Betray Amongst Friends

The crowd gasped. The girls whipped their heads to find the Mayor standing ten feet away from the Brusk; her claws sunk into the earth, back arched, and shoulder-blades snapped together. The beast rose her snout towards the man, releasing a low, thundering roar that could make any man turn and run. The Mayor stood stiff, not holding a twisted look of fear, but a piercing look of determination. 

He took a step forward; dirt and dust torn from the earth, showering the arena. She charged. Her head whipping from shoulder to shoulder, running as if she'd been starved and found her last meal.

The murmurs in the crowd quickly turned to gasps and shouts of "run away!" and "he's a dead man."

Lyolis reached out her right arm, fingers wrapping around Tonsi fine fabric. She pulled her close, filling her cold flesh against her warm skin. And she held until Tonsi squeezed back.

Thirty feet away. Twenty-five feet away. Twenty feet away. Few beasts wore the menacing face of an angered bear, and those who lived to speak of it carried nightmares with them wherever they rest. Fifteen feet away. Ten feet away. Five feet away.

Suddenly the Mayor dropped his mouth, light illuminating like a train through a tunnel … It happened in a blur; the bear slid through the dirt, slowing to a stop, a foot away from the man she wished to tear apart moments prior.

For a time they stood facing one another, then, at once, they both turned towards the crowds. Their figures silhouettes while a blackish-white light pulsed from their face, fading once their mouth fell shut. 

Voldian shook, surprised as they were. "The two have now linked … and the Mayor has her under his control." He pointed to the crowd. "Those of you who have the keys of Corodite will be able to absorb the dram of binding."

Together, the Mayor lifted his arm and the beast raised her paw … 

Tonsi whispered, "they are using them like puppets—"

"I've had enough …" Lyolis raised from her seat and was off towards the tunnel.

She'd seen few things that'd had frightened her even as a young girl. Raised to not fear the shadows or what lurked within them, but to embrace them, and stand against them. Show them the courage deep within her Cyoakian heart.

When she reached the tunnel, her legs wobbled, and gave beneath her weight. Tonsi was quick as lightning, catching her before the fall,

"Thank you," Lyolis whispered, feeling comfort in the arms of her ally, allowing her to heave most of her weight. "You are a true friend."

It was much too dark to see their grins. Tonsi guided her down the tunnel until they found a door on their right. Tonsi wiggled the handle and it clicked open. 

"Let's have a rest in here, then we'll leave," she said, pushing the door open. 

The door creaked open. A blinding light glimmered of their eyes, and they squinted allowing them to adjust. The smell of lavender lessened and the reek of decay fouled the air. They both gasped.

"I don't want to go in there," Lyolis said, looking upon a room of boxes stacked to the ceiling. "I might throw up…"

The torchlight hung at the back of the small room, ridding away shadows, and the bugs that crawled with the silence. 

Tonsi held her breath, "probably what they're feeding Brusk—" She caught her tongue. 

"It's ok … you're probably right," Lyolis said. "Can we please leave—"

She was drawn to a box sitting alone in the center of the room; the letters W.W. carved into the wood. Something about it made her legs move, and she walked hastily towards the squared-wooden case.

"Lyolis what is it?" Tonsi asked, hanging in the doorway. She seemed less interested in the room. Warded off by the smell that festered in her nose and burned her lungs. "We should leave…"

Lyolis ignored her words. She got to the box, and pulled, using her last bit of strength, she tore the top from the frame, allowing it to slide to the ground. Inside was thick, golden strands of straw. Her hands vanished inside, tugging and pulling, heaving it up and over her shoulder where it piled on the ground, stacking with each toss. 

I knew it, She thought, moving her hands slowly, breathing heavier until her palms hit something hard and cold … she closed her fingers around the device and expelled from its tomb.

The metal was golden-black, with a long barrel, and clean sights; a wheel in the center for loading cartridges. Her eyes dazzled looking upon the device until growing dark when finding the W.W. stamped into the middle of the curved handle. 

She turned towards Tonsi who looked pale as snow. "What is this!" She demanded. "Tonsi Womberwheel .... did you know about this?" 

Tonsi raised her hands and spoke calmly, "I can explain … my father is providing the guns for the Iron Alchemist Tournament."

"Why?" She said, though her voice nearly roared, breathing heavy. "Why would he do this?"

Tonsi frowned, "because the gunslingers will be using achellets and spells in the arena … my father agreed to provide the arms."

Lyolis arched her arm back and threw the weapon across the room. It clanked against the wall. "Take me home…" Her voice deepend like the rumble of a grizzly. "NOW!"