Lightning Strikes

16

The idea of this chapter is to set the tone for the remainder of the story. There isn't much left, sadly, but once this one's done there will be a new (original) story. I'll spill about it next time (if I remember to), but it's going to be some kind of a fusion between historical fiction and fantasy. Back to this story, I'm going to have to start this chapter off with a huge trigger warning for blood and gore. This is one of the darkest chapters I've written yet, but this one really portrays the ruthlessness of the ancient Romans (inspired by their negotiations with Hamilcar Barca at the end of the first Punic War, but not quite). If it's too much for you to handle, I'll throw in a summary at the end of the chapter just to keep you updated. 

For the less squeamish ones...

Kara sprinted at Aru, but this time, Aru met her attack perfectly. She attacked in quick, evenly-paced strokes. This was in complete contrast to Kara's style of throwing out offensive strikes in several short bursts. After a lot of frustrating sparring sessions, Kartikeya and Ganesha had finally beaten her rash habits out of her, meaning that she finally had some sort of advantage over Kara.

After three or four unsuccessful flurries of attacks, Kara was getting frustrated. Aru was meeting her blows strike after strike, and the worst part was that she wasn't even getting tired. Kara was the one with beads of sweat lining her forehead. Panting, she went for a desperate stab at Aru's hip.

Aru pounced on her sister, clubbing her in the shoulder and then thrusting the butt of her spear into Kara's abdomen. Kara doubled over, coughing hard. However, Aru allowed her no respite as she delivered a perfect uppercut to Kara's jaw.

Kara turned around and spat out a mouthful of blood. She turned back to her sister, furious. Kara shot a beam of light from her trident at Aru, coiling it around her like a lasso.

Unperturbed, Aru weaved around the tendrils until she was finally within striking distance of Kara. Kara swung at her baseball-style, but Aru saw it coming and calmly swept Kara's legs out with a quick slide.

She held the vel to Kara's throat, the spear urging for her to thrust into her sister. After all, what kind of coward would she be to not avenge Piper's death? Rage filled her as she pinned Kara down with her right foot, preparing to end her life in one quick stroke.

Aru looked at the soldiers surrounding her, studying their faces. She looked at Hazel. The praetor was nothing but horrified at the circumstances, and Aru was sure that she'd be pleading for Kara's life if not for the fact that Kara had fought against the Romans.

She looked right into Zia's amber eyes. Zia stared back at her with nothing but a cold, calculating expression. Aru could see the wheels turning in the Egyptian girl's head. Kara's death would mean that Zia would lose a valuable soldier, but also be rid of a girl whose intentions were in no way clear. And Aru's inevitable breakdown after killing Kara would definitely benefit the Egyptians as well, as they'd be free to attack and destroy an unsuspecting Camp Jupiter.

Aru took a deep breath, and raised her spear, meeting her sister's gaze. There was nothing but a stormy hatred in Kara's eyes, with no hint of fear whatsoever. Kara was unrepentant.

She thrust the vel downwards, and Kara closed her eyes, preparing for her death.

It never came.

Aru thumped the spear into the patch of dirt, stabbing right into a nearby weed. She silently apologized to Nikita. Her soul sister wouldn't appreciate the death of an innocent plant.

Kara opened her eyes in shock. Aru sighed and then summoned a net made of lightning. With the loss of Vajra, using her powers was significantly more difficult, but she found enough energy in her to weave the sparks into a reasonably passable net. She cast it down on Kara.