Ven: Part 2

Ch. 22 Uh oh

*Ven*

I grab the sword just in time.

My left hand grips the middle of his blade tightly. It bites cruelly into my fingers.

It's treacherously sharp and harder than I expected, a normal sword would have cracked and shattered in my hand.

"Took your time." He says.

I swing a back hand at the mask.

It connects, the crack spiderwebs out and a few chips fall to the floor.

He pulls away, his sword slicing my fingers even more, scraping along bone and emitting sparks.

Lightning crackles around the wounds and pulls them closed clumsily.

I take my sword in hand and go after him.

We clash, sword on sword.

I can feel the weight more now as he attacks and parry's my own slashes.

I swing high, he parry's.

He thrusts for my heart, I knock his blade aside.

It's undeniable he's swinging around something bulky, yet he handles it like it's nothing.

I feint left, he sees it coming and slashes from his right.

Unnatural sparks fly with each clash, some pink, some purple, some red, some blue, and plenty of sparks coloured in between.

"Do you get it yet?" He grunts. "Do you see what's going on?"

Our blades slice towards each other.

His bites into mine in an explosion of purple flames.

"Mine's stronger than yours," his voice oozes menace.

I pull back, wrenching my sword from his.

It shakes in my hand, the tip pulling ever so slightly upwards.

I can do this.

I've got this.

He's walking towards me, sword held loosely at his side.

He gestures wide and throws his head back.

I hear the mask crack even more.

"You will not kill me because you are weak!" He shouts at the heavens. "You claim to do right and yet here you are hoping for a deathless resolution, aren't you! Well hope no longer, you know how many are already dead!" His head comes back down, his makes falls in pieces to the ground.

Vividly purple hair spills out, two piercing purple eyes meet mine. So much like Marney's to be almost identical.

He laughs as the realisation dawns on me.

A barking, halting, irritating laugh.

"She had no idea who I am, she died not knowing I was right here the whole time!" He jumps on the spot laughing, "But now you know! You know the depths to which I will sink in order to tear this world apart. And why?" He brings his gaze to meet mine. "I've seen what this world has to offer, and it warrants nothing but destruction. So, strike me down or die, Mr Dictum! But know this! Your inaction has already caused the death of hundreds of millions! How many more will it take for you to act!"

I...

Act...?

Do.

Something.

Do anything.

Now.

Act, Ven.

For fuck's sake, MOVE!

I swing my sword wildly, cutting blindly with my right arm, my left already rushing in to grab him by the neck, the hair, the face, anywhere.

He quicksteps back.

I awkwardly grasp at the air and narrowly avoid cutting my own hand off.

He laughs that laugh.

Her laugh.

My jaw clenches so hard my teeth creak.

I keep at him swinging and grasping for him, wanting to hold him down and... and...

...

I want to hurt him.

He's light on his feet, dancing out of the way constantly, just out of reach.

I don't let up.

Swing, grab, miss, swing, grab, miss, miss, swing, grab, swing, grab, miss.

I reach out again.

This time he steps into me.

My fingers wrap around his throat and squeeze, his pulse beating steadily against my fingers, sword swung back ready to swing.

His eye lock with mine.

"Do it." He says quietly. "I won't give you a second chance."

I falter.

The sword in my hand suddenly too heavy, too sharp, too much. It shakes in my hand.

"Now, do it." His gaze doesn't waiver. "If you don't you will die here."

A scream rises from my stomach to my throat.

My whole arm tenses, my body turning, the sword starts to lift.

He raises both his hands, sword free.

When did that happen?

He claps them together.

Something stops my sword very abruptly.

My body doesn't stop, the momentum already carrying me.

I grunt as my shoulder pops out of its socket from the force.

I let go if his throat, planting my feet to push back into my shoulder.

Something flashes next to my face.

A sigh fills the air next to my right ear.

I stagger away.

Several things make themselves immediately apparent.

Firstly, Mel has joined us, blood dripping off his sword in her hands.

Secondly, my own sword is locked in a small pile of cobbles.

Thirdly, my entire right arm is screaming with pain.

And lastly, my right arm is still attached to my sword about 2 metres away from me.

I raise my left hand over to my right arm, it passes through the air where arm should be until it hits something hot and wet.

I look down slowly, sweat beginning to pour off me with panic.

My right arm is gone.