The Gathering

XII: What a Traitor Deserves

The bolt's impact blew Jonah and As to the opposite sides of the building. The children screamed, but thankfully the altar had protected them from the surge of destruction. Jonah hit the back wall behind the altar hard, having the wind knocked out of his lungs. He struggled, but managed to get back on his feet.

As, on the other hand, had a lot further to fly. He had been blasted almost to the front doors, he was conscious, but barely. He moaned softly in pain. Seraphiel had been knocked over in the blast, but she was very much conscious, and very much angry.

Jonah got to his feet and tapped each of the children on the back. The children screamed when they saw him, now uncloaked, but he pointed towards a hole that the lightning had blown in the side of the church. "Run!" he directed, his voice hoarse. He noticed that the children no longer bore Maria's face... but rather that of himself twelve years ago. The face of a child whose parent had just been taken from them. They were afraid, confused, and crying... the resemblance was uncanny. A man they didn't know was offering them help. The look in their eyes reflected their emotions back into Jonah's: cautious fear. Jonah knelt down to their level, "Please, Go." He said, more stern than authoritative. This gentler tone worked as the children began to run for the makeshift exit. Sera was so blinded by rage that she hadn't noticed the children slip out.

'Well... I did it...' Jonah thought, 'I saved them....' Jonah examined himself, his ginger hair was coated in powdery ash from the lightning's debris. His copper armor was still intact, though a little dented and not as polished as it was beforehand. He reached for his sword, It was just a training blade but he feared he may need it. "As?" he yelled, scanning the smoke and debris for his friend. He brushed off his hair with his hand as he kept looking.

Just then, Jonah spotted As, his eyes looked frightened, not unlike the children he had just saved from Sera. "As!" he exclaimed, relieved his outburst hadn't accidentally injured him. As was laying on his stomach by the doors, his neck wrenched up to see Jonah, his hands trying to pull himself up.

Just as Jonah began to reach his hand out to help As, the downed cadet's eyes grew even wider, "Wait, don't!" he yelled. Jonah leapt over him and landed in a defensive stance. He had lost his training shield somewhere in the rubble, his sword would have to do. Jonah saw through the ash what As had had yelled about: Sera's sword had just sliced right where Jonah had been standing. Jonah's face grew pale, he couldn't even hope to best Sera in combat... but he had to at least try.

"You're under arrest!" Sera commanded, her voice wavering. Her perfectly braided blonde hair had been disheveled, like Jonah's it was covered in dust. Some strands lay on her face. Her bronze sword shone through the smoke, she had raised it for another attack.

"I couldn't let you hurt anyone else!" He retorted, not sure why he was arguing with her, maybe trying to cement the reasons for his own actions to himself. Sera didn't reply. Jonah raised his copper sword into a fighting stance. 'I'm going to die...' Jonah thought, he gulped and steadied his stance, waiting for her to strike.

Sera wordlessly began to charge at Jonah, her footfalls deliberate. She leapt over As just as Jonah had done, her sword raised above her head. Jonah's eyes widened, he dodged to his left, narrowly avoiding the falling bronze blade. Jonah thrust his dull sword at Sera's right side. The strike connected not to Sera, but with her blade, she parried the stab and swung for Jonah's throat.

"Shit!" Jonah yelped as he dodged her slice. Sera didn't stop, she sliced for his head once more. Jonah dropped down and ducked under her second strike. Sera saw the opportunity and with her bronze plated boot, kicked Jonah square in the face! Jonah grunted in pain as he fell backwards. Jonah felt with his tongue, Sera had knocked two of his teeth loose. Jonah spat out the blood that had pooled in his mouth. This time Jonah had to make the first move. He ran at Sera, his sword to his right side. Sera's posture adjusted to defend. He faked to his left, then when he saw Sera's sword twitch to defend it, he undercut his swing and managed to graze the front of her breastplate! She leapt back, now on the defensive.