Eternally Yours

Unwanted Room Service

“I can! I’m quite the catch,” Reah replied and went on the attack.

The rest of the nine Nephalems that were in the Hearth appeared on the upper level of the tower and were watching the fight like it was a television program. With their numbers, they could easily defeat Hannah, Garin and Cleo but they didn’t raise a finger. This was the trio’s fight and they were just going to spectate.

Reah proved to be more skilled than Cleo had thought. Not only was she fast with her swords but she was also chatty and quippy, making faces at Cleo while conversing with her during the fight; some sort of sly tactic to get under her skin and cause her to lose her focus and slip up.

“What’s the matter, Lover? You seem to be much slower since the last time I saw you,” Reah said with a taunting smile.

“I’m not your lover,” Cleo growled and swung angrily. Reah’s games were getting to her.

The Nephalem spun away from the swing and took one of her own but Cleo dodged it. Reah was moving as if she was fighting a child; it was almost like the fight was too easy for her because she knew exactly what to do and when to do it.

She threw one of her swords at Cleo who used her sword to deflect it. Reah jumped at her with the one sword and they clashed a few times before the other blade flew back into her hand and she sliced Cleo on the thigh.

“Did that hurt?” Reah taunted again.

Cleo growled and charged at Reah again, unleashing a flurry of stabs and thrusts that Reah was able to defend against but she didn’t see the folded right fist of Cleo’s that caught her right on the chin, causing her to stumbled backwards.

“Did that hurt?” Cleo asked, mocking Reah with her own words.

The Nephalem didn’t like this and her eyes glowed in anger. She threw one of her blades at Cleo and the weapon began to attack in the air and all on its own. Cleo was blocking the attacks of the floating sword and it made Reah see an opening at her back. She teleported behind Cleo and attacked with her sword. Cleo had to switch between defending against the floating sword on one side and Reah on the other. She was matching both attacks with defensive moves but the numbers caught up to her and the sword slashed her in the back.

"Argh," Cleo groaned.

Right after that, Reah kicked her in the abdomen, sending her to the floor.

Garin wasn’t doing too good himself. He had several arrows sticking out of his arms and feet but Manilo seemed like she was on vacation. She dashed in front of him, causing him to swing his sword in defence but she ducked underneath it and whipped him on the head with the full brunt of her bow. Garin was blasted off the ground and he slammed into Hannah on the other side of the hallway.

Cleo looked over at the parents of her dead sister and was certain that if they remained here any longer, they would end up dead as well. She had to get them out of Salem. Reah walked over to her but before she could say something smug, Cleo sped away from her to the Celestials and used her power to create a powerful wave of energy that spread from the centre to the corners of the hall, blasting her siblings into the walls.

That burst of power took the wind out of Cleo and she looked exhausted.

“Cleo, are you okay?” Hannah asked her.

“Don’t worry about me,” Cleo said quickly before the others would get back up, “I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to get you to see Jasmine again. I really thought she was still alive. I couldn’t save her but I can save both of you. You have to get out of Salem. If you can make it out, they won’t follow you back to Earth,”