Dennis grasped the sword. His childhood was coming back to him in a whirlwind. Of course, there was a good deal of difference between clashing wooden sticks with his brother and fighting for his life, but he didn't have any other experience to infer to. He had no choice.
Something was happening. Dennis couldn't fully sort out the meaning, but he thought he felt his lip quiver. Moisture was building up in his eyes. He tried to suppress it with a firm, defiant look, but the growing heat in his face was undeniable. He must've been a truly terrifying spectre, with his blinking eyes and a disfiguring frown.
Pixel matched it with an equally unflattering face. His eyes were bloodthirsty, and his grin was full, barring all his teeth like an animal. He acted with vindictive confidence, fully assured of what would happen in the next few minutes.
Adrenaline could only do so much. It could stiffen Dennis's resolve, sharpen his focus, expedite his reflexes, but it couldn't give him previously unpracticed skill. He still was no fighter, and his luck could only hold out for so long before his adversary gained ground.
His hearing was sharpend by the danger. He could hear Green's grunts of effort getting weaker. Smith hadn't even broken a sweat. Dennis wanted to help, but Pixel wasn't playing. Pixel wouldn't hesitate. Dennis could never gain an advantage and have spare time to assist Green.
Over the clashing and crossing of swords, he whipped a glance at Orange. Orange was troubled, as if he were thinking the same thing as Dennis. Yet, his hands were also full. The chalky archer had an unquestionable height advantage, and even with the pencil, it was a tight match. He wanted nothing more than to turn and help Green, but he couldn't.
Dennis heared Red's peals of laughter as he taunted the sign guy. He was as agile as a cat, able to dodge most of his opponent's blows. His own punches accomplished little, and if not for his liquid movements, he would've been on the floor, bruised and bloodied, many minutes before.
So there really was nothing that anyone could do to relieve Green. Even supposing that one could escape his own attacker without getting killed, his opponent would be come doubly hard against Orange and Red , each of which could hardly manage on their own. It was vital to remain as they were.
Green's heavy breathing was loud and strained. It made Dennis's stomach sink. Green was knocked to the ground a dozen times. Still he jumped up and wiped the blood from his cheek. Smith played with him like a ragdoll. He was allowed into think that it was a fair match. Green's own blows were dodged or ineffectual. His sunglasses covered his eyes, but Dennis could imagine his listless expression, and it was infuriating.
Smith sighed. With a deft motion on his arm device, a lasso appeared. Smith strung it around his hand and cracked it like a whip. Green hardly had time to catch his breath before the cord came down on him. Green didn't utter a word.
Dennis felt the whip's sting. Dennis could've screamed in falsetto. He could've lunged for Smith, come what may. He could've taken a whip's scars himself. It still would've hurt him less than seeing what he saw, hearing what he heard, and being unable to do literally anything about it.
Dennis couldn't turn around if he wanted to. Aside from being completely preoccupied, he couldn't handle gruesome sights. Especially when he had shared such camaraderie with the victim. His mind already painted the picture clear enough. The sounds of tightening cord made his stomach lurch. The crack of an impact was not unlike a rattlesnake's bite. Dennis couldn't stand it anymore.
He reached into his pocket. He let the pause buttons fly.
Dennis expected Smith to beat them aside. But he didn't. Too intent on Green's destruction, or perhaps unaware of the attack at all, one of the devices missed entirely. But it only took one. It hit its mark, and executed its intended purpose.
Smith was stiff. The whip still swung back and forth in his cold hands, but made no move against Green. He was completely inanimate.
Dennis forgot to breathe. He turned back to Pixel in a daze. That didn't just happen. But even if he did just completely incapacitate the strongest assailent – which he didn't – he was still in a desperate fight with one of his minions. He still needed another miracle or two.