Exᴛʀᴇᴍᴇ || Tʜᴇ Cʜᴏsᴇɴ Eɪɢʜᴛ Bᴏᴏᴋ Fɪᴠᴇ

Chapter twelve// Turning the Tide

Niko
"Xavier!"

The shout startled me.

I looked over toward Tyler. He met my eyes, fear flashing in his own. He nodded. I sprinted toward the shout.

I pushed a Conqueror or two aside and stumbled into the circle they'd made. I scanned the scene, trying to piece it all together.

Xavier lay near the middle, the poor viper's head severed from his body. I looked away from it quickly.

Zay was on her hands and knees nearby. I could see her body shaking.

Lizzie crouched beside her head, holding it in one hand. She looked up as I arrived, her expression morphing into one of gratitude. "Niko, thank Tellun! Zay needs help!"

"What happened?" I raced over and crouched beside her.

Blood dropped from the corner of the Stetriolian's lips.

"I don't know, I didn't see it!" Lizzie answered. "Please, you have to help her!"

"Okay, I got her." I reached for Zay's arms to pull her upright. "Lizzie, get rid of the Conquerors. We have to get her out of here!" I stood slowly, Zay's body falling against me limply. I supported her gingerly.

"I got it!" Lizzie started clearing a path.

I followed her, painstakingly slow. I used my quarterstaff to take out anyone who got to close.

"Don't... trust her." Zay slurred, slumping against me. "She did... it."

I stared at her. "What? Are you saying... Lizzie killed Xavier?" I lowered my voice, glancing at the blonde up ahead.

Zay groaned and nodded. "Snake eyes." She mumbled.

What does that have to do with anything? I thought.

"Zay!"

We'd reached Sasha and Navia. They froze at the sight of our injured teammate.

"What happened?" Navia hurried over.

"Xavier's dead." I whispered.

She paled. "No."

I nodded solemnly. "And Zay thinks Lizzie did it."

Navia paused. She bit her lip. "Just help Sasha and Lizzie, okay?" She kept her voice low. "I'll see what I can do for Zay."

I laid the girl in question on the ground and picked up my quarterstaff again. Conquerors were closing in on all sides.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Sasha asked worriedly when we ended up beside each other.

"I hope so." I answered. I saw his face fall and felt my heart wrench. "She's strong." I tried to sound optimistic. "She'll fight."

The warrior blinked at me. His eyes shimmered, then he turned away and fiercely engaged a large Conqueror.

I was panting as another figure pushed through the crowd of soldiers. I recognized his wild mane of black hair pretty much immediately. "Tyler!"

He took out the Conqueror beside him before flashing a weary grin. "Not just me."

At his words, a salamander was set flying through the air. A whinny followed it. Elle's dark furred back appeared, Lucia and Tazi astride her.

"Niko!" The two greeted with a whoop.

"Enough with the celebrations." A bronze-skinned Greencloak with curly brown hair interrupted. He was accompanied by a pink-haired woman and a rather large turkey vulture.

"Vik, Hoya. Just in time to ruin the fun, as always." Tyler teased lightly.

The woman smirked at him, while Vik just scowled.

"Come on. We have a teammate to protect." Lucia had slid from Elle's back and approached me. She placed a peck on my cheek. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too." I answered, suddenly feeling stronger. "And you're right. Let's do this."

We lined up shoulder-to-shoulder, forming a circle around Zay and Navia. I lifted my quarterstaff. Jesse let out a roar sound, adding a hiss. I blinked at him, surprised. The ostrich gave me a cheeky look, then kicked away a lizard.

I shook my head to the bird and dove headfirst into the battle. Conqueror after Conqueror met my staff, some running and others falling. I fought hard, sweat trickling down my back and sticking my hair to my forehead.

"We're not gonna be able to hold them off for long!" Tyler shouted.

"Maybe not alone," a booming call responded.

I looked up. There came Olvan, astride his great moose, with pretty much the entirety of the Greencloak army behind him.

A grin broke over Tyler's face, erasing some of the lines. "Olvan!"

"Don't look too happy to see us." A woman whom I recognized as Lishay, ran up beside the leader. "This isn't over yet."

"Maybe not." Tyler spun his axe. "But it will be soon!" He thrust the weapon into the air, Charlie roaring a war-cry.

Lishay fell into step beside him, the three of us fighting in sync. "So dramatic."

"I do my best." Tyler answered modestly.

She parried a slash from her opponent's sword. "Well, do better!"

I couldn't help but grin at their banter, fending off an orangutan with my quarterstaff.

The monkey screeched at me and grabbed the weapon from my hands, proceeding to try and hit me with it.

I wrestled it back and sent the orangutan running.

"Nice one, kid." Lishay called.

I looked over, surprised she'd seen it.

She met my gaze with a sly grin. "How well can you do with two of those sticks?" And tossed me a second quarterstaff that she'd pulled from her downed opponent.

I caught it in midair and returned the grin. "I guess you'll just have to see." I clutched one staff in each hand, and dropped into a defensive stance as the next wave of Conquerors arrived.

"You two are terrible." Tyler groaned.

I laughed. "Just try to keep up, old man!"

"Yeah, old man!" Lishay called teasingly.

"Lishay, you're older than me!" Tyler squawked indignantly as he barely managed to avoid a charging rhino.

"I know, that's what makes it funny." She retorted.

I chuckled and swept my opponent's feet from under her with my leg, using the staffs to force her to stumble backward. It finally seemed like the tide was turning.

Maybe we'd win this after all.

Again, a bit of a short one.
I can make no promises about any of the characters surviving, so do with that what you will.

Next chapter out tomorrow. Stay safe!! xx