My stomach hit the iceberg of dread and sank into the depths of despair.

It hadn't even occurred to me the Apollo stood a chance against Alan and Alex.

Without even realising it, I had completely underestimated Apollo.

Again.

"Wow, Shorty here packs quite a punch." Alan groaned as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. "Are you still alive over there little brother?"

Alex groaned, sounding more irritated than pained.

What's worse.... with Apollo goons blocking the way out, the twins can't leave.

... even if I tell them about Apollo's plans, they won't be able to go help Nigel or the Ace.

They're trapped down here, with Apollo... Who's fighting style was identical to someone the Twins have never been able to beat, even when they managed to work together.

The undefeated Ace of the Hill.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Alan?" Alex muttered, not bothering to move from where he had fallen. "Being born second makes you the youngest."

"Yea, but I'm pretty sure I was conceived first."

Idiots.

I pressed up against the glass, eyes straining with how hard I was watching the events going on outside.

This situation was just plain bad.

Worst case, Apollo would take the twin's cards, and the rest of us would soon follow.

Then the game would be over. And they would have to find a new way to entertain themselves.

I was almost trembling at the thought.

... I had met one of them before.

Went they sent someone to pick Jack up after I defeated him.

The insane boy had barely been conscious at the time... Not aware enough to stay completely composed.

He had almost... begged Alan not to let them take him. Just once.

Alan couldn't do anything.

Jack didn't ask to be saved again.

The memory was enough to fill me with terror.

If Apollo though ending the game would help anyone, he would soon find himself horribly mistaken.

They were not the sort of people you let become bored.

"Think of something!" I hissed to myself, fisting my hands against the glass in front of me.

The Apollo ran out of patience.

"As much fun as this has been... " He shifted, kicking outward in a blur of motion...

Only to come an inch short when Alan quickly leant back out of reach.

"This will go a lot easier for me... " Apollo held his foot there, expression cold. "...if you would stop talking."

"Sheesh." Alan sighed, using a finger to gingerly push away the foot in his face. "Kids these days are so pushy. "

Trying to kick someone in the face is beyond pushy Alan...

"Pity though." Alan sighed. "I was hoping we could sort this out peacefully... But the time for diplomacy seems to have come to an end...oh well."

The cheerful boy shrugged, charming smile still in place. "When it comes to getting what I want..."

Apollo ducked, Alex's side-kick narrowly missed hitting him in the back of the head.

"...I'm not particularly biased."

"How dirty." Apollo murmured, expression bored as he kicked backwards at his attacker's shins.

With a snarled curse Alex danced back, avoiding the attack almost instinctively.

He often fought the Ace for practice after all, and when fighting the Ace, you learnt to remain on the defensive at all times.

If you didn't, you wouldn't last long.

"I know I'm dirty." Alex hissed, and for the first time since he entered the Niche, his true anger entered his expression. "I'm a liar who never fights fair."

He and Apollo moved around the room, exchanging blows at blurring speed.

"I'm as close to scum as they come, So I don't care what you do to me."

Alex kept his distance, using his longer reach to his advantage... But Apollo was unbelievably fast.

"Alex," Alan warned as he stood, trying to calm his brother, but Alex continued speaking, even while blocking Apollo's attacks.

"But Maddison isn't like that." He snarled, suddenly gripping Apollo's arm and twisting. "She's just stupid."

"Hey...." I protested, but no one was listening.

Why are you suddenly making this about me!?

"A complete idiot. Just a stubborn, ignorant, naive kid who recklessly throws herself into danger, never thinking about what the Hell she's even doing."

Go back to insulting yourself Jerkwad!

In a burst of speed, Alex shoved the smaller boy forward, tripping and pinning Apollo to the floor with his arm twisted against his back.

"Don't drag her into your bullshit schemes and just expect me to forgive you!" Alex held himself over the smaller boy, trembling with anger. "She never deserved any of this!"

The room fell silent, Apollo remaining still under Alex's hold.

"...You don't have to tell me that."

I couldn't see Apollo's face, but his voice was surprisingly soft.

"She's brash.... but harmless. A complete idiot."

Don't agree with him, you jerk!

"I knew from the start, targeting her was underhanded..."

Apollo shifted, meeting the gaze of the boy pinning him.

"But can you honestly tell me you would rather that your places were reversed?"

Apollo twisted, and suddenly, Alex was the one on the floor.

"That you were the one trapped, and she was the one fighting me?"

Apollo had moved so fast, I hadn't even seen what he did to escape.

But I could see the result.

His arm hung limp, dislocated at the shoulder.

My stomach twisted in horror when Apollo gripped it and silently shoved it back into place.

This wasn't like when Nigel purposely dislocated himself to escape.

Apollo could actually feel the pain of it.

Apollo looked down at Alex as the taller boy sat up, his expression betraying none of the agony he must have felt.

"I had her shrunk, and I took her hostage. But you people..."

He twisted, slamming his foot into Alex's face.

Alex fell back, his nose giving a sickening crunch... And I was struck by the wrongness of it.

He should have been able to block it... was in the process of doing so, but... Alex didn't get his arms up in time.

The block hadn't been any slower than the ones that came before it.

Apollo had just simply moved faster.

He was already one of the fastest people I had ever seen...And he hadn't been fighting at full speed this entire time.

The petite boy glared at Alan, who stood silently watching.

"You are the ones who dragged her into this mess in the first place. You used her good nature against her."

Even though he had never been anything but my enemy, Apollo, seemed incredibly angry on my behalf.

"And as much as I hate selfless idiots, it is people like you I hate the most."

Apollo sneered.

"You use everyone and anyone. Even you own Brother."

Alan crossed the room in an instant, slapping a hand across Apollo's face.

He never lost his smile

"You're pretty mouthy, huh?"

Apollo head snapped to the side, but his body language remained relaxed.

He hadn't tried to avoid it.

Slowly, Apollo turned his head to meet Alan's eyes, a smirk slithering across his face. "You're right..."

Apollo arm shot up, grabbing Alan's outstretched hand and twisting his arm behind his back.

"I have no right to judge."

I watched on in horror as Apollo shoved Alan forward, pinning the tall boy in a perfect copy of the exact same move Alex had used on him

Apollo gave the King toppled beneath him a bored look.

"Checkmate."