The Offering (Lesbian, Gay, Girlxgirl)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Xander's chain loosened from his chest with a lightning fast movement. Metal clashed with silver. The attacker was wearing a tribal mask with false hair formed of straw, making it difficult to see past the scary grin painted on the wood.

Turning to Brielle, Xander said, "Hide behind the trees." His arms were splayed above him, the chain on his hands serving as a shield.

Brielle could barely move. The weapons of the attacker called out to her like new artifacts waiting to be unearthed from the ground. She hadn't seen them before. They were worn like gloves, going to the elbows. In every direction away from its wielder, sharp spikes poked out. It was those spikes that were boring on Xander's chain, digging on the small holes to get to his face.

The defender turned to her again, his mouth set in a grim line, vein visible on his neck. "What are you waiting for?"

"Wouldn't you get an automatic lose for this?" Brielle said. "You're not my defender."

"Yes. But I am a defender and you are a sodales. Didn't you hear the rules? It didn't say specifically that—" The attacker jumped away from him and tried to punch his stomach. The sickle of Xander's chain swung like a pendulum to defend him. He had every bit control of it from end to end. "As I was saying," he remarked, staring down his opponent.

"Yes, yes. I got it," Brielle said. She didn't need to be told twice. Recalling the rules, it stated that an encounter was allowed when a defender is defending a sodales, not necessarily his own. She picked a tree to hide behind, the thickest one among the bunch. To her back, Xander was still butting heads with the mysterious foe. Grunts and weapons striking against each other could be heard with heavy breathing. She ran towards the tree.

In her haste, she didn't notice the small hole located on the trunk's rear, making her lose her balance. She slipped to the soil with a yelp, flailing her hand to hold onto anything. Her fingers collided with something wet and soft, something that shrieked. Whatever it was slapped her repeatedly on the face. She covered her eyes in panic, thinking it was a ravenous animal moving for its next meal.

"Dada! Dada!" a boy yelled. "Help me!"

Brielle peered behind her open fingers and saw Ayo trashing about. She only got to relax for a few seconds before he thwacked her head with his shackles. In an instant, numbing pain settled on her skull. She shook it away to bring some sense into him. "It's me," she said, reaching to the boy. "It's me, Brielle."

He screamed even louder. "Duppy will eat me. Dada!"

Ayo had started the joke, but it was Talin she was reminded of. "I won't eat you," she said, a pang on her chest.

Meanwhile, Xander's attacker jumped far from his reach and started to run to the bushes on the left. He began to make chase. Whoever it was moved fast like a gazelle.

"Huh?" he said, once he'd reached the place where the person disappeared into. There were no signs behind the shrubs except for a few fallen leaves.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not a ghost." It was Brielle's voice, calling his attention. Xander jerked his head to her and sprinted.

"No, Duppy! No!" Ayo continued to trash. At this rate, he wouldn't see or hear anyone else. His voice was too loud.

The masked attacker reappeared near the bushes where Brielle and the boy were. Ayah removed her disguise and ran to them to pacify her brother. "I'm here, Ayo. Calm down," she said. Hearing his sisters voice, Ayo stopped wrestling by himself and stared around wildly, searching for her.