Next Avengers: Secret of the Spider

Part 5

Penny and James were about ready to collapse. Neither one was giving in right off, so Kier decided to speed it up a bit. He pulled his hood up before he jumped out of his perch in a tree. Dressed in all black, he was almost a ninja. He took two small blades from his pockets in midair, landing right in front of James and Penny. They barely had time to react before Kier struck, knocking the flat of his blades against their heads. They reeled back, Kier jumping into a tree before anyone else could notice him. James fell backwards into a tree, balance thrown off. Penny noticed and took advantage of the moment, cocking her arm and running at him with a cry of anger. James barely had enough time to throw up his shield before Penny slammed into him, forcing his back into the tree. James cried out and tried to stay upright. A trickle of blood slipped down his neck where Penny's blade nicked him. Slowly his legs gave out, back scraping against the tree as Penny force him to the ground. Their team, still hidden in the underbrush, watched with growing anticipation, Hawkeye smiling with the thought of the two dollars he was going to get. Kier decided to even out the playing field a little bit. He liked fights a little too much than he should. He jumped on Penny's back and lightly slit it with his blade, jumping into another tree and nearly slipping before he disappeared. Penny screamed and reared back, leaving James panting in a wall sit against the tree. She reached back and screamed again when her hand came back wet. James struggled to his feet, fatigue haunting him. His neck smarted from the cut he got. He hoped the blades weren't poisoned. Penny recovered fast, running at James again and aiming for his shield arm. He threw his shield up, blocking her first punch. She got her other arm under his, driving it upwards towards his shield generator. James threw his knee up, cutting it up but sending Penny's arm backwards. He used his shield to shove Penny backwards, adrenaline and fear finally kicking in. She fell to the ground, scrambling to her feet as quickly as she could. Both rivals were in terrible shape, bleeding and exhausted. They were running on pure adrenaline now. James ran at Penny, holding his arm horizontally. Penny threw up her arm, the shield getting wedged in between two blades. James wrenched his arm down, knocking Penny off her feet. The shield stayed stuck in her blades, giving her an easy way to get up. She threw her leg up, James grabbing her foot. Barely staying balanced, Penny twisted herself so her other leg came up and her arm was freed from James' shield, executing a perfect roundhouse kick before landing on her feet. James staggered backwards, nose bleeding yet again. They stood facing each other, both unable to fight any longer. They waited for the other to collapse, the few moments agony. The others watched, leaning over the edge of the bushes in anticipation. James stumbled, falling to his knees. Knowing he was going fast, he threw his shield. It hit Penny in the legs, knocking her over. Before she could stand, the shield ricocheted off of a tree and hit her in the head. She sat there for a second which felt like an hour before she fell, unconscious. The cheers that ensued were like that of a stadium, echoing in James's ears before he fell to the earth.