The Air Out Of [Wattys2018 shortlist]

39

JESS DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FEEL ANYMORE. She could be happy that this journey had taught her to accept herself, angry at her father for doing what he did, including to her sister, speaking of which, sad that her sister was likely in a better place now, or excited that she and a few others were being ushered down a shortcut to chase down Avine himself. There was fear too, fear for her life.

Madrinay had put a finger to his lips once the team had fully climbed the ladder down and were heading single-file direction. "He shouldn't be far now."

"Why didn't he take the shortcut," Jess asked.

"Simple," he replied, "He didn't know about it. Avine likes to think that he controls everything and knows his way around, but he underestimated a lot of people. Me included."

"Who has the katana," Leo said, once they were walking in the darkness.

"Aspyn."

They walked in a certain order. Madrinay at the front, and Aspyn, flying directly above. The two were followed by Jess, the other lavine's, and finally the reinforcements who guarded their backs.

Suddenly Madrinay, who walked just slightly ahead of Jess stuck his arm out, nearly causing her to slam straight into him, if not for Leo who put his hands on her waist and broke her fall. She shot him a grateful glance as Madrinay took much slower steps.

Soon enough, she saw it. One torch amidst the pitch black vicinity, and a crown gleaming from the light.

Avine.

She braced herself. Although he wore his crown, his clothes were suited to travel, and therefore, to fight. Also with him were three warriors, which Madrinay had expressed beforehand, were as loyal, and trained as one could be.

Aspyn gave her a small nod from above, and slowly, Jess lifted herself off the ground. Assuming they weren't already caught, a sneak attack was probably their best shot at hindering Avine's team.

She floated next to Aspyn, who brought her voice down so low, Jess wasn't even sure she even spoke. "Remember, the katana can't just stab him. It has to go through a vital organ. Heart or lungs, your choice."

Jess simply gave her a flat look, as she shrugs, "What? Avine's going to have my head at some point, and if I pass it to you, the stab better end it, once and for all."

And so it began.

They had followed Avine into the depths of the tunnel until Madrinay, himself was sure that no set of reinforcements could catch up with them in time to save Avine. Jess knew that they didn't have much of a plan because Jett and Aspyn were both convinced that they'd rather take the opportunity than let Avine escape to continue terrorizing the entire Covia, which was a colony ten times the size of his territory.

But then, Avine, from afar, had heard a sound, specifically one that sounded like footsteps. Pausing and taking his time to turn around. Madrinay swore silently, and stepped forward, "It's just me, Avine."

Avine raised a suspicious eyebrow before asking, "How'd you get here so fast then?

Jess shook her head, there was no getting out of this one. But in an abrupt turn of tables, just as Madrinay was about to reply with an intelligently crafted response that would answer any sub-questions Avine had, Aspyn decided to launch herself onto Avine's head, getting caught by a warrior mid-attack.

"Aspyn." Madrinay hissed at the pale girl.

She huffed, kicking one of the warriors, whilst blocking the jabs of the another. The third continued to use his body as a shield, "He. Killed. My. Mother."

Avine laughed, "I never took you as one to betray, Madrinay." Jess raised her eyebrow, but stayed in the shadows, any chance of an attack now was probably going to be hindered by my Aspyn's mindless actions.

Or was it mindless? Now that Jess thought about it, Aspyn's moves sounded intentional, especially when she had planned on handing Jess the katana. Aspyn knew she wouldn't be the one to put the knife to Avine's throat. She already knew the risk of her death before his.

Madrinay huffed, bringing out a knife of his own, "Please, anyone part of your scrawny army would have to betray Luphoria. I didn't. I'm still pledged to her by heart but accepted my fate of betrayal a long time ago. Lives, you see, must be lost for others to be saved."

Jess found the katana being carried towards her although Aspyn was fighting with everything in her, one knife was a mere five centimeters from hitting her. She caught the katana and began to chase the Avine who was easily getting away.

Avine shouted at Madrinay, "I'll finish you-you traitor!"

Jess didn't care that her head had started to become drowsy from all the energy sucked out to keep her in the air. She let herself fall to the ground with a thud, and decided to chase him on foot. Ellie and Scar had caught up with her offering a firm nod and began to take care of the final warrior shielding Avine with his entire surface area.

Though Avine's team were heavily outnumbered, they had still put up quite the fight, if not overpowering Jess and hers.

"You'll regret what you did." She spoke, closing the distance between them. The urge to scream was becoming unbearable. "You'll regret what you did to Brea. To Luphoria. To mom," she was melting into a set of sobs, although her speed was becoming untimely. The burned through her stamina was searing through her, but she didn't care. It ended now, "To me."

There was neither force nor hesitation in her voice. It wasn't a threat, it was a statement.

With all his warriors busy, Jess charged towards Avine, easily tackling him on the ground. He tried to push her off him, flipping her, but she used her tired mind to keep her intact and launched once more. The second time worked better, he wasn't able to recover, and now she had the upper end.

She tried to stab him with the katana while she could, but a warrior had caught up and literally pulled her off him, making a reasonable decoy. He, or she, Jess didn't know anymore, tried to go for her necklace, which she had pulled off her neck in an instant and threw to the side. 

Please let someone catch that.

The warrior only became more infuriated making unnecessary jabs while he had the advantage, ultimately, tightening his grip as he put the sinister blade against her neck. Without her necklace destroyed, the blade wouldn't affect anything.

I wouldn't be so sure, she smiled, as Aspyn launched at him, nearly decapitating him in one swipe.

Then, she saw an opportunity. She could feel the katana's blade graze her fingers, and Avine's current vulnerability as an injured leg stopped him from escaping in time. And so, she did a swift stab, doing it as fast as she could, using her hands to hold him firmly as the blood began to seep out.

She stabbed him, and as soon as she saw him crumpling to the ground, she knew it was over. It was all over. "Father." she said, "Meet the fate you deserved." there was no smile, and slowly, she was running out of words.

He would never know that he was your father, her mind said, but maybe that was for the best.