Not Gonna Die (A Skybrine Fanfic)

|Chapter 25| Don't mess with a pissed Brine

          In a blur of movement, Herobrine sprung forward, sword humming as it split the air as Adam also sprinted towards him. Adam ducked under Herobrine's blade and Herobrine reversed it to deflect Adam's return stroke, turning the movement into his own strike which was blocked and they sprung apart. Herobrine had now placed himself between Adam and the recruits behind him, his eyes narrowed as he analysed his enemy. Adam's expression was deadpan, his eyes a pure yellow that glowed softly and never left Herobrine.

          Jason watched, frozen in place by a mixture of fear and awe as Herobrine went on the attack, his sword reflecting the light of the fire in a glittering wheel. Adam rapidly backed up, his sword moving just as fast to counteract the strikes. A hand touched Jason's shoulder and he violently jumped, hand half-drawing his sword but someone put a hand on his and stopped him.

          "It's okay, just me," Anne said quickly. She was dressed for battle, with two long-bladed daggers at her waist and the one in her boot. She had pads on her knees and shins and her usual thick jacket had been replaced for a thinner one that barely concealed the protective guards she had on her lower arms which ended in a glove on her palm.

          Jason puffed out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness- wait, what are you doing here?"

          "Helping," Anne said. "We need to start putting out these fires otherwise they'll burn down the entire base."

          "I'll do that, just keep getting people out of the way," Jason said and he ran off, calling orders for a line to be formed from the various wells dug around the base to the raging fires and for anything that could hold water to be collected. Although most recruits were terrified, their training kicked in and many responded to his orders, buckets appearing everywhere and lines being formed.

          Quentin already had a makeshift infirmary up and running near the base of the castle and too many people were lying on blankets spread out on the ground, their faces blackened with soot, some with twisted ankles or burns or cuts. Jerome was helping Ian move through the collection of doctors to a free spot. The man's face was pale and drawn, blooding dribbling from his calf but he was looking better than Mitch, who could barely keep his eyes open and was leaning heavily on Ty, the ripped up part of Ty's shirt that was wrapped around his chest already soaked through. Seto was among the doctors and he made a beeline for Mitch, stumbling a little on his way. Whatever it was that Adam had done when he broke out, it was still doing a number on Seto.

          The doors to the castle were open and four figures dashed out; the delegation of lords who had chosen to ignore Mitch's advice to stay inside. Gizzy took in the situation in an instant, his eyes lingering for several seconds too long upon the fighting duo and upon saying something to his fellows, he and Patrick went to the makeshift infirmary while Dan and David ran to help Jason.

          A low boom made them all flick their heads towards the duelers. Their swords made a deafening clashing sound as they each rained blow upon blow on each other, the ground around their feet glowing with magic. Their movements were too fast for anyone to properly see what they were doing but Herobrine noticed everything, saw every twitch of a muscle, blink of an eye and always, always that blank expression. His sword moved in an arc, blocking one strike and his magic rose up, protecting him from the lightning fast follow up as his blade spat forward, creating a thin cut which had no apparent effect on his enemy.

          Magic arced up their swords and flashed into shields, daggers, explosions. They were fighting in the lower street now, fire scattered across the street and licking up at their legs and hands but they had no effect on either of the two men. Adam's sword lashed forward and instead of piercing Herobrine's stomach, it cut a deep gash in his side. Ignoring the pain, Herobrine's left hand shot forward and wrapped around Adam's shirt. With a heave and a shout, he bodily threw the man away and a bolt of magic spat from his hand and hit Adam in the chest, sending him flying. He hit the ground heavily and rolled, dust flying into the air. Herobrine took heaving breaths and put a hand to his side, looking down at the flow of blood. The wound was deep but not deadly. Yet.