Twenty Six
Carmen inspects my face speechlessly. I want her to look into my data to understand how much I believe in her. Her eyes waver and her confidence does too.
“Lick me.”
She doesn’t respond for some time. Without warning, she quickly leans in and wets my lips enough to share a connection.
“There was no love behind that one. Try it again,” I flirt with a smirk.
Carmen laces her arms around my small frame and attempts to hide her smile. She kisses me three times and spiritedly licks my lips for a few seconds.
Clearing my thoughts I concentrate on her perfectly structured eyebrows. Seeing such beauty almost makes me believe in a god. But it’s her mother and father that deserve the credit for this art. A tear of joy trickles down her face as she senses how much I care about her.
Nod if you can clearly understand my thoughts.
She complies and adds, When you’re this open, you should be able to hear mine.
Great. Tell the truth. You look up to Angie, don’t you? From the first time you met her, you thought she was more beautiful and skilled than you. Since then, you’ve worked hard to be like her.
If your barcodes can only hear what’s in the present, how do you know that? Carmen holds her arms tensely. I reach up and move the wild strands of hair from her eyes and brush dirt from her nose.
Too many people spend all their time trying to find new ways to communicate and understand each other. Not enough actually invest in the best gift we have, common sense.
Okay. Yes. I’ve always wanted to be as powerful as her. Since I met you, I’ve almost wanted to be her.
It’s time to get on her level. If you want her to acknowledge your strength, and to stop being the girl that cries about her problems and searches for excuses, bite me.
What?
You said that everyone starts off weak, but what are you willing to do to be strong?
I fold my arms to match her stance and wait patiently for the words to register. Carmen’s trained the hardest of our team over the past few months. She’s also shown the greatest improvement, but it’s not enough to catch up with our level of skill. The problem isn’t her dedication or determination. She has the will. Her greatest obstacle is Aphrodite. Carmen’s barcodes are holding back a monster inside of her that’s dying to get out.
I don’t know what you mean. I’ve worked really hard—
Use your fangs to bite my neck. And when you’re done, make sure to smear a small amount of the blood on your lips.
You want me to drink your blood? That’s nasty.
Our names are announced.
You know what it’ll do. It’s now or never.
Carmen’s hands tremble and she scrunches her eyebrows. She glances back at Jamie and up to Angie.
With closed eyes, she chooses the quick and dirty method instead of drawing out the pain any longer. She swoops in vampire style and pierces into my flesh. Though the initial pain is horrendous, the feeling of my life connecting with hers isn’t bad.
Jamie and Richard stare, seemingly disgusted. I can’t blame them. Bits of my black blood trickle down my neck. My body shivers and I’m starting to feel weaker. She’s holding on for too long and taking in too much.
“Carmen,” I mutter. “Carmen!”
Pushing her head away, I notice the exact second the beast within me enters her. She appears lost and confused. Dazed.
Her eyes search for an answer to some question before she bursts into laughter. Tears are soon to follow.
I scrape the excess blood from her lips.
My data spreads like a virus through her anatomy, escaping from her esophagus and spreading through her bloodstream.
Concentrating my energy and thoughts, I begin converting all my blood into barcodes. To do this, I first have to cancel her current flow of data and force her body to accept me.
She giggles from the pleasure oozing through her. She’s entered the state of euphoria that everyone suffers from with my blood, but she exits much faster. Carmen shows an incredible strength. It’s almost like she expels the drug clouding her thoughts and focuses on accepting the beast.
Carmen’s eyes turn green with traces of her old hazel still lingering near the center. The blood dries and her lips flicker with all the colors of the rainbow. She pokes out her lips and attempts to see them.
Eventually she settles on two colors. Most of her bottom lip and half of her top are pink. The other half is a light green.
“I never told you, but I love watermelon,” she exclaims before marching to the battlefield.
I rush to catch up. “Here’s the deal.”
“Kick ass?”
“Indeed, but I need you to take out Monte first.”
The beautiful goddess narrows her eyebrows and hurries to the center of the field, but we still have a few seconds to talk. Angie and Monte observe her with enlarged eyes. Carmen seems very different. I didn’t expect this either.
“I can access your thoughts clearly, Kode.”
“So you know my name now. You seemed shocked when you heard it last night.”
“That’s because I had no clue Monte was your brother, and your family’s an abomination—not that mine is any better.”
“Now you can understand why I’m hell bent on killing them.”
“Have you gotten any closer to finding Eve?” I shake my head. Carmen changes the subject when she notices the painful expression I’m wearing. “By the way, I hate Kay. Kode’s sexier.”
“I’m happy to turn you on. I can tell by what’s happening between your legs. But can we focus on the threat before us?”
Carmen widens her eyes. “Damn your eyes really are intrusive.” I slap my legs and release a frustrated grunt. “Right. The threats. You want me to take out Monte so you can get some one-on-one time with Angie.”
“Something like that.”
“You don’t think I could take them both? Your mind is showing me all of Monte’s weaknesses, but why not Angie’s? What are you protecting her from?”
“In all honestly,” I whisper, “she has three goddesses trapped in her that come out when her arrows are shifted certain ways. She won’t release the strongest because that chick loves blood and will kill anyone in sight. If she did, neither of us would have a chance.”
Carmen places her hands on her hips and her muscles tighten more than ever. “With all you have flowing through me, you still don’t think I can beat her.” Her eyes irately stalk Angie.
“You misunderstand. I never beat her with my bandages off.”
That’s because you love her too much and hold back. I don’t think Carmen knows she relayed those thoughts to me. She mildly activates her barcodes.
“Just give me an idea. Are you sticking with the plan or going rogue?”
Carmen shifts her weight to her back leg. “I’ll stick with the plan and win, if you promise to kiss me.”
“Back to that, huh?”
“Swear.”
“I swear, so kick ass.”
“For a kiss, I’ll do more than that,” she flirts.
Thomas announces the match with his booming voice. I really don’t care what he has to say about the four warriors on the field. I’m focused on Angie and Monte’s argument.
Angie turns away from us and closes her eyes. Her right hand is trembling. Monte follows her, apparently concerned. As he tenderly places his hand on her back, I think of all the ways I want to rip his heart out, but I’m regrettably too weak.
His voice lacks concern when he asks, “What? What now?”
“I can’t do it.”
“Do what?”
“Kill Kay. I can’t.”
“All because you saw Kode? You said it yourself, he’s dead and that midget killed him. You can avenge my brother.”
“No. No. No.” She repeats the series two more times. “It’s not that.”
“Then what?”
Angie squints and makes an adorable twisted expression. She l
oudly whispers, “He’s so cute.”
“What?”
“Monte. I was angry enough to kill him in Gardezi’s and Casey’s classrooms. If I could have, I would have by now. He’s too cute to hurt.”
Monte takes four steps away from her and returns with his hands in the air. “You can’t kill him because he looks like a kid? All this time, that was it?”
The gladiator princess shifts and shakes her head. “It’s not that.” After taking a huge breath, she stammers, “I feel like such a pedophile.”
“Please tell me what you’re talking about.”
“He’s sexy, okay? I swear if he were five years older I’d rape him. I’m not going to lie, if I were alone with him in a room, I probably would. He’s so damn cute I’m disgusted with myself.”
Turning back towards me, Monte grumbles, “I don’t want to hear anymore.”
“Too bad because I’ve had this trapped inside of me all year and I’m letting it out. I always dream about him. I try killing him, but we end up having sex in the kitchen, in my dad’s car, and—oh Writer—the best was in the center of the battlefield. I keep thinking about that one.”
Thomas begins the fight and Monte mouths the words, “Thank you,” to the announcer’s booth. Then, he rushes me and attempts to land a solid right. I try moving my feet, but I’m not fast enough.
Before he can connect, Carmen clotheslines the brute. Only, she places her leg behind his to make sure he falls. Angie sneaks up behind her, but Carmen ducks under the punch and rolls on the ground.
You can use my styles. Great, but don’t use the Muay Thai against Angie. She’ll kill you.
I know. I’m shifting to Krav Maga.
Angie attacks me with a roundhouse kick. I allow it to connect with my arm to move me out of the way. I tumble on the ground and stand up to see Carmen taking on both Monte and Angie at once. She’s holding her own, landing several knees and elbows on very vital areas including temples, ribs, and kidneys.
Both of her opponents underestimated her new strength and didn’t prepare to come after her. Monte tries collecting air for his tattoos occasionally, but it doesn’t work. Carmen chokes him from behind or punches him in the neck. He can’t collect if he can’t breathe.
The duo backs away and Carmen tiptoes towards me to provide me with protection.
“She’s fighting like Kode,” Monte whispers, sounding confused.
“I know. It’s weird,” Angie replies with her eyes focused on me.
Don’t let them talk. They’ll figure out your techniques.
Carmen reveals a transparent staff that’s now a grayish color. It extends and knocks the air out of Monte. She lifts the staff with him attached to the end. In one strong whipping motion, she smashes him into the ground.
Angie runs on top of the weapon and plows her foot into Carmen’s face.
I back away in the opposite direction of the others. While Carmen recovers, I focus all of my energy to the space right before me. When fighting, it’s best to only pay attention to my immediate surroundings and not the entire world.
Color rushes to my eyes. Though it’s not as vibrant as it would be with them open, I can see the world more clearly. There are details as fine as the hairs on the back of Monte’s neck.
Still supplying my eyes with energy, a red cape flashes in front of me. Monte’s ax is in Carmen’s hands.
“Pay attention, papi.” I didn’t even notice him throw it. She slams it into the ground. It’s buried deeply. He’ll have to spend a few costly seconds to remove it.
Carmen approaches Monte as he collects energy. She doesn’t make it in time and he releases a gust of wind that knocks her back.
His objective is me.
Monte sprints with all his might as he jumps in the air to land a punch on my head, Angie yells, “No!”
Defenseless in the air, Carmen slaps her staff on his back and he plummets to the ground. After converting it to a mallet, she crushes him with it relentlessly until he coughs up blood. Then, she spins it in a circle and slowly approaches Angie.
The two women face off and battle it out with their fists. They engage in an Eskrima fight without sticks. With Eskrima, their punches are more of a whipping motion that allows them to set each other up or throw the other over their shoulder. Both women learned the technique from me, but it’s Angie’s second best fighting style. The one I learned from her, Muay Thai, is my second best.
Carmen’s taking too many hits because of Angie’s advanced speed. Quickly, I instruct, Extend your reach by bringing out two thin staffs. Allow them to act as additional limbs. Think of it as another joint to whip her with.
Without breaking stride, Carmen creates two blue staffs and takes the advantage. Though Angie’s hits are much stronger, Carmen’s now connecting three times more. Within fifteen seconds, she hits every major area on Angie’s body. Angie tries to retreat, but is only struck more.
That’s when it happens.
Angie flashes her barcodes for the first time in front of a large group of people. Audience members dispel any rumors about her colorless tattoos when they shine a bright baby blue. That additional power is all Angie needs to place Carmen in a headlock. She malevolently flings Ms. Love over her hip, nearly breaking her neck, and slams her into the ground. Ten elbows to the face ends the race for Carmen.
Angie breathes heavily as she jumps to her feet. Carmen’s still awake, but isn’t moving.
Sorry, papi. I see what you mean now. What are you going to do?
Fight. You can relax.
Don’t be gentle!
I don’t even know what gentle means.
You say that, but you’re not as rough as you’d like to admit. There’s a soft spot in your heart for her. If you don’t acknowledge it, she’s going to win. Stop thinking about letting her kill you. Think destructively like you did when fighting Arnold.
Damn. How deep in my thoughts did you go?
Far enough to know you better not ever look at Jamie again.
Angie runs in the opposite direction until she’s next to Monte. She grabs his head and he stands up holding the back of his neck tightly. He’s still pretty hurt.
Thomas grabs the microphone and howls like a wolf in the moonlight. The crowd cheers as he blares, “Now this is a match! Finally, Angie Colt has returned. I’m sorry to say boo-boo, but I heard rumors about that match with Malik last year. I don’t know what changed your mind now, but I’m glad you’re fighting again.” Fans stand to their feet and pump their fists. Thomas’ face is projected on the spherical screen as he stands in the booth. “Somehow, Kay’s gotten through two days without throwing a single punch. It looks like you’ve finally run out of luck and you couldn’t be up against worse odds.”
Angie and Monte set their gazes in my direction. The odds are against me in every way, but it’s no fun to go out without fighting.
I take a step forward, but my legs are too heavy. I remove the pearls from Ra. Then, I begin twisting the necklace around my finger. Air rushes into my lungs and a great pain is lifted from my shoulders. These pearls were meant to act like Richard’s armor, but Ra had something special in mind. My power was too low to go against Angie. With these on my torso, my core was strengthened, enhancing my defense and punching power.
Releasing a force directed at their bodies, I make sure that what they’re seeing isn’t what’s in front of them at all. This is similar to the way I disappear into smoke.
Monte squints and says, “I can’t tell if that necklace weighs a ton or nothing at all.”
“A ton. Don’t let it hit you.”
Smiling, Monte warns, “But I can’t move my legs yet. Convert Kongō into a shield for me.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Where were you last night?”
“You’re asking now?”
“You said you’d meet me at the party, but you never showed up.”
“I got drunk after thinking about Kode and went t
o fight on some rooftops. I’m sorry I didn’t call. Does that mean we’re a real couple now? If so, can you protect me, babe?”
“Funny. Your friend Malik didn’t show up either. But a lot of gangsters—like the ones you hung out with in Louisiana—did.”
Monte becomes cement-like. He motionlessly watches her with a fearful expression. “...Angie.”
Coldly she declares, “You’ll have to get hit.”
Once they’re done, I twirl in a circle and launch the necklace. The pearls crush Monte’s armor on contact and send him flying through the stadium walls.
“Say you killed him.” Angie exhorts while marching towards me. “You’ve made me think I’m crazy because you’ve never said anything to me directly. Say it!” she screams and the crowd simmers down.
When she’s no more than a few feet away, I feel my heart pounding against its captivity, pushing away every ounce of blood inside of me. I hate myself for doing this to her, but if Angie kills me now, it’s more than worth it. I want her to understand that she’s not her father’s puppet. She’s already defeated Malik. This is just the additional push she needs to never turn back.
I gesture for her to bring her best. Angie swings with a wide punch that I could easily counter, but I want the pain, like always.
The first strike doesn’t hurt enough. I duck several others before she connects a knee on my cheek. I tumble, flip up, and dodge the next set of kicks and punches without missing a beat. When she plants a straight on my jaw, I hold her fist firmly against my face. It’s not strong enough, and she needs to show me a lot more if she wants me to counter.
The monster in Angie emerges and she uses her left hand to strike me in the gut. I crumble to the ground, but feel her knees relentlessly pound against my forehead. I realize how close to the wall I am when she bashes my head into it seven times.
Three more, you know the rules.
Angie hesitates before slamming me into it three more times.
When I stand up, she backs away and turns her barcodes outward. She damn near flies away from me. When she gracefully lands on her feet, she says, “I can’t believe someone this weak has their blood covering his body.”
Angie splits into five copies. It’s a horrifying technique she can perform when her codes are angled this way. I’m not sure if each one is real, but from personal experience, they all feel very authentic.
They each beat the hell out of me, hitting me from various angles and sides. It’s painful, but I’m more focused on the crowd’s reaction. They’re amazed at her abilities and freakish power.
The beating ends with one of her clones holding me by my hood and the real girl analyzing my face, we’re almost nose-to-nose. The clone releases me and slowly fades away.
I try catching my balance, but fall to the ground. The crowd’s cheers rumble the stadium. As the blood leaks from my head, I realize I lost.
Thomas rests his hand on his cheek. “That’s it little guy? With the way you stood around confidently, I thought you were a lethal assassin or something. That’s disappointing. I guess that leaves Angie Colt and Monte Payne as our winners.”
I feel Carmen creeping through my mind. To think, she calls me the invasive one. Kode.
What? What?
Are you done?
No. I doubt it.
Then why are you lying there for so long?
Angie towers over me. She kicks dirt on my body and slowly walks to Monte with half of the stadium chanting her name.
I don’t know. Maybe I like the feeling of blood oozing from my skull.
You probably think I’m not good enough to give you advice, but can you at least show me the determination you had last year? All this time, you’ve been holding yourself back from us. I don’t really know who you are. It’s fine if she’s stronger but—as I continue sneaking through your thoughts—I’ve seen you much more focused and willing to prove a point.
Electricity dances in the pool of blood directly next to me. I begin walking my fingers across it as it creeps back into my body.
You sure you want this? If I return to how I was before killing Spencer, you may hate me. I’m already bad enough. Think about it. I’ve been holding back all my hatred and anger. If I let it go, I can’t promise that I’ll feel the same way about you.
Though I can’t hear anything from Carmen, I still feel her data dwelling inside of me. Finally, she communicates, Maybe it’s like Sekhmet, and I can bring you back. She’s managed to hack through data that I’ve intentionally blocked from her.
No. There’s no return from this. I came here to find the strength I needed to kill Helios, the Colt Council, and my mother. It’s time I remember that.
All at once, the crowd silences. There are no traces of my blood on the ground and I’m standing up, looking much stronger.
Withdrawing the weapon I’ve only used once against the men in the cave, I convert Shiva into my special armored gloves that cover my entire arms and allow them to collect energy around them.
Thomas stammers, “Folks. Uhh, I take back those results. I’m sorry, but I thought he was bleeding from the head. Whatever that black ooze was is gone. I should’ve known it wasn’t blood.”
Looking up I shout, “I’m tired of you calling my fights early. When I’m dead, say I lost.” Angie jumps at the sound of my voice. “You want to talk?” I question while approaching her. “Let’s talk. You’re weak and pathetic. If you thought I killed Kode and Spencer, you should have done something about it. But you’d rather be pushed around by your father and that worthless mutt.”
She laughs at the sound of mutt. Angie radiates her barcodes and turns them outward once more.
“This is the only time I’ll tell you: kill me.”
With that, Angie lunges forward again. As she connects a serious combination of blows, I laugh. Once she’s too tired to hit me anymore, I give it to her.
Shiva charges with the sound of a nuke preparing to launch. The first explosion releases from my fist once it connects with Angie’s jaw. Several more erupt over her torso. The last punch throws her back. As she attempts to retreat, I pound her with an elbow to her chest. There’s another booming sound from Shiva.
“You’re not him,” she cries through the pain. “You’re not a challenge. I could easily beat you.”
“If you had access to Sekhmet,” I complete her thought with a grin. “But you don’t. Now, if you really want to prove your power, bring all five of your sexy asses back out.”
Angie’s eyes squint as her lips form into a smile. She divides into five again and rushes towards me, but this time, I mimic her technique. In these bandages, I can’t replicate the exact technique, but I can modify it.
I stand in the center of an invisible circle. I’m surrounded by a five foot radius of protection that she can’t enter. Clones of my arms and legs appear from black smoke as I punch, kick, and elbow her bodies.
“You’re not him. You’re not him. You can’t do this,” she mutters while attempting to counter my attacks. She’s seen this technique before. Angie knows my barriers better than anyone. I fold my arms in the center while focusing the energy of my other attacks.
I defeat each one of her clones though the original manages to parry all of my strikes. While she’s distracted, I dash forward and plant an uppercut on her chin.
We both exchange single punches for four minutes. Her face is swelling and her left eye is closing, but I’m not any better off. The left side of my face feels hot, like it’s melting. Time ticks by with my head feeling worse than it did when I fought Arnold. When I elbow Angie in the kidney, her scream silences the audience. But a second later, she kicks me in the chest so hard that I make a loud gasping sound that stretches across the amphitheater.
Finally, Professor Jules yells, “Enough!” from the announcer’s booth.
Everyone in the crowd and behind the locker rooms direct their attention up to the spherical projector.
Angie keeps her eyes on me. If she’s a
s tired as I am, her chest is burning more intensively with each inhale. It’s like air is both my friend and enemy.
Suddenly, I hear a powerful sniper rifle firing from some distance. Something invisible strikes my body and paralyzes me. Where was I hit?
Angie looks around for my attacker. Her expression shows concern. Did she hear the gunshot too?
Jules continues, “This is a final, not a death match. You both have proven yourselves and we’ll call this a draw.” Vincent yells from his reserved booth. His voice isn’t enough to carry across the field, but he’s pissed. He wants me dead. “I apologize for killing everyone’s action, but the other professors want these students alive next year.”
The projector stops showing Jules’ face. Angie never once looked up at him. Her eyes trace my body.
“Kay. Did you really kill Kode? Don’t call me crazy like everyone else.” She falls on her knees directly next to me. “I saw him last night. You can hate me or kill me later. I’ll give you the gun to pull the trigger, but I need to know if he’s alive.”
The suffering in her voice adds an additional pain to my heart. I can’t hold this facade any longer. I plan to confess, but I’m interrupted. Another alarming sound catches my attention. This time no one will be prepared.
“Angie, run! Get out now.”
“Kay tell me. Please!”
It’s too late. Various types of wolves without fur or skin run onto the field. Their muscles are exposed, but they’re different colors—burgundy, tan, and gray.
Just seconds ago, they were released from the cave’s entrance in Casey’s room. Now the ground rumbles as they stampede through the stadium, killing anyone in their way.
They tear through body parts and Colt Stone with little to no effort.
“Where did they come from?” Angie mumbles.
“Angie. Run,” I plead.
“Not until you answer me.” She holds Kongō in her hands and relaxes her body. Turning her barcodes back up, she keeps them gently lit and waits for the first beast to attack. With a gorgeous smile, she adds, “Plus, I don’t have the energy.”
The creature leading the front lines is coming directly for me. Why?
Carmen yells, “Kode!”
The sound of my name distracts Angie as she stabs him in the ribs. Loosing her grip, the beast runs off with Kongō jammed in his flesh. He falls over and bleeds out a few feet away. The smell of blood attracts the others. A few professors try reaching us, but we’re surrounded by hundreds of these animals and more are still pouring out from the dungeon.
The audience members race out of their seats towards the exits, only to find the creatures on the inside hallway. We’re surrounded and people are losing their lives left and right.
Even worse, I can’t move my body. This reminds me of the feeling of when I’m sleeping. I can see everything around me, but I have no control.
Angie cries as Carmen crawls towards me.
“Papi!”
Clenching her fist, Angie closes her eyes and tells Carmen, “I can defend us if I release my barcode, but there’s only one person that can stop me from killing everyone else here. He said he’d always protect me and stop me from revealing Sekhmet.”
The wolves close in on us. I sink deeper into my sleep knowing there’s nothing I can do, but watch them die.
Angie places her palm on my cheek, which warms my skin. “If you are Kode, why won’t you protect me?” Carmen covers her mouth. Her eyes dissect each of Angie’s words and actions. I imagine she’s reading too much into the situation. We’re all about to die. Let’s focus on that. “Kode, I love you with all my heart and soul. I’ve never cared for anything more than you and I won’t leave until I find you. You can’t let me die. How many times have I saved you?” The gladiator princess laughs and rubs her nose. “I’ve been there for you, even against Eve. Don’t let me down. Kode, if this is you. Get up now!”
I’m such a disappointment.
A wolf lunges at my head and Angie tries to throw her body over me. The wolf sinks his teeth into her arm. Unfortunately for him, that’s the furthest he’ll get. I have my nails in his throat and I don’t plan on letting him bite an inch deeper.
The creature whimpers as I pry his mouth loose. Opening his incredibly strong jaws, I free her arm and rip the monster in half.
While converting Shiva into the large shield-sword I once used to defend Carmen, I utter, “Gigi.”
Angie’s eyes light up and she bounces up and down. “What, daddy?”
Carmen snaps, “Oh hell no.”
“I’m sorry,” I articulate with a smirk. “I’m going to put you back in the barrier I learned from Takashi. Don’t move.”
When I was young, Takashi Tiger taught me how to fight with some of his abilities. He was shocked I could master hearing frequencies and understanding the world around me. Of all the techniques he’s taught me, my favorite was creating barriers.
With my skill, there are ways to protect my own body and others within a five foot radius, like I did against Angie. The beautiful gladiator princess once described what she sees inside of the field. Supposedly, I disappear and she can only see fragments of me as I obliterate my opponents.
Angie reaches for Carmen and holds her tightly. Her grapple applies so much force against Carmen’s body, the delicate girl can’t move an inch.
“Stay perfectly still, sweetheart,” Angie croons. Carmen raises her eyebrows.
As a few hundred monsters close in, I hear large explosions from inside. Dennis is making his way to the front line, but we can’t hold on that long.
I’ll really have to let loose.
Turning my back to the women, I open my eyes and allow my data to run rampant.
“Shiva, the sword’s too large. I’m a little guy now.” My incredible weapon sparks wildly in my hand. Her thunderous sounds and the lightening expelling from the blade wards off a few of the nearby creatures. When she finishes, the sword loses half of its weight and size. “Much better.” I pry the weapon from the ground and grip it tightly in my palm.
Once the first wolf leaps forward, I begin. With one whip of Shiva, the creature explodes.
Carmen mumbles through Angie’s hands, “Where’d he go?”
“Try staying quiet. It’s distracting for him. You can’t see Kode because he’s moving too fast, but don’t budge if you see anything coming near us. They can’t get in.”
One after another, the monsters vanish, leaving nothing other than large heaps of their blood. The biggest wolf manages to get a bite on my shoulder. I must reappear for a second because Carmen flinches and screams. A large gash appears on her leg from a wolf that managed to cross in during her movement.
Using my free hand, I throw the beast attacking me across the field and pull the intruder out of their safety zone.
I continue the butchery until the only remaining attacker is the big boy that tasted my shoulder. He tries running away, but I launch Shiva in trishula form to stab him in the head. Then, I chase down my beautiful weapon.
The entire ground is covered by their blood and I’m fine by that because my ladies are safe.
Deathly tired, I pry Shiva from the beast’s skull and convert her into gloves. Then, I return to the only dry area of the field, dragging my feet across the pool of blood. Angie throws Carmen to the side and I crash into my best friend’s lap. We both laugh weakly as she embraces me.
The world, as I see it in my mind, dissolves into fragments, like it did the night I destroyed Malik’s party. But this time, I know it’s bad.