R U [ I ] N E D

Pawn? Someone Tell This Crazy Bitch We Aren't Playing Chess!

"Tsk," the woman growled, "Enough with your small talk." Two pillars of light shot out from the wall behind her, and Brady parried them back at her with his sword. He needed a strategy- something, anything- if he wanted to win. While he could hear her processing her attack methods, it did little in helping him dodge them. The sorceress seemed to absorb the light into her body as it flew back at her, her eyes glowing even brighter.

"Of course." Brady muttered to himself with a grimace. Holding himself back, away from her physical reach, was doing nothing for him. He needed to draw closer to her or lure her to him. He moved forward timidly, as not to draw attention to the movement. Raita, in return, sent out another shower of golden drops much larger than the last. Brady dropped to the ground, rolling to the side to remove himself from the bullets path. His head felt a bit foggy and clouded, and his side was in antagonizing pain. Normally, he was the one healing these types of wounds, not receiving them. He had just gotten back on his feet when the sorceress turned to him again.

"You ought to learn to stay down when you're defeated." The corner of her lips lifted in a sneer. She was so confident that she'd won- that was it!

Brady glared at her, taunting her haughtily. "Claiming victory seems premature to me. I'm not done." In rage, the woman let another wide arc of light project out from around her, knocking Brady off his feet and back a ways before he fell to the ground with a thud. He groaned as his head slammed back against the wall, which had caught his back. He felt slightly dazed. It wasn't that he'd expected the woman to be gentle in tossing him away, but he's hoped it might have less an effect on him than it did.

"Pathetic. I'd been hoping for more of a challenge," she crowed, creeping toward the boy with maniacal delight. "My sister will be so proud." She bent over, gently stroking Brady's cheek, and snickered. His breathing was ragged and faint, his face looking ghastly pale and his shirt soaked with blood. The small nick he'd received was clearly much more than just that. "You'll make a nice addition to my collection." She jingled the small charms that rested against her chest and spread her arms out wide to perform the incantation. She closed her eyes and started to murmur the forbidden enchantment, but the chill of metal piercing her darkened heart slowed her words. Her eyes fluttered open to find the saber she thought Brady lost as he flew through the air buried hilt deep into her chest.

The boy's stare was empty as he pulled the sword back, tossing the blade aside. "Checkmate."

"But... but-" she blubbered, falling back toward the ground. She fell against her side and coughed violently, blood dribbling down her chin. "It wasn't supposed to end like this..." She said in a whisper.

Brady crawled forward, the will to stand having long since left him. "Too damn bad," he growled, snatching the necklace from Raita's dying form. He could see the frenzied look fade from her eyes, a honey colored warmth returning to them as the red left them.

Her face contorted, and she wheezed, reaching for the necklace that Brady held out of her reach. "Give... it... back..." She demanded weakly, her face palling.

"You chose the wrong path as a girl, Raita." Brady held her gaze calmly as the woman's memories came to him one by one. "She used you, and now look what's become of you. You're really taking your last breath for her just as you said you'd wanted. What a lie." He gritted his teeth as the pain from his wound grew more intense. The light in the sorceress eyes seemed to float away with the facade she'd built up in the inn. Brady leaned against the main desk for support as he sat up straight. The chain of the necklace was wrapped up tightly between his fingers. With the charms pressed against his palm, Brady raised his arm, bring it down to the ground with crushing force. Amber swirls danced up into the air, slowly starting to take shape before him, but they weren't the only misty apparitions in his vision. Dark clouds floated in his vision, making his mind feel unusually unshackled to thoughts of those around him.

"What happened here? Last I remember... Brady?" Phoena's voice was clear through the ruckus, growing louder as she approached.

"Last you remember Raita captured you and Callan in magic crystals," he spoke through a hissed breath, struggling to stay conscious from the heavy amount of blood he'd lost. Phoena nodded, her expression grim as it fell to the crimson splotch growing larger at Brady's side.

"How did that-"

"She tried to turn me into a telepath shish kabob." Brady said weakly, tilting his head back with a groan. "I'm sure it's nothing..." He went to stand up, barely holding his own for a few seconds before collapsing.
Phoena reached out for him, another set of arms aiding her in grabbing the telepath up before he hit the ground.

"We need to stop the bleeding or he's a goner." Callan glanced to Phoena, helping to carefully lay Brady against the ground. "Do you have any medical training?" She shook her head 'no' meekly, and Callan looked down to Brady with a sigh. "Guess your life is in my hands then, Shrink-wrap..."

"Guess I better get out my dying wish then, huh?" He mumbled faintly, eyes glazed over as he smiled weakly. "Tell Magnolia if she really thinks Mister Secant is that hot, she should just ask the man out."

Callan shook his head roughly at the request. "Like hell I will. You're not getting out of this that easy." His voice came out like a hiss as he went to examine Brady's wound. "Man up. I'm not going to let you die on us."

Brady gazed over the two, from Callan to Phoena, with a small smile. "I'm glad to hear it."