ELEVEN

ELEVEN

"What? No way. I'm not doing that. Are you insane?"

"If I was joking would I have put two of my own in danger? Both Selena and Mark wouldn't have ingested poison. You have fifteen minutes", John said.

Shawn took out his sword. Their swords met. John pushed him back and both blades came out taking a scissor-like shape. He held his swords drawing them close to Shawn's neck.

Shawn ducked. His sword slipped between the gap of both swords. As John moved backwards Shawn pressed forward. A sudden invisible force flung Shawn backwards. His back slammed against a tree. He closed his eyes for a second. When he opened his eyes, John's blade was staring him in the face. But John didn't strike

"Fight seriously", John warned. "Or else you will die".

John didn't want to kill him. Did he? Why else would he warn Shawn? "What exactly is your issue?" Shawn asked.

"Atlas is. Aren't you affiliated to him?" John asked.

Shawn frowned. John came at him again. Shawn moved to dodge but again an invisible force pushed him backward. As his feet landed on the ground, John had maneuvered his way behind Shawn. Shawn barely noticed in time. But as he parried, John appeared in front of him.

Shawn was totally defenseless. He watched the blades approach. "Yes, I know Atlas, so what?" he said.

John hesitated. Then he began to laugh. "Then you know what he did to me. How he left me to my death sentence".

"What the hell are you talking about?" Shawn asked. He had to keep John talking. That would buy him a little time to come up with a strategy to get everyone out alive.

"I asked him to help me. He chose not to", John said.

"Why would he do that? "

John didn't answer. Instead he resumed his attacks. This time he didn't come close to Shawn he simply swung. Shawn felt the strong breeze but it didn't lift him off his feet. The invisible force earlier had been nothing but air.

John rushed towards him, flinging his sword into the air. Shawn watched him jump upwards. Then he watched the sword split into six swords of different shapes and sizes. One was slim and slender. One was a short dagger. Two resembled samurai swords. And the last two resembled claymores.

Shawn lowered his head before he realized what had happened. Blood started to soak his shirt. The pain followed. He'd been slashed. Across his chest. He fell to his knees.

John appeared in front of him. He raised his sword, bringing it down like an executioner. Shawn reached out and grabbed the bare blade. It cut through the flesh on his palm slightly but didn't go further.

John disappeared from his line of sight and appeared with another sword. Shawn's vision was beginning to get hazy.

Then his vision cleared when his eyes focused on Selena and Mark. They were gasping for air, choking and crawling on the floor. Their eyes were starting to roll into the back of their heads. In a few seconds they would lose consciousness. In a minute, their lives.

Shawn stood up.

John flung one of his swords at Shawn. Shawn parried it. It flew into the air, turned around and came toward Shawn. Shawn grabbed the sword with his bruised hand and run with both swords towards John. He slashed at the strong breeze that came in his direction.

He and John clashed swords again. He pushed John backwards, forcing the swords out of his hand.

A large claymore sword started to drop from the sky and landed in John's hand. Before he could use it, Shawn cut through his arm and into his side.

 

John fell to the ground. "How can you have that much strength? You've been slashed. Are you human?"

Shawn shook his head in response. Then he ran to Mark and Selena. They lay motionless. He shook them hard. No response. He ran to the shed, for the antidotes. John was just baiting him right? The antidotes…

"Give it up , Shawn", said a familiar voice.

Shawn turned around. It was Jayde.

"They're gone. I've already checked", she said.

Shawn sank to his knees. "This was all so senseless", Shawn said.

Jayde shook her head. It hadn't been. Shawn had completed his task. Although he wouldn't know it until about a week later. That he was supposed to kill John. And he'd used his cousin Thalia's ability, long after the time limit.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go. Before anyone finds us".

"I can't leave now."

"What are you going to do? You arrive and two weeks later, three people are dead. One of them is the group leader. Do you think anyone will really listen to you? "

Shawn stood up.

"What did he mean about Atlas not helping him? About a death sentence?"

Jayde shrugged.

There were sounds of people approaching them. Jayde grabbed Shawn's hand and they ran.