The Duel For Her Heart

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Jaxx Stone, by the gods almighty did Jensen hate that man. A coward, a fool, a pansy of a man. The immortal hated each aspect of the man in question from his tiny brain to his idiotic justifications for abandoning the love of their life. At least in this one case the knight had an opportunity to show him up, for Jaxx Stone made a stupid, stupid mistake.

In a few hours Jensen would be fighting the man in the citadel for the love of Kyla Orlouge.

It had happened so fast, so quick and sudden, and yet the immortal couldn’t help but feel in his heart of hearts this course of defending the girl from scum like Jaxx was the right thing to do. Kyla was no longer the young innocent girl that Jaxx knew, now an independent, strong member of a family of people that Jensen worked for. She was wild and carefree, but not idiotic with her ways. She knew when to play her cards and when to fold them. To Jensen she was perfect.

At least, that’s the rational part of his mind was thinking. True his feelings had grown rather fast for someone who he had met not save for one night of karaoke at the local bar. Yet something about her was real, and something about her was special. Jensen couldn’t place it, but until he could explore that he would fight to protect it.

So that was why he strode towards the citadel with purpose, with passion in his heart and a prayer of battle on his lips. He would crush Jaxx Stone and take Kyla for himself, should she want him. He wasn’t going to force the woman to choose if she really didn’t want to be with the immortal, but either way he was going to enjoy making a fool of Jaxx Stone.

Up the steps he walked, towards the room the man had requested; Room ninety-eight. Jensen laughed as he saw his familiar monk pal, the man detested the immortal’s crude behaviors and the knight had made it a point to give him a chuckle. His eyes scanned the many rooms, seeing the usual rainbow battle field with the strange request for men only.

“Jensen Ambrose?” A voice called out. Jensen turned to the voice and saw a hooded monk wait for him. “We are expecting you, please join me.” Jensen shrugged as he walked, following the monk as he turned to his pal behind the counter winking to him and blowing him a kiss. He scoffed it off, turning his back on the immortal as he let out a chuckle.

“What’s the room like? Death arena, circus de freak, ice pit of spiked doom?” Jensen let the list run off as he passed by the doors, hearing the battles going on as easily as he would hear the music in a concert hall. The monk remained quiet as he took the immortal down a set of spiral stairs towards the lower sanctum of the Citadel. This was new for him, for he had never been down these paths before. With a silent thought he shrugged, figuring Sei had ordered a private audience for the Ixian Knights who wished to watch.

They traveled down more stairs, going deeper and deeper until they hit a small area where only a few set doors were located. These doors were not as grand as the larger portals above him, and he felt the magic in this area as a tangible object, feeling a warmth take hold in his heart as he observed the surrounding area feeling very unnerved by it. The monk took out a ring of keys and picked out an ancient curled three tooth key and placed it on the door to their left. He opened it and motioned for the immortal to enter.

“I do not see the arena before me, monk,” Jensen said as he stepped in, turning around quickly as he realized the trap he just walked into. Mentally he cursed himself as he lifted his hand to his side to grab his throwing knives.

“That is because you do not look hard enough Jensen Ambrose,” the monk said as a needle flew out from his clothed hands, impaling the knight in the chest where it’s serum went to work immediately. His aim missed, hitting the edge of the door with his glaive as the monk slammed it shut and the immortal cursed loudly as he ripped the protrusion from his skin out.

Slowly the world began to swim around him, feeling a weightless feeling in his limbs as he drunkenly stumbled around. He fought with his mind for control of his actions, willing himself to keep focus but the harder he fought the harder it became to keep his self control. After several minutes the immortal fell to his knees and then flat on his face, soft breathing echoing in the still room.

“There is a lesson to be learned, Jensen Ambrose,” the voice repeated.

[The Trap Master]

John began to take off the clothes of Ai'Bron as he spoke. He had never been this close to a live specimen. He would have already knocked the immortal out if not for the personal vendetta against him. John's cousin Jaxx had been challenged by the enigmatic immortal not too long ago for the heart of Kyla Orlouge. John had put Kyla through a series of tests in order to toughen her up to earn Jaxx's heart.

In a sense, the change of Kyla Orlouge, and the whole reason for Jaxx's duel, rested squarely on John's hefty shoulders.

Once John was sure that Jensen Ambrose was thoroughly unconscious, he reentered the room. He grabbed the body of the knight by the leg and dragged him further into the room. In truth, the man had quite the effort dragging a limp body through the few rooms he had set up. When he finally got to the first room, he laid Jensen in the middle of the steel floor. The Trap Master eyed all of the holes in the wall as he made sure every detail had been taken care of.

His eyes moved upwards towards the vents. They would continuously circulate the air needed for this trial. This first test was going to put Jensen to his limit, and the next few rooms only got worse. The overweight man kneeled down at Jensen's body, reaching into his pocket to pull out several more hypodermic needles. He then pulled out a sewing needle, a scalpel, and some string. "Time to get to work.." John Shelby said with a sadistic grin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several needles and a sewn tongue later and John was finished. The blood of Jensen Ambrose covered the man's hands. He had used all of his medical school knowledge to seal the cut he had created, and he fancied his work proper. John stood up from the body of Jensen as he began to walk out of the room. Realizing he forgot something, the man felt around his form for his trademark.

Turning around, John pulled an envelope out from the inner pocket of his trench coat. He slowly walked over to the still body of Jensen and placed the envelope upon his chest. John then stood once more and left the room, the door shutting with a metallic slam. He then began his journey to another safe house, where he'd be able to watch Jensen suffer with an uncharacteristic glee.

"There is a lesson to be learned...

Jensen Ambrose. You fancy yourself immortal. Whenever you don't like a situation, you simply kill yourself to get out of it. Life is not something you should just throw away without another thought. In this room, you will encounter several of my specially designed paper airplanes. These airplanes are made of a different kind of paper than most people are used to, able to cause paper cuts with the slightest of touches. Adding to the slices that these planes will cause, I have rewired the ventilation system to circulate an air that carries a special ingredient with it. Salt. You must endure the pain of letting the salt enter your open wounds for five minutes. After you do so, the door will open and you will be free to move on to the next trial.

My rooms have been crafted to both help and hinder your immortality. While you will instantly regenerate should you die, you will start back in the first room, forcing yourself to take these trials all over again. You will have your prize by the end of the third trial. It is time to suffer, Jensen Ambrose, because you are not such an enigmatic immortal to the Trap Master."

Normally, John did not take satisfaction out of making a person suffer. This Jensen fellow messed with Jaxx Stone however. As such, John Shelby felt no remorse for the pain he was to bestow on the Ixian Knight..

[Enigmatic Immortal]

He couldn’t think straight as pain lined his mouth. The words spoken to him barely made sense as he opened his eyes with a piercing headache. Softly the room opened to his vision like a pop up book, and he began to make the sense of the verbal noises.

The room shifted, or more appropriately, the walls shifted. He could hear the vent above him kick on and he sniffed the air. It smelled like a port in the sea, his eyes watering as he tried to stick his tongue out to taste everything. It felt heavier to him, like it weighed more.

“Wh-” His eyes shut tight as he felt a wave of agony crush whatever pains he felt before. The salt in the air went to town on Jensen, his wounded tongue tingling as if a fire was lit upon his mouthpiece. Blood dripped down his cheeks and he was on all fours as he cringed in pain. He couldn’t’ think of anything as the pain became overwhelming.

One paper plane came out, followed by dozens more. They drifted in the air like perfectly choreographed dancers. One danced along his side, before nicking his shoulder. The cut hurt like a bitch, but when the salt got to the knick he fell to his side and howled out in pain. This in turn caused another chain reaction of torment as the wound in his tongue tasted more salt upon his fleshy palette.

Tears streamed down his face as he slammed one hand upon his mouth to keep himself from screaming, his eyes opening as he watched the planes fly above him. More entered the room, arcing up high and then dive bombing down towards his position. One of his fingers covering his mouth began to bleed, and he screamed into his mouth, a muffled cry of agitation.

As his eyes went wide with pain one of the planes dove by, clipping his iris and floating away. He rolled upon the ground, both hands gripping his eye as blood pooled out and salt poured in. He shouted out in pain, damning whatever the hell he was feeling as he kicked his feet in pain. Maybe, just maybe had he come into this room of sound mind he could have used his jacket as a defensive shield, but waking up in pain, and then being explained how more pain would come out from paper airplanes and salty air had caught him utterly by surprise.

And only thirty seconds had passed.

As he cried out in pain he stood up, one eye glaring in hateful rage as he searched for whoever the hell orchestrated this stunt. He felt more of the paper airplanes cross his path and he grunted in frustration, sometimes dropping to his knees as he kept one hand on his damaged eye. Yet he had found something to work through this pain, something to keep his mind aware in this symphony of madness.

Yes, hatred was a wonderful thing.

It wasn’t a substitute for the pain, far from it. One plane clipped his elbow in the soft fleshy area, and cried out in pain as crimson tears streamed down his face, but the hate allowed him to grip his sanity again as he looked for whoever the hell was causing him this torment. Another group of planes spun around him like a tornado as they fell under the ventilation shaft. While one plane irritated him, several were crippling him. The debilitating pain nearly made him vomit as he dropped to his knees again, but he focused his frustrations into his hate and he stood back up.

Tormented to his limits, Jensen began to fight through his own hared, realizing that is was only fueling his pain. He forced his brain to think, willing it as he took a few lacerations across his forehead. He clenched his fingers tightly, protecting his wounding eye as he fought for that serene place where he could ignore this crippling pain.

Something began to boil in is stomach, a soft rumbling as it grew in power and stature. Jensen tried to fill his lungs with air, each time a scream coming out as a group planes assaulted him. Nowhere was safe, not a corner, not the floor, not standing near a wall. The planes seemed to be enchanted to home in on him and he fought the screaming sensation with that in his stomach, willing it to come out. One plane grazed across his lower lip and the combination of the tear and the salt made his yelp out loud, but the scream didn’t come, instead only a howling shout of mirth. He took in another breath and let out that which was contained, and Jensen found his serenity in this cyclone of chaos.

Laughing like a maddened Jester, Jensen moved into the last stages of the first phase, his mirth creating a shield of ignorance as he turned pain into pleasure. Just like he had done to so many before him, just like he would do to whoever the hell was putting him to this.

[The Trap Master]

John had made it to his safe house just in time to watch the festivities begin. Jensen had endured the worst of the first trial, and was now laughing as if he had lost his mind. As he laughed, more airplanes tore across his skin. John let out his own maniacal smile as he observed the man from one of his enchanted mirrors. The immortal's time quickly came up, the door to his room sliding upwards to let him out.

The air from the vents stopped circulating and the planes fell to the ground. Jensen slowly made his way into the second room. John figured that the knight was now trying to reassemble what was left of his already fragile psyche. Jensen Ambrose had been through pain before, but nothing like the Trap Master could dish out. John rubbed his hands excitedly as Jensen entered the next room.

The second room was empty save for two podiums. On one podium laid another letter. Beside the letter were a scalpel and a sewing needle. There was also a blank sheet of paper placed underneath the scalpel to prevent it from blowing away. The second podium contained a glass case, the top of the chamber locked by a padlock connected to a chain. The chain ran through an indention in the glass, which seemed to be spewing forth with black smoke.

Jensen picked up the letter.

"There is a lesson to be learned.

Actually, there are several lessons to be learned in this room. You think you love Kyla Orlouge? Let us see if you can endure what she went through. The blank piece of paper has a special kind of writing on it that can only be seen under a certain condition. This condition in question involves taking the sewing needle and piercing one of your eyes with it. The paper will show you the proper way to use the scalpel and cut out the key I have sewn into your tongue. You will finally know what it's like to shut up for a change. The key will unlock the glass case, where you will have to press down on the burning coals to activate the button at the bottom. Once this button activates, you will be on your way to the third and final trial. Are you prepared to make several sacrifices for the woman you allegedly love?"

John sat on his bed as he watched Jensen's reaction from the mirror. He was enjoying making the immortal suffer than he did even when he put Lorenor through tests. Of course, that may have been due to the fact that Lorenor didn't have to endure the horrors that lay beyond the next door, into the third room...

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Jensen looked upon the paper, looked to the walls, and then to the paper again. He felt his stomach churn at the very thought of what he was about to do, but he wasn’t sure it wasn’t something he couldn’t do. One bloodied eye was already half way to being screwed up, might as well use it to finish the deed. He lifted his hand to the needle and brought it up.

Then the sensation hit him, the desire to not inflict self mutilation upon himself. That flight or fight feeling everyone got in situations that defined a character. The bodies natural defense at self sacrifice prevented him from rationalizing the part of his mind where he could ignore this pain, kill himself, and have everything all better again. He wasn’t sure who the hell this guy was, seeing the insanity it must have taken to create a world such as this.

He looked upon the needle, blood dripping from his face and tongue. Did he have to lose an eye to do this? Just cut his tongue open, and then grab the key. How hard was that? He lifted up the scalpel and twirled in his fingers sticking it into his mouth.

Again self preservation override the desire for self mutilation. The immortal thought about how if he simply cut at his tongue would he chock on the muscle? Would the blood gushing out make it so he couldn’t operate in the next room? Failure or a mistake meant only having to do this all over again. For once, he couldn’t laugh his way out of a situation. He was suddenly in unfamiliar territory and the desire to flee became overwhelming.

”Where were you two months ago, when you abandoned me?” The ghostly voice of Kyla entered into his mind. He read the note again and found out more than he needed to about the woman he felt strongly for. Her voice entered his mind again.

”Why didn’t you come save me from Jaxx, Jensen? Why did you act like a coward? I needed you.” Jaxx wrapped a gentle arm around her in comfort, his glare looking upon the immortal. The image was strong, and it burned his insides as he slammed his fists on the table and looked out to air with a dark look.

“I’ll make these my final words for the moment, you asshole! Whoever you are! You fucked with Jensen Ambrose, and that was your last mistake!” With confidence in his heart he lifted the needle up to his eye and moved in upon himself.

It stopped a mere fraction of an inch from his eye.

He seethed in violent frustration, unwilling to mutilate himself. He couldn’t fathom what to do, for he wanted nothing more than to be done with this silliness.

“Damn you coward!” Jensen called out, his one good eye searching. “Damn you,” he fell upon the podium, tears dripping down the side. He couldn’t’ do it, but he didn’t have a choice. He thought about how he danced with Kyla, and a serenity entered his mind. But that serenity was marred, as he saw Jaxx instead dancing with her. He shook his head violently, trying to shake those ghosts from his head.

”If she means that much to you, fight for her,” Stephanie’s voice, his closest comrade, spoke to him like he were a child. ”Little baby,” she teased. ”Pick your path for this tale, and grow up and be a man.”

Jensen focused, focused on her words. With a cry of pure hatred and rage he lifted the needle and into the iris did it go. Pain flooded his nerves and he toppled over like a stack of bricks, twitching violently as he kicked and screamed in agony. Tormented and bleeding out his face he lifted himself weakly to the podium, bleeding upon the page with his eye. The drips of blood slowly revealed the directions on how to cut his own tongue open and he lifted the scalpel.

”I’m right here with you,” Stephanie encouraged him as he studied what to do, lifting the blade up to his mouth and placing it upon his muscle. He cut carefully, screaming as he did so in a guttural grunt, no longer could he formulate words. “Almost done,” Stephanie cheered him on.

He let the scalpel inflict the harm, his head wracked with pain as he felt like throwing up, blood ripping down his throat and mouth. Five times he had to cough up the phlegm in his throat, a crimson pool dripping behind it as he wheezed in pain, groaning and muttering incoherently as he did so. At long last something metal bounded upon the podium before the immortal. He stumbled around aimlessly, his fingers tossing the scalpel away as he gripped the key in his hands feeling it with his bloody fingers.

He coughed up and spat more blood over his shirt and coat as he walked like a zombie towards the padlock, gripping it with both hands and fumbling to put the key inside. When he opened the glass case smoke blew into his face, stinging his wounds as he flinched away before looking at the live hot coals.

Jensen whimpered in pain as he shakily brought the hand forward, tears mixing down his face and singing the ashes making fire jump up and lick his flesh. Soon he had immersed his hand in an inch, and already he couldn’t’ feel anything as his flesh burned away in large chunks. As he pushed down he realized that the coals were tightly packed, forcing him to push with his strength to get to the bottom. Whoever had done this to him had a vendetta.

He screamed like a mute, a pitiful wail as he reached the bottom of the case and pushed down upon the button, the door opening. He ripped his hand out, cradling it to his chest as he fell to his knees sobbing in pain.

”Good job, Jensen, I knew you could do it…”

[The Trap Master]

The needle went into his eye. John took his elbow and threw it behind him in a 'YES!' motion. The fact that his vision was now so disfigured would allow for an advantage. The second he watched the tongue get cut to retrieve the key brought John's second elbow back. Now Jensen would not be able to talk up a mean game. When the hand pressed down on the hot coals, John jumped for joy. Now Jensen would only be able to wield a weapon with one hand.

John looked at Jensen's form through his enchanted mirror. The man was no longer the perfect figure John left him as. He had gone from looking like Prince Charming to the Ugly Stepsister. There was indeed a lesson to be learned. That lesson was to not mess around with any member of John Shelby's family. John watched excitedly as Jensen seemed to slowly move his way through the third door, to the most intense trap John had ever laid.

A field of flowers. Jensen had walked out of the plain, drab steel rooms into a freaking field of flowers. Dandelions, roses, and violets littered the area. The fragrance of the newly bloomed plants would fill the nostrils of anyone who entered. It was a good spot to die, a great spot for everything to fit together perfectly. The time was now roughly 7 o'clock. It was finally time.

What Jensen would see is a man in charcoal pants with his back facing the immortal. The toned skin worked well with the kangol hat intricately placed atop his blonde hair. his black shirt and boots seemed to be a way of mourning his opponent. The rapier was at his side, the kubotan in his hand. Jaxx Stone turned around with a shocked expression on his face once he saw the thing that was once Jensen Ambrose.

As John watched Jensen entered the room, he busted out in maniacal laughter. This was the final test, the last thing Jensen had to do to get out. It didn't matter if the immortal won or lost in this room, he would not have to repeat all he had just endured. John continued his insane laughter as he lifted his arms up and looked to his ceiling. Jensen Ambrose would now know that nobody fucks with Jaxx Stone so long as the Trap Master existed.

That was the true lesson to be learned.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Jensen shivered as he looked upon the flowery grass, feeling a wave of nausea build up within his chest. He looked at Jaxx Stone with one eye, his other mutilated orb still bleeding out. Blood dripped down his side like drool as his hand dangled in his other uselessly. Pain couldn’t even allow him to understand what was going on as he was wracked with terrible torment.

He shifted around woozily, dropping to one knee as two figures ran towards him, their faces screaming at him for explanation and a high pitched squeal of his name. Stephanie and Adolph had ran towards him at a full sprint, but a barrier repelled them. Jensen didn’t even see the force field push them off so only Jaxx and Jensen could fight with no interruptions.

“Jensen!” Stephanie screamed, seeing her comrade like that wrenching her heart into pieces. Adolph called for him to, slamming his fists into the shield as he called out to him.

“Jensen, Jensen what the hell happened!” Yet the immortal didn’t hear their words, instead looking down upon the bloody grass as he weakly pulled himself up. He coughed up blood, the waving back and forth of his body causing him to throw up on the ground as he fell to the fetal position in pain. Angrily he swiped the air, one clawed hand reaching for something ungraspable in the air.

Slowly he stood again, one knee sliding outwards, his one good hand pushing himself upwards to his feet. The lesson, this was all about a lesson, and Jensen didn’t forget it despite the pain. He didn’t know if he could fight, he wasn’t even thinking about winning. Death would be his, and he would embrace it. Yet he couldn’t die without first showing he learned the lesson.

In a show of disrespect he teetered in step, spitting out blood towards Jaxx as he flexed his fingers, trying to pick up the punch knife in his possession. He would die fighting, fighting for the woman he loved and would not be a coward. He would stand firm in this debilitating pain as he fought to protect Kyla from monsters like Jaxx Stone.

He managed to lift the punch knife up, but rather pathetically as it dangled in his hand, the weight of such a simple weapon far to heavy for him to make use of. He slapped his chest in challenge, urging the coward to come and fight him. He would show this coward what it meant to fight for those you love.

[Sapphire Eyes]

Jaxx stood in the room, waiting for his opponent. The arena was rather bland, but he was sure his cousin had a reason for it. The time had been set back two whole hours, and yet Jensen still couldn't get here on time. Oh yes, he must love Kyla very much to not even show up to fight for her.

Jaxx faced the wall and focused on his training. True he'd never fought in the citadel himself, but he'd been in a few bar brawls and he'd trained in fencing under one of the most feared fighters in the world. There were a few spectators standing outside the arena, two of which Jaxx recognized as friends of Jensen. They stood eagerly awaiting his arrival, apparently they had been unaware of the time change; waiting for over two hours for the not so punctual Jensen Ambrose.

There was a light wind blowing within the room, and Jaxx breathed in the scent of....was that salt? Jaxx had noticed no inspirational ocean view, and he quickly turned to make sure the room had not changed with him inside.

The view before him made Jaxx's stomach curl, his face wriggle in disgust. There stood a man, no not just any man. There stood Jensen Ambrose. Blood poured of the man's body, his eye barely hanging onto his skull.

Jaxx immediately thought to run to the man, offer him aid. A voice in his head made him rethink. "Do not give up no matter what." John had said to the him, "He is a warrior and will stop at nothing. Do not be fooled by his games." The words of John built a fury in Jaxx's soul, would Jensen actually do all this just to win a fight? Yes, Jaxx was sure of it. Jensen Ambrose thought he could play games and win Kyla.

Not today asshole.

Jaxx steadied his grip on his sword and waited for his opponent to make a move. Jensen's friends screamed from outside the arena. Jensen was on the ground now, and Jaxx bided his time. Let Jensen have fun with his theatrics, the true fight would start soon enough. Jensen finally managed to his feet, and held his weapon weakly before him. he hit his chest in a challenging gesture, and Jaxx took his moment.

He stepped forward, sword drawn. What the hell is his game? He lifted his sword and ran at his opponent, planning to bring the tip of the blade across the man's throat.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

The blood raced in his heart, the movements of Jaxx stiff in his mind. Yet he was moving faster than he was registering, and the rapier was lifting up to slash across his throat. Had it not been for the state of mind Jensen was in he wouldn’t have fallen down in time, his strength failing him. He landed upon his back, rolling gently down the hill towards the door he entered from, but it was now gone, shut away forever as it seamlessly blended in with the wall.

He pushed himself to one knee, willing himself to stay in the fight.

“What kind of sanctimonious bastard would attack a man in that state?” Adolph shouted to Jaxx. “He’s in no condition to fight, leave him alone!”

“Can’t you see he’s dying!” Stephanie said, the words unnatural as she looked to her friend with worry. In all her life she had seen the man die from a multiple set of devices and weapons. She saw him decapitated, mutilated by a grinding machine, impaled by seven swords, smote with a spell of fire, and drowned. Yet it was in this state she actually worried for him.

Jaxx seemed to pay them no heed, intent on his course as Jensen waved them off, his punch dagger missing in his fall. He didn’t need it, his hand lifting down to his belt for throwing knives as he missed the loop where he could pull it up to his hand, instead cutting his finger. He yelped in pain, stumbling backwards as he looked up, seeing Jaxx eye him carefully.

“Please!” Stephanie screamed. “He needs help!” Jensen willed her to shut up, feeling his stomach gurgle with a feeling, his blood boiling as he watched his foe. Jensen at long last gripped his throwing knife, holding it up tiredly as he watched Jaxx above the top of the grassy knoll.

[Sapphire Eyes]

Something pulled at Jaxx's heart strings, the man was now colapsing under his own weight. This man was either a brilliant actor or this wasn't the ruse Jaxx had orginally thought.

He watched the man for a few moments, reaching for his weapon only to injure himself. No, surely this man was not intentionally doing this. Jaxx's mind raced at the thought that he had attacked a man who was a step away from death. What kind of monster have I become? Jaxx thought, echoeing the sentiments of the spectators. The words of John in his mind caused him to err on the side of caution, "There's something about Jensen Ambrose you need to know."

Jaxx walked the edge of the arena, taking in every inch of his opponent. He did his best to ignore the cries from outside the barrier, knowing none would understand what he was about to do. He walked up behind the near-dead man, and grabbed the immortal's head in between his arms. Jaxx tensed his muscles, hoping with one quick snap he could put this poor bastard out of his misery. If to the world Jaxx would look like a monster, to Kyla he'd look like N'Jal herself, then so be it.

But to Jaxx Stone, he was a decent human being.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Jensen’s world stopped. Time passed painfully slowly, and the voices he heard had died out long ago. He couldn’t fathom anything in that moment save for Jaxx Stone moving forward like a blessed saint of mercy. He lifted his weapon to him, but Jaxx pushed it aside with the grace of a dancer. Jensen coughed blood on his shirt, but the man paid it no mind.

He felt his hands gingerly reach up to his neck, gently he lifted so his fingers found themselves around the immortals skull. In one moment he realized what Jaxx was going to do, and self preservation kicked in. He took his limp hand and pushed, pushed as hard as he could as a muffled cry of anguish escaped his bloodied lips. His other hand pushed as well, forcing the man away. Jensen looked him in the eyes with his one good eye, detesting that he would show him mercy.

He didn’t survive all those trials just be euthanized. He survived those trials so he could prove to the whole world that Kyla meant something more to him than just a hot piece of ass. He would fight for her with every breath he had left, and he felt they were becoming more and more numbered with each inhalation. Heart wavering he felt his life force breath in deep of the flowery scent. He stood there, looking up towards Jaxx Stone with a cruel eye, but it softened.

He could see his spirit, his fighting spirit behind his golden brown eyes and the immortal saw a sense of honor behind them. The man at first wanted to destroy Jensen, but seeing him in this state wouldn’t make Kyla love him anymore. He had indeed grown that spine Jensen thought he lacked. If anything, Jaxx Stone was at least a decent man.

The immortal stood tall, willing himself to stand with all his regal gusto as he eyed the man, feeling his brain swirl with emotions. The world spun around him and he had trouble looking to his opponent. Yet he stood there, one good hand and one good eye, but more importantly one beating heart filled with passion. He couldn’t fight with Jaxx, not in this state. He would die. He was going to die anyway. All this statement had told his opponent was that Jensen Ambrose was no coward, and he would fight for what he deemed precious.

Three minutes passed in this silence, Stephanie teary eyed as Adolph stood near her, watching. Jaxx made no motion to attack either, and whatever was going on in the immortals mind was his own business. Then it happened suddenly without ceremony. Like a falling house of cards Jensen collapsed, drawing up one last gasping breath before he died.

[Sapphire Eyes]

Jaxx stood and watched the man die with more strength and courage than most lived with. He could not help but know that given any other situation he and Jensen may have even been on the same side. The immortals actions had given Jaxx a respect for the man he'd not though possible, but Kyla still stood between them. He could not help but respect the man, but he still hated him. Jaxx whispered a prayer over the dead man before turning and walking towards the door. Her reached the exit and hit a small white button, which brought down the forcefield. He watched as those who loved Jensen Ambrose ran to his corpse.

He left the citadel and walked down the streets of Radasanth. The image of Jensen's friends gathered around him after he took his final breathes fresh in his mind. Will anyone ever feel that way for me? Jaxx wondered to himself. Perhaps there was a lesson to be learned here.

[Taskmienster]

Story ::
EI : (14/30)

TM/SE : (12/30)

Character ::
EI : (15/30)

TM/SE : (18/30)

Writing Style ::
EI : (17/30)

TM/SE : (13/30)

You had quite a few grammatical issues, from general sentence disagreements to missing comma’s.

Wild Card ::

EI: 5/10

TM/SE : 5/10


Score / Rewards

EI: 51 // 1250 exp | 50 gold

TM/SE: 48 // 375 | 50 gold

[Taskmienster]

Exp and GP added.