Day Twenty-Seven: Hero

"Lani!" The panicked scream, as panicked as it can be and indicating surprised terror, comes from the other side of the Cornucopia, and I can't take my ears out of it. Elia, it has to be. She's the only one who screams like that, the only one I haven't accounted for. The only one I've misplaced, and I promised I wouldn't leave her side so gems I hope she's ok. My sword flicks from hand to hand, the Ten boy (for all his skills. He was rejected from the Squad, after all) is gutted in an instant. He collapses, eyes wide, and I'm running.

"Lani!" I can see Elia, now, and her spear is slashing at the air in a vicious threat that can only mean she's scared. She's outnumbered. Trebius, her district partner, has his hammer. Arendelle from Seven, laughing brunette with an axe in her hand. What in Twelve's ashes has possessed Trebius to switch sides, to defect and join Arendelle in this fight eludes me. We got on well in training, he'd even been elected (by acclamation) leader. Now he's menacing her.

"Lani!" Elation, now, because Elia sees me and Trebius, Arendelle are turning. Two on two isn't good. It's too late for Trebius to move now.

I slam into Trebius shoulder-first, and I may be 5'6 and he may be 6'2 but the axe flies from his hand. He's knocked back, and now I've got my sword and myself between him and Elia. I spare a glance back, see Elia turn against Arendelle. Now without the laugh, now with a grim set to her jaw. Only one half is going out of this alive, and Trebius is reaching for a sword, shorter than mine. Holding it as a threat.

I lunge and now he's stepping back. My teeth are bared in a furious, predatory grin and Trebius can't keep up against the dancing sword in my hand. He's trying to distract me, trying to edge back towards his hammer but I'm always there, feet on his hammer as I use it to bounce off, falling forward at him. Not falling. Spinning.

"Why did you do it, Trebius? You really wanted to piss me off that much, now? Idiot." Breathing coming heavy, it's all Trebius can do to respond with joviality. "Of course, Lani. You weren't the target. Lets stand aside, now, pet. Let me handle Elia, the traitor bitch."

I giggle, toss my hair as we lunge in again, swords clashing. It's all he can do to stay on the defensive, and something needs to give.

Namely, his knee. Boot shooting forwards, I drive my heel into his knee and hear some kind of noise, then a scream as it bends backwards. He falls, and there's no need for anything more before I raise my own blade high to menace him and kick him in the stomach, sword falling from his grip and Trebius falling to the ground.

He tries to grab a handful of the debris on the ground, to toss it, momentary respite. I stomp the hand, feel and hear bone break. His other hand for good measure. I stamp his knee again, hear a yelled anguish. Kick him in the stomach and I want to make his defeat last longer but Elia's still in her fight with Arendelle and I can't not handle it like this. So, rather than drawing this out, my sword comes up, pointed at the ground. My boot stands on his head. Presses down. I drive my sword down into his throat.

He coughs, twice, and then when I raise the sword up again and bring it down again his head rolls down the slight incline after I raise my foot. This done, I turn to the fierce fight between Arendelle and Elia. Elia's lunging forwards, spear swinging with a shimmering arc even when Arendelle darts to the side and only lets the spear catch her on the arm. Her non-dominant arm. It leads to a momentary whimper of pain, then a scream as the spear bites deeper, and a spray of blood onto Elia's face elicits a laugh from Elia. My Elia.

But Elia's tiring, and one sweep of Arendelle's axe in her dominant hand takes the head off the spear like it was nothing. An incredibly, incredibly unlikely strike but by no means impossible. Arendelle laughs, goes in for the kill and doesn't seem to realize I'm behind her until the side of my sword slaps into her head. She gives a whine, falls and before she can recover my sword is on the back of her beck and I'm kneeling on her. Knees on her arms, boots on her hands, pressing down and down until she stops squirming and I can offer a mocking pat on the head, laugh caught in my voice.

"Good girl. I'll make it quicker for this." I do, though, divert my attention. For now, Arendelle pinned down, I can turn to Elia with broad smiles on both our faces, hers soaked in blood. "My hero," she leans in. Delivers a kiss that seems to last a lifetime. I can taste the blood, metal and raw and oh so exciting on her lips. Feel sticky redness against my face, and that should terrify me but it feels oh so good.

I can feel the trapped body beneath me, and I lean in to kiss again with a vicious smile, knives slipping into my hands. The sounds of fighting elsewhere can be heard, but for now I press a knife into Elia's hand. Give her a threatening smile. "Well, sweetheart. Shall we?" She gives me that same smile, and her eyes are big and wet and excited. "My hero for remembering the knives, I forgot. Thank you."