Murder Mansion: SP OC Arena of Righteousness

Chapter 12 Staggered

Saracen lent on the sturdy branch he had snagged from the hedge. It helped with his walking but not with the poison. Glancing down at his arm he saw the poison pulsing under his skin, it spanned higher than his shoulder and quite close to his heart. If he were a betting man he would gamble that he had until the end of the day, if that, to get a hold of that cure. Or he was done for.

He needed to find someone, anyone. But this maze was insane. There were twists and turns and every time he thought he had it he saw a disheartening dead end. He needed to find Dexter, Dexter could help him. Give him the courage and the distractions needed to carry on. He refused to believe Tobias. None of them would turn on another, it wasn't in their blood. 

"Saracen!"
He turned around and saw Faith jogging up to him, he sighed with relief and gave a warm smile.
"Thank god, how are you holding up?"
"Just peachy. Have you seen anyone else?"
"If I did, did you think I would be here on my own?"
"Fair point. Which way we heading?"
"Well, this way as I came from that way" He pointed behind him showing the alley he had just come out from.
"Have you seen...anything else yet?"
She looked worried, her eyes skitting around near the floor. 
"No? Why?"
"Whoever this guy is, it's not just getting lost we have to worry about. There are these spider things around" She shuddered as she said spiders. "I've seen some fire and some water spiders. It's ridiculous"
"Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse" He shook his head. Every word said tipped the odds against him even more. 
"Let's crack on, this poison won't heal itself"
She cracked a smile and lead him onwards. He used his power to see when a spider lurked around a corner. He watched her fight, she fought like she had never missed a beat. Precise and dangerous. Striking in a speed that was almost blind to the naked eye. He knew why she fought so hard, she wanted her family back. This made the second time this year that she had been taken away from them and her life threatened. She had something to fight for. He missed that feeling, but it had gradually started to return. He fought for Dexter. Not always psychically, sometimes mentally. He missed him, plain and simple. 
"Left or right?"
Faith pointed left and right. Neither way showed promise. They looked almost identical. He sharpened his vision, seeing only a small amount of the layout of the maze. 
"Left and then right"
She nodded and resumed leading the way. Occasionally looking back to check on him. He would give her a reassuring smile, but he doubt he convinced her. They emerged into a clearing before long with four new avenues of equally despairing walking. They got halfway in before someone joined them.
"Faith Matthews. I wish I could say it was a pleasure. I'm just glad I get to kill you first."
Faith stopped dead, fists clenched. She turned suddenly and launched a fireball at where the woman was standing on the hedge. The woman flipped over it and landed on the ground with one knee before looking up. Her hair draped over her face as she glared a hole through Faith. He turned and saw Faith returning the same look. 
"Who?" he asked, confused.
"She's Veronica"
He raised his eyebrows as Veronica stood up. "The same Veronica that is the split personality of you?"
"The better half!" Veronica spat. "For years I remained caged inside that dull head of yours. Watching you do the so called right thing over and over again. When I was free I was relieved. But ever since I've had these visions. Plaguing me, I need to consume  you to heal my fractured  mind."
"Don't even try it! It's whoever that man is. He's manipulating you!"
"He showed me the truth!" She lunged forward, knives in hand. Slashing in rotations at Faith who was forced to go on the back-foot to avoid being slashed to ribbons. He went to intervene but became shockingly aware of how weak he felt. Stumbling forward, his knees buckled, forcing him to only watch as Faith forced Veronica back, creating some much needed space. She spun fire around her before pushing it outwards. Veronica slashed through it and swung for Faiths neck. Faith kicked her arm off course and got in close, firing off multiple punches to her abdomen. Veronica covered up, abandoning her knife and grabbing Faiths left wrist. She wrenched and Faith screamed. When she let go even Saracen could see how her wrist was broken. She kept it close to her chest, using air and fire to keep Veronica away. A sick smile stuck itself on Veronicas face as she closed the gap with a kick. Batting her leg away, Faith clicked her palm and thrust the fire ball into Veronicas chest. She batted out the flames, before summoning her own and aiming for her head. Faith ducked to dodge it but caught a spinning kick to her temple for the trouble. She fell back whilst Veronica stalked forward, keeping her hungry eyes on Faith.