Death Beckons [Crusader vs Patricia Day 8]

[Cato]

Crusader Rhodes
district 11 male of the 68th hunger games

I was alone with my thoughts throughout the day wishing I could find who murdered her. It's my fault she's dead. I promised I would protect her, but I left three times. I left her alone with her friends, and I watched her friends kill my friends. I couldn't stand the idea of her being with them. I wish Kirk was here. I loved listening to his accent when he spoke, and I admired how much he cared for Esme. I wish Animus was here. He was a fighter and he did well, but I watched as they ganged up on him. I watched as they took turns attacking him, and I wasn't able to save him. I was powerless. I wish Esme was here. She was so young and tiny. She rarely spoke to anyone, but I could tell she trusted the three of us with her life. I was devastated when she went missing, and when I found her again, I couldn't save her either. I couldn't stop the spear from piercing her eye, but I was there for her as she died. I held her in my arms as tears slid down my face. She didn't deserve to die, and it was one of Stella's friends who killed her.

I couldn't stay with Stella anymore. I didn't want to. I couldn't because I wasn't sure of her motives, but she had the two from eight with her. She was safe, and she obviously didn't need me. I didn't sleep well that night. It's been a long time since I actually slept through the entire night, but the next morning I fought Pearl, and I killed her. She's the first life I've taken in the arena, and she probably won't be the last. Every ounce of pain I felt running through my body where her cannon sounded still surges through my body today. The screams she made when her leg was sliced clean off her body. The screams I made when she took my own foot away. I never wanted to hurt her. I never meant to do anything to her, but I have my own family at home, and I wonder what they are thinking now. It was that night I saw Stella's face in the sky. I couldn't save her! I failed her like I failed Kirk and Animus and Esme and Pearl. I failed to keep my promise to make sure she went home, and in that I'm a failure. I messed up. I failed them. I've failed myself.

The anthem blasted through the arena, but no faces appeared in the sky. Nobody died meaning there's still four in the games. Patricia, the girl from six who broke Esme's arm, the kid from eight who killed Esme, and me. One of them killed Stella. One of them ended her life, and I have to find out who. I have to know which one did it so I can end theirs. Murder is wrong in all forms, but I'm a murderer. I've already killed someone, and I will kill whoever killed Stella. I promised Stella I would protect her, I promised her I wouldn't let her die, and now the best I can do is promise to kill whoever killed her. If I die, I'll take whoever it was down with me. It's the least I can do. The anthem faded away leaving me in the dark once again surrounded by the sound of the rapids tossing and turning throughout the arena. It's left me wet, and cold, but I am alive, and I plan on staying that way.

Once again I didn't sleep. I couldn't sleep, and I can feel it weighing down on my body. My eyes hurt from, my muscles beg for sleep, but my mind wouldn't let me. I have a mission, and I must succeed. I move myself to my feet using the wall as a crutch holding me up. Maybe tonight will be the last night. Maybe someone will emerge from the arena as a victor and the other three be set free from the pain and sorrow and regret and torture of living in this place. Would that person be me? Would I be the one walking out of the arena alive? This isn't about me anymore. I can't be selfish enough to fight for myself anymore. No, it's not about me.

-Crusader attacks Patricia-

OQgNvNrhsword
1049 -- Shallow Cut on Stomach -- 4.0 damage

sword

[rook]

{ p a t r i c i a v a l f i e r n o}

thank you, i'll say goodbye soon
though it's the end of the world
don't blame yourself

First chance she got, she ran. Knew she would. I knew Galaxy was a fucking rat in the dark waiting for an opportunity to slip away. I was careless, weak. Asa would have been ruthless enough to put her away regardless of what she was saying. When I set my sights on her, I thought that's the attitude I would have followed, but-... But I'm weak. Weaker than I thought.

And now she's gone.

Happened so fast that I couldn't grab her and remind her of our plan to work together. Doubt she had any intention of following through with that. Heh. Her and I really are alike. At this stage of the Games, trust is a luxury.

Alone again. Alone in the dark, in the damp, in the cold. Alone with the memories of Barnabas' screams and Pearl's green face on the walls and Asa's death stare. Memories repressed but not repressed so much that they don't surface and jump me when I least expect it. Churning, turning in my gut. I want to be sick. I am the last survivor of our group, alone, alone, alone. That word drives into my head, pounding away. Cast iron fact. They're all stone cold dead. I look at my hands, the only things that are real, and I wonder how much more blood will be on them by the end of this. Not nearly enough, I feel.

Galaxy is a coward, and I was fucking stupid to let my guard down. She never had any intentions of staying by my side and helping me take down that monster of a boy from Eleven, or the agile boy from Eight. She only wants to get away and hide, whilst the rest of us hack the shit out of eachother, leaving her the last one standing. Smart, yes, but so fucking weak. Weak in different way to me. I know how to kill and how necessary it is now. I'm not held back by some old concept of morality or humanity.

I stay by the lake, waiting. Deep booms of another cave collapse still echo through the cavern, and I wonder if any Tributes were killed. Any sound of a cannon would have been lost in the blast. I sigh heavily, lurching over and staring at the ground. I want it to open up and swallow me, like it did to Cha. What a peaceful way to die.

I can't sit here and wait to die. My sister is at home, watching and waiting for me to return to her. She would be so proud that I have come this far. So happy that I have lived for this long. Well, that's relative. It's not like living this long has been pleasant. Quality of life over quantity of life. What's the point in living if you're not really living at all. Surviving. Suffering. Prolonging. It's not for myself, but for her. To return to her. The only person left in my life that I give a damn about. The only person I fight for is her.

I get lost in my own thoughts, so much so that I suffer for it again. Metal strikes me in the mid-section, and I cry out. I can't see what's going on, the movement is too quick to focus on. A shadow in the haze of green darts forward, so I dive out the way and scramble on all fours towards my gear. Stupid, stupid girl. Lost focus, now you're gonna die. Can't die, not now. Gotta live, gotta fight. Pearl's voice screams in my head telling my to get my weapon. Rose's voice shouts for me to watch out for the attacker. I catch them in the corner of my eye. Galaxy? No, too big. Crusader, it has to be Crusader.

I grab my sword and scramble, feet pushing away from where I was and into space. I turn on my heel and see his looming figure advancing. I have met this behemoth of a Tribute before, even attacked him midst the chaos of a feast, but now I am alone with no backup and no advantage. It is him and me.

"Did you kill Pearl, you piece of shit?" I ask, walking backwards, my hands shaking. Fear, that's new. No it isn't. Showing fear is new. Always been afraid, always masked it. Hid it. Not now. Now I am exposed, like I'm bare fleshed and naked.
"ANSWER ME!"

Oh, fuck this shit.


[Patricia Valfierno attacks Crusader Rhodes, Bone Sword]
eCZ4J__7sword
[Shallow Cut on Left Shoulder -- 3.5 damage]

and if it's true
i will surround you
and give life to a world
that's our own

word count: 742, graphics: rook
theme: goodbye to a world by porter robinson

sword

[Cato]

Crusader Rhodes
district 11 male of the 68th hunger games

Her voice boomed around me echoing off the walls as she asked the question. Did I kill Pearl? Did I kill her? Did Patricia here kill my district partner? Does any of this matter anymore? Does it matter who killed who? Because to me it doesn't, especially when I have no clue who killed Stella. I want to know, and her words stir the anger that's been growing inside of me ever since I saw her face in the sky. And for this girl to call me a piece of shit. No, I am not a piece of shit. I am much more than that. I'm on a mission to kill whoever killed Stella. Animal like roars erupt from my lips, and all I can do is keep myself from laughing in the face of this girl. "I did kill her. What am I supposed to do though? Allow myself to be killed? Doubt you'd be angry if I was the dead one. Grow up. I've lost people as well."

Her sword barely bit into my shoulder like her friend's did. Pearl. She attacked and attacked and it only made a difference when she removed my foot from my body. I'm not standing down. I'm not backing up. I don't care who this girl is. I don't know if I want to care. I've already killed someone when I promised I wouldn't do that, but I had no choice. It's the games, and it's either kill or be killed, and I won't die without a good fight. Maybe I'll kill her too like I killed her friend. Maybe I can watch her die like I've done so many times before. Twenty of us are dead, and soon it'll be twenty-three. Four are left, and I am one of them. And I will fight. I will do whatever it takes to win.

I won't strike her down in cold blood though. I won't make her death an easy one. I'll play with her like a caged animal. I'll cut pieces of her away little by little like I did to Pearl. Like someone did to so many others who's cannons have already sound. It'll be fun watching her dance for me. Maybe we can have a party, and laugh as our blood pours out around us. Maybe we can have some fun before one of our cannons sound, but this time of fun is different. Killing isn't as bad as I originally thought. Yes, it changes people, and it's definitely changed me. I thoroughly enjoyed it all now that I think about it. Is that wrong? Maybe, but it doesn't matter anymore. I'm no longer a human being intent on living. I've become a savage animal.

-Crusader attacks Patricia-

l74klyaHsword
1025 -- Severed Left Hand at Wrist -- 9.0 damage

sword

[rook]

{ p a t r i c i a v a l f i e r n o}

thank you, i'll say goodbye soon
though it's the end of the world
don't blame yourself

Answer me you piece of shit. I deserve answers. I know it wasn't Galaxy, she doesn't have it in her to kill someone as dangerous as Pearl. Could be the other boy, could be Crusader. I need to know, before I die. I need to give her some sort of justice. She was my friend, my only friend in here. If someone killed her, I need to kill them. This isn't about self defence, kill or be killed, or any of that shit. This is about me.

"I did kill her. What am I supposed to do though? Allow myself to be killed? Doubt you'd be angry if I was the dead one. Grow up. I've lost people as well." He snarls, the brute that he is. He did. He killed her. He murdered my friend and tries to justify it in front of me. To me. I'll kill him, I'll rip his throat out.

"YOU FUCKI-"

He slices my hand clean off. My voice cuts out mid-sentence as my eyes follow my hand as it drops to the floor, still clutching my sword. Next comes searing, burning pain. I scream, my left hand grasping my wrist. It spews blood, pain shooting up my arm with every pulse. I fall to my knees, shrieking until my throat is raw. My hand. My hand is-... It's gone.

He advances again, surely to finish me off. Tears streak down my face, my breaths are desperate and shaky. Pain. Pain. Blood. Bleeding. Not here. I won't fucking die here. My left hand snatches up my sword and hacks at the monster.


[Patricia Valfierno attacks Crusader Rhodes, Bone Sword]
RFenr1m5sword
[Shallow Cut on Forehead -- 4.5 damage]

and if it's true
i will surround you
and give life to a world
that's our own

word count: 742, graphics: rook
theme: goodbye to a world by porter robinson

sword

[Cato]

Crusader Rhodes
district 11 male of the 68th hunger games

"You fucki-" Then all I heard was her screams as my blade sliced through her hand. It fell to the ground with a thump, and I could hear the sword landing with a crash. And she screams as the blood sprays around the area covering everything in it's path. And she screams some more. I remember the pain. I remember how it felt when Pearl sliced my foot clean from my body, and now Patricia understands the pain. Maybe I've hindered her from fighting. That was my hope because now in a way, we both are equal. I'm missing a foot. She's missing a hand.

Only it doesn't stop her from attacking. I can see the outline of the blade coming towards me, and I feel it dig slightly in my forehead. Tears well up in my eyes threatening to fall down my face at any second. A warm sticky liquid emerges from the wound as I back away only for a moment. I can't let this bother me. It's not much, and I have felt so much more over the last few... Days? Weeks? I don't know how long it's been, and I don't have time to think.

I move gripping my sword tighter. I don't know what's going on anymore. I'm one of those savage creatures the Capitol released into the game. And now I'm ready to pounce. And without thinking I strike.

-Crusader attacks Patricia-

03cnpWoEsword
1057 -- Shallow Cut on Right Forearm -- 3.5 damage

sword

[rook]

{ p a t r i c i a v a l f i e r n o}

thank you, i'll say goodbye soon
though it's the end of the world
don't blame yourself

My hand is gone. Oh Ripred, my hand is gone. Searing pain shoots through me. Every beat of my dying heart sends jolts of pain through my body. I see red in this blackness, only red. My body and my mind are collapsing in on themselves, pain is taking over, and will continue to do so until I am full. Full of this agony and suffering, and then I will cripple over and bleed out, and suffocate and die. I have never known pain like this. Searing, blistering pain.

And oh, what's that? Something with it. Something that I am familiar with. Oh yeah, I know that. I can tap into that. With all this hot, boiling, furious pain is a rage like thunder, bellowing and brewing, folding over and over like a snowball down a mountainside. Bursting at the seams of my skin, snapping at all my nerves and stinging my eyes. My lips are cracked and my skin is painted red, my snarl is just as feral as it always was, and this girl is broken but not defeated. Not yet.

Symbolic links are created with the “ln” command in base code. The syntax of the command is: $ ln -s
-s = This flag tells to create a symlink (if you don’t use this it will create a hard link, which we will talk about soon).

Shut your mouth, I know what a soft link is. Damn, we've been over this four or five times at least, I get it. Eh? Well, Rose can catch up at home I got better things to be learning that shit I've covered multiple times this month. When do we start the fun stuff?

Fun, fun, fun. None of this is fun you stupid girl, it's all for one purpose and that is progression. Understanding. Knowledge. Equip yourself, know what you're dealing with and progress. You and your sister will never survive in this world unless you learn that. Not just in computational environments but the real world. Listen to what I'm saying Patricia, I don't need to teach you any of this, I'm doing it out of choice.

$ ln -s /usr/bin/gedit ~/Desktop/gedit

There, easy. Created a soft link. Happy? Or do you need to give me more life lessons about how any of this translates to the real world?

It was easy. Easy peasy. Computers aren't people. Computers are predictable. They're all the same, deep down, at a base level. People are stupidly complex. Like even now, whilst my hand is severed and lying on the floor, and my wrist is continuously bleeding, all I can think about is symlinks. Cracking codes and redirecting entry codes. Maybe it's important. Maybe my mind is trailing to that because I can use it here? Or maybe my life is just flashing before my eyes as I bleed out and die.

Redirect the address, create a shortcut. Redirection. Crusader Rhodes. There's an equation here and I have to figure it out. Notice how calm he is, how composed he is. You don't get this far in the Games if you break under pressure. He ain't even breaking a sweat. I'm the polar opposite of him right now. Bleeding, crying, sweating, screaming. Redirect it, Trix.

If you don't like the hand you've been dealt, change the game.

"I k-know..." I scramble back on all fours, "T-That you've l-lost people!" I push to my knees, grabbing my sword again.
"I know all about them...!" I try to laugh but end up coughing violently, forcefully until blood is on the back of my hand. I smile at him, wearing one last mask.


[Patricia Valfierno attacks Crusader Rhodes, Bone Sword]
JXi|KYK0sword
[Shallow Cut on Right Thigh -- 3.5 damage]

and if it's true
i will surround you
and give life to a world
that's our own

word count: 600, graphics: rook
theme: goodbye to a world by porter robinson

sword

[Cato]

Crusader Rhodes
district 11 male of the 68th hunger games

I don't know what she feels with me towering over top of her, and I don't really care. I have a family I'm fighting for, she probably has a family she's fighting for, and neither of us would give up. I'm staring down at her looking around at the girl in front of me, and she tells me she knows about them, that I've lost people. She has no.... Wait. Did she kill Stella? Did she kill the girl I promised to protect with my life? She had to have done it or she wouldn't understand. She wouldn't care. Fire slowly boils inside my veins as I look down at her as she's now slowly climbing to her feet, and she swings with her sword barely hitting me, but I'm numb to the pain.

I swing my own sword down as hard as I can completely missing my target as tears well up in my eyes once more. I look around bringing my own sword towards my body again reacting before she has time to think, and I bring the sword around again attacking as fast as I can. My hands shake as she laughs, and I don't know what to do. I just want to kill her if she killed Stella. I've come so far. Journeyed throughout this arena to find who killed her. I remember back on that train when I made the promise to Stella. That I would get her home if it meant sacrificing myself. Where is she now? Dead thanks to me. I may not have struck any kind of physical blow, but leaving her multiple times had to have shaken her up. I'm responsible for her death I know I am.

The girl's words come back to me. It shakes me to my core. I feel like she knows something about what happened to her. "Did you...." To speak the question only invites even more pain. What I'm dealing with now it barely tolerable. If it wasn't for this fight, I would be kneeling on the ground in emotional pain. I'm not sure how much longer I can go before the guilt gets to me. So many of my friends have died and its all my fault. I swing at the girl hoping to end this here and now.

-Crusader attacks Patricia
oBcMTwhMsword
1171 -- Miss -- 0.0 damage

Accuracy reroll
sword
1007 -- Shallow Cut on Right Thigh -- 3.5 damage

sword�sword

[rook]

{ p a t r i c i a v a l f i e r n o}

thank you, i'll say goodbye soon
though it's the end of the world
don't blame yourself

And maybe I did. And maybe I didn't.

But he doesn't know. And I don't know, but he doesn't know that I don't know, and for all he knows, the only person who knows, is me. I lick my lips. That's the best part of someone not knowing.

My arm stings like hell, worsening with every second of my existence. No amount of bandaging is ever going to fix this. They can prepare you for cuts and scratches, but no amount of preparation can compensate for what it's like to lose a limb. Nothing.

So I wear this mask, because it's the only defence I have now. I told myself I was done pretending to be other people, especially in the face of death. I wanted to stare death in the eyes and let him take me as I am, without any ruses. Of course, I took one look at death and was too fucking afraid to leave this world as Patricia Valfierno. I am scared, so very scared. Crusader cracks, and this is all I have to pry leverage into that crack and split it open.

"Which of your friends..." I pant, "Which would you like to hear about first?"

He hesitates, and I go at him again. He's weakening. Emotion is his weakness. Gotta exploit it. Gotta redirect the momentum of this fight to my favor. Got to. I lean on my sword and try to push myself to my feet, even though every fibre of my being is screaming at me to lie down and pass out. I fight it, just like I'm fighting Crusader, and the Capitol, and every fucker out there who thinks they're above me.


[Patricia Valfierno attacks Crusader Rhodes, Bone Sword]
ZBG9rNrOsword
[Shallow Cut on Stomach -- 4.0 damage]

and if it's true
i will surround you
and give life to a world
that's our own

word count: 280, graphics: rook
theme: goodbye to a world by porter robinson

sword

[Cato]

Crusader Rhodes
district 11 male of the 68th hunger games

Being here isn't what I wanted. I never asked for this to happen. I never asked to grow close to my allies, my district partner. I never asked to kill Pearl. All of this was forced down on me, and it was against my will, but I have more that I'm fighting for. Each of my friends. The twenty others who have died. Myself. I can't say this is about me, and I won't back down. I won't let this hurt me anymore, but I'm growing tired. I'm tired of standing here fighting, but one of us won't walk away from this alive.

Her blade hits me again bringing more blood slowly oozing from my body. I'm covered in it. Sticky. Everything, and I feel nothing. Fire rages inside of me boiling through my veins, and all I want is to end this, to kill her, and that's when she starts taunting asking about which friend I want to hear about first. I know what's happened to everyone of them except my district partner, and maybe Patricia killed her, maybe she ended her life, and now I'll make her pay. I howl with anger pouring through my veins with each heart beat, and I swing as hard as I can. She won't get away with what she's done.

-Crusader attacks Patricia-

x7GlcPkOsword
1055 -- Deep Gash on Left Thigh -- 8.0 damage

sword

[rook]

{ p a t r i c i a v a l f i e r n o}

thank you, i'll say goodbye soon
though it's the end of the world
don't blame yourself

He doesn't react. Good for him. Maybe I'm not fucking prying enough. Maybe I'm not agitating him enough to provoke an action other than to mindlessly attack me. It feels like there are daggers all around me, all pointing at me, and all pressing gently against my skin, slowly pushing their way inwards. No way to shake it, or escape it.

Suffocating on metal.

Choking on reality. If I am to dance with this behemoth, I need to be level with him. At the moment, I am but prey. I need to use weapons of my own. Words. In the right order, they can do more damage than any blade. Someone told me that a long time ago, but now, as I look at where my hand used to be, I find that very hard to believe. I'm a fool. What am I doing? Have I lost my mind? I'm focusing on provoking someone who has half-killed me, hoping that he will falter or become vulnerable, when really I could just be making him even more dangerous. Ripred, I don't know. I really don't know what I'm doing anymore I just-... I just do it. Instinct? Nah, more like improvisation.

Fuck, this hurts so much. Even moving my arm slightly sends waves of agony through my broken body. I'm right handed, and my right hand is gone. If I am to kill Crusader, it's going to have to be with my weaker hand. I grimace, holding the blade awkwardly whilst also trying to push myself to my feet. Every action is slow and painful, and in no way poetic. I must be a walking target in my current state. Crusader has an easy kill. All he has to do is pick me off.

Ain't no one picking me off. Not back in Five, not on the streets, not in the Arena, not now at the end of all things. I'm a sewer rat. You may think you've seen hundreds like me before, but man do I bite. Watch me bite, and scurry and survive. Like I always have before. Survive.

Man, this is fucked up. I guess toying with his emotions is the only option I haven't exhausted. Ain't no way in hell I'm going to beat him in a straight fight. Fuck, I wish Pearl was here. She would know what to do, from an expert's point of view. At the very least I'd have someone I trust watching my back. Nah, I'm alone now. I'm alone and I hate it. I need my friend back. So desperately. Maybe I'll see her soon.

Crusader comes at me again, and it's all I can do to not get hit. He grazes me, but it still hurts like hell. I scream out again, stumbling over pathetically. Nah, I ain't seeing Pearl just yet. If I'm going down, I'm taking this fucker with me.
"D-Did you not-... Not hear me?" I stagger, "Your friends are dead. All of them. I f-fucking watched them bleed out and die. Saw the fucking l-light leave their eyes."


[Patricia Valfierno attacks Crusader Rhodes, Bone Sword]
iKVnKDm5sword
[Shallow Cut on Right Hip -- 3.5 damage]

and if it's true
i will surround you
and give life to a world
that's our own

word count: pls, graphics: rook
theme: goodbye to patricia by porter robinson

sword

[Cato]

Crusader Rhodes
district 11 male of the 68th hunger games

Fillering cause story planning.

-Crusader attacks Patricia-

bCgn_GNLsword
1108 -- Shallow Cut on Right Forearm -- 3.5 damage

sword

[rook]

{ p a t r i c i a v a l f i e r n o}

thank you, i'll say goodbye soon
though it's the end of the world
don't blame yourself

sc me baby one more time

[Patricia Valfierno attacks Crusader Rhodes, Bone Sword]
58H73A|vsword
[Shallow Cut on Back -- 4.0 damage]

who will stop this sc beast

and if it's true
i will surround you
and give life to a world
that's our own

word count: pls, graphics: rook
theme: goodbye to patricia by porter robinson

sword

[Cato]

Crusader Rhodes
district 11 male of the 68th hunger games

Story Filler

-Crusader attacks Patricia-

JXHCWj5Hsword
1130 -- Shallow Cut on Left Thigh -- 3.5 damage

sword

[rook]

{ p a t r i c i a v a l f i e r n o}

thank you, i'll say goodbye soon
though it's the end of the world
don't blame yourself

all or nothing

[Patricia Valfierno attacks Crusader Rhodes, Bone Sword]
Pw1yOvvUsword
[Shallow Cut on Right Forearm -- 3.5 damage]

seven shallow cuts this is hacks

and if it's true
i will surround you
and give life to a world
that's our own

word count: pls, graphics: rook
theme: goodbye to patricia by porter robinson

sword

[Cato]

Crusader Rhodes
district 11 male of the 68th hunger games

The entire world buzzes in my ears slowly getting louder and louder. My vision grows fuzzy as my body grows weaker and weaker. It's beyond my imagination how much more I can take before I fall over dead, but by looking at her I see the same thing. Both of us week and tired. Both of us fighting to go home. Both of us not ready to die. It's a terrible thing knowing one of us will die right now. It's a terrible feeling as her blade slices my skin over and over again. My body aches, and I'm so tired. I just want to lay down and go to sleep, but I'm so close. So close to killing her. So close to moving on to whatever else lies before whoever survives this. I can't give up. Not now. Not ever. I've already killed once, and I can do it again. I just have to hold on a tiny bit longer. I can do it.

I can do it.

I can do it.

I turn my gaze away as I look around at the arena remembering the hell I've gone through, and I see my mom and my dad standing beside me. Tears stream down my face as I look at them. Oh how I've missed them. I want this to be real. I want to see them again, and here they are right beside me. A large grin spreads across my face. I can't help but feel happy as I'm looking around. How long has it been? It's felt like my entire life time, and here they are. I keep looking around, and I see Esme standing in front of me holding her arms out like she wants to hug me or something. I'll never forget the moment she died when that kid killed her. I'll never forget what it was like as I tossed her body into the giant chasm. She deserved so much better, but here she is smiling. Stella stands by her side with a huge grin, and more tears roll down my face.

Am I dead?

I can't be dead because my chest still moves with each breath I take. My heart pounds inside my ears mixing with the constant roar as it grows louder and louder. Next to my mom and my dad is Animus, and Kirk. I couldn't save them. I couldn't save anyone, but here they are the people I hold close. Oh how sweet it is to see them, to know that they're always right beside me no matter what. Maybe this isn't so bad after all. Then off in the distance is Harbinger, and Elidor. My family. They're waiting for me back home, but I can't go on. I can't kill Patricia because she deserves to live. She deserves to walk out of this alive, and I can be happy with my friends and my family. Animal like sounds escape my lips as I look at everyone of them. Are they welcoming me home?

My eyes finally rest on the sword in my hand painted red from all the blood, and I quickly turn my gaze towards Patricia. I could kill her right now, I could end her life so I could go on to win this, but I can't do it. I can't kill anymore. I can save her like I couldn't save anyone else in the arena. I just hope Harbinger and Elidor understand. The sword falls from my hands as I turn to face Patricia. Here I am. I'm yours. She can kill me, and set me free from the hell I've journeyed through for so long.

-Crusader attacks Patricia-

wVHKqhj4sword
1153 -- Miss -- 0.0 damage

sword