Attack on Seven [Erik&Motel vs. Yaa&Deimos]

Somehow, both Mik and Andal had gotten trapped in spiderwebs and we hadn't noticed. They were not with us as we made our way between the bending green shoots, all of which grew much higher than our heads and let through only some light. Yaa was beside me, and we were both silent as we prowled through. As if by an unspoken agreement, we had organized ourselves so that Yaa was to my right and behind and I was to the left. This allowed us to look around and keep an eye out more effectively, in case we came across anything we would need to know about.

The bamboo stalks creaked and groaned as I pressed them sideways in order to get through. Yaa was having an easier time than I was, and I criticized myself for not being able to maneuver through this forest like I normally could. The armor I wore was making me hot and sweaty in this high heat, and the fog that surrounded us clogged my throat. I was able to breath, but it felt like I was breathing soup. I nearly thought I had lost Yaa to the fog when I heard her say something. Too late, I felt a sting on my left thigh and instinctively put a hand on it. I looked up to see a wavering shadow flickering away from me like it was gathering itself for another attack. I drew my fingers away from where I had been slashed at to see only a little blood, so he hadn't managed to hit me all that hard.

That was when another voice reached my ears. "Hey! We're walking here!" It was a boy's voice, and for a moment I had hoped it was all a mass of confusion and Andal or Mik or both had thought we were someone else. Then I saw who it was and my heart sank. A moment later, though, it jumped to my throat and I gasped as I toppled. My leg felt like it was on fire, and I realized that the boy I had foolishly hoped to be one of my missing allies had slashed at my leg with his axe. I had hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of my lungs making it nearly impossible to breathe. With what little air I could manage to take in I wouldn't be able to do anything. I was a sitting duck.

Forcing as deep of a breath as I could get into my lungs, not nearly enough to wash the wave of nausea and rage that flooded me, I twisted to take a look at my leg. Expecting to see a large gash, judging by intensity of the firey pain that pulsed through me like jolts of electricity, I gaped at what I saw. This boy had managed to cleave a large gash in my armor, leaving me with a bleeding cut that looked somewhat deep. Choking with the surprise, I reached down and touched a hand to it, hissing at the stinging pain that retorted my action. Drawing my hand away I cursed at the amount of blood on my fingers and pushed myself up. Muttering about the fact that I had fallen over, and the fact that this boy had managed to render my armor useless, I raised my saw. Though the boy with the axe had managed to land a hard blow I noticed that he was now further away. Perhaps I could hit him, but his friend here was a much better target.

I reached into my pack and drew out one of my jars of tar, using my fingers to scoup out the viscous black goo and slather it over the blade of my saw. When it was down to the last little bit I turned my saw so the teeth were up and dribbled the last of the tar over them. Then I stuffed the jar back in my pack, wondering what use it might serve me, before lighting my weapon. The fire dancing over the saw blade was beautifully terrifying, and the glittering of the small parts I hadn't manage to coat with tar was menacing. I grinned at the saw, somewhat mesmerized by how I could hold the fire so close and yet feel so safe. No, I felt more than safe, I felt deadly. And I was going to pay for my armor with their blood.

[Attacks Motel]
[dice=200+1000]
Severed Left Ear -- 8.0 damage

Fire:
[dice=50]
Moderate Burn +4
(Total damage done: 12.0)

I had managed to do some damage, yet another ear that I had severed - bringing my count up to something like three - and a burn on the side of the boy's head too. I snarled at the two of them, the pain from my leg momentarily draining my humanity as I fell forward to catch myself with my palms. My saw, still glittering in its fire shroud despite laying in the dirt, had fresh blood on it and I heard the red liquid life sizzle. Gritting my teeth, I raised my eyes to the boy I had just attacked in a devilish smile. "How does it feel to lose a part of you, hey District ten?" I curled my lip at him, faking like I was going to raise my saw and slash again even though the pain from my leg kept me pinned to the ground. "My saw is sizzling now that your blood is on it, you could hear it better if I put more on it." It was a weak threat, especially when I could barely move at the moment, but I hoped that in the time Yaa attacked I would be able to recover myself some. I was glad there was someone watching my back.

Yaa had taken only a moment longer than I had to realize we were under attack. She had been yelling at her walkie all day, and now she was yelling at our assailants. "Deimos!" Her yell hadn't been enough to distract the two boys fighting me, but she certainly occupied the one boys time when she screamed at them and launched an attack with her scythe. "Get the hell away from him!" Sadly, the boy blocked and she wasn't able to drive him off with more bloodshed. Worst of all, the tar on her scythe went out. At least she had another jar, or so I remembered. I knew I had another jar, but I wanted to save it in case my own fire went out. I just hoped she would remember to use her next jar. We needed all the help we could get right now.

The District ten boy - Hotel or whatever his name was - just flicked Yaa away like she were a mere nuisance and turned towards me again. I caught the motion of his attack out of the corner of my eye and I rolled onto my back to dodge it. I thought it had worked, and it had kept me from sustaining a heavy blow, but his sword sliced my shirt and left a cut on my stomach. It wasn't incredibly deep, but I knew it would probably ooze blood in a moment or two. It also hurt like hell, and I growled in my frustration, pushing myself up and trying to get close enough to attack. Unfortunately, I had let myself forget about the boy from Twelve, and it bit me hard in the ass. Or more correctly, the leg.

I didn't see him until it was too late, and his axe struck me in the same spot as before, this time encountering no resistance and chopping down hard. Once more I fell over, and once more I cursed. Gritting my teeth against the anger and the pain I turned to look where I was standing, which was where the boy still stood. I'm sure Holiday Inn was laughing at me now, but his companion looked shocked at himself. I gulped at my leg, which was no longer attached to my body and still standing up. Everything seemed to pause in that moment, and a small part of me seemed to ask myself why my leg wasn't connected to me anymore. The leg - no longer mine but a thing on its own - appeared to ask the same question. When I had no answer other than surprise and confusion, it seemed to feel sad and began to sway.

Each sway was like the tick of a clock, giving me a sense of odd time and allowing me to regain control of my body. Though my leg - or not leg - was paining me immensely, I managed to push myself up onto my knees. This action sent waves of angry red hurt screaming up to my brain where only the ticking soothed my burning mind. The ticks grew larger now, and I knew that in any moment the leg would fall. I had to be ready by then. Summoning myself, I raised my saw and tried to make myself as tall as possible despite the missing half of my leg. Then I saw it, like it had suddenly given up on being its own thing, being alive, in the way that it had given up being a part of me. It fell sideways and I surged forward with what speed I could manage, my saw still burning with a fire that mirrored the hatred in my heart.

[Attacks Motel]
[dice=200+1000]
Shallow Cut on Left Hip -- 3.5 damage

[Fire]
[dice=50]
Mild burn +2

This time, slowed by my injury, I only managed a light hit on the District ten boy. I hissed in pain the entire time, and I had to sit in order to keep the bloodied stump of my leg from stinging like a thousand tracker jacker stings. I didn't care whether it was dirty or not, since it would be horribly filthy by the time this fight was done. I would need to wash it after, but that was only if I survived. With only one leg I wouldn't be able to run. I would be as good as useless to my alliance. Maybe I should just win this fight for us, with the help of Yaa and then find someplace here to just camp out until I was killed. I didn't want to weigh down my allies, they had to all be able to run when they needed to rather than having to help me around. Angry at the boy from twelve I reached into my pack and pulled out the jar that had held the tar I had slathered on my weapon. I wanted to light it on fire so it might hurt more when it struck, but my pain-muddled brain offered me no solutions as to how. With a yell, I threw the glass container at the boy who had maimed me, a small price to pay for the never ending fire that was my missing leg.