TIME SLOWED down around me, and my heart raced in my chest.

Juniper men flooded in like rough seas, each with a sword and a glint in their eyes that meant only one thing.

They intended to cause us harm.

When I returned my gaze to Juniper, his sly grin grew even wider. He believed he was on top of the world. Oh, he's so wrong...

Adrenaline was coursing through my veins like fire. Streaming through my limbs and into my head and heart.

A smirk formed on my lips as I became excited.

If a fight is what he wants, then a fight is what he'll get.

My posture relaxed, and I reached for my sword with my right hand over my shoulders. What felt like sparks flew up my arm as the pads of my fingers rubbed against the handle.

Gripping the handle, a bolt of electricity seemed to pass through my arm and through my entire body. The memories of battle came flooding back. I drew it from its sheath in my dress and dashed towards the nearest soldier.

Our swords clashed, reverberating throughout the ballroom.

Chaos erupted.

Metal against metal. Grinding clashes of weapons. Metal through skin.

The once beautiful ballroom was being ripped apart, piece by piece. Banners were being ripped off the walls, vases being knocked and breaking against the hard floor, and screams from the audience rang out.

The floor seemed to shake as everyone around us exited the room in a panic.

Even with all of these noises, they all were just static to me. My focus was on who was in front of me.

The Juniper soldier in front of me pushed off our clashing swords, pushing us both back a couple steps.

His auburn hair fell into his green eyes. His eyebrows furrowed in disbelief as he attempted to charge at me, his upper half was willing but his lower half stood still. His carcass fell to the floor.

My sword sliced through the next soldier behind him.

Lifting my arm to wipe the blood from my face with sword in hand, simultaneously blocking the feudal attack of the third soldier. Sliding down the length of his sword till it reached the handle, nicking the tips of his fingers.

He hissed but continued to pursue me. He had some skill.

He went for my abdomen and I dodged his sword at the last second. I hit the back of his head with the butt of my sword, causing him to drop unconscious.

I turned around and looked at everyone, my breath ragged.

Zion effortlessly threw his hunting knife at the soldier, stabbing the back of his knee. Another soldier ran at Zion from behind to attack but Zion turned at the right second and cut the man in his stomach with his sword.

Grey had only his longsword to protect himself, but he used it well. He effectively used it against Juniper's men. I watched him look over his shoulder at Blakely-Rose and moved to help her but halted in his steps.

Blakely-Rose was doing completely fine. She may be timid and shy but she's a monster on the battlefield. She held her sharp throwing stars in between her fingers on her left hand. She lifted her hand up into her face and her wicked smirk showed. In a flash, her throwing stars launched from her fingers, embedding themselves in the chests of the oncoming attackers.

Kingsley had dropped down to the floor, swiping her leg underneath four of Juniper's men, causing them to lose their footing and fall. Kingsley was never one to kill unless completely necessary, so she quickly hit them on their pressure points, rendering them useless. She then ran for her Katana inside the vase at the base of the stairs.

August fought off as many as he could with his saber, but when he saw Kingsley raining for her weapon, his lovesick mind focused on her and her safety. He followed behind her, protecting her from any threats coming her way.

Evanders longsword clashed with two oncoming swords. He grunted uncomfortably and forced them back. He swiped his sword against one of the men's legs, causing him to crumble to the floor. Evander went for the other man when the man was hit with a whip. Evander turned around to look at the owner.

Mèabh's bullwhip had returned to her. She twisted the eight inch long wooden handle at the end of her bull whip and removed it. She held the handle up and shot the hidden darts out of the handle and at Evanders and her oncoming enemies. Evander looked at her in sock and she sent Evander a wink.

Willow fought with Juniper. Rage dancing in his eyes. So much rage that Juniper looked scared. With his plumb line, he whipped Juniper's face. Once his weapon bounced back, Junipers face a a long cut along his cheek bone.

Leland was fighting off as many as he could at the base of the stairs but it was clear he needed help. I ran as fast as I could toward him. Once I reached him, I attacked the men behind him. Leland saw me behind him and I saw him relax.

Two men's swords clashed with mine, their swords created an X on top of my sword. I lifted my foot and shoved my heel shoe into one man's stomach and into the other man's crotch. Taking my sword, I hit the back of their heads, dropping them to the floor.

I turned just in time to see a sword coming my way. I held my sword up and blocked it just in time but the sudden weight pushed my sword from my hands sending it clicking against the stairs next to us.

The man threw his sword at me again, pushing me up the stairs. I reached for my thigh pulling a dagger from its sheath. I ducked and spun to his side, swiping the dagger against his wrist. He dropped his sword immediately and cried in pain.

A back was pressed against mine, and I looked back to see a familiar head of white hair and emerald eyes.

"We need to get out of here. There are too many of them." Leland stated, swinging his sword at his opponent.

I looked around the ballroom from our spot in the middle of the stairs, frantically looking for an escape. I looked down at the stair steps and followed the steps all the way up.

"Up the stairs, go!" I threw my dagger from my hand and it embedded itself into Leland's attacker's knee.

I grabbed a hold of Leland's sword free hand and pushed him up the steps. "You need to go!"

Leland whipped around and looked at me with concern, "What? You're not coming?"

I shook my head, "I have something to do first." I had to end this. Leland's protests swirled in the dept of the emerald eyes. "I'll join you. I promise."

He nodded and ran up the stairs. The sound of his shoes was loud against the floor. Many of Juniper's soldiers followed him up the stairs.

Glancing at the ballroom again, my eyes zeroed in on Juniper who was successfully getting away from Willow's fury.

Soldiers surrounded Willow, helping Juniper escape. I couldn't let him escape.

I ran towards a banner that had been torn that now laid on the stairs. Tugging on the ripped banner, I checked it's durability. It could hold me.

I wrapped it around my arm, grabbed a hold on the stairs railing, and jumped.

The banner carried me forward, swinging above everyone. Wind blew past me as I ascend to the ground.

Releasing the fabric, I landed in front of Juniper just as he turned around to run.

His eyes widened in fear as he stumbled back, not expecting my presence.

I cocked a brow, "Where do you think you're going?"

With a swift movement, Juniper dropped to the floor unconscious.

×××××××××××××

Author Note!

Hi everyone ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I am in the process of moving and it's been super stressful. Usually i'm pretty good at post regularly, but i had to take a break because i couldn't pump it out of me.

But i will say i'm done with these double update Fridays, idk about y'all so no more.

Should my next book be about Super villains, Dragons or Aliens? >

Thoughts >

Random >

How is your day today? Was it bad? Good? In between?

QOTD: What kind of car do you have or want to have?

I have a 1995 Izuzu Trooper. He's red and his name is Brutus ❤️

Love you all thank you for reading! Xoxox 💋💋

- Mickey ✨