Damsel

Riptide

Ella Bee

Suddenly, the girl (mostly) called Clover, threw her head back, catching a few snowflakes falling from a hole in the ceiling, and let out a long battle cry.

The daggers, which Ella had given up seeing, moved so quickly through the air that while Riptide seemed entranced in every movement, most normal people wouldn't be able to process what they were witnessing. Ella was one of those people. Still, following the basic premise, that weird shit happened 92% of the time around Heroes and Villains, Ella reckoned that she noticed more than the average person did. Years of practice ought to have that effect.

Before her, fighting with ethereal, superior knowledge, the two –what had Riptide called them? Oh, yes, the two –Family Members, clashed, not human, but something more...something closer to God. They moved with grace unmatched by any big cat in the plains of Africa, and in that delicacy was infinite strength, like two grizzlies charging to meet in the middle of a raging river. Point being, Ella saw something of beauty in it all and even while her fear for Leland was ever-present, she couldn't deny the rarity in what she was now observing; two superior beings fighting with equal skill level.

Just when Leland had the upper hand, Clover would defend and rally, leaving the playing field quite equal until, grabbing an opened bottle of bourbon from the floor, the girl smashed the glass over Leland's head and sent him reeling backwards. He narrowly blocked her follow up, falling to one knee as she towered over him, a cruel smile smeared over a freckled face. A steel-toed boot to his kidney and Leland kneeled over, his dagger magically appearing to hold off what would have been a dead blow when Clover drove her dagger downward, aiming for the back of his neck. In the background of Ella's thundering heart and Leland's final ditch effort to throw off Clover, a voice rose to hush all opposition.

"Enough." It said, followed by a sharp prick on Ella's neck.

When she moved a fraction to look up at Riptide, she saw the sharp thing pointed at her throat. A mean looking field knife. "I'm weary of this game." The Villain said, forcing Clover to recoil her dagger with quick irritation. Leland coughed a few times before rising, all the while clutching his side, stumbling back, away from Clover.

Ella had never seen the infamous Shadow Shifter like that- all bloodied and broken. Between shallow breathes, Leland managed, "what do you want Riptide?"

Riptide motioned to Clover with a soft wave and a gentle smile, his blade never leaving Ella's throat. "A woman of the de Blaise, Clover has a specific talent." His smile was sweet, but to Ella his tone wreaked sadistic intent. "Pain."

"I know what a da Blaise does, brother, what is this –" Leland started, but a single hand raised by Riptide stopped his words.

"Don't be such a spoiler, Leland. Ella here might not know what a da Blaise is, don't ruin it for her. Let me explain, damsel. Clover here is a child of the night; just as your sister myself and my kin over there –currently attacking a friend of mine – we are children of the air. Where we dealt in elemental divinity, the da Blaise's and families like them manage the mind. Clover has a particularly useful talent. She can either exude pain, or relinquish it, she can ball it up in one hand and toss it like a grenade, or she can tuck it into a pouch and use it as a mine, but what I find most thrilling is her ability to heal, her ability to not only force the illusion of pain of health; but make it so in truth." Riptide raised one eyebrow.

"Why are you telling me this?" Ella wondered after a long silence.

Riptide's slimy smile made an unwanted reappearance and he continued digging the blade over Ella necks, tracing a line that teetering on breaking the skin. "Well, can you recall anything discomforting, Miss Bee, about your venture upon that string held above a pit in Danby?"