once had the Guardian broken her stride.
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Alex weaved through the distracted invading force, keeping low and cutting down anyone who recognized her.
Finally, after numerous fights, she had reached her destination, just as the two opposing forces had crashed down on either side of the enemy.
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The three guards were perhaps more skilled then the rest of the force, but still not a match for Alex's extensive training.
She attacked the magic wielder first, slicing his wooden staff neatly in two. He called out a spell in the distinct tongue of the magician and let loose an unavoidable magic claw in her direction.
Ancient words spread through Alex's veins and thickly coated and urged her tongue into speaking the strange language.
In the instant before the claw tore into her armor her swords connected with the Magician, the powerful attack snaking out to slam into the other guards waiting for an opening to attack.
All three collapsed into the ground, already corpses.
The magical attack thudded as it impacted her sturdy layer of armor, denting it but not slicing through to cause skin or bone injury.
Her new sword slice had taken a lot out of her though, as she stood panting in front of the odd figure, swords drawn and begging to start their familiar dance.
"Hello there," Alex greeted the mute figure, a trickle of blood sloshing down the right side of her face from her hairline, delving past her temple to free fall from her stubborn chin.
The figure before her was clad in a blood red Chaos Robe with basic Magician shoes on his planted feet and a long battle staff in front of his centered body. His face was shadowed by a common green Mage hat, which covered nearly half of the top features of his face.
A sadistic grin could be seen peaking out from under his bright hat.
Without a word, the ambiguous figure raised his staff in front of his face, his other arm pulling back with a practiced gesture as a large arrow crafted out of fire materialized.
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Jackie glanced over her shoulder with worry spilling from her eyes, unable to find Alex in the unraveling chaos around her.
The plan had been a success, to a degree.
The Islanders had the element of surprise on their side now, and the two pronged attack had given the new apprentices the upper hand: for now.
She saw Rick battling to get away from a hulking blunt weapon Warrior and quickly stepped in to fell him.
The shock was wearing off, she noted as Jorge released magic claw after magic claw, and soon they would be swamped again, with no chance of retreat.
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Alex groaned out in pain as the tenth arrow fired pierced into her still poisoned arm, stumbling back a step.
The cloaked man in front of her was panting: from magical energy depletion as well as physical exertion.
A deep gash on his side was bleeding as well an oozing cut on his staff arm.
"You are a good fighter, much better then the pathetic mess you once were."
Alex froze, nearly forgetting to breathe. That voice...
A growl built up deep in her throat, unfurling from her gritting teeth.
"You." The never forgotten man chuckled at her anger.
"Me," he replied, mockingly.
"I promised to kill you, and I will." She ground out, still in her primal state of mind.
Kill. Destroy. Murder.
Kill... Revenge... Kill.
Kill.
Alex's swords emitted a strange glow: a pulsing lime green haze enveloping and strengthening them. The glow soon captured her entire body, the bloodcurdling growl once again breaking loose of her throat.
With a new found speed Alex took off at a lightning quick run, much faster then the average eye of a new trainee could spot.
Her swords, still radiating power cut deep into the hated man, who merely looked up at her.
The Broadsword shattered the instant it connected with the figure's side, pieces of sharp metal dropping uselessly to the floor. Alex dropped the harmless hilt, letting it too fall to join it's defeated companion.
The Scimitar sunk through the thin Mage robe and stuck into the man.
Alex drew her dagger, which reacted the same way as her other weapons, before driving it hilt deep into the Magician's chest. Instead of feeling his heart or any of the normal splatter of blood, Alex could faintly make out metal clinking against metal.
The man started to melt from existence, his twisted grin still in place.
"Until we meet again, little girl..." His dark voice faded as his body disappeared from the battleground, taking her sword with it.
Alex lifted up her dagger with shaky arms and stumbled out to the battle field.
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Joni looked around nervously.
How much longer were they expected to hold off these fighters?
It was obvious their forces were fading.
He pushed forward, screeching out a magic spell.
Feeling his magic reserves at their end, Joni quickly took our a small glass vial filled with blue liquid.
Popping the cork with a grimy hand he chugged back the contents; Joni instantly felt refreshed and continued shouting out his learned spells.
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As much as she hated to admit it, Jackie was tired.
Perhaps tired was not the best phrasing, instead it was safe to say a bone deep ache had settled into her body, slowing her down when she could not afford to be off.
"Jorge," she called out desperately, "Can you see her?"
"No word yet-"
A blinding flash of light overtook the area, causing nearly everyone to cover their eyes.
When the visual attack was over, Jackie opened her eyes to see nearly seventy five percent of the enemy to have vanished mysteriously, dead or otherwise.
With an invigorating battle cry, she sprung forward, attacking the final troops which had brought them into danger.
After her forces were done with the remaining enemy, leaving none to survive, her head snapped back around to view the crowd.
Numerous parties were jumping around, adrenaline still pumping through their bodies, celebrating their first victory. A more sizable amount of fighters were heading off to the clerics for healing.
Jorge and Rick had tired smiles on their face, while Joni looked too tired to smile.
There are still so many under answered questions. What just happened? Where are the Four? Why did those enemies disappear? Where is-
"Alex!" Jackie cried out, running towards the girl even though her aching legs protested wholeheartedly.
Ignoring the pain Jackie ran to her best friend, noticing the injuries racking her body: her shoulder was re injured, a cut on her face was bleeding at a rapid rate, another cut on her head had soaked the normally golden locks a grimy red, and two deep cuts were marring her stomach and leg.
All in all her teammate looked a mess.
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Alex trudged onward, her head spinning in circles and her limbs felt as if burdened with piles of lead.
That man, that vile, wretched, cursed existence of a man. She had found him, and he had once again proven her worthlessness. That sick smile, still on his face, as it was nearly a decade ago. She would have spit on the ground, if she had known which way was up and which was down.
The blonde could feel her wounds still bleeding, a bad sign, as her head lost its sense of balance momentarily. Too much blood loss, she realized.
She thought she had heard someone call her name, but the blood and sweat dripping into her eyes and the amount of blood she knew wasn't in her body made it doubtable at best. Alex took another step before her knees gave out, leg injury causing her to hiss out in pain.
Soft delicate hands broke her fall, keeping her somewhat upright.
"Alex! Alex? Can you hear me?" That was Jackie's eager voice in her eye
"Thank the Gods.." she whispered out, as Jorge, Rick and Joni clouded her softening vision.
She felt sleep pull at her eyelids, heavy and demanding.
"You didn't die."
The Guardian's vision went as dark as night as she slipped into unconsciousness.
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Word Count without title and author's notes : 5,065
This is my longest chapter, ever, basically. I am putting a new poll up on my page which I would be in your eternal debt if you would kindly vote.
Also, please take the time to review. It really does make my day, especially when I take 5-7 hours to sit down and push out a chapter, so yeah. This story currently has 2 more reviews then my Bleach FF, and I write whichever has more reviews. Hope this chapter is to your statisfaction,
-Dak