The Four Of Nevermore: What's Within The Trees

☾ 4.0: blood in the cut ☽

❝ Watch me bleed into nothing, I'm already dead ❞

Below The Belt ➳ Point North & Set It Off

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Another day, another fencing class.

Deirdre and Vivian walked in, swords in one hand and their masks in the other. They both seemed quite cheery about it, discussing between themselves that they'd like to partner up and duel each other today. While at first all seems well, as the lessons were fairly simple and nothing was out of ordinary.. 

When suddenly, "Hey!"

The shorter girl froze at the familiar voice; the sound sweet on the surface with a hidden lace of venom underneath. The one person she had hoped not to see at all today after what happened during the early minutes of class earlier was now standing there in front of her and her bestfriend; Bianca. 

There she was, with a serene smile on her face and a false cheerful glint in her pale, bluish-green eyes, "So, Vivian, right?"

Seeing her expression had caused a weight of worry to grow in Deirdre's chest. With a silent gulp, she took one small step away from her friend as Vivian simply gave Bianca a slow nod, seemingly surprised at the girl's sudden approach, "Yea, that's me?-"

"Bianca. Bianca Barclay." She smiles, holding her sword in one hand as she extended the other for a friendly handshake. Vivian turned to Deirdre and noticed the worried look in her eyes, immediately receiving a bad feeling, the girl turned back to Bianca and tilted her head to the side, giving her a hum as she didn't take her hand, "Well, it's nice to meet you. Have we met before though?"

"Well no," Bianca huffed softly as she took her hand back, "but I've seen you around; chemistry class a few days ago, great work on that project with that stoner." 

"His name's Ajax, but thank you." Vivian said, almost taking offense to the stranger's words with a slightly awkward stance as she then turned to Deirdre once again to give the random girl before her a subtle side-eye. As a wave of silence begins to pass by the three girls, accompanied by the faint sounds of swords clashing against each other, Bianca cleared her throat as she then turned to the brunette beside Vivian with a gritted-teeth grin, "So, got a partner to go up against?"

"I-" 
"Me."

A low voice spoke behind her as he came closer, to which the three girls would then turn to find Xavier walking up to stand next to Deirdre, his gaze towards the siren before him. Vivian, despite feeling a little offended by his sudden entrance yet she knows better than to argue, she simply switched to focus as she then gave Bianca a small smile as she suggested, "How about you against me, Bianca? Seems like Dee here already has a partner." 

"Tch," Bianca scoffed, "I thought you guys already partnered up back then."

"Well, i don't see why we can't partner up again." Xavier raised a brow, that's when the tension between the four began to thicken; dark glances between Xavier and Bianca like they've lightning in their gazes, causing Vivian to wonder whether or not the two has history before while Deirdre then cleared her throat to get their attention before she then forced up a small smile to lighten the mood,

"Well, um- break time's over, how about we just- go as what we practiced?-"

"Right," Bianca began, turning her full focus towards the brunette with curved lips, "You and me, unless, you're not up to go against a pro."

"O-Oh, um-" Deirdre tried to speak, her breath caught in her throat for a moment.

"Bianca, leave her out of this-" Xavier cuts in, his expression growing bitter as he took a step in front of Deirdre, "if you want to duel me just say it."

"Xavier, it's fine." The brunette forced herself to say, keeping her smile as she then turned to siren before her, "Alright, we duel, you pick where."

The two then made their way to the piste at the furthest from the entrance with Deirdre following Bianca there, and just as she was about to put her mask on, Bianca removed the safety tip from her sword before tossing her mask away from the piste they were using. 

"Oh- tips and mask off, Dee" Bianca calls, using the nickname almost in a condesending way as she positions herself on one side of the piste- Deirdre blinked for a moment confused at the challenging change as she then immediately perks up, "But Bianca, isn't that like- against the rules?"

"Aw, What's the matter?" Her opponent tilted her head as she tossed away her mask, her lips a sarcastic pout and her brows furrowed as she added, "Can't handle an Actual duel?"

"Bianca-" Xavier tries to step in, but the shorter brunette simply shot him a look before huffing out a relunctant; "Fine."
..Before taking the tip off of her blade and tossing her mask away the same way the girl before her did earlier.

Then as the two would oppose each other on the same mat; Vivian and Xavier would watch from the sidelines, both concerned for Deirdre as she fought against Bianca; their swords clashing and clanging as the usual practice duel began to feel more intense due to the lack of head gear.

The duel was just as stressful as the one that happened between Deirdre and Xavier if not more; Bianca proved that she was more than just a pretty-faced siren, she must've taken extra lessons or practiced more often compared to her competitor; who, despite showing off a good fight, was seen somewhat beginning to struggle in maintaining her stance, mostly retreating backwards and having her attacks always parried off or backfiring.

Despite the growing exhaustion, Deirdre pushed through and tried to come back towards Bianca but the dark-skinned girl was faster; without giving her opponent any time to think, she suddenly lunges forward and slashed her blade to the side. 

Then as shocked gasps were heard throughout the room, Bianca's lips would slowly began to curve into a smile of twisted satisfaction the moment the girl before her would fall onto the wooden floor below.

"Ow!" Deirdre yelped, losing her balance almost immediately the moment she felt the brief flash of pain across her cheekbone, the coldness of the blade brushing against her skin lingering further as she hits the ground, her sword clanging beside her.

With shaky hands, she placed one against her wounded cheek, her breathing hitched as she realized how deep the gash was. Bracing for the worst, Deirdre took her hand to prove her suspicions only for them to be correct;

As there it was, 

Freshly smeared on her fingers,

Was her own blood.

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【 1110 words 】