The Caverns of Carnage

Chapter 12

"Fight... " he stated. "The winner gets to stay here with me... and the loser... shall be slain."

Pietro seized the sword from BloodLust's hand and swung it with his entire weight downward towards me.

In that instant, my blade came into view, parrying Pietro's attack a meter away from BloodLust's grinning face.

I jumped back, and turned, sword upraised, to face Pietro.

BloodLust sighed with pleasure and sat on top of his throne, which had appeared out of thin air, the trapped Nakia and him facing us, the solitary audience to the dire contest.

Slowly, Pietro and I circled each other. Sword high above my head, I prepared my attack; Pietro held a lateral stance. I brought my blade straight down... much more aggressively. I advanced in a flurry of stabs, each met with a loud clang! of Pietro's blade. He retreated a step at every slash, swirling once to bring his sword up viciously—but I batted it away, shoving Pietro back yet again. He momentarily lost his footing on the serrated rocky floor and fell to his knees.

I stood above him, with the blade in my hands. I could take Pietro. Take his life. Avenge thousands. End the carnage once and for all. Take my place at BloodLust's side. Yes, even that.

I had the power; the choice was mine.

BloodLust, watching joyously, saw this, and goaded me on, "Yes! Destroy him, and you can stay by my side... think of the power the Blood Orb will grant you!"

I wavered a moment and then realized what was happening. I was suddenly confused again. What did I want? What should I do? My brief euphoria, my moment of dark lucidity, it was gone, in a wave of hesitation.

I took a step back, lowered my sword, relaxed, and tried to impel the thought of murder from my brain.

Pietro looked at me in amazement, and then his mouth shifted into a smile.

"You surrender?" he asked. "Indeed, you have accepted the fact that I am more powerful-"

"I have accepted the fact that you are Pietro Hernandez."

"That name no longer has significance for me," he said, savagely. "Pietro Hernandez is dead. And you will be too, soon."

I straightened up.

"You couldn't bring yourself kill me before," I said, "So what makes you think you will now?"

Many times before, in fact—to my recollection—Pietro could have killed me, but didn't. In the dreams, during the school fire, and later in the cavern. I thought of Lorraine, briefly now, too, of how Pietro had her in his clutches more than once, had even tortured her... but didn't kill her.

I winced to think of her agony, but quickly pushed that from my mind.

This accusation seemed to infuriate Pietro.

He swung his shimmering blade—it sliced through air, and I ducked behind a giant rock. In the shadow of the boulder, I was out of sight.

Pietro paced the area like a cat.

"You cannot hide forever, Gabriel Coleman."

"I won't fight you, Pietro." I stepped out of the shadows, and threw my sword at his feet.

"Here... take my sword."

I knew full well this might be my end, but so be it. Perhaps it would be left to Nakia to carry on the fight, without me.

BloodLust stood up from his throne. His smile faltered.

"Pietro, please." I pleaded. "The Blood Orb's power has consumed you. All those people you killed. It wasn't you. I know. There's still hope."

I stood there, transfixed, BloodLust's power keeping me rooted to the spot.

"Even Lorraine knows there is good in you. The Blood Orb hasn't driven it from you entirely."

"Stupid idiot." BloodLust laughed. "Do you think you can change him?"

Pietro raised the sword slightly.

"Please." I repeated.

"DO IT NOW!" BloodLust screamed.

Pietro raised the sword over his head... closed his eyes... and swung it through the air.

With a thunderous clank!, his sword knocked the Blood Orb out of BloodLust's hand.

It fell to the floor, and rolled over at Pietro's feet. He picked it up hastily, tossed it at me, and yelled at me and Nakia, "GO! GO BACK!"

I caught the Orb and grabbed Nakia's arm, and we both sprinted over rocks towards the edge of the cliff.

I yelled at Nakia. "JUMP!"

I plummeted feet first toward the surface of the lake; the drop was greater than I had estimated and I hit the water, plunging like a stone into a freezing world.

I kicked toward the surface and emerged, out of breath, to see ripples emanating in rings from the spot where Nakia had fallen.

Nakia emerged, spluttering and gasping, from the depths of the lake, and swam towards me.

Overhead, BloodLust and Pietro seemed to be having a brawl. They both fell into the water with a deafening splash.

"The Blood Orb, quickly!," Nakia shouted. I held up the Orb, and Nakia placed her hands on it.

The moment we touched it, there was a white glow, and the entire cavern faded from our eyes.