Another ripping sound caught his attention, and he noticed a crack forming in the wall his chain was attached to. It opened wider, tore through the stone. As it made its way toward him, it split off and expanded into a shape like streaking lightning. As the crack reached the plate of the bolt that locked his chain to the wall, a chunk of the wall pushed forward, and a vine like the ones outside crept through. The chunk of wall his chain was attached to broke free and pushed forward, landing beside Kinzer.
A fucking miracle. Although he knew it had to be more than that. He couldn’t understand what, but some force of nature had come to his aid, acted on his behalf. A first in an adventure that had been nothing but pain and hurt since he first set out to save the realms from the Almighty’s wrath.
He hurried to the cart of Vera’s torture devices and retrieved a sword from the bottom rack.
Vera started toward him, and the guards flanking Janka’s throne followed suit. She pulled a sword and a dagger out of the sheaths affixed to the belt around her waist.
“Oh, you’re ready to play now, aren’t you?” Janka asked before driving into Hayde even more.
Kinzer noticed something out of the corner of his eye, and he turned to a figure, glowing in white, who stepped into the room. It was Eilee, looking as flawless as ever. She had her wings spread out behind her, and stood there, unarmed. Totally defenseless.
What was she thinking? Why was she throwing herself in harm’s way?
As the sight of Hayde and Janka caught her attention, she said, “I see we are having quite the party, aren’t we?”
In an instant Vera’s attention shifted from Kinzer, and she called to the guards, “Get her!”
“You are some strong higherlings, aren’t you? I’m curious to feel your girths, but I should warn you, I’ve taken bigger, and in the most difficult of ways, so you have a lot to live up to.”
When they neared, another figure came from the entrance. It was Quintz, holding something in his hand, which he flung at the nearest higherling’s leg. It coiled around quickly, tightening before the guard cried out and fell to the ground. He released his sword, and Eilee ducked and seized it before dashing for the other guard. She went in for the kill, and the guard stood firm, defending himself from her first strike.
“Ah, it is time to play,” she announced.
Vera glanced between Kinzer and Eilee, as though she was debating who she should take on.
“I’ve got him,” Janka said, heading around the contraption Hayde was trapped in.
Vera headed off to battle her own nemesis.
“I guess you did want a turn, after all,” Janka said.
“Yeah, come over here so I can carve out that pretty smirk of yours.”
Janka laughed as blood dripped off the strap-on he wore. Kinzer’s gaze shifted back to Hayde, poor fucking Hayde, whose blood continued spilling across the floor beneath him as he writhed about, screaming in agony.
“Oh really?” Janka asked, retrieving a dagger from his sheath. “You think you can play this game with me?”
Kinzer raced for him and struck. Janka made a quick duck and grabbed the chain at Kinzer’s feet. He moved quickly to the other side of Kinzer and pulled so hard that Kinzer went tumbling backward.
As Kinzer fell, he redirected his sword’s path and jabbed at Janka, who raised part of the chain and used it to block the attack. When Kinzer’s back hit the floor, Janka swung the chain at Kinzer so that the rock at the end went flying at him. Kinzer rolled out of its path before it made a loud THUD against the floor. Kinzer sprang to his feet and went for Janka again, who used his dagger to shield himself from Kinzer’s attacks.
***
Quintz watched Eilee battle the higherling guard. She was as quick and skilled as she had been the day before when she had battled Treycore at the cabin. As the guard attempted to stab at her, she dodged the attack before claiming her advantage, sliding her own sword into his chest. After he dropped to the ground, she took his weapon as her trophy before passing it off to Quintz.
She was just in time for their latest challenge, Vera, who made her way toward them, her own sword coming at Quintz in no time. When he blocked her attack, Eilee went for Vera, who demonstrated her skills as a warrior as she took them both on, swapping her dagger and sword off between her two challengers.
“How I have missed you, Eilee,” Vera said, seeming unfazed by their battle.
“I’ve missed you too, Vera. It’s been so long and not long enough all at once.”
Eilee recovered from a swing of her sword, and Vera made a stab at her ribs with her sword, which Eilee effortlessly dodged before offering a wink at Vera, teasing her, mocking her. Vera snarled.
As Quintz attempted to seize an opportunity to attack, Vera whirled around, blocking Eilee’s sword with her dagger from behind while dodging Quintz’s. As he was underprepared for the miss, he overexerted himself, giving Vera the perfect chance to—
SLICE!
She cut into his spine.
