Lost in the labyrinth of my mind [Artemis v Jupiter v Lucia]

[Izzabel Bennet D8A (Jorg)]

A R T E M I S

Two more faces paint the sky as the sun breaks over the horizon, two more girls, one from Three, who did that silly little pull-up challenge right before me, and the other from Six, who I can't remember. I couldn't place her in the Training Center even if I tried. Only 8 more tributes to go, and I somehow managed to keep my distance from most of them. Good. If they tire themselves out until the end, I can swoop in, claiming my victory. Hopefully, then I can punch the GMs in the face for what they did to Portia. The memory of flying off without her leg will haunt me for a good while. No one deserves the kind of treatment she received, to have her dignity ripped away from her like that. My train of thought becomes interrupted as the winds pick up almost immediately after the faces disappear from the pink and orange-hued sunrise. Sand begins to blast the tent from the only part of the Arena I haven't been to yet. And what isn't blocked by the tent obscures my line of sight. I can barely see past my reach as I go back into the tent, zipping it shut before too much sand blows in. The winds howl, drowning out the distant music from the ever-present concert. It's going to be a long night of chasing sleep if the wind doesn't die down soon.

------------------------------------------------------------

I don't remember falling asleep, but I can tell is clearly dusk as I open my tent an inch. The sandstorm is nowhere as strong, but golden sand still whips around the Arena. Part of me wonders if I can use the fishnets or feathers from my uniform to act as makeshift eye protection. On the other hand, I'm not willing to walk around the Arena naked. My outfit is already revealing enough, and while I'm not above using my sexuality to get men (derogatory) to do what I want them to do, I'm not comfortable exposing my body while I fight for my life. After ripping off some of the fishnets from my calves, I layer enough of the fabric together to form some remedial eye protection, still visible enough to see where I'm going, but still enough for the sand to get through.

I make my way towards where I thought the mirage last night, or day, was. I still am not used to the reversed day and night cycle in this desert hellscape. As I get closer though I notice that the sand has started to cling to what appears to be glass. It's easy to find my way in, but as I get deeper into what now I can only assume is a maze, less and less sand is present on the walls. While it's nice to know that I can stay in here until the howling dies down, I'm worried about getting lost. Dried blood coats some of the walls, and I can only imagine that this is where those two girls died yesterday. The thought of that sends chills down my spine as I traverse deeper through the maze, hoping to find anything useful here.

I stop when I hear two voices. Peaking around the corner I see Jupiter and the girl who tried to stab with me with the spear during the Bloodbath. I was hoping to avoid conflict, but I might as well show the Gamemakers that my skills are not only useful for fighting creatures and lost girls. I can hold my own against other tributes and make it out alive. I take a moment to coat my blade with some poisonous plants, ensuring that it doesn't get on my skin, before striking out with my glaive. I don't announce myself, no need for commentary when I'm trying to make this fast and swift. I bisected a worm in half and cut off Portia's leg, and I can take down these two tributes as well.

ELEGANT

Artemis Shei coats her Glaive in Poisonous Plants

Artemis Shei attacks Jupiter Graves | Glaive
YNNzX3m47mglaive
Deep Gash on Left Forearm -- 8.0 damage

Artemis Shei attacks Lucia Valentine | Glaive
glaive
Severed Left Forearm at Elbow -- 9.5 damage

glaive·glaive

[pogue]

Jupiter Graves follows iridescence until he himself is lost in the stars, mortal coil wrapped around his wrists- one in chain and other in stars, midday heat finally giving way into the night, sun falling from its throne once more.

The wind still greets him with sand in its company, skin finally growing calloused and used to the way the particles curl and grind their way against his flesh every minute of every hour of every eternity, carried by the soft breezes that rise and fall in line with the hills off in the distance. He's a boy motivated by his own inactions, pushing forward with the cycle of scrap and metal, feeling it echo and groan as he pedals forward and through the friction of the sand.

Somewhere deep down he knows he's letting himself be lost, that the thread of stars and galaxies he'd found had long since stopped being useful after he'd picked and pulled treasure from the sands. It's something of penance for him, self-imposed destruction as a result of his own failures, egged on by seventeen years of bitter reflection and turmoil.

He's not a good person, boy, image, thing. By the time the anthem comes he is all bared fang and howling at digital moon, Carmen's face staring down at him as he ransacks his own supplies in a tantrum of frustration and fear.

Broken, scared little boy, stunned by the world and all of its violence until he joins in.

What comes next is the void, slipping into something like sleep until he's awoken by a sudden blast of wind and sand from higher powers. He stirs from his spot within the front seat of the cycle, instinctively tightening grip upon his weapon as he rises from the ashes and into the setting sun. He knows what's coming, written on the walls in scarlet and crimson, led astray by the arena and towards a coffin that's waiting for him.

Like a rat in a maze, guided by higher hand and promise of something worthwhile he moves the cycle forward and through the labyrinth, gaze intent on the sands ahead if only to avoid any mere reflection of himself that might turn the other way, bared fangs and wild eyes staring at a boy that knows no better.

Final reckoning, by the time Lucia comes into his view he is at the ready, pulling himself from the seat with weapon in hand and voice caught in throat. "No pleasure in doing this-" He starts, but he's instead cut off by the sound of a blade whirring towards him.

One is a show, two is a production- a death sentence.

Act one begins with steel and sin, Artemis's blade arcs out from behind the void, shielded by the mirrored walls of the glass labyrinth and it's all Jupiter can do but to pivot on worn out heel, attempt to launch himself backwards into a somersault, give of the sand immediately foiling his plans as a boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders attempts to maneuver through it. Rough and tumble, he instead uses the cycle he'd stolen from Black Rock City as a balancing act, pulling himself up into the seat in an attempt to dodge the attack.

By the time he stands back up, hood of the cycle creaking under his weight and silhouette stretching to eternity in the evening sun, he doesn't know if there's something sinister carved in his arm from Artemis's sneak attack. Instead, red and crimson blot the edges of his vision before consuming him all at once, boy troubled by things he cannot control, fight or flight and none of the latter running through his veins.

Chain and dagger held in a strong arm with tightened grip, white knuckles visible under the setting sun as he lets the weapon fall down to his mid-calf, extension of himself coated in the blood of people he hadn't yet gotten a chance to watch die. Carmen's cannon echoes in from tieback of his mind, slamming around in his own thoughts and mixing with everything else so vile and cruel that seems to make up his being. Bubble and boil, anger in the form of acid rises up from the pit of his stomach as he looks between Artemis and Lucia, muscles tense and heart hammering in his chest.

This is his coffin, in glass and sand and everything he's ever torn to pieces with bared fangs. "Two of us are dying here." He states, honestly and plainly, transparency in a labyrinth of tricks and illusions. Then, something more vile, angry and bitter and lashing tongue.

"I'm going to make sure it's both of you."

[Jupiter attacks Lucia ; Scorpion Striker]
Ui0w9vdI8Gthrowing knife
[9.0]

[Jupiter attacks Artemis ; Scorpion Striker]
throwing knife
[6.0]

[Light step - Artemis's attack]
1-10
[Success - attack negated]

-- Rerolling due to GM instructions --

[Jupiter attacks Artemis ; Scorpion Striker]
throwing knife
[3.5]

[Jupiter attacks Lucia ; Scorpion Striker]
throwing knife
[6]

throwing knife·throwing knife·1-10·throwing knife·throwing knife

[eulalie blake 1a 🍒 tris]

l u c i a valentine .

Not everyone makes it out of the maze.

Some people find swords lined with ivy, others find crowns sparkling with golden stars. It doesn't matter how lucky a person is, how much tenacity they have in their fight for survival. Only a day ago, Lucia would have told you that nothing could stand between her and the desire to go home. Now, all she can see is glass walls, a fracture of reflections peering at her with pity in their eyes. Her eyes. None of them show anything other than herself.

The feeling of defeat runs deep.

Sylvia never comes back, and eventually, Lucia loses track of Nori and Vera, too. Blame it on the lights, the weather, the sounds, or maybe she still has reason for being here. The first few hours are the worst. Even if her wounds have started to scab over, even if the adrenaline has reduced the ache of her broken bones to a dull throb, it's hard not to feel like everything is falling apart. Like an arm cleaved from the socket, fingers twitching in the dirt. No, she's not losing her mind, but her conviction starts to fray.

Her honest mistake leads her alliance into chaos, and her first attack starts a chain event of reactions that results in an innocent girl's death. This is the way of the Games, she knows, but this feels differently than standing in place and watching people blow up in front of you. This time, she had her finger around the trigger, and she squeezed more than once. She's culpable, on all fronts, and she hates that she can't seem to get it together.

Part of her wonders if Nori and Vera wanted to be free of her, if they made a separate pact and agreed to go their own way. She knows this isn't true, she knows the labyrinth is meant to confuse them and lead them astray, but she keeps looking for reason where there is none. The truth is: she is alone, and the only person she can truly save is herself. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise, forcing her into the position to act. She inhales, gathering her resources and her dignity and arming herself, and she exhales.

She finds clarity as she travels alone, no longer stressing over the lives of three people, and now focusing only on herself. The goal is to escape, to make it out and find her friends, and she holds on to that more than the despair. As the arena cools, she makes her way through the twisting pathways, certain that she's already traveled this way before. She doesn't allow herself to panic, grip tight around the hilt of her weapon.

Like a memory, she comes face-to-face with another tribute. This time, she holds her strike, giving the stranger time to speak. But she watches as his own hand tightens around his blade, chain wrapped around his forearm menacingly. His eyes have made his decision before Lucia can even process what's happening. She goes to lift her glaive, to use the shaft to defend herself, but in the span of a single breath all Hell breaks loose.

From the shadows, another tribute makes her ambush, slashing at both Lucia and the boy as they both attempt to scramble away. Her heart races, drumming inside her mind, and she catches her footing before she can fall to her knees. "Two of us are dying here," Jupiter states, and she hates that she knows this is the most likely option. Two careers and a lost girl. The odds never seem fair. "I'm going to make sure it's both of you."

No time to counter, Lucia takes the brunt of the boy's attack, gasping in pain as she recoils backwards. She clutches the wound, one hand still holding onto her weapon like a lifeline. "You'll need to hit harder than that," she spits blood, teeth gritted and eyes hard like diamonds. This time, she's not the one firing the first shot, so her heart doesn't ache quite as much as she positions herself to attack. "Both of you."

If bulldozing through them is the only way to freedom, then her choice is made.

[ lucia attacks artemis, glaive ]
zI1UPTEoSEglaive
[ 3.5 ]

[ lucia attacks jupiter, glaive ]
glaive
[ 4.0 ]

[ lucia attempts to light-step artemis's attack ]
^{^ 13060, 9.5}
1-10
[ unsuccessful ]

glaive·glaive·1-10

[Izzabel Bennet D8A (Jorg)]

A R T E M I S

My blade missed Jupiter before I sliced off Lucia's arm. Another limb lays in the sand, offering sacrifice to the Gamemakers and the rest of Panem at my hand. I have yet to kill an actual person, yet I have given my fair share of blood in tribute to the men who created this eternal hell for us. Is it my curse to bring down all the other girls before a man like Jupiter swoops in, claiming the work that I have done? No, I won't allow that. He may have the stamina right now, but he has already fought with other tributes before and this is my first real fight. I know I can outlast him. Lucia is still an unknown to me. Her work with a spear in the Bloodbath left much to be desired, but District Eight isn't known to be a threat in Games, having only had two Victors in the past 20 years. You would think they would have managed more by now, but at least they're doing better than District Three, which hasn't had a victor in 20 years. Maybe those Districts don't care about the Games, that those lives only matter to their families and not the rest of the District.

Should I be the one to talk? District Two went on a similar 20-year dry spell between Cricket and Shy, and the Capitol has punished us for being nothing more than Careers in name only. The status of District Two lies on my shoulders, but I know I have proven myself. My success can spark the resurgence of true Careers in District Two, and our girls can rival the girls of District One. My worthy strikes have shown that I am a threat to be reckoned with. Jupiter seems to disagree.

"Two of us are dying here. I'm going to make sure it's both of you," he states, trying to be vile and bitter yet somehow still coming across as monotone. His chained blade only manages to cut my arm while it manages to lodge itself in Lucia's. Lucia deserves credit for not even flinching when I cut off her arm, only taunting both of us before she strikes.

"You'll need to hit harder than that, both of you." Her own glaive doesn't do much damage to either Jupiter or myself, only managing to get shallow cuts on us both.

"Maybe you should take your own advice, Lucia," I call out, almost bored with her empty threat. "Also, have you noticed that your arm is currently detached from you, sitting in the sand?" I tell her before turning to Jupiter.

"For a career, I expected more out of a first hit," I say, more annoyed than bored with him. I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of dodging my blow. Men don't deserve praise for doing the bare minimum. "But I'm not the one who's going to die here. Now, both of you drop dead before you cut off more of my uniform. I want to actually be clothed when I get out of here."

I swing my glaive at them again, trusting the strength of my blows and the accuracy of my arms. I will make it out, even if I have to kill everyone in my way. It's not what I planned, but if I need to remind everyone that Careers still exist in Two so be it. I'll show them the strength that I have.

ELEGANT

Artemis Shei attacks Jupiter Graves | Glaive (Poison 2/3)
rypzry_ERnglaive
Shallow Cut on Back -- 4.0

Artemis Shei attacks Lucia Valentine | Glaive (Poison 2/3)
glaive
Shallow Cut on Left Calf -- 3.5 damage

glaive·glaive

[pogue]

They go blow for blow in the first round of the fight, steel in hand and tongue in cheek as he dances between Artemis and Lucia equally, using the rusted metal frame of the cycle to counterbalance himself as he moves. His attacks aren't anything close to what they should be, paper cut of scarlet and the occasional blade embedded deep into Lucia's skin.

It's dumb luck, raw and ferocious and everything in between. Analysts will call it strategy.

Because he's seen too many  fights like this in Games past, fingers curled over a gun and waiting to fire the trigger, mutual destruction in the form of steel and scarlet. "You'll need to hit harder than that," Lucia starts, blood dribbling from her lip as if to punctuate it- Jupiter respects writing one's life out in crimson. "- both of you."

Will he?

Because there's steel still dripping from Lucia's arm, tethered to a chain that slips and slinks between his fingers as he moves. At a moment's notice he could rip it free just like he did to Seraphina, take with it flesh and sinew and expose bone to the bare world. Besides, surviving a fight like this- all bared fangs and starving wolves, isn't always about landing the killing blow on both opponents at once.

For him, it's making sure they land it on each other.

Artemis is the larger threat at the moment, her blade barely missing him on the first swing before it glides softly against his back, attention taken by Lucia's proclamation of survival. He feels something bitter kiss the edge of his skin, acidic and sour and fire erupting up from the source. On calloused heel he twists, raw fury embedded in his face.

"For a career, I expected more out of a first hit."
Jupiter's reaction is one swift motion, yanking the chain and bursting it out from Lucia's skin until it comes back to him coated in scarlet. Artemis talks a big game for only being able to softly carve a grin on his back.

"Pot. Kettle." Jupiter punctuates the moment with a hand wave from himself to Artemis, two sides of the same bloodied coin- still standing despite everything between them begging for the opposite.

Rage guides his next statement, short and bitter and to the point of something steel flying towards her just after he speaks.

"I'm going to make you wish you were back in those fucking sewers, Two."

[Jupiter attacks Artemis ; Scorpion Striker]
PX|gFxDzv1throwing knife
[3.5]

[Jupiter stuns Lucia ; Scorpion Striker mechanic]
[6.0 ; cannot attack Jupiter]

throwing knife

[eulalie blake 1a 🍒 tris]

l u c i a valentine .

She feels lost in the chaos. It's as if she's stepped into a separate fight, taking all the worst hits while the others scold one another like little kids fighting over a damaged toy. They take her up on her request, they're bringing everything they've got, but she hasn't been knocked off her feet quite yet. Her arm is bleeding, a severe cut carved across her forearm, and it feels like with each passing minute an old wound is splitting back open.

This is what it feels like to unravel. Alone for the first time, there is no one for her to save, and no one to be saved by. She focuses on keeping herself alive more than debating, ignoring the girl who tries to insist her arm has been detached when Lucia can clearly feel it still connected to her socket. Or maybe the blood loss is just making her delusional, and she's simply feeling a phantom limb.

But the pain is real. As real as the fear.

As her enemies monologue, she attempts to slit their throats.

[ lucia attacks artemis, glaive ]
Qr1UUQOe_9glaive
[ miss ]

[ lucia is stunned & can't attack jupiter ]

[ lucia attempts to use self defense on jupiter's attack ]
^{6.0, stunned}
3-8
[ -6 ]

accuracy on Artemis | day four

glaive
[ severed leg, 10 + 1 blades ]

glaive·3-8·glaive

[Izzabel Bennet D8A (Jorg)]

A R T E M I S

What the hell were those two hits? My blade only managed to scratch them both, where were my strong hits from before? Was it because I was now fighting fully coherent people? That shouldn't matter though, I should still be able to end them pretty quickly like I had with Portia. Yet instead of a girl who was struggling with her grasp on reality, I have two tributes in front of me who are fully comprehensible; and one of them is incredibly pissed off.

"Pot. Kettle." he seethes before throwing that chained knife at me again, still only managing to scratch my arm. "I'm going to make you wish you were back in those fucking sewers, Two."

"Big talk from a little boy who can't follow through. Also, are both of you missing the fact that I chopped off Lucia's arm? It's not even the first limb I've severed in these Games and you're talking to me about not having strong hits? Please." I scoff before seeing Lucia's own blade coming towards my leg. I did my best to jump out of the way, hoping that it was enough to only sustain a small cut.

"Look who finally decided to show up," My voice is a mix of pride and contempt as I stare at Lucia. If Jupiter hadn't made a nasty move, she would have been able to attack him as well, but what else should I expect? He hasn't been able to get a solid hit in, so he's resorting to underhanded tactics.

"Too bad it's too late." I strike down my glaive at both of them again, using the same force I had in my first attacks, and with the same force I had with Portia yesterday before turning back to Jupiter.

"You better learn your place, little boy, for it's not you who is leaving this Arena alive." I had such a strong start in these Games, that I refuse to let myself lose that momentum now. I will show them who the true Victor is.

ELEGANT

Artemis Shei attachs Jupiter Graves | Glaive (3/3 Poison)
LfSTLw2RPnglaive
Miss -- 0.0 damage

Artemis Shei attacks Lucia Valentine | Glaive (3/3 poison)
glaive
Severed Right Ear -- 8.0

Artemis uses Self-Defense against Lucia's attack [13101]
2-8
-4

Accuracy Day 4 against Jupiter
glaive
Block -- 0.0 damage

glaive·glaive·2-8·glaive

[pogue]

Jupiter seethes, his own shadow wrapping around his limbs in the quickly setting sun, chain pulled back towards him and drip drip dripping with blood of anything but himself, mutt and tribute alike coating the blade.

There's a thin line of red that's plastered across Artemis's body, the only remnant of his last few attacks being paper cuts on skin. teeth grind to teeth as he moves backwards away from the career, keeping enough distance between the two of them for him to try to react to anything she throws at him. In between his own heartbeats his gaze darts to and from Lucia, bleeding out into oblivion but still clutching steel to her chest- he can't blame her, her life depends on it.

People do incredible things when desperate.. danger emanates from Lucia in between waves of adrenaline and fear, one foot in the coffin yet so ready to bring either himself or Artemis down first. Jupiter gulps, swallows, feeling dust and dirt scrape against the sides of his throat as something sinister works its way up from his stomach once more, red blotting in from the edge of his vision as Artemis's blade lashes out at him once more.

He dances backwards on his heels, gritting his teeth as the sound gives way beneath his weight ever so slightly, forcing him to utilize the chain extending from his hand as a makeshift shield. He wraps his opposite palm up in the steel, feeling the metal rings press into his palm before he tightens his grasp, Artemis's blade slamming into the chain instead of his chest. She tries once more, steel arcing out towards him and it takes all his energy to dive into the seat of the cycle, utilizing the metal bars of the structure to block the secondary attack. By the time he regains his balance he's pulled himself out the other side, landing on his heels in a crouch before rising up.

"Big talk from a little boy who can't follow through." 
Tongue meets cheek as Jupiter cocks his head, calling back to the numerous misses she'd just experienced. "Kettle. Pot." 

It's a distraction as much as it is a jab at both of their insecurities and failures, because Lucia's blade finds itself deep in Artemis's leg, cutting off her monologue of blood and war before it can even really start. "You better learn your place, little boy, for it's not you who is leaving this arena alive." 

Jupiter's gaze is cold, daggers and steel and everything in between, swirling fits of red and rage in the irises. "You want to kill me?" He dangles it before her like his life is a game, as if it hasn't always been. A glance to Lucia, then back to Artemis. "You want to kill us?"

He's tempting a fate he's always deserved, nail to coffin and six feet under. But he's already ripped the steel from Lucia's body and forced her attack onto his opponent, he's out of tricks and out of games and the capacity to think clearly amongst all the red is dwindling ever so quickly. He rises from his own ashes, readies his weapon white-knuckled and all. "Do it." 

Then, again. Angrier, spit and blood curling into the words.

Fucking-
"DO IT!"

[Jupiter attacks Artemis ; Scorpion Striker]
yxdFj|JVi3throwing knife
[Miss]

[Jupiter attacks Lucia ; Scorpion Striker]
throwing knife
[6.0 + 1 TP + 1 Bloodlust]

[Accuracy ; Day Four, on Artemis]
throwing knife
[6.0 + 1 TP + 1 Bloodlust]

throwing knife·throwing knife·throwing knife

[eulalie blake 1a 🍒 tris]

l u c i a valentine .

Maybe it's fitting that her end will find her in the maze.

After all, this is where it's all started to fall apart. Seeing things, losing track of her allies, stumbling into a dog fight she can't keep up with. It feels as if she's being torn into two parts, trapped in the jaws of both her attackers, biting away at her until little remains. Just a glimmer of resistance, the light of terror in her eyes, all her bravery reduced to a thin line across her lips.

She will not beg them for her life, and she has no more smack talk to offer. Just because she's a loser does not mean she's a fool. The odds are stacked impossibly high, and even just stepping forward makes her heart feel like it's being constricted inside her rib cage. Her broken bones remind her that she is already ruined, hot blood rushing across her skin as the last of her adrenaline reserves work to keep her alive.

Let it be known: she does not want to go.

She does not regret running after the mirage of her twin, and she tries to forgive herself for getting lost. As hard as she could, she stayed true to her alliance, and she's done everything in her power to keep going. But what is a girl to do when she runs face first into a glass wall? There's no more running. It reminds her of watching the livestream of the 10th Annual Games, the fear on the faces of those tributes when the sewer doors closed in front of them.

In the process of being left behind, Lucia uses both of her arms to secure her weapon in place, knowing that there is little else to do than make her own final stand. "I have a new request," she says almost too quietly, a weak and tired voice cutting through the theatrics of the careers that have her surrounded. "If you're going to kill me, just shut up and finish it."

Shrugging her damaged, dented crown off her head, Lucia charges forward with the edge of her blade glinting in the neon light.

If she must go, she will make sure a piece of them follows.

[ lucia attacks artemis, glaive ]
xHXuQqJdkuglaive
[ 0 ]

[ lucia attacks jupiter, glaive ]
glaive
[ 3.5 ]

glaive·glaive

[Izzabel Bennet D8A (Jorg)]

A R T E M I S

"I have a new request. If you're going to kill me, just shut up and finish it." Lucia states as she charges the both of us. I block the blade as she gets a final cut on Jupiter. Maybe she has a point. I thought taunting him would make him feral and sloppy, easier to kill. But it only made him stronger and dangerous. It's as if he uses his rage to fuel his attacks. I take a step back to reassess my situation. I'm definitely not in the best shape, but I am at least not teetering on Death's door like Lucia is. It would be a miracle if I could end Jupiter right here and now, but I know that going after him is not the most strategic option. Finishing off the girl who never had a stake would be the smart move.

Showing that you are a career means more than just putting on a show while fighting, which Jupiter is more successful at currently. It means making the smart moves. I didn't think that I would have been in such a prolonged fight as I am right now, so I used up all my strength in the past two days. I saved all of my strong strikes for the beginning of the fight, but I can rally for one more strike, to at least end Lucia. Jupiter will have to wait and have the others wear him down even more before I come in for the final kill. That shitty move he pulled with Lucia will forever piss me off. Ensuring that the girls have to fight while he can take credit for our work is bullshit. Typical boy benefiting off of the societal norms with no fucking care in the world. Little kids like him shouldn't live. I raise my glaive one more time, taking Lucia's request to heart, and strike down on them both.

ELEGANT

Artemis Shei attacks Jupiter Graves | Glaive
CKpq4YfyXyglaive
Stabbed in Bicep -- 8.5 damage

Artemis Shei attacks Lucia Valentine | Glaive
glaive
Shallow Cut on Left Bicep -- 3.5 damage

glaive·glaive

[pogue]

He stands on tired heel, yanking on the chain in one swift movement and sending the steel blade flying back towards him. He catches it in his hand, blade still wet with the blood of his two opponents, contrasting the fire that burns in his veins with the icy glare of metal. His gaze darts left, then right, then down and up- measuring the distance between himself and his foes and tethering himself to his own survival.

He is tired, that much is true. Adrenaline can only drag a feral mutt so far until flesh and bone and sinew alike begin to collapse under the pressure. Jupiter's been lucky enough to have played a heavy hand earlier in the fight, using his distance and the chains that bind to turn Artemis and Lucia against one another and keeping himself mostly out of harms way. But he feels himself slowing, fire and crimson dripping from wounds both shallow and deep scattered across his body, remnants of the past and reminders of what's to come in the future.

He's worse for wear, but at least he's wearing it well.

It's why there's nearly a grin that carves itself on his face as he looks towards Lucia, cloaked in her own blood and swaying softly in line with the wind. It's mixed, the itch to smile at her demise and his victory clashing against the way the sight of death standing so close to him sends a chill down his spine, chain rattling against his leg as he tightens his grip on the metal. He's watching her life unfold into snakes of scarlet, drip drip dripping down into the sands that they drown in ever so slowly, bared fangs and licked lips and-

hollow heart, battered soul.

He has waited eighteen years for a moment like this, carved his survival out of the shattered tombstones and dreams of people he's forced to remain beneath him, knife in one hand and heart in the other. Life in One for him has meant pressing diamond and gold into his body until the skin pulls apart beneath the pressure, muscle and sinew hardened into stone in a desperate attempt to make himself stoic, ice, stone, empty. 

Why, then, does it burn his heart so much to watch her die?

A different kind of fire, one foreign and abstract compared to the rage that has so constantly simmered and spread amongst his veins, uncontrolled and toxic and wilting everything that comes across his path. No, standing feet away from Lucia as she desperately swings at himself and Artemis only serves to leave a burn so empty, ragged and red and bleeding something other than crimson. He blocks the attack with his chain, but it's only half of his heart that makes it into the movement and he feels the blade slide softly against his skin, grit teeth the response to a shallow wound across his thigh.

He sees the fire in her eyes for the last time, feels it clash and contrast against his own. Wild fire versus flickering ashes, burning holes into whatever they land on.

"I have a new request." 

Jupiter turns his gaze from Artemis as he hears Lucia's voice, soft and quiet yet still managing to cut over the sounds of the arena. Jupiter Graves is a beast of a boy, a monster in his own skin, and it's with bared fangs that he listens to the dying plea of a girl who never stood a chance.

"If you're going to kill me, just shut up and finish it." 

Her words slip out into the void between the three of them, and Jupiter cocks his head as he chews them up, swallows them whole and lets them rot him from the inside out. Artemis complies before he does, and he tenses as her blade travels from himself towards Lucia. It's an unfortunate flight path, because in his exhaustion he hardly manages to move the attack from carving a frown deep into his arm, chain rattling under the weight of his opponent. In the wake of the scuffle Artemis's blade doesn't do the trick, grazing softly against the girl's skin.

Death by a thousand cuts, shimmering in red. In the final moments before a cannon and a collapse Jupiter does something he's never done before: he stays noble.

If Lucia wanted silence to be written on her tombstone, he would grant her that one last wish. Chain in hand and blade in air, he launches it towards his enemies.

[Jupiter attacks Artemis ; Scorpion Striker]
WbMWxA6id0throwing knife
[3.0]

[Jupiter attacks Lucia ; Scorpion Striker]
throwing knife
[8.0]

[Self Defense , Day Four - Artemis's 13058]
3-8
[Result]

throwing knife·throwing knife·3-8