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The pledges stand fast. They haven’t moved an inch like they’re waiting for something. If no one else is going to be man enough to make the first strike, it’ll have to be me. I have places to be and a god to confront. There’s no time to twiddle our thumbs. The moment Pan catches word of my visit, he’ll hide. Not only that, there’s more than just my life riding on me winning now. Scarlet’s is too.
My fingers twitch, and darkness leaps at my command, snaking towards the fleeing dire wolf. I tug back with a clenched fist, and the element obeys, yanking the coward to me by his throat. A loud crunch breaks the tense silence. I hadn’t intended to end him so quickly... Honestly, I’d planned to make a show of his death, but the bell tolls anyway, marking the first casualty.
The noise seems to snap the other pledges out of their stupor. They clash amongst each other as I creep toward where a skeleton peeks out of the ground a few feet away. The glint from the hilt of a sword shines through the black sand, calling my name. One down, eighteen to go. The metal is rusted, but it’s better than no weapon, I suppose. I test the weight of it in my palm, flexing my fingers as I survey the other pledges.
The troll is having a grand Ol’ time mocking the demons as he punts them across the arena, his rotting teeth on full display. The serpent-man’s tail crashes with ferocity, knocking wolves down left and right, while the birdman takes to the sky, launching surprise aerial attacks. He scoops in from above on his prey, using his talons to snatch up another demon and drop him from the air–high enough to snap the creature’s bones upon impact. The bell rings twice.
Make that sixteen.
Darkness erupts from my outstretched hands to ensnare the serpent-man. With a jerk of my wrist, I send his body smashing into the troll. They collapse into a tangle of scales and gnarled flesh. The birdman shrieks, wings beating hastily as he swoops to snatch up a dire wolf. Seconds later, a blob of fur smashes into the ground beside me and the bell tolls again.
Fifteen.
My shadows give chase, catching up to the harpy mid-flight, sending him hurling to the ground. The sand ripples as his large body slides across it, wings bending at an unnatural angle as he drills into the sand. His body comes to an abrupt stop the moment he hits something hard beneath it. The dirt settles and the birdman goes limp.
Fourteen.
“Behind you!” Zephyr’s warning chimes in my ear as the wind picks up, flooding my nose with the briny ocean air and the thick scent of seaweed. I whirl as a demon lunges. His large horns make up half the size of his head, and his talons extend his arm's length by half a foot. He’s strong, fighting me tooth and nail as my shadows wrap around him. Dark lines trail up his face as his red skin pales to a colorless gray. He crumbles to dust at my feet. This is almost too easy.
The bell rings again. Thirteen.
The sword in my hand is dull. I doubt it would cut much without putting my entire weight into it. It’d cause more blunt-force trauma than anything. Stabbing might bode well though… I test the balance of it as the wolves circle me, deciding I’m the bigger target–the bigger threat. Their black, ratted coats are full of sand, and their eyes are hollow and empty. Blade-sharp teeth clash as they snap at the air between us, searching for my weaknesses. They’re a well-trained pack, hunting as a unit. Just as Zephyr warned.
One wolf finally takes the leap. I pivot, the blade stabbing into fur, using its own weight against him. I tear the sword out sideways, ripping flesh, and a pained howl cuts through the air as the wolf cowers against the ground.
“Which one of you is next?” I joust my sword at them, making one of the wolves sidestep. Then another rushes for my legs, I kick out and my boot collides with its head, hitting at just the right angle to snap its neck. Another jumps at me and my shadows jolt up, snatching it out of the air. It anchors the wolf to the black sand, and I drive my sword into the base of its skull.
Two more wolves still circle, watching and waiting as I pull my sword free. Deciding to make the first move, I throw my shadows out, coiling around one of the wolves like vines and sucking the life out of him. The other wolf tries to sneak up behind me, but I sense it. Spinning on my heels, I grip the blade of my sword with both of my hands as the wolf slams into me, knocking me onto my back. It snaps, saliva dripping from its bloodied mouth, but I lock my arms, holding it away. Darkness coils up my arms, wraps around its throat, and squeezes until the bell tolls. My nose fills with the scent of copper, the musky perfume of wet dog mixed with the fishy aroma of sea sand. I knock the creature away and get to my feet.
Pledge after pledge falls until the number dwindles to five. The serpent, dryad, troll, a demon, and me. I glance at the thrones, finding Scarlet with her fingers wrapped around the armrests of her throne, knuckles bleaching white under the strain of her grip. Our gazes meet across the distance. For the life of me, I can’t tell what she’s doing to help, if she’s doing anything at all. Did she change her mind?
A sickening snap rings through the air as the dryad is torn to shreds by the troll. I can’t look away. His muscles flex as he growls, tearing the dryads vines from his limbs. Their vines are supposed to be stronger than any rope or chain in existence, yet the troll just cleaved them from his body like it was nothing.
Fuck…
“Watch out!” Zephyr’s warning comes too late. Something hits me from behind, hard enough to send pain shooting through my entire body. Luckily, it didn’t feel like a sword. It was something blunt. My head rings as I try to focus my vision, but I’m seeing double as I roll over.
Anytime now, Scarlet. I didn’t sign up to do this solo.
The serpent man comes into view, holding a large piece of driftwood. He must’ve clubbed me with it. He tosses it onto the ground, his forked tongue lashing out between his lips. He bends and in a moment of clarity, I know exactly what he’s going for. My sword.
Darkness bolts from my hands, snatching up my discarded weapon before the serpent can take it.
Screw the princess. If she’s not going to help, then so be it. I will not die here.
The serpent hisses, fangs bared and dripping venom. Rolling out to the side before he can pin me to the ground, I get to my feet. He lashes out with his claws, and I parry each strike. There are only four of us remaining for a reason. He’s fast and he won’t go down easily.
The death dance continues for far too long as strike after strike is deflected. Something juts through the sand, a skeleton, and I almost lose my footing. The split second is all the serpent needs. He snaps at the air, and though I canter, his venomous fangs tear through my shirt, ripping open my shoulder.
I growl, wincing as pain shoots through me. My mouth goes dry, and before I can move, the serpent’s foot collides with my thigh, knocking me to one knee. His tail swirls around me like he plans to squeeze until my bones break. My element explodes around me and the serpent man vanishes from view. It’s only when his tail nearly dissolves around me that he stumbles backward. The darkness clears as I stand, blood dripping down my arm and onto the sea floor. The serpent wails, crawling backward as he struggles to get away from me, but the damage has already been done. I lift my sword, thankful that he didn’t tear open my right arm, but my less dominant left. Suddenly, it’s like my vision narrows until the only thing here is me and the serpent man missing his tail. I swing, holding nothing back. Even with the rusted edge of my sword, the blade embeds into his throat, almost taking his head off.
Tearing my blade from the man, agony drips through me like fire in my veins as the venom takes hold. I stagger back, vision swimming, and clench my jaw. My shoulder is so warm… I can feel my heartbeat in the wound he made.
The demon’s steps shake the ground as he nears me, but this time I feel it in my feet. I wait until the last second, spinning and throwing my darkness out toward him. His form is blocked out by the haze, but I can hear snap after snap of bone. It’s only when I let up that I find him in a misshapen mess, his form no longer humanoid. Helpless, he shrieks, spitting curses, coming in and out of consciousness. I cross the distance between us and plunge my blade deep into his chest. A fatal strike. His blood leaches into the sand.
The bell rings out. Only one pledge remains.
The venom throbs in my veins, burning like acid. My leg shakes, nearly giving out with each step as I turn to face my final opponent.
