My Life For Yours

A yawn echoed around the treehouse, as the previous Lord Aphmau awoke. When she had disappeared for 15 years, or at least that's how long it was for her people, her adoptive son Levin took over the role as Lord. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and yawned quietly once more to try and shake the sleep from her system. Glancing around blankly, she then noticed she was the only one up here. The rest of them must have left, she assumed. "Might as well get up." The young lady mumbled unhappily.

(*)Aphmau's POV(*)

Stretching, I swung my feet lazily over the side of my bed. It creaked creepily as I stood up. Even the air had a creepy stillness about it. Shrugging it off, I decided I would go for a walk. Shuffling to get my shoes, I pulled them on and jogged toward the ladder.

Climbing down, I jumped the last few rungs and hit the ground with a soft thud. I shivered, the warmth being sucked harshly from my body as the cold hit me. Walking somewhat more happily down the steps of mine and my friend's reside, I stumbled on the last step and fell. Only to be caught by someone before I got the ground. Looking up to see my 'savior' with a small smile on my face, I saw Laurence standing there with his hands planted on my elbows to keep me from falling flat on my face.

"Thanks Laurence. I'm just going for a short walk, I'll be back in a bit." I giggled, pulling myself to my feet and steadying. "Okay. Just come back immediately if there is trouble." Laurence ordered, stepping aside as I walked past. Sometimes I was really glad to have Laurence as my guard. He was always so.... Understanding.

Running out the gate, I heard a laugh and turned around. "I thought you were going for a walk." He smirked, his hand pressed against his side. "What? I am." I called back in confusion. "That didn't look like walking." Laurence replied, making me stifle a giggle. Instead I cracked a smile and began to walk into the overgrown underbrush that used to be Pheonix Drop. Fifteen years ago, that is.

As I walked farther and farther from the settlement, I began to feel uneasy. As if something was going to happen. The still air certainly didn't help. "Stupid air! Why so still?" I hissed quietly, before jumping at the sound of a voice. "Talking to yourself? That certainly can't be healthy." The voice snickered, as I spun around trying to look for the source of the voice. Then I saw him. Zane.

(*)Zane's POV(*)

"Zane! What are you doing here?!" I shook my head as the black haired girl in front of me let out a squeal of surprise at seeing me. "Oh... Just here to kidnap you." I replied in a whisper, taking a pace forward. She immediately took a step backward. I took another step forward, and her another backward. But this time, I flung myself forward and tackled her, holding a hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream. Wrapping a hand around her neck, I choked her until she passed out. Now the task of getting her to my base...

(*)Aphmau's POV(*)

I let out a quiet scream of pain as I sat up, my muscles protesting violently. Looking around, I found myself in a cell. A large, bland, grey cell. Then I heard footsteps, and shot backward. I instantly regret doing it, for when my back hit the wall I let out another scream, but louder this time. The footsteps sped up, until the person stood in front of the cell. "Aphmau finally up is she?" Zane growled, making me roll my eyes. I hated this man with a burning passion, but he didn't seem to want to hurt me. Yet.

With this silence, I took the chance to ask a question. "How long have I been out?" I asked nervously. If I had been out cold for a while, Laurence would come looking for me. I told him I would only be a minutes. "Oh.... A few hours." Zane answered casually. I flinched at the tone of his voice. It sounded so casual. Almost to casual for my liking. "What do you want from me?" I whispered, hoping he would hear.

"To finish the battle we started a long time ago." Zane hissed in my ear, suddenly beside me. There was venom in his voice. Pure venom. I tried to hold in a whimper, but failed miserably. "Lets go. I'll give you a sword, and take a sword for myself." Zane explained after a moment of silence. I stood up, and he chained my hands behind my back and yanked me out of my cell.

After walking for what seemed like ages, we came to a door. Zane opened the door, pulling me in after him and shutting it. "Why are you doing this? You could kill me right now while I'm chained up." I had to ask. The question had been nagging at me. "Because killing you without the struggle would be boring." He replied calmly, unchaining my arms and tossing a sword at my feet.

I stood still for a moment longer, before bending down to pick up the sword. It was a sharp, diamond one. Heaving my upper body back into position, I noted Zane had the same kind of sword. The man had a strange smile on his face as well. It was quite creepy actually.

With a snicker, Zane launched himself at me. I let out a tiny shriek as I lifted my sword, blocking the blow. He giggled, almost like a girl, and slid his sword so it was over my stomach and poked. I let out a blood curdling scream as the blade pierced my skin, crimson running down my stomach and onto my legs. I rammed my sword upward, cutting his empty handed arm deeply at the bend. He glanced at it, choked a bit in pain, then dug his sword deeper into my stomach. In turn, I dug mine deeper into his arm.

This continued for a minute, until we were both drenched in our own, and each others, crimson blood. I screamed as loud as possible as his sword pierced the other side. My back, which screwed with my spine. Stumbling to my feet as he released me, I felt air as the door opened. Laurence rushed in, with Dante, Levin, and Kyle.

"Aphmau!" Came the screams from Dante, Kyle, and Laurence, and a soft "Mom!" sounded from Levin. By this point, Zane had raised his sword so it was pointed straight and vertically at my heart. I raised my in the same manner, pointing mine at his heart. If the evil man had one. "What are you going to do now, princess?" Zane once again giggled, but with more venom than believed possible in it. "I don't know. What are we going to do Zane?" I growled hoarsely, loud enough for the 4 males behind me to hear. "I'm going to kill you." He shrieked, pushing his sword hard enough into my chest to draw blood. I laughed uncontrollably, getting confused looks from all of the men in the room. Digging my sword into his chest, just as deeply as his was in mine, I whispered some very shocking words that echoed eerily around the room.

"My life for yours, Zane." I whispered with tons of venom in My voice. At that exact moment, we both plunged our swords into the others heart. Mine into Zane's and his into mine.