The Exiled Gem

Change of Leader

And, when you can't go back, you have to only worry about the best way of moving forward.

-The Alchemist

'HERE! I GIVE YOU MEN TO KILL!' The Boss meanwhile said, raising his wine glass. 'THERE ARE NO RULES. NO RULES! A WILD MATCH! I WILL MAKE FIFTEEN PEOPLE ENTER THIS MAZE FIRST. THE FIFTEEN WILL BE UNARMED! THEIR ONLY GOAL IS TO KILL YOU! YOUR ONLY GOAL IS TO KILL THEM! IF YOU SURVIVE, KILLING THESE FIFTEEN, THEN FIFTY MORE MEN SHALL ENTER, EACH ARMED WITH A ONE FEET SWORD; WITH THE ONLY GOAL TO KILL YOU!' He finished. But Alexandra wasn't listening. She had eyes only for the stunning woman on the second chair. Just as the boss finished- though she had registered his words, her brain had been STILL calculating the lady. And in the momentary silence that followed the man's words, Alexandra unfroze from her shock. A full, deep cry rose in her throat.

'DIANA FANNEL!' She cried, pointing her dagger to the woman, 'YOU ARE DIANA FANNEL!'

Silence in the whole maze. The woman's eyes widened. Her hand closed upon something hung in her neck. A pendant-less chain. The pendant had been dropped. But the chain had hung on. And Diana Fannel had worn it till this day.

'You are Diana Fannel!' Alexandra shouted. The woman neither confirmed it - nor did she reject it. The boss looked at her, stunned.

'What is is this girl saying, Celyn?'

Celyn? Celyn... Diana had been the woman, yesterday? Diana had - had been talking yesterday? Between the blood-related brother and sister... yesterday, there had just been one single wall? They had been so close... yet so far.

But, whoever Diana Fannel was here, she was definitely important enough to ignore the boss - because she did. When she didn't reply, the Boss lost interest. He turned to the men surrounding Alexandra - 'WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? LET THE CARNAGE BEGIN!'

Fifteen men entered, from different spots around her. One was right at her back. Alexandra decided it was no use talking to Diana now... now, she had to make her efforts to live long enough to turn Diana. Alexandra sliced at his neck. He fell. She didn't tremble, she didn't cry. Something... a lot of things were holding Alexandra together right now. She could NOT afford to break down now. Two more closed in on her. Alexandra stabbed one in the chest. Her knife got stuck, as she bent to retrieve it, the other one pulled her back and pinned her down.

So soon? Her mind asked her, Don't give up. It added. But... she was weaponless, he was strangling her. Just as Alexandra's consciousness started dipping, she suddenly remembered what Noah had said, Sometimes, if someone startles us, we are more scared than we would be if they were threatening us with a sword.

Where she got that in her mind from, she didn't know. But Alexandra knew what to do, choked as she was, bringing every bit of strength that was in her, she yelled out loud. A high pitched, powerful shriek. It almost shook the floors. Alexandra didn't know her voice possessed so much strength...

The poor man's eyes widened. He was startled, his grip loosened, Alexandra kicked him in the stomach. He fell back, not much hurt, just dazed.

Three more men were approaching her from behind. She yelled again, pulled her knife out of the chest of the man.

'YOU ARE DIANA FANNEL!' She finally screamed. Alexandra had just realized fighting was no good. She was killing innocent men. She had to keep speaking. Her voice was her only true strength here. Like it had always been, in Doveland.