Evangeline A True Warrior

Evangeline’s Strength

I was falling in blackness, headed toward something. This was Proteus, I could feel the energy that only belonged to him. I was so caught up in Atlas and the twins I hadn’t even noticed or sensed the lion until he was knocking the wind out of me and lunging for my face with a massive snapping jaw. I didn’t notice him again, to focused on the fall, I didn’t see him until he was right next to me, free falling a little faster since he was still his beast. The air rushing up to us was so intense I don’t think he could see past his Maine of hair. Quickly what looked like the bottom sped toward us. I had fortunately done this before and was ready to brace for my landing the lion on the other hand didn’t see it coming and couldn’t know that his weight would be brutal hitting the ground. Since he was falling faster, he was a few feet below me when he struck with an awful fleshy sound. He slammed into the earth and didn’t move when I landed beside him. My knees buckled and I almost lost my balance. My teeth clacked together so hard and I would swear a molar broke loose. Looking over at the lion I noticed he was breathing quickly and whimpering very softly. I could heal him, I could make him better, I couldn’t just watch him suffer. I reached out to touch him, to help him when a loud baritone voice stoped me 

“Tsk Tsk Evangeline, I didn’t drop you both for him to survive unfortunately. Let him suffer for daring to put a hand on you.” Proteus himself stood there in  Greek chiton robes that flowed around his knees as he walked. His dark chestnut hair was curling close to his nape, his old eyes watched me like the predator he was. 

“Proteus. You and I are very different. I would have handled the situation just fine, I’d rather not be apart of your twisted desire to watch him suffer.” Proteus taught me a long time ago that strength was not in bowing to someone else’s plan, not when it went against your own. I had to stand with what I believe and torturing people wasn’t who I was. I was capable, of destruction, of pain, but I never particularly enjoyed it. Proteus barked out a laugh that sent my hair flying back.

“Should we see who would win, if we battled over whether or not to save this man. Who would win?” He was baiting me, he only wanted to see how my strength had progressed, testing me was one of his favorite past times and he royally kicked my ass every single time. If I went back to Atlas in worse shape then I left, he would lose his mind. Was Liam’s life worth any stress on my new relationship? He would have gladly killed me when he tackled me earlier but to let him suffer for it? Would Atlas be okay with that? I sincerely hope he wouldn’t be. 

“Alright Proteus, we can battle. You can test me once again and when I win, you’ll heal him.” It was bold of me to assume I’d win, not that I would, but a bluff should always sound confident right? Proteus smiled wide and clapped his hands together, a white light surrounded us both and when it faded he stood there in light battle armor. An attire I was used to fighting in, he always dressed us in it when we went head to head. It was an armor enough to stop you from sustaining deadly injury but not enough to lessen any of the pain from every hit you take. The first time Proteus tested me he left me so broken I was taken care of by my pack for a month. I’m much stronger now but he still whipped my ass every single time. 

“My alithinós polemistís, let us begin” a true warrior, all dragons are regarded as such. 

Proteus had a tell when he would attack, his left elbow came up just under is rib cage and his right shoulder leaned forward. It was so subtle, such a little movement, every time we fought if I didn’t watch for this sign I was unconscious almost immediately. He launched himself from his right foot and swung his left arm toward my head. I countered stepping back in a half circle swinging my right arm up to catch his elbow and used his momentum to bring me back in front of him, catching him in the jaw with my left fist. My blows never seemed to effect him but his chin moved the slightest bit this time and my excitement almost cost me when his eyes swung back to me. A small smile curved his mouth up at the ends. I launched myself off his bent knee and used his arm to swing myself up, my left foot was supposed to connect with his chin but I didn’t make it that far. All my weight was on his arm so he dropped it almost laying me on his lap and brought his knee up to connect with my lower back. The wind was knocked out of my lungs but I held on to his arm using the force of his blow to swing me back over to stand beside him. I aimed my fists at his face pummeling him a couple times before he started blocking with his forearms. His left leg kicked out toward my ribs, I crouched low so his kick jarred my shoulder, I locked my arm around his shin and shoved him to his back, holding onto his collar with my other hand as I fell on top of him. I rained blows down on his face and rolled over his head when his hips bucked up to knock me off. Landing in a crouch I realized I wasn’t nearly fast enough, Proteus had already pushed himself to a crouch and launched himself at me before I spun back around to him. He’s weight slammed into me, once again, knocking the wind out of me. My back hit the ground and I wrapped my arms around his neck, squeezing, I wanted him to pay attention to getting air into his lungs instead of me rolling us onto his back. 

Unfortunately Proteus knew all things to do with the past and the future. He knew all my moves before I even learned them. He was ready when I let go of his neck leaning back, he slammed a palm into my chest breaking my sternum in the process. I grabbed his wrist and twisted violently to the left rolling with his arm, a sickening crunch was all the reward I needed. His wrist hung limply, he growled low in his throat, using his right hand he lifted up and swung his body in a kick at my head. His foot connected with my temple causing me to see stars. I would not be beaten yet. I rolled to stand a couple feet in front of him. I could feel liquid running down the side of my face, every breath burned worse than any thing I had ever felt before. I imagined the burn was what it felt like to drown, ironic because Proteus himself resides in the sea.

 We circled each other once then both jumped for the other. His height was always an advantage to me, I shoved up into his chest when we connected. His hand wrapped around the back of my left bicep, bringing me back a couple steps with him. I raised my left arm forcing his up with mine, I ducked under and wrapped my right arm around his waist and slammed my knee into his stomach. The blow curved his back forward and air left his lungs in a rush. I let go of his waist, bringing myself around to stand beside him but slightly behind him since he had my arm still, I kicked one of his knees out from underneath him and he let go. 

Swinging my foot up I again connected with his stomach doubling him over further. I thought I had the upper hand when I lunged for him but he turned and back handed me so hard I flew a couple feet from him, my arms slammed into the ground repeatedly as I tumbled away from him. As I came to a jarring stop I had the sinking suspicion that my right shoulder was dislocated. I stood quickly ready to anticipate his next move when I felt him behind me somehow. Spinning around I crouched low and unluckily for him he was going to kick me again. One quick strike to the upper thigh of the leg he stood on and one to his family jewels sends him sliding back on his ass when his leg buckled underneath him. 

He was a cunning bastard though and before he was sent backward he dropped his kick to the top off my right shoulder. A searing pain rocked my body and left tears in my eyes. Proteus laughed from his seated position a couple feet from me. I felt like this fight had lasted forever when really only a couple of minutes have past. God’s didn’t need a break so I truly had fought him for hours before. His laughing was grating on my nerves but he continued like we weren’t in the middle of something. 

“This fight is finished Evangeline, you may go home now” I was confused by his statement this wasn’t even long enough to be considered a fight.

“I don’t understand Proteus. Who won? Will you heal Liam?” He looked genuinely confused which only pissed me off. What sick game was he playing?

“Evangeline, that man is dead. That’s why the fight is over he didn’t even survive long enough to be saved.” My stomach plummeted, how had I not noticed? I was so focused on the fight I wasn’t even checking to see if he was okay, I forgot what I was fighting for. Dropping my eyes I slowly turned to where the lion lay behind me, except, he wasn’t a lion. Liam laid there, eyes open looking right at me. Suddenly proteus spoke from right in front of me, startled my eyes swung back to him. 

“You, my true warrior. Are coming along nicely, it’s only ever you who hurts me in our little tussles. I expect twice as much strength the next time we meet.” With that parting warning I was falling through darkness again leaving a trail of tears above me. A sob locked in my chest made it hard to breath past the rush of air all around me. I was so beaten my body protested every jerk the wind caused. All too soon the ground was rushing up to meet me. I knew that no amount of preparation would prepare my body for impact. I slammed face first into the dirt, the amount of pain it caused had me sick and throwing up into the indent my body had left on the earth.

 Breathing as deeply as I could with a broken sternum and possibly many more broken bones, I tired to center myself and calm my beasts from all that had just happened. The riot of emotions was almost worse than any physical pain. The sob finally broke free with a deafening wail on the tail end of it. I knew I was near the cottage we had been pulled from, I knew someone would hear me but I didn’t care, I screamed again. I couldn’t believe he had bested me, the hateful bastard. I couldn’t stop the shaking of my body or the sobs that continued to slice through me. I didn’t want to. I was no worse than him, I didn’t fight for Liam to survive, I fought because I wanted to beat Proteus. I was selfish and Liam was dead. I’m not a good person like I pretend to be. I’m just a pompous ass hole only thinking of herself in the end and that f*****g sucked.