23: Split Decisions
"Lucy are you sure we're ready?" I looked at Rory and nodded. If I could invade sixteen Reaper safe houses by myself the four of us could invade this one and make it out alive. But I could understand her worried tone, this was the third biggest Reaper safe house in America. The guys were going after the second one and then we would regroup and go to the biggest Reaper safe house, the safe house where Loki was.
"Hey as long as anything doesn't happen to me you guys are fine." Daphne spoke. Although it sounded a bit self-centered I knew what she meant. She was talking about herself being a healer. But as she said that pink sparks shot from her finger tips, she was nervous.
Suddenly I felt my gut clench. I took a quick look around us. My heart starting to pound I pushed Gwen out of the way and caught the arrow that was coming for the back of her head. I grabbed the arrow by the tail and threw it back the way it came. I heard something hit the ground with an oof.
That's when all the Reapers emerged from the forest. I could tell by the looks on their faces that they were the ones who chased me - the seventy Reapers who were after me. Suddenly I regretted not having the guys here. But with that thought I knew it was going to make us fight harder, because there was no way any of us were going to die with out seeing them again.
"Lucy, how nice it is to see you. I see you've brought some friends. Champions of Nike, Sigyn, and Hades. I never thought I'd see them working together." Gus - the leader spoke.
"Maybe in different circumstances, but at the moment they all have one common goal. And either way were not them, Gus, and neither are you." I shot back, trying to draw as many peoples attention as I could.
"Well one we kill Nike's Champion we will. Loki said he'd make us gods." there was a quick round of cheers.
"Not if I have anything to do with it." I muttered sliding a throwing knife from my sleeve and throwing it at Gus. I ran forward and grabbed the first guys sword and plunging it into his stomach. Everyone seemed startled at first until I killed the third person the same way.
Our war started like that. I ducked, parried, swung, and stabbed. I had just decapitated my ninth person when every thing started to go black. But it's not like I was going to pass out, because I could easily swing my sword. No I was losing myself, slowly losing what I had gained. I was turning once again and the only way to gain myself was to stop.
I was about to drop to the ground when arms grabbed me. I tried to strike out but stopped myself. If I killed one more time I'd be gone. But if I didn't Gwen, Daphne, and Rory were going to die.
I lashed out behind me using the pocket knife in my pocket. I stabbed them in the thigh and my vision blurred. I was no longer in my body, but watching as it went on a rampage. Striking out I watched as the numbers lessened. It was kind of cool to watch what I could do.
"You know that is a very dangerous move." a strong gentle voice spoke from behind me. I turned to see Artemis looking down at what I had just been watching. "But yet it was also needed to save your friends."
"I had no choice, if I didn't do it they would of died." I told her.
"Yes but in that state you lash out on everyone. Friend or foe, it makes no difference to your body when you are no longer there."
"Then how do I stop it, before it hurts one of my friends?" I asked a little bit of worry clear in my voice.
"You simply can not. The only way to get you back into your body is for your brothers touch. He's the only one who can get you back."
"But my brothers not here right now. Does that mean I'm going to kill Gwen, Daphne, and Rory if they don't kill me first?" I couldn't help the steady rise in my voice.
"No Lucy, that is why I'm here. I will place you in your body once what is needed to be done is done."
I stood there in silence. I had no idea what else to say to her. I wanted to thank her but every time I went to speak nothing came out. So instead I looked down at the sene below. There were about five Reapers left and I knew my friends could easily take care of them. I looked back at Artemis and nodded, telling her she could put me back into my body.
Artemis walked over to me and placed her hand on my cheek. "Lucy you have stayed strong, and you need to stay that way just for a little bit longer. I'm very proud of you. Just remember that this is a last resort state and you can easily push the blackness away. Just think of the things you love." She smiled. "Now remember to be the hunter - strong and unwilling to go down without a fight." She told me and every thing went black.
• • • • •
"What's wrong with Lucy?" I could hear Kenzie's voice ask.
"We don't know. One second she was taking down every Reaper in sight and then the next she just collapsed. She has no scratches so it can't be from blood lose, the only thing I can think of is exhaustion." Daphne said.
I slowly cracked open my eyes to see everyone in our little group staring down at me. "Hey guys." I choked out. My throat hurt and I felt to soar to move.
"Lucy what happened out there?" Rory asked offering me a cup of nectar. I drank it before answering.
"I don't know how to explain it but my sole sort of left my body leaving my body to do the fighting. The only way I can get back into my body is if Logan sort of like pulls me back by making contact with my body. The only thing is once I'm back in my body the exhaustion and pain hits me all at once, causing me to black out." I told everyone.
"Wait if you can only get back into your body by Logan making contact with you how are you back now?" Alex asked.
"Artemis but me back in my body. And she says what I did should only be a last resort because if Logan doesn't make contact with my body, my body will go on a rampage killing everyone in sight. Good or bad." I shivered not wanting to think about what would happen if Logan couldn't get to me in time.
"Will this happen every time you fight?" Logan asked.
I shook my head. "The blackness will come but as long as I don't let it take over I stay in control. The blackness starts to come when I kill nine people in a row. But I can tell the more I kill the harder the blackness will be to fight."
"Then we limit the amour of Reapers you fight. Simple." Oliver said.
"No not simple. Even though you guys are strong we all know Lucy's the best fighter here. I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to be the weakest link either. She wants to help, just by looking at her you can see it in her eyes." Gwen said and I mentally thanked her.
"Gwen has a point. I've never know Lucy to turn down from a good fight." Rory backed Gwen up.
"But we can't have her risking going into that state. If she enters it and we don't know we could all end up dead." Carson said and I could tell he didn't really mean anything by it.
"Oh trust me, you'll know if she goes into that state. Her eyes turn a cross between forest green and silver instead of the icy blue they're supposed to be." Rory said and I could tell she was starting to get angry.
"You know what then. The only thing for me to do then is to train. Give me a week and I'll come back fully in control." I said standing up from the bed. I grabbed the bag Gwen gave me from the floor and left the room with Logan trailing behind me.
"You don't have to come." I told Logan over my shoulder.
"Ya I kind of do. If you enter that state I'm the only one who can get you back." Logan shot back.
I sighed. "Fine then let's get going. We have a week before we finally invade where they're keeping Loki."
"Wait." Rory yelled. I stop and turned to see Kenzie, Gwen and Rory running to ketch up to us. "We're coming to help. Even if we can't help you train we can help Logan get close to you if needed. I'm sorry to say Logan but we all know your no match for Lucy on your own."
Instead of saying something back Logan just nodded. Rory was right. I needed them as much as I needed Logan. I nodded a silent thanks and headed off. We were going to fit in all the training we could do in the short week we had.