The God & The Shadow

Chapter 35

VERONICA

Silver clashed against silver. Violet met Blue. And red bled violently.

We had been fighting for what felt like hours now and Hermes was already dozing off in his seat above the arena.

Neither of us wanted to yield, our pride overshadowed the other's too much for us to do so.

If the exhaustion I felt viscerally showed on my face, Lore did not say anything. My movements began slowing and my attacks grew weaker, and I knew he didn't feel the same.

Cuts and splotches of blood were scattered haphazardly on our bodies, except his wounds healed immediately as opposed to mine that I knew I'd pay the consequences to later. Lore didn't even break a sweat throughout our duel, not even after the few times he had to jump or run.

I groaned internally when our swords met once more. He dragged his blade down mine slowly, bringing his face closer to mine.

My hand moved to remove myself from his hold, but he held the sharp blade with his palm, restricting any point of exit. Blood puddled on the floor as his grip on it tightened and moved closer to me.

"Yield," he whispered. "For your own sake."

He pulled the sword from my hands and it clanged loudly on the floor, startling Hermes to wake. I started walking backwards as he moved forward, his sword still in hand, and my own useless a few feet away.

I felt the cool wall beneath my touch not too long after. Lore held a finger below my chin and lifted my face to look at him. "Yield." He whispered once more.

Trapped. I was trapped. Any lesson to get out and incapacitate the enemy went right out the window. I mean, what else can I do? He was a god. I'm sure punching him or kicking him would probably just excite him more than hurt him.

Hermes yawned loudly above and sighed. "Can't you guys just stop being such stubborn assholes and fuck already?"

My eyes widened at Hermes' sudden outburst. I've never heard him be more brutally honest about his thoughts before, but I guess this was a first.

Lore rolled his eyes and quickly turned to him, no doubt wanting to chastise him for his blatant comment. I quickly bent my leg at the opportunity and grabbed the dagger I always hid in my boot and stabbed it in his unguarded chest.

His head turned to me immediately and down to the knife protruding from where his heart was supposed to be. "Tsk, tsk. You naughty girl,"

Veiny hands wrapped around the hilt of the dagger and pulled it out. Red met silver, but was soon turned to nothing but dark shadows. "You play dirty."

I scoffed at him and pushed him away, his wound already healing before my eyes. "Doesn't matter when you win anyway." I argued.

I picked up my discarded sword and frowned at the specks of blood its blade carried. Some of it I was sure was his, but most if it were mine. Truthfully, if he had been an opponent I had to face on the battlefield, I might've seized to exist.

He pulled back, I thought.

"Your shields are down." He said out loud, his sword disintegrating to join the shadows.