The Place Before the Core (Reprise)

Chapter 12: I Died

We ran with the sirens directly behind us and a stranger guiding us. After a mile or so of running we ran into a dead end. The girl turned around and cursed as a light came up to us, it containing the siren. Behind the light was five men all dressed in black, in the attire of soldiers of the queen. Two were armed in shotguns while the other three had handguns, all pointed at us.

"Put your hands up, and don't make any sudden..." He never got to finish his statement as I shot a bullet at him with my weapon.

The rest of the guards were in shock, giving me a chance to swoop behind one of them. I grabbed his arm and hand and caused him to shoot his shotgun at another one. Without letting go, I twisted his hand and removed his gun as bullets were sent into him that was meant for me. With my new gun, I shot the last guy who was sent flying into a pile of snow.

I looked to the girl who stood wide mouthed "Where to? We gotta move before more come. They must've heard that."

With that she regained herself and led us to a cellar door covered by a massive amount of snow. She knocked an odd rhythm on it and it opened majestically, but inside of it was all dark. Something began to form in the dark from bellow. Actually three things. The light of green, yellow, and orange came spiraling towards us. As they came near I began to hear voices. Then the orbs came to a stop right in front of us, well the orbs were actually people. People with freaking wings! They were fairies. They then landed on the ground and they began to develop in size until they were my height. They still emitted the light but it was very dim. In hand they had an overgrown sewing needle, which was pointed towards us. One was right at my nose, almost digging in. It was held by the Yellow Fairy.

They all wore a tube top, a layered skirt, and high heeled boots, matching the color they discharged. The Yellow Fairy before me looked to be younger than I and the others a little older than her. Yellow looked at me, but not under the hood, and grinned wildly.

"En garde!" She yelled and leaned backed bringing her sword with her.

She jabbed towards but giving me enough time to pull out my rapier and parry her blow. I backed up as she quickly sent another strike. I lifted by blade and intercepted the slash but she quickly send more and more, sending me back. I follow every strike with a flamboyant block and then I send my own hits, still backing up. I began to walk on a set of stairs followed by Yellow Fairy, whose wings lifted her. As she flew she caused me to move into a ladder. I began to climb the ladder with one hand while precisely reflecting the flying fairies attack.

As I finished my ascent up the ladder, Yellow flew onto of the building. I flung myself up onto the build and nearly dodge a slice from the fairy. I rolled halfway across the building and quickly returned to my feet. Once I did I held my blade forward in one hand and the other behind my back, with my blade bouncing rhythmically. Back into the mysterious stance. My opponent on the other hand, got into a stance in which she held her blade forward with one hand, guiding it with her other hand, and bouncing on her toes.

She came in and began her relentless but aesthetic slices. I dodged left and right still backing up to the end of this building. As I drew near, I saw a board connecting this building to the next. I dodged my way to it and walked backwards across it with unparalleled balance, parrying Yellow's strikes. She began to fly again and she soared in a huge circle, still striking and receiving reflects, and ended up on the other building. This building filled with barrels, some on their sides others standing up.

Yellow, at the end of the board began to pull it. I ran up to her and went for a soccer kick, but she bent back and dodged it with easy. I jumped over her head and rolled a lengthways as Yellow heaved the board behind her, towards me. It didn't reach me but almost perfectly it landed on a laying down barrel. It was in equilibrium with both sides so it was straight as a pole. We both jumped on each end but with the counterbalance calling me fat, my side went down. We both traveled to the middle of the board getting the equilibrium back and we fought it out once more. This fight was starting to bore so I thought now it was time to end this bout.