Page 105 of Descent

“I swear to God, Ero. If you kill me, you better avenge my death.” Another clash. We part, bleeding and gasping.

“And if you kill me, you better fucking escape.”

“Not a chance. Not without you.”

We dash in again. The blows this round are almost imperceptible, lightning fast. Twenty exchanges take place in a matter of seconds.

And the pain across my body increases.

With it, my willpower. I’m wrestling back control of my limbs with every wound. Enough pain might just tip the scales.

Shaking off fatigue, I deflect another attack, watching Circe for signs of the same.

She’s flagging.

The look on her face grows distant. Almost drunk. It’s not working on her. If anything, it’s making her battle within herself harder.

Worry flashes across her face as she realizes the same. Ananke’s revelations must be wreaking havoc on her mind. The guilt of slaughtering her own people…

I stack the anguish I feel for her on top of the rest, fueling my rage.

Circe struggles, her attacks becoming more erratic. Frantic. She’s losing.

Brute force and desperation take over. She flings herself at me recklessly. Flailing, exhausted slashes swing past me as I dodge, more and more easily.

“No!” her sob rips from her lips, mingled with hopeless anger.

“Fight it! Fight her!” I scream, bashing her blade aside again. The impact nearly takes it from her hand, the force of my block throwing her back. She skids to a stop several feet away.

I’m shaking, drenched in sweat as I keep Ananke’s order at bay.

Circe screams again, gathering for another assault.

“I’m sorry, Ero, I’m so sorry. I should have never?—”

“Don’t you dare fucking give up!” I howl, straining against my own tendons. “Don’t you fucking give up on me.”

Circe’s body convulses once, driving her to her knees. Her head hangs, hair masking her face.

When she looks up again, I know she’s lost the war.

And I prepare myself to kill the love of my life to save her.

29

CIRCE

Please …

Goddesses, help me.

Agony lances through my body, burning muscles. Slices across my skin where I cut myself, fighting against delivering a killing blow to my lover.

No matter what Ananke told us…

Yet the truth eats away at me. Poisoning me. Corroding my spirit.

I killed them. Friends. Family. All but a handful. At least Artemis lives. Hephaestus.

---