A tall red Ancient leaned back against her chair in the sun, her fur pressing against the wood as she lifted the mug to her jaws. It was hardly past the afternoon, yet the Ancient guzzled down the mug of foaming beer and wiped what remained off what remained on her lips with the back of her hand. Her green eyes scanned the bustling city, watching as wolves and cats alike strode by in quick steps and judgmental glances. She flashed them all a toothy grin with a quite classy wave of her middle finger. She rolled her shoulders back, adjusting how the sweatshirt lay against her fur. It was odd not wearing armor, but Scarr had insisted on her wearing something casual for once. She didn\u2019t necessarily enjoy how vulnerable she felt, yet she had done it anyway. He\u2019d smile, at least.<\/p>\n
Her ears lowered a little at the thought of it, thinking of how silly that must sound. She tipped her mug back only to remember it was empty. Her muzzle wrinkled with a scowl. She put the mug down and yawned.<\/p>\n
\u201cDrinking already?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jade glanced in the direction of the voice. There stood a large Red Wolf dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans. A blush played on his cheeks, embarrassed as equally as Jade when her eyes settled on his shirt\u2019s design.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou actually wore it!\u201d Jade grinned, standing. \u201cHell yeah!\u201d She grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it out a little so she could see it fully. A stylized red Ancient was curled into a ball in the middle of the fabric with a few hearts dancing around it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you wore yours,\u201d he said. The darker brown wolf reached for her shirt, thought better of it, and grinned as his hands fell back to his sides. Jade released the fringes of his fabric and glanced down at what she was wearing. Casual jeans, torn from use before they landed on the bargain rack, and\u00a0 a sweatshirt that mimicked Scarrborough\u2019s\u2014except a Red Wolf lay in the middle of her shirt. They stood there, awkward for a moment, before the owner of the bar bust out of the front door.<\/p>\n
The two spun around, Scarr startled by the interruption, while Jade\u2019s face fell into distaste. The bar\u2019s wooden doors slammed against the brick wall and she was sure she\u2019d somehow get blamed for the damage. Unlike in other parts of the city, no vines or moss climbed the side of the building to soften the blow of wood versus brick.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had enough of you not paying your bill!\u201d The black Ancient snarled, fur bristling, ears back. He was large, but more so around his gut. He didn\u2019t wear a shirt\u2014which was unlucky for anyone who had eyes\u2014but he did manage to put pants on that were tied with a rope. His fist clenched. Scarr cast Jade a glance, then stepped in front of her.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much does she owe?\u201d he asked, eyes resting on the figure.<\/p>\n
\u201cGlad you asked,\u201d growled the Ancient. He pulled out the bill tallied from every time Jade had run off instead of paying. She came on the days he wasn\u2019t here, and no one had the guts to cut her off. Except him, apparently. The owner shoved the paper forward, and Scarr\u2019s face fell, drained of blood.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow on earth do you owe so much?\u201d Scarr hissed over his shoulder at the crimson wolf. She flashed a sheepish grin.<\/p>\n
\u201cA girl\u2019s gotta drink.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s time to pay, Jade.\u201d The Ancient stepped forward, \u201cAnd if you don\u2019t have the money, how about I just make you work for it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jade groaned and thrust her thumb down. \u201cBoo. Working is so last year.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJade, don\u2019t you have the money?\u201d Scarr\u2019s eyes settled on her, brows upturned. \u201cI think he\u2019s really going to try and make you pay it off.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBull. He wouldn\u2019t come after me. No one makes me work.\u201d She crossed her arms over her chest and pointed her muzzle away, snorting breath from her nostrils.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one makes you\u2014? I thought you said you were going to get a job!\u201d Scarr frowned. \u201cWhat about the money I loaned you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUh, the money you invested in me, you mean.\u201d She puffed out her chest and pounded on it, flashing a smirk. \u201cI\u2019m a slow growing stock, ya just gotta give me time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTime isn\u2019t something you have!\u201d snapped the owner. \u201cAnd I\u2019ve hired men to make sure you can\u2019t run off this time.\u201d He lifted two fingers to his mouth and whistled. In seconds, six men leapt at the two lovebirds, grabbing at their arms and throwing punches. Three for Jade, three for Scarr. The two expertly dogged, backing themselves against each other.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy does this always happen to you?\u201d Scarr muttered.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople just don\u2019t get the investment metaphor. I worked hard on it, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarr groaned. \u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout like, two weeks. The whole world of stocks is quite confusing. I\u2019ll stick to punching things.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReady?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Jade grinned. \u201cReady.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarr spun around, grabbed Jade\u2019s arms, and launched her into the air. She landed on the head of a hired wolf, shoving him to the ground. She snickered, turned her attention to the alleyway in front of her, and took off running, Scarr on her heels.<\/p>\n
Her feet slammed against the smoothed, cobblestone roads. The alleyway was darker than the plaza she had been in, but her eyes adjusted fast and she was able to evade the bins of trash and the sleeping drunks slumped against either wall.<\/p>\n
The breeze caused by her movement rustled her fur and for a moment, she realized how light she was without armor. A small smile curled its way onto her lips.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s sort of nice to run without armor on,\u201d Jade chimed, looking over her shoulder to eye the pursuers and screaming bar owner. \u201cDid they really think six men would take us down?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe must not know you very well,\u201d Scarr replied, humor in his voice. \u201cThis makes it, what? The fourth bar you\u2019ve been ran out of?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d Jade reached her hand out and spun around a corner to her right without losing momentum. \u201cI\u2019m running out of places to invest in me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarr rolled his eyes and stayed on her heels. \u201cGood thing we\u2019re not going to a bar for lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jade laughed. \u201cGood thing. Where are we headed, anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n
They burst out of the back streets and into a crowded one. Stalls lined the streets, merchants calling out the names of their goods. Men and woman pushing carts yelled for pedestrians to get out of the way while children played throughout the street. Jade didn\u2019t have time to take in the simplicity of life here with wolves still barking not far behind, so the two mingled with the crowd. Jade snagged a blanket from a passerby\u2019s basket, wrapped it around her head, and tugged Scarr closer to the ground. Without his height or her red color to betray them, the pursuers rushed into the crowd and hesitated. They dispersed and began to spin strangers around in hopes of catching their prey. Scarr snickered.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll right, this way.\u201d He took her hand in his, weaving through the crowd before taking a left turn when business started to dwindle. Jade hung her blanket on the side of the building they passed by way of a jutting brick, and strode alongside Scarr.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo who made these shirts?\u201d She looked down at her shirt and smiled, fighting the heat that rose to her face.<\/p>\n
\u201cA friend made them,\u201d Scarrborough said, looking down at her. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t know him. He\u2019s from the guild.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe illusive mercenary guild.\u201d She cooed. \u201cIs my birthday gift getting to try out?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s dangerous,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019d hate if you got hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHurt?\u201d Both her brows raised and a sarcastic grin marred her features. \u201cHa! I\u2019ve fought in a war, Scarr, I\u2019ve been hurt before.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been over this, Jade.\u201d The Red Wolf sighed. \u201cYou haven\u2019t fought against strong opponents for over a year since you\u2019ve been in this kingdom. Besides, your stealth skills are crap.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOi, they could be improved upon, but they aren\u2019t total garbage.\u201d She pursed her lips. \u201cBesides, I\u2019ve fought plenty of people while I\u2019ve been here.\u201d They turned a corner and shops dotted the road. Inns, blacksmiths, horse masters. Not as many Ancients frequented this area during the afternoon, most opting for visiting stalls or, for some, going to work.<\/p>\n
Signs swung as a light breeze played with the chains that held them. Jade was suddenly aware of how cold it was without thick pieces of armor covering her fur.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou mean drunks?\u201d He took her hand and squeezed it, smiling over at her. \u201cI\u2019m not doubting your skills, but we\u2019ve been hired to do some tough jobs lately, and I don\u2019t want your first day back to get you killed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not easy to kill, Scar-boy.\u201d She winked at him. \u201cWhat about you take me along on the next job you get? How\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarr sighed, his shoulders falling. \u201cFine, fine. Come on, this is us.\u201d He stopped at the end of the road where a massive building took up its own block. With large black bricks, a wooden gate, and turrets jutting upwards, the beast of a building was made to look not only intimidating, but like a castle. Jade arched a brow.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d Jade asked, tilting her head to the side. \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve seen this place before.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a new place, just opened.\u201d He grinned and looked over at her. \u201cHappy Anniversary, Red.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jade flushed. \u201cDon\u2019t go on one knee, now. C\u2019mon, let\u2019s just go inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
Together, they strode to the gate and shoved it open. It took both of them and when it did budge, it only opened enough for them to slip inside. There, a large hallway spanned the expanse of the first floor, with a red rug rolled out to welcome them. It was lit by sparse candles hug on the wall and from the ceiling. The heavy door swung shut behind them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWow,\u201d Jade hummed, looking around. \u201cWhere is everyone?\u201d<\/p>\n
Scarr grinned, ecstatic. \u201cWell, actually, there might only be people on the top floor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI rented the day, so it\u2019s just us here.\u201d Scarr said, triumph in his voice. Jade whirled around.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s<\/em> why you couldn\u2019t pay my bill!\u201d She laughed. \u201cThis must\u2019ve cost a fortune!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot too bad, actually.\u201d He started down the hall, still holding her hand. \u201cThe goal of this place is to get to the top of the castle. It\u2019s like a haunted house sort of thing. They said it gets scarier the further you get. If you win,\u201d he glanced back at her, \u201cyou get a free three-course meal!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, hell yeah! I love free stuff!\u201d She quickened her steps to walk alongside him. \u201cMust get pretty scary then, if they\u2019re willing to bet food. You won\u2019t wet yourself, will you, big guy?\u201d She tilted her face up towards him.<\/p>\n \u201cMe? I should be saying that about you!\u201d<\/p>\n The two snickered like fools before continuing forward. They found the stairs at the end of the rug and walked up the short spiral staircase to the first floor. There, the candles were even fewer and it made hard to see. Jade peered into the darkness.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, maybe they were willing to bet food because they figure you\u2019ll get lost in the dark.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, we\u2019ll be fine.\u201d Scarr squeezed her hand. They stepped forward and a gate shut behind them, closing off the stairs. Jade spun around, arms raised for a fight. Scarr snickered.<\/p>\n \u201cScared already?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBetter safe than sorry, tough guy.\u201d She lowered her arms and together, they started into the darkness. It wasn\u2019t long until Jade could hear a light humming.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, there\u2019s someone here!\u201d Scarr chimed. \u201cYou think the workers are in masks?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Jade muttered, hair standing on end. \u201cHey, who owned this place?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA woman by the name of Voshell? A foreigner. She seemed like sweet lady when I met her, and when I checked up on her background, she had a clean past, too. She said she\u2019d throw in a little something extra for our anniversary.\u201d He smiled. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause the song sounds familiar.\u201d She scratched her neck. \u201cHeh, man. Did tell her anything about us?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust names, really. I told her you were scared of spiders.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSpiders?\u201d Jade laughed. \u201cI\u2019m not scared of spiders.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know.\u201d He grinned, the light catching his teeth. The humming grew louder as they walked. Without anything stopping them, they reached the next staircase.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a piece of cake,\u201d Scarr said. He squeezed her hand. \u201cHey, are you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n Jade nodded, sweat starting to gather under her fur. \u201cYeah. It just reminds me of something from the war.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo we need to leave?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, no, it\u2019s fine.\u201d She shook herself out, ruffled her hair, and dragged her hands across her face. \u201cI\u2019m good.\u201d She grinned and released his hand, charging up the stairs two at a time. \u201cC\u2019mon, slow-poke!\u201d She hollered somewhere out of view. Scarr followed her up. The next floor had two candles, both next to his side of the room. Without any windows to light his view, everything before him was pitch black. His ears pricked, a light chuckle rumbling from his throat.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, the actors are supposed to jump out at us, not you!\u201d He chuckled and walked forward. The gate shut behind him. He glanced back at it.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Jade?\u201d He sniffed the air. He could smell her, sure, but it was clouded by a mixture of other scents that made it impossible to tell if she was close or not. \u201cC\u2019mon, we\u2019re supposed to do this together!\u201d He waited for a response. \u201cJade?\u201d<\/p>\n The humming was loud now, and it transformed into the lyrics of a song. It was not a pleasant one.<\/p>\n My momma said I wasn\u2019t pretty so she sliced me back and forth.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My momma said I wasn\u2019t kind so she sliced me back and forth.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My momma said I wasn\u2019t strong so she sliced me back and forth.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cut and bite, cut and slice, back and forth, back and forth.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cut and bite, cut and slice, back and forth, back and forth.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cut off the ugly, slice me back and forth.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cut off the meanness, slice me back and forth.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cut off the weakness, slice me back and forth.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cut and bite, cut and slice, back and forth, back and forth.<\/em><\/p>\n The singer was distinctly female, her voice soft despite there being something like a dagger underneath her soothing tone. Scarr felt shivers run up his spine. He took long strides through the room. Light flared on, fire flickering against the walls. He froze. Blood was everywhere. He dashed to the wall, pressing his hand against the red blood\u2014<\/p>\n Paint. It was paint. He pressed his nose against it and inhaled, confirming what he felt. His chest loosened, forcing him to realize how tight it had been moments before.<\/p>\n \u201cJade!\u201d He shouted, looking around. Scarr strode further. \u201cAll right, you got me. C\u2019mon, come on out!\u201d The next staircase rose before him. He paused a moment. \u201cJade? Did you already go ahead?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cC\u2019mon, Scarr!\u201d Jade\u2019s voice came from above. Scarr started towards it. He reached the third floor that had a total of four candle sticks protruding from the sides of the wall. Two by him, and two by the middle of the room. Despite this, shadows dominated the majority of the room and it wasn\u2019t easy to see anything but a red carpet on the floor.<\/p>\n Jade was just ahead of him, laughing. \u201cSorry, I just hate that song.\u201d Her face was flushed. She swayed backwards.<\/p>\n Scarr\u2019s shoulders slumped as he sighed with relief. \u201cIt\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI gave you quite the start, didn\u2019t I?\u201d She winked at him. \u201cLet\u2019s finish this then, yeah? How many floors are there?\u201d She turned and walked a few steps forward.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I\u2019m not\u2014\u201d The gate slammed shut, separating them. Scarr jutted forward, trying to push the metal back up, or find a way to make it bend. Jade whirled around and ran at him, face mixed with fear and worry.<\/p>\n \u201cNo fair,\u201d Jade grumbled, trying to pull the metal beams apart. \u201cThis is cheating!\u201d<\/p>\n Scarr slumped against the gate, groaning. \u201cI can\u2019t go back, the gates are closed that way, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt closed behind you, then? It didn\u2019t close behind me when I rushed through that floor. I didn\u2019t even think about it this time.\u201d Jade made a face. \u201cThis sucks. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not a big deal.\u201d He grinned at her and reached through to squeeze her hand. \u201cYou finish it. This gate has got to open sometime.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but it\u2019s not fun doing it separately. And what if you can\u2019t get the meal, even if I win?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose we\u2019ll figure that out\u2014\u201d He cut off as he saw a figure appear from the shadows behind Jade. The Ancient-like being had grey fur with maple stripes crossing over him and a long tail extended from his spine, resembling that of a lizard\u2019s in shape. A large sword dragged behind him, the rug masking the sound. Scarr\u2019s eyes widened.<\/p>\n \u201cZsarrette! Jade, turn around!\u201d<\/p>\n Jade\u2019s hand slipped from his and she spun around as Zsarrette swung his sword in a large arc. Jade dove to the left, but the blade dug down one the side of her arm, slicing a large slab of fur, skin, and fabric from her body. Blood squirted and splattered against Scarr\u2019s face. Jade grimaced and pressed herself against the hallway\u2019s wall, grabbing the gash that extended form her shoulder to her elbow. Her fingers curled around it, but blood would not stop pouring. She cursed bitterly under her breath.<\/p>\n \u201cHello, Blacklilly.\u201d Zsarr\u2019s eyes fell on Scarr, a smirk twisting his lips. \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019ve enjoyed our attraction so far.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis was all a set-up!\u201d Scarr pounded his fist against the gate.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so glad your dim head could figure that out, Blacklilly.\u201d Zsarr sneered. \u201cBut it wasn\u2019t just for you.\u201d He turned to Jade, who had gotten to her feet, green eyes aflame. \u201cThere\u2019s someone who would very much like to see you dead, dear.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTell her visiting hours are over,\u201d Jade hissed.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d Zsarr hummed. \u201cI think they\u2019ve just begun.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re fight isn\u2019t with her, Zsarrette. It\u2019s with me.\u201d Scarr growled, eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you\u2019re quite right. But you see, there\u2019s a problem of strength. I am not strong enough to fight you one-on-one. Someone else is.\u201d<\/p>\n A pair of footsteps grew louder as someone strode down the hall. When Scarr could finally see who it was, he did not recognize her.<\/p>\n The Ancient had white fur and odd, purple markings across her face and chest. Her red eyes gleamed as if a demon had possessed her. She wore a small top that only covered her large chest and a brown, tattered skirt hung down from her waist to rest by her heels. On her hip was the hilt of a sword that mimicked the appearance of the weapon Jade was so fond of. Scarr glanced at Jade, whose face was hardened. Fear consumed her eyes. Scarr turned to the newcomer, his suspicions confirmed. This was the woman Jade feared and woke many nights due to the nightmares of her that plagued Jade\u2019s unconscious mind. This was A\u2019doxia.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, I\u2019m so glad we can meet in person.\u201d A\u2019doxia hummed, walking to the gate but remaining just out of reach of Scarr\u2019s fingers. \u201cI\u2019ve been keeping tabs on you two. What a happy little couple you\u2019ve both made.\u201d She straightened and turned her gaze to Jade. Jade looked as if she shrunk under the woman\u2019s eyes and the usual fighting fire in her eyes was but a few lingering coals.<\/p>\n \u201cI am happy to see you, too, Private. Did you miss me?\u201d<\/p>\n Jade\u2019s lips curled upwards to reveal her teeth. A\u2019doxia laughed, the sound like wind chimes.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll take that as a yes. Where is your weapon? Don\u2019t tell me you left it behind for this wolf?\u201d A\u2019doxia snickered and tossed Jade the weapon from her hip. \u201cI will give you a fair fight. Though you injured her arm.\u201d She glanced at Zsarr, who grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t help it.\u201d He said.<\/p>\n A\u2019doxia reached over and touched Zsarr\u2019s cheek before walking behind him. Jade looked over to Scarr.<\/p>\n \u201cJust run, Jade,\u201d Scarr hissed. \u201cJust run. You haven\u2019t fought a serious opponent in a year.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe hurt me.\u201d Jade said. The fire that had gotten her into so much trouble before returned to her emerald eyes. Scarr\u2019s face fell.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, this isn\u2019t the time, Jade.\u201d<\/p>\n Jade turned her face away.<\/p>\n \u201cJade!\u201d Scarr slammed his fist against the bars. \u201cI know you\u2019re strong, I know that!<\/em> You don\u2019t need to prove it to me. Please, Jade, please, just get out of here!\u201d<\/p>\n Jade\u2019s shoulders raised, tension starting to fill her body. \u201cShe won\u2019t hurt me again.\u201d With the suicidal words spoken, she strode into the hallway to face A\u2019doxia. Zsarr out of the way to be certain Scarr could see.<\/p>\n The flickering candle light cast black shadows against the two women, who squared off near the second pair of candles. Jade raised the hilt of the weapon and a blade jutted out from it, the blade glowing red. Scarr\u2019s heart stopped. Why hadn\u2019t she brought her own weapons? She always did, every time they had met\u2014<\/p>\n His face fell. She had said something to him not long ago, about how she longed for a normal life. One without war. Did that make her leave her weapons behind, so that she could start to regain a life of peace back? And if that were the case, why was she so adamant about joining the mercenary guild?<\/p>\n Jade swung first, slicing for A\u2019doxia\u2019s head, who ducked and gave Jade a swift knee to the stomach. Jade coughed but didn\u2019t miss a beat, bringing her elbows down against A\u2019doxia\u2019s back. Dox scowled, slipped away and roundhouse kick for Jades gut. Jade brought her blade up to block the hit when Dox swung over the blade and spun back into her fighting stance. Jade smirked.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re screwed.\u201d<\/p>\n A\u2019doxia smirked. She opened her mouth and began to sing:<\/p>\n Beautiful wolf, how strong you will be.<\/em><\/p>\n Jade\u2019s face fell. \u201cStop it.\u201d<\/p>\n A\u2019doxia continued:<\/p>\n Beautiful pet, how loyal you will be.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cStop it!\u201d Jade screamed, swing her blade down at A\u2019doxia\u2019s torso. Dox slipped it out of the way, grounded herself for a moment, then leapt at Jade. A bundle of electricity danced around Dox\u2019s bundled fist which smashed into Jade\u2019s nose and filled her entire body with lightning. They hit the ground hard and Jade clenched her mouth, though blood had startled to spill from the edges and drizzle from her nose. Dox\u2019s fingers spread and grasped Jade\u2019s muzzle, lightning spiraling down. Jade kicked, water burning the edges of her eyes. She flailed, attempting to force A\u2019doxia off. A\u2019doxia did not budge. Jade could not take it any longer. Her eyes squeezed shut and a scream broke free from her lungs. Her voice was raw. She went on for what seemed like hours, biting A\u2019doxia\u2019s hand, scratching at her face. She swung with her sword but A\u2019doxia\u2019s other hand caught her wrist and shot lightning through those veins. It wasn\u2019t until Jade collapsed, her body numb, that Scarr realized he had been screaming with her.<\/p>\n A\u2019doxia laughed, pushing herself into a standing position and staring down at the shaking Ancient. Jade struggled to stand, the electricity still visible as it spun around her arms and danced near her muzzle. Dox smirked and kicked her in the gut. Jade fell against the ground, coughing, crimson splashing against the ground. Dox knelt down and picked up the sword.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been waiting so long to do this.\u201d She lifted the blade.<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d Scarr screamed. A\u2019doxia turned her heat to gaze at him over her shoulder. She smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d Scarr cried, heart pounding. The corners of his vision wavered with black. A\u2019doxia laughed. She looked back at Jade.<\/p>\n \u201cNO!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n A\u2019doxia dug the blade into Jade\u2019s heart. There was no blood. Jade did not scream. The blade pierced her and she twitched once. Another cough wracked her body and that was it.<\/p>\n Jade did not move.<\/p>\n The gate rushed upwards and Scarr staggered back, eyes filled with rage. Venom pumped into his system. His eyes remained on the unmoving body of Jade. The sweatshirt was covered from the blood she hat spat out during their battle and now a burned hole tore through it. He realized he was shaking. Dox sung a note of joy. The edges of his vision darkened.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d He whispered. \u201cNo!\u201d He cried. \u201cNo!\u201d He yelled. He rushed forward, producing the pair of daggers he had kept on him. He rushed forward at A\u2019doxia and swung his blades downward. She lifted an arm, allowing the blades to dig into her arm. He noticed her grinning just as he felt the bite of a blade cut through his spine. He spun around to retaliate against Zsarr, but his legs would no longer hold him. He fell to his knees. Zsarr laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cHappy Anniversary, Scarrborough Blacklilly.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n http:\/\/the3ss.deviantart.com\/art\/Ehaar-D-nouh-518471887<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A tall red Ancient leaned back against her chair in the sun, her fur pressing against the wood as she lifted the mug to her jaws. It was hardly past the afternoon, yet the Ancient guzzled down the mug of foaming beer and wiped what remained off what remained on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[5],"tags":[29,172,177,171,173,82,168,166,167,155,176,158,157,12,169,170,114,37,175,174],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p27tjX-eT","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/923"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=923"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/923\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":924,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/923\/revisions\/924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}