Slowly, Jena wiped away at the few tears that had escaped. Strange as it was Keira's "death" had showed her a little more of her true self. She had never before realized how loyal she was to a good friend...even stranger the uncommon display of emotion (though they seemed to be more common as time went on) made her feel stronger. She pushed these thoughts aside and slowly got up, grabbing her gun as she did so. Pain shot up her leg again, but she gritted her teeth against it, then turned to face Anna. Anna's face was blank and unemotional, and Jena copied her. then said, "Let's finish this," to both Anna and Ursula, the water was dangerously high, and she wanted so badly for Keira to be alive, her leg to be healed, and them all, especially Vic, to be safe.
"Ugh....I really hate you woman is this woman alive, you promise, you have to keep your word," Ursula said, "All you do is talk talk talk talk talk, all you ever do is ask question after question after question after question after question, all you ever do is distrust people distrust distrust distrust, and you always rely on me for the answers." Ursula paused and gave a smug smirk. "Why can't you ever answer the questions yourselves, why can't you trust yourselves, why do you need trust in others," Ursula said, "Just shut up and get it over with, trust what you want to believe."
"Fine!" Jena snapped at Ursula then spun around and fired right at Anna. She hated it, but again her hands were tied. "Sorry." She muttered, she didn't know if Anna would hear, but she would have time to properly apologize later.
It was sorely tempting to turn and fire her loaded pistol at Ursula, but she knew it wouldn't do anything. With this in mind she forced herself to face off with Jena, launching into action before the other woman could move. The ring was small and made of the desert landscape that the lava pit had started with. Rocks dotted it--perfect places to hide, and as Jena shot Anna leapt behind one. Her intention was not to hide, however, only to win. Whether or not Keira was dead, and whether or not Jena would die, Anna would not lose, she could not. She had to save Stewart. With this in mind she leapt from behind the rock, lunging at Jena.
Anna lunged towards Jena, forcing Jena to jump out of her way and behind a rock. but her injured leg hampered her movements and she landed painfully. She suppresssed a cry then looked over the top of the rock and fired again. She hated to shoot at her friends, but she had to, she had to save Vic.
Anna dropped and rolled as Jena shot again. The bullet grazed the skin of her shoulder, ripping it painfully off. She bit her lip, suppressing a cry of pain as she rolled, firing at the same time. The bullet hit the rock, however, and she ducked behind another, holstering her gun and leaping over the top of it. She landed on top of the rock Jena was hiding behind and dropped, grabbing her around the neck and trying to drive her knife into Jena's throat, but she was resisting.
Before Jena could react Anna's knife was at her throat. The valiantyl stuggled against Anna's kife and grip, she did not want to die even if it was only an illusion or game. however Anna was workign jsut as hard to plunge her knife into Jena's thraot, adn the ensuing grip was cutting Jena's breath short as she struggled. she could feel the lack of oxygen weakening her, and the fact that her leg was thorbbing in pain did not help. Fianlly she managed to twist herself out of Anna's grip, backing up a few paces, she fired again at Anna.
Anna leapt for Jena, twisting around the bullet, but it buried itself into her stomach. She gasped for breath, but landed on top of Jena and wasted no time for pain. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her expression as blank as ever as she drove the knife for the woman's throat with all her strength, wincing at the pain that spiked through her side as she did so.
She heard Anna'swhispered words, then felt a horrible pain and warm blood covering her neck as Anna stabbed her throat. She could barely breath, she knew she was going to die. But this is an illusion remember? a little voice said in the back of her mind. If this is an illusion why does it hurt so bad? If this is an illusion why does it feel so real? She felt very weak, and black spots where covering her vision, soon she couldn't see at all. The pain contninued though...but she could feel herself losing conciousness. So this is what it felt like to die she thoguht before everything was swallowed up in the blackness.
Anna stared at her friend's blank face as the life left her. The blood spilled onto her hands and all she could do was stare. At last she stood up, looking around the stadium and raising her arms in the air. She shouted at the top of her lungs, not hiding the anger in her voice, "There, God dammit! Are you happy, Ursula? Are you? It's over. We're done. Let them go."
Ursula smiled and the illusions disappeared. The men were no longer in the jars and they were back in the corridor. "I knew you would win Anna, you know what you want in life, what your goals are, who you are, you even trust yourself more," Ursula gave a smug chuckle, "You show me promise in the traits you'll be giving my babies, you did show me promise....well as I never go back on my word you can have your men, I'll be taking my leave now." Ursula gave another smile and then walked back into the walls. "We may meet again," Ursula said, "The men will be waking up in a few by the way." * * * It was Stewart who woke up the first. He was on the ground and barely had coherent reason of where he was or what had happened. You showed me great promise too, your reasons are beautiful he heard Ursula's voice in his head one last time. Stewart began to gain his bearings and then he found himself looking for Anna. He found her eyes, and he wondered why they were so far and separated from each other.
Anna had no idea what Ursula was talking about, nor did she care. Instead she rushed to Stewart's side, dropping to her knees beside him and reaching out to touch his shoulder. "You okay?" she asked, keeping her voice low, though she wasn't sure why. She was faintly aware that blood covered her hands and part of her face, and despite the fact the injury that had been an illusion was gone, her arm still throbbed painfully as if it had once been real.
Stewart stared at her. "Are you okay?" Stewart asked, "You're shaking." Stewart stared at Anna once again, he hadn't realized how much he missed her.
She laughed softly, the hint of a smile gracing her lips. "I asked first. But I'll be okay. Ursula just put us through quite a lot." She reached up and brushed some of the dried blood from her cheek, making a face. "Yuck," she muttered.
Anna reminded him of an older sister, or at least his older sister. Why did she remind him so much of his older sister? The image of his sister came up suddenly. He hoped nothing happened to Anna like it happened to his sister. "I'm all right," Stewart said, "Did she hurt you? Did you guys get hurt? Are you guys all right after what she did?"
"I think so... Most painful illusion ever, though." There was worry in Stewart's eyes--it was impossible to miss. "What's wrong?" she asked, her grip unconsciously tightening on his shoulder.
"I don't want anything to happen to you, you remind me so much of my older sister," Stewart paused, "Sounds a bit childish." Stewart smiled. Now he only hoped Anna didn't ask what had happened to him, but he knew that she would. It was in Anna's nature.
"Nothing's going to happen to me," Anna said. "Not if I have any say in it. I can't promise, but I'll do my best." She smiled at him. "You can't tell me that's the only thing that's wrong, though. What is it?"
"Um..." Stewart said. He didn't know how to begin his weird encounter. He wondered if it happened to any of the other men. He wondered what would happen if they didn't. He didn't know if he had consented to it or not. Reminded him of the night his Stewart called. Told the parents she got raped full of tears. Of course he wasn't sure if he consented willfully or not. He wasn't even scared about. Only because of the wicked magic Ursula put on him, to make sure he felt nothing.
Keira woke up with a horrible, throbbing pain in her chest. She sat up immediately, her eyes wide, looking around in fright. Was she dead? Where was she? And then her eyes came into focus and she saw the others lying nearby. Stewart and Anna were the only ones awake. Keira looked down to see that there wasn't a bullet hole in her chest. Strange, because it still hurt like it had only moments before. At least Ursula had kept her word. At least it had been an illusion and the men were alright. "Are you guys OK?" Keira asked Stewart and Anna, walking over to stand near them. She was still covered in blood, and so was Anna. Weird . . .
Reese was the second to wake up. The first thing he saw was Keira's hand and something the pit of his stomach was slightly unsettled. Nothing, he had resolved nothing of his inner feelings and that made him a bit disgusted and ashamed. He pushed himself up though with one arm, since the right still hurt to even move now and then. He still had terrible breathing as ever, but in a sense he felt better then before. "What happened?" he asked. That was his first question he wanted to get things settled.
Keira turned from Stewart and Anna when Reese spoke behind her. He was awake now, supporting himself with one arm and staring about in confusion. Obviously he was confused. He hadn't witnessed the terrifying challenges Ursula had had the women preform; he had been stuck in that blasted jar the entire time. "Nothing . . ." Keira said. She really didn't want to talk about it. Speaking about what transpired would only worsen her condition of fear. What would happen now? Where had Ursula gone? What had been the point of those challenges? The questions still gnawed at her, threatening to overcome her and drive her insane. "Here," she added, reaching out a hand to help Reese stand. Hopefully he wouldn't ask anything more of her.
Reese stared at her. She was being secretive, secretive like woman always were. But then again he stuck in his mind, where as she had to face something physical, something more tangible. Reese grabbed her hand so he could get up. After all bones don't heal in just three days. "I'm glad you're safe, at least," Reese said.
"Yeah," Keira muttered, looking away from him for a moment. She really didn't know why she was being so secretive. She should just tell him everything that happened. But still, Keira wasn't certain if she should. What if Reese got mad at Jena for "killing" her, or what if he just didn't understand how difficult everything had been. No, she wouldn't tell him. "Are you alright?" she asked him, turning back to face him again.
"What is it?" Anna asked, glancing over her shoulder as she heard Reese and Keira awaken. She smiled apologetically at Keira, feeling a pang of guilt for everything they had gone through. In a way she felt as though it was her fault, but there was nothing she could do to make it better. Instead of worrying she turned back to Stewart, wishing he'd just tell her already. "It's okay," she told him. "I won't judge you, no matter what happened."
