Lovers (Lycan Series: #3)

The Last Kill

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THE FIRST TRIAL WAS MEANT to thin out the herd, get rid of competitors until only 10% remained.

It still remained to be said that I did not find this trial nearly as fun as I expected without my Valkyrie powers. 

The Gong-Man jerked his sword from the dirt. "Mortal, why do you evade the inevitable?"

Beau snatched a discarded axe a few feet from a dead body near us. "Alright, Faye. I'll hold him off, you run!"

I racked my brain for why this could be but nothing was coming up. I didn't understand what was going on! With my Valkyrie powers, I was meant to have a fighting chance but now that seemed unlikely. 

As the Gong-Man raised his sword for another strike, I decided that I didn't need the Valkyrie power if I knew all the moves. I just had to be quick thinking and agile to make up for my lack of godly strength.

I turned and grabbed the axe handle from Beau's chest and planted a kick to send him flying back out of range- against the door we entered from that was now sealed.  I turned to block the sword with the axe. My bones in my arm vibrated with the sheer force of the swing. 

"Join the souls of the damned." he tapped the gong strapped to his back. "I can read your soul- you are torn in two. I will give you peace."

I hid behind of the slow-moving floating rocks as he looked around. I kept a watchful eye on Beau as the Gong-man pulled out another sword. Every time he took a step away from the wall towards me I sent him a seething glare that warned hellfire if he moved an inch. 

"What do you mean, torn? And I'm not a mortal. I am a Valkyrie." I called out.

He laughed at that. "At last, clarity. You are ripping yourself in half. Your power is not you until you choose a side."

Valkyrie or human? That was the choice to be made.

"I will make the choice for you. I will take your soul for rebirth." he promised. His voice was calm and sweet, as if he was doing me a favor. 

My gut wrenched. His voice was also a lot closer than it was before. Pain burst from my shoulder. I looked down to see the tip of the blade cut through rock and onto my shoulder. I barely muffled my scream as he slowly jerked the blade out. I felt the sharp edge drag against my clavicle bone. The moment my shoulder was cleared I spun around and swung the axe into his neck- a chink between his helmet and his shoulder armor. 

His other hand dropped the second sword as he reached to cover the spurting blood. Beau's yell drew my eyes to his location. A blue female with multiple arms had him pinned against the wall as she leaned to rip into his neck.

Before the sword touched the ground I snatched it up and spun to launch it like a javelin at the female's head. She screeched and her limbs extended as if she had been electrocuted before she fell limp.

The coast was clear on the ground floor. All that remained was dead bodies. I looked up as the sound of clashing metal and war cries. The powerful players were playing higher in the sky among the floating rocks. They bounced with grace and fluidity between rocks as they cut down enemies.

I met Beau by the wall. "Here's the plan. We have to hide out. I can't protect you from everyone. The more kills I rank, the more of a target I become. I lose the element of being the weak little mortal." 

He tore off his armor instead of agreeing.

"Beau," I found myself growling. "Put your damn armor back on!"