Accessory Wars

Chapter 71-Ki

            The ice hurt. It hurt a lot. It also soothed the burns so I suppose it was a catch twenty-two. The more Ken struggled to keep fighting, the more the barbs dug into my skin. Draining me for energy. Begging me for a way to keep going. I had nothing. This wasn't the same as when Weston equipped me. The beating and burning was the same but this time I was bleeding. Badly. Had I bled the first time, I probably wouldn't have survived. I wasn't expecting to live through Ken.

I heard Ken laugh and I pried open my eyes. What was he laughing at now? My heart shriveled as I saw it was Jay. He ran straight for Ken with something on his back. His torso covered most of it so I couldn't get a clear view. His hands glowed and I felt myself giving up. Jay...why? Why would you kill yourself for me again? Tears slipped out of my eyes as his wrists bled. The electricity crackled around him like some kind of god of thunder. In my delusion dying brain, I thought it made him look really cool.

"Ki!" Jay roared as his energy latched onto Ken. Then, out of nowhere, Jay was there. He pressed his hands to the sides of my face. I couldn't talk so I drooled on him a little.

Jay went flying sideways as Ken appeared and smacked him away. Jay bared his teeth and tackled Ken. They punched, kicked and scratched at each other like a pair of cats. I never saw Jay be so vicious before but he wasn't a fighter. Ken landed a solid blow and Jay crumpled.

I felt a brush of energy. More of a tickle, really. Like a tiny dog licking at my wounds. It felt like Jay giving me a hug. I realized he was sharing his energy with me and it brought new tears to my eyes. Don't waste your energy, Jay. I wasn't going to make it.

"Ki," Jay rasped as Ken vanished from the void, most likely to keep fighting outside. He crawled over to me. He placed a kiss on the side of my head. "I'm so sorry." He rested his forehead against my temple. His tears leaked out and dropped onto my face. I could feel his sadness and frustration with each one. "Please, Ki. Please don't stop fighting. I can't lose you. We can't lose you."

"I know," I said, although it was more of a gurgle than actual words.

Ken appeared again and smacked Jay away a second time. For some reason, despite all my exhaustion and blood loss, seeing Ken knock around my boyfriend gave me an ounce of strength. Maybe it was pure hate fuel but I took full advantage of it. As Ken left the void again, I grabbed hold of his energy. Then I started to drag him back. The chains hissed as my blood boiled. It didn't matter. I long lost feeling in my body. I pulled harder. Harder. Ken's form flickered in the void. Harder! Ken reappeared and he shot me a nasty scowl.

You want power, Ken? You want to feel it?

I locked my eyes onto his and opened up the synergy channel.

The effect was immediate. Ken screamed and thrashed around as the thin piece of synergy connected my pain to him. I forced it onto him, flooding him with every ounce of torture he had inflicted on me. You wanted power? Then take it!

As Ken screamed, Jay got to his feet and began pounding on Ken until his fists were bleeding. Ken tried to desperately fight back. Each time he tried to flee, I dragged his ass back into the void. With the channels open, some of Ken's energy flowed into me. On shaky arms, I pushed myself upright.

The entire void shook and I threw up blood as something crashed into my side. Then Donna appeared next to me. As she grabbed me, I felt a flood of weak energy from her.

"Hang in there!" Donna ordered.

Ken shoved Jay away and flew straight at me. His hand reached out and I clamped my teeth down on it. Ken screamed and Donna punched him straight in the face. I bit down harder, tasting blood in my mouth. More people began to appear. People I didn't know. They grabbed Ken or myself, trying to force the two of us apart. I kept my jaw locked. I wasn't letting Ken go anywhere.