Game On

Chapter Twenty-One: Looks Can Be Deceiving

Falling to the floor, Sean cursed and stuck his leg out to trip Mark. He barely caught Mark's leg, causing him to fall forward. Mark's shoulder struck the glass greenhouse door and shattered it. Wincing, Sean used his wings to get up to his feet faster and dashed toward Mark. Mark recovered just as quickly, heading out into the misty garden. Sean hesitated at the broken door, calling out Mark's name as he vanished into a puff of thick mist. Sean's hand shook as he held what remained of the glass doorframe. The thought of losing Mark spurred him to release it and head into the mist after him. The mist was icy against his skin and so thick that he could barely see an inch in front of his face. He had to resort to staring at his feet. Watching the mist clear around his ankles was enough to tell what a stone path was or not. When he was deep enough in the mist, a ghostly form brushed past his wings and a distant feminine voice spoke. "A light Elf. I have not seen one of your kind in many years. Shame my tricks don't work on you..."

Turning to where he briefly saw the mist move, he called out. "We aren't here to hurt you. I know why he kidnapped you." The mist brushed against his wing again, causing him to whirl around to see nothing as her voice distantly drawled out mistrustingly. "I've heard that before. You do not wish to hurt me... but you want me for your own. For I am... valuable to you." Sean shivered as something caressed his wing this time. Looking over his shoulder, he barely caught a misty form of woman before it vanished within the rest of the mist. Exhaling slowly in an attempt to calm himself, he calmly told her. "No. I'd set you free." The feminine voice let out a beautiful chuckle, then retorted sourly. "I've heard that one too. Now what do you want, Ljosalfar." Sean stayed quiet a second as he processed that. She couldn't charm him and wasn't fighting him. Why? Keeping his eyes aware of his surroundings, he answered coolly. "Mark. Where is he?" The feminine voice seemed to circle him as she said casually. "Why? Does he mean something to you?"

Sean inhaled slowly before answering boldly. "Yes. And if you hurt him..." The feminine voice chuckled as mist parted enough to reveal Mark standing at the edge of the mist. Sean perked up, until the feminine voice added eerily. "And if YOU should hurt him?" Sean's heart fell into the pit of his stomach as Mark reached up to withdraw his long sword from his back. Taking a step back, Sean's voice broke when he called out. "Mark...? Are you with me?" Mark's eyes glinted white when he raised his eyes to meet his and tightened his grip on his sword. Sean's heart started to race. He couldn't fight Mark. Mark swung his sword back and held it, the blade vibrating with a soft red glow as he charged his attack. Sean didn't want to believe this was happening and yelled out into the mist. "Margygr! Don't do this! I didn't mean-" Sean stopped talking as Mark shot forward and swung his sword at him. Sean's wings shot out to propel him back, but Mark's long sword still slashed across his chest.

Sean yelped, stumbling back to watch his health bar deplete. Mark's swing turned on the backswing and came back in a powerful lunge. Sean barely saw it coming in time and stepped to the side. Using his counterattack to smack Mark across the face, he yelled at him desperately. "MARK! Snap out of it!" Mark surprised him in return by elbowing him in the ribs to knock him away from him, before swinging his sword back to charge it again. Rubbing his ribs, Sean wheezed out. "Mark!" Mark stomped his heel while his sword charged, and Sean cursed in terror. Mark triggered his rage and when combined with his charging sword, Sean knew this was going to hurt. Mark's tribal tattoos blazed a bright red and he let out a yell before swinging out with his sword. In a panic, Sean grabbed his bow and hefted it up to trigger his dome shield. Mark's sword hit the dome, cracking the side to Sean's bewilderment. By the second hit, Mark's powered up sword and rage hit his shield with a stronger hit than the last and shattered his dome.

Gasping, Sean scrambled backward across the floor as Mark swung his blade down at him faster and faster. Spreading his legs and rolling to dodge, Sean couldn't get his feet under him fast enough. Sitting up on Mark's backswing, Sean seized the chance to extend his wings to try flying. Only for Mark to lunge instead of swinging. The blade impaled through Sean's shoulder, causing Sean to see stars as he screamed in pain. Following through, Mark shoved him back to the ground and pinned him down with his sword by impaling it deeper into the dirt. Dropping his bow, Sean grabbed the leather strap across Mark's chest to hold him in place. Mark tried to straighten up, but Sean kept his grip on him and winced out. "Mark? I won't fight you..." Sean's whole body shook uncontrollably. He refused to look at the sword impaled in his shoulder. His worst fear was being stabbed and seeing it would only make him freak out. So, he kept his eyes on Mark's. Even when he heard the soft warning ding as his green health bar drained to yellow and kept going.