✭°Damianya°✭ ʷʰᵃᵗ ⁱᶠ

snakes n serpents

Anya pov

I came to my senses, laboured breaths as I felt for a hole just below my neck.
Wet. I looked down, my own blood staining my fingers as I heard a hiss below me. Yelping, I jumped just as another auburn snake burst forward, twisting its head as it headed towards the exposed area beneath my shin.

I must look for 018. I need to tell him, to warn him that these people probably have some weapons. The guy in front of me, he had a mop of dark greenish hair, just like the one I saw before in my jumble of visions.

He was past the school gates, walking down the steps from the dormitory with two other hazy faces. He turned to me—

Stop getting distracted, AN-1A! Anywhere we went, I could only see 10 timers still ticking around the 48-hour mark. 018 mustn't have been much further ahead, for I could feel the microchip nudging me forward.

I ran into the person in front of me, startled hazel eyes turning to look at me.
"My apologies," I muttered, averting his gaze that was a bit too sorrowful and twisted with pain.

I heard a female's voice behind this guy darken, dropping threateningly low as she announced, "We are cornered."

Damian pov

I felt a slight bump on my back, and I turned around to see those annoying emerald eyes that I can't seem to get out of my head. So infuriatingly lingering in my mind.

My arms reached out as she stumbled, but she didn't accept the assistance that I had lent so graciously. Pity.

"My apologies."
Silence really does speak volumes, huh?

Just as I was going to awkwardly chuckle, Yor said the one thing I trusted us not to muck up.  "We...are cornered."

Without thinking, I pushed Anya behind my back, fearing that the drugs might start acting up. I was shaking, holding my chest, a few fearful gasps slipping out. Loid, standing in a similar stance, narrowed his eyes as they swept across the enemy line.

The enemy line. That's right, we'll have to fight our way out.
The snakes were agitated too. They hissed and coiled around each other, weaving through the slippery bodies as it became a pit of hypnotic dancing.

Without warning, Yor charged at them, her body leaning forward as she wielded two gold stilettos, spinning them around with her finger as her legs picked up speed, her actions blowing a gust of wind near my face. "Don't worry, Loid-san. I've got this."

Anya rocketed off too, bouncing her heels as she scaled the wall with the momentum she gained, curving and landing on the other side, where she attacked from below, striking near the ground where most snakes gathered.
Yor faced the daring army that climbed over each other, dark eyes unblinking with newfound confidence.

Her expertise in some similar art was showing through as she gradually increased her speed of attacks, arms twisting and slashing. Anya was also controlled in her movements, precise flicks of her wrists beheading a few in quick, short slashes.  

They weren't even fazed; a daughter trained to fight deadly battles without intervals, and a mother whose skills surpass that of an ordinary assassin.

I didn't notice Chase silently join them, not making a sound as he swiftly began using an urumi; a long ranged sword that resembled a whip.
I ached to contribute, my fingers itching to unsheathe the belt of knives rolled up in my backpack, which I had taken from Chase. 

Swordplay was only briefly touched upon in PE, yet I longed to wield a proper weapon as I watched everyone battle and take on the serpents.
I want to be of help.

I grit my teeth in fustration. Of course I can't be of help. Anya is the one fighting, and as much as I want to assist them, I'd probably cause more problems to arise. I huffed in defeat, running my fingers through my hair in agitation. 

The snakes stopped attacking, backing towards me as they rose above one another to form one giant snake. Their vicious eyes flashed a deep forest green, slits thinning as the enormous snake reared its head, composed of all the serpents combined.

As the last of the serpent slithered into formation, I used this time to slide the belt across where Yor swiftly picked it up. She unfurled the clasp, and smiled with relief as she toyed with a small dagger. Anya hastily swiped 3 cruelly sharped blades, gripping the knives and charging once more at our enemy. 

She swung with expert precision, leaving the snakes scrambling for defense, parrying her attack with a counterattack. The serpent bares its teeth, and from where I stand, a single fang would thrice the size of daggers. Beyond the large body, I could see Yor and Chase readying themselves, equipping and storing the weapons into their pockets.

The snake wavered with uncertainty as the stomach recieved more slashes, and then dived down, mouth open wide—

I threw a dagger at it, narrowly missing Anya's hair as I removed a chunk of the collapsing creature. Anya gave me a hurried nod, facing the monster as the snakes' eyes dimmed at returned to a normal colour.

"You're acting as if Anya's your greatest weakness, Desmond." Becky said, where she held off the attacking line with Loid. I was so focused on her that I didn't realise that someone may have had my back all this time, too.

All at once, the snake army formation sank and the serpents rushed at Yor with newfound agitation, the ground cracking with the weight of a hundred snakes. I see the opening now, a slip in the snake's actions. The neck curved in a swinging motion, evaluating, calculating the best moment land a precise strike.

It pauses, pupils dilating as a plan seemingly formed. I can think of nothing but how the snake is trapped here too, with no path to freedom. It burst into motion, slithering and making a beeline for me, unattentive to everything else. 

I drew my own sword and grounded my stance. The snake didn't have a chance to react; with one swinging arc, a solid and smooth motion, I sliced through scales and flesh.

The serpent's eyes dulled, turning a milky-white, head rolling towards me. The body gives one last futile attempt to remain upright, then gives a coiling shudder and limply collapses on the blood-smeared ground. I could feel the disgust rolling inside me like waves, my upper lip curling in distaste.

I am quaking so hard, shuddering so violently Becky and Anya immediately rush over as I fall to my knees. I can hear voices rushing in, and ebbing away, but I can only distinctly recognise one voice over the incomprehensible chatter. "We've won. The last obstacle has been passed, Desmond." With her face covered in gore, AN-1A's 007 looked nothing less than a warrior.