Author Games - When In Rome

Semi Finals - Phaedra Wolfgang

Its strange. I had wanted to feel things because I’d forgotten I was capable of them, but now I wanted nothing to do with the foreign invaders that declared war on my chest. Its a hard thing to realize that you are human, that you have motives, that you aren’t some type of indestructible god on earth.

In fact the first thing I was aware of when I opened my eyes was the swell of pain in my chest as the faded memory of Dimitra clung to the back of my mind like a stupid little leach. I mentally willed it to go away but it wouldn’t let go. Oh. So my mind wanted war, did it? Bitch.

If I was miserable with my eyes closed I was even more so when opened my eyes to meet two piercing blue eyes looking down at me with concern. Tyber. I watched him let out a sigh of relief, “You’re okay.” He breathed leaning back a little.

I shoved my dirt encrusted hand into his face pushing him backward as I sat up, ignoring my body’s loud aces and groans of protest. I looked around at the barren, rocky arena that seemed to stretch on forever. In the back of my mind I knew if I hadn’t created cliffs and the cannons when I was fused with Gaia’s power we’d be able to see everything. Killing the others would simply be a chase, I stood up stretching my arm across my chest trying to get stiffness out of them. The harder the journey, the more glorious the triumph.

My eyes traveled over toward the rest of my alliance who had decreased in number. Ula was dead, Fuse was dead, and Ass-line was dead…. I never had bothered to pronounce her name correctly. Only Eden and Nixie remained talking silently underneath a dried up tree. I gritted my teeth as I realized that I shouldn’t have been alive. Our alliance had started backstabbing, because I was unconscious I should have been the first to go. I swallowed hard.

I looked down at Tyber who was looking up at me sadly, still sitting where I had pushed him. I suddenly understood how he must feel, I caught myself and scowled. Shut up brain or I will kill you. I stood there a second staring at Eden and Nixie a strange feeling of apprehension curling around my stomach. I squinted my eyes and Eden turned around. I watched his face fall, his eyes widening in horror. Like he’d seen a ghost.

I knew what he was going to say before he said it. “Ph-Phaedra?” He choked looking strangled. Yes I had been correct, the annoying stuttering of the person’s name always came first. I said nothing and continued to stare at him coldly, Nixie too turned around and gasped. I glanced down at Tyber who’s face was tense.

“Tyber….” Eden started cautiously then stopped looking down as he caught my eye.

“Tyber, I thought you killed Phae.” I said for him, mimicking his voice comically, with a fake expression of pity scrawled across my face. I didn’t blame him, I was an unstoppable force who he knew was more than met the eye, take me out when I’m down. I would have done the same thing if I had been in his shoes- except I would of killed me myself. Eden had always been too smart, his brains had finally let him down and it was going to cost him his life.

He looked at me like a deer in headlights then he gritted his teeth and stood to face me, he knew what was coming. My claws were still strapped to my hands and my leather jacket was still lined with knives…. I was going to destroy him. The fact he was stronger than me flitted through my mind, whenever I fought a male with my level of skill it always occurred to me and I always made sure I compensated for that with speed, agility and pure ruthlessness.