Civil War

Stalemate

Reyna's POV

Red. It was the first thing I saw. I had no time to react being stuck mid swing of the sword. Whatever it was slammed into my chest sending me tumbling backwards.

Grunting as the torn up asphalt dug into my skin I rolled to my knees. Glancing up I saw two familiar faces, Lydia and Marc. As for Alistair, I assumed he was busy.

"You're supposed to be dead!" Marc growled, seeming even less human than normal.

"What can I say? You'll have to try harder next time." Standing, I brandished my sword not the slightest bit afraid of him.

"I'll enjoy tearing you apart," he sneered, drawing two long thin knives. There was something odd about them but I couldn't place what it was. Lydia who I had expected to challenge me simply redirected her focus onto Atticus who had yet to be challenged by anyone.

Marc sprang forward, his lean form tense and ready for a fight. Stepping to the side I narrowly missed his first swipe of the blade. He followed it up quickly with another attempted strike. Sidestepping I dodged it as well but he gave me no room to come up with a counter attack. I was stuck on the defensive.

It was almost like dancing as I just managed to avoid his blades. A small step to the side, a quick duck and turn or a spin. I knew he couldn't keep it up forever. Fatigue would have to set in eventually, right?

Yet he never slowed. One of us was going to make a mistake that would be costly. I would miscalculate or he would miscalculate. I was determined to make sure it wasn't me. Backing up I felt my back press against something. A car. "Shit."

Marc thrusted and I sidestepped as quickly as possible. His arm went clean through the window. I could see the glass tear into his flesh but he simply pulled his arm out blood smearing on the window. How in the world was he not in pain?

I could see pieces of glass glistening in his arm. I'd anything, he'd weaken from blood loss if he kept injuring himself. Before he could attack again I quickly set on the offensive. A foot to the chest and he fell into a backwards roll. He didn't stay down long but it took him just long enough to get to his feet for me to land a powerful strike.

Our blades smashed together and the tip of his knife shattered leaving a jagged edge. He lashed out and I attempted to step back but the jagged end stabbed into my shoulder. He pulled back quickly in order to not lose his grip on the blade which only left a gouged hole in my arm.

Swallowing I took a brief moment to assess our situation. We were just holding it together. The interstate had been completely torn to pieces. The road was in pieces, broken pipes gushed water, and buildings were damaged or crumbling.

Out of my peripheral I picked up on the side of a building collapsing inwards. Thalia clawed her way out of the rubble eyes ablaze andflickering with electricity. In a break in the clustered ranks I spotted Allistair's glowing purple blade. The two were locked in a duel of their own.

My arm felt heavy where Marc had stabbed me and I glanced down to see the wound turning a sick green color. Poison. Narrowing my eyes I ignored the growing numbness.  Iron caused the air to taste metallic and a loud crash ricocheted as electricity reigned down from above.

The lightning struck the ground blowing craters into the earth and igniting fires. Dozens of the enemy collapsed to the ground their armor steaming. For the first time it was like we had the upper hand.

Marc and I turned back to one another our moment of shock wearing off. He didn't hesitate to come at me again. It was senseless to be honest. Neither one of us had the upper hand. We were nearly an even match. The only problem was that the numbness in my arm was starting to spread.