Burned Out [Completed]

Sute Gives Me an Extra Life

Two guesses where I woke up.

I took in the blasted landscape around me with frustration.

"Sute!" I screamed into the emptiness. "Sute, send me back! I need to help Wynn! I need to get back to Martin!"

No response.

Tears of anger stung my eyes. "Face me, you coward!"

Finally I got an answer. Sute exploded into existence in front of me in her leopard form. She bared her teeth at me in rage, but I bared mine right back. I was fairly certain this display would end with my death, but I was so over her all-powerful attitude.

"Insult me again, whelp, and you'll never leave here alive."

"Cut the crap, Sute." She hissed at my words. "Why did you bring me here?"

A swirling mass of flames enveloped her. When it died down, Sute was human again, and she looked decidedly uncomfortable. "If I stood aside you wouldn't even be able to stand before me."

I was honestly taken aback. "You...were trying to save me?"

"Not 'trying,'" she scoffed. "If I'm going to do something, I'm not going to 'half-ass' it, as you would say. Being a goddess, no matter how forgotten, is not without its perks. I was able to bring you here and heal you after you so foolishly let yourself get injured."

"Uh, thanks, I guess?" I felt awkward, and a little touched, but I still had a job to do. "I'm kinda sorry I yelled at you, but I really need to get back."

"What would change?" She demanded. "You've already been defeated once. You are not strong enough to conquer your enemy."

"Then help me," I said. "If I lose, you lose too."

"Not true. If you die, I can always find a new champion."

"You say that, but I don't think you can. I you could, you would've just let me die. Let's face it, you're not exactly the sentimental type."

Sute looked even more awkward. She should never get into gambling with a poker face like that.

"Will you help me or not?"

The goddess suddenly developed a hard glint in her eyes, like a wolf that had just cornered a deer. Or maybe a leopard that just cornered an antelope. "Do you truly desire my assistance?"

Her stare made me apprehensive, but I really didn't have much of a choice. I couldn't leave Wynn and Martin at Jin's mercy. Even if Sute had a trick up her sleeve, I couldn't do anything about it now.

"Yes."

Sute gave me a savage grin and held out her hand. "Then step forward, whelp."

I did as she said, grasping her outstretched hand and bracing myself for the worst.

I really shouldn't have bothered. No amount of preparation could have saved me from the pain I felt when Sute's skin touched mine.

It was one thousand times worse than the wounds Jin had inflicted on me, and one million times worse than when Nick had activated my powers.

I sank to my knees with a strangled scream, but Sute still held my hand in a death grip.

I could barely discern the words she whispered in my ear over the blood roaring in my head.

"If you survive this, you will truly have my blessing, champion."

I passed out.

....