The Curse (GxG)

Chapter 9

   Bones shattered as I swung my sword, chopping down any skeleton I could see.

   They collapsed to a pile at my feet, that green fog dissipating into the air as each one fell.

   Buy, there were still to many of them.

   I spun as a couple came up behind me, grabbing at me.

   "C'mon!" I yelled, slashing my sword through one of their skulls, plunging it deep into the others spine.

   Then, I felt one scratch my arms, blood immediately flowing, causing me to drop my sword.

   Another one clawed my back, tearing my shirt.

   I kicked it in the leg, sending it crashing to the ground in front of me, before burying my boot into its ribcage.

   The green in its eyes died out as I picked up it's femur bone, swinging it wildly at the surrounding skeletons.

   I was able to create some distance as rain drops started to fall.

   My shoulders heaved, my teeth clenched, my eyes darting between the ten or so remaining skeletons.

   The ground beneath started to become muddy as I knelt down to pick up my sword. "Alright... Who's next..?"

   The skeletons started marching towards me once again.

   I let out a yell as I swung my sword hard, decapitating three of them.

   On the return swing, I sliced two in half.

   The remaining five surrounded me.

   I held my sword high, spinning in a slow circle, keeping my eyes on all the them, the rain falling harder all around us.

   Then, one moved and I quickly swung, cutting its spine in half.

   Another started to move behind me. I dropped to my knees and reversed the sword, plunging it behind me, driving it into the skeletons chest.

   I got to my feet as it collapsed to a pile.

   The remaining three looked on, unflinching.

   I twirled my sword around in front of me, my years of training kicking in, muscle memory taking over, the desire to crush my enemies floating around my head.

   Then, with one swift motion, I cut the last three down, just as a bolt of lightening shot through the sky, the loud boom of thunder following a second later.

   I breathed through my teeth as I stood up straight, the rain dripping from my hair.

   "No! Let go of me!" Vicky's voice rang out from somewhere in the mansion.

   I quickly charged the front door, kicking it in as I made my way through.

   A giant, double staircase ran up to a large overlook. In between the two staircases stood Betty and Jack. Robin and Vicky were laid out on two tables next to each other, their wrists and ankles tied down. Robin was unconscious. Luckily, Vicky was still very much awake.

   "Livia! Help me!" She pleaded.

   Betty walked forward then, looking me up and down, taking in my torn up, bloody clothes. "Not a scratch on you... Impressive." She said.

   I held my sword at my side. "Yeah... Something like that..."

   She smirked. "I guess I'll just have to try harder."

   She placed her hand on Jacks shoulder then, whispering into his ear. That same ghostly, green fog slipping past her lips.

   His eyes locked onto mine as he nodded, taking a menacing step towards me.

   I took a step back, raising my sword. "Don't do this, Jack..."

   His expression remained neutral as he took another step towards me.

   With a sigh, I swung my sword at him, luckily he dodged it. Unluckily, he caught me with a hard punch to the jaw.

   I fell back to the floor as Betty laughed. "You'll have to try harder than that."

   "Liv! You can't kill him!" Vicky called.

   "Kill him, or he'll kill you." Betty added.

   I slowly got back to my feet. Vicky was right. I couldn't kill him. It wasn't his fault, it was Betty's. I had to find a way to knock him out without causing to much damage.

   He swung another fist at me. I dodged this one, following it up with a fist of my own.

   "Sorry." I said as he fell to one knee, clutching his jaw, a line of blood leaking down his chin.

   He glared at me as he stood back up, wiping the blood on his sleeve.

   I took a defensive stance. "C'mon, big guy..."

   He took another swing and I dodged it again, this time hitting him over the head with the hilt of my sword.

   He fell to the floor hard, knocked clean out.

   I knelt down next to him, checking his pulse.

   "Is he still alive?" Vicky asked.

   I just nodded as I got back to my feet, pointing my sword at Betty. "Your turn."

   She flashed me a wicked smile, pulling a dagger from her belt, holding it over Vicky's throat. "Not so fast..."

   I begrudgingly lowered my sword. "Ok... Tell me, then, what do you want with Vicky?"

   "I want her to be mine!" She yelled.

   Vicky scoffed. "Like that'll ever happen."

   Betty grabbed her hair, pushing the dagger harder against her neck. "It will and there's not a damn thing you can do about it..."

   "Why bring Robin into this?" I asked, looking to her still unconscious frame tied to the table next to them.

   Betty smirked. "Simple... I'm going to transfer Vicky's soul into Robins body... Vicky's cancer is slowly eating away at her body... But, Robin is still healthy. She has a long life ahead of her..."

   "What happened to you, Betty..? I thought we were friends..." Vicky said.

   Betty shook her head. "You never wanted me... I love you, Vic... And, if this is what it takes to be with you, then so be it."

   "Do you even hear yourself? That's not you, Betty. That's the book talking." Vicky replied.

   Betty shook her head. "No... The book is merely a means to an end..."

   Just then did I notice the green flashing through her eyes. Clearly the book was having an effect on her. It was controlling her. Brainwashing her just as she did to Jack.

   I had to find a way to get through the her. "Betty, she's right... That book is very dangerous... You have to trust me... No serious damage has been done yet... We can all still leave here togeth-"

   "No!" She cut off, the green in her eyes intensifying, the same color glowing in her veins, the power of the book coursing through her. "No one is leaving here except me and Vicky..."

   "Betty, please..." Vicky pleaded.

   Betty shook her head. "It's to late..."

   She raised her dagger, readying herself to drive it through Vicky's chest.

   I was out of options... If I didn't act now, Vicky would be dead...