I took the spear into both my hands and took a step forward. The hunt leader took a step back as I did this, I could see it on her face. Fear. I could feel her will upon the weapon, trying to call it back to her, but I used my own willpower to keep it exactly where it was, the pain was becoming more and more bearable by the moment.

Especially considering it wasn’t weakening my existence, just in essence beating the shit out of it. Trivial.

"A-Apollo, seriously game over. You win, put the spear down, you really shouldn’t be able to wield that spear." Skaja continued to step backwards as I approached, her eyes lost their golden light and her normal pale blue eyes returned.

"Nuh, uh. We fight till I drop or you drop. That was the goal right? To put a beatdown on us? To test us? To see if we matched up? Well? Do I?"

"Y-Yes. We are going to be lucky having you in our squad going forward, now why don’t we all heal up and have drinks together, and laugh about this whole-Shit I warned you to- PUT ME DOWN! "

"Aaahh!" I screamed out in pain again as the severity of the Psionic attack to my soul increased, overpowering me. A pressure overcame my physical body and I was knocked backwards several meters.

The blow knocked the sword out of my stomach, prompting me to begin bleeding profusely. I had not eaten so my wounds were not closing, still I didn’t have time to bleed as I was watching a Psionic phenomenon.

The hunt leader’s hair turned amber red and her eyes lit up again, but this time they glow a Psionic green A powerful Psionic green. I had a sense of deja-vu in the way they illuminated with power, the tall jungle woman with Kathrine also had those glowing eyes.

I didn’t have time to ponder on this though as the eyes turned to me and the spear was instantly usurped from my willpower and rematerialised into her hand. She then pointed the spear at me and declared.

"You despicable cretin! How dare you touch me! I should have you flensed for your arrogance! Skaja, Granddaughter of Sviedana, be the conduit of my wrath! Teach this man a lesson he will not forget! Show him the only time a man may touch me is when my blade is deep inside his flesh!"

The amber hair then hastily turned back to blonde and her eyes returned to that golden colour. Skaja then looked at me, gone was the worry in her eye, now was a controlled rage as she glared at me. "Don’t say I didn’t warn you."

Leaving the mystery of the magic talking spear until later, I threw my body to the side as said spear tried to impale itself through me. Recalling Zircon to my side I had to dodge another thrust before parrying another and attempted to close in, but Skaja wasn’t having it.

She was clearly a warrior of great skill and her footwork was faster and more dexterous than my own, allowing her to slink backwards while continuously raining attacks onto me. At this moment I felt fortunate. Fortunate that my training with Nerissa was paying off.

Nerissa might hold back in her spars with me, but her skill was no joke, and while Skaja was also no joke, I could actually react to her blows, see them coming without relying on just instinct. And actually attempt to close the distance without being poked with the pointy stick.

The battle entered a stalemate as I pressed the attack and she pressed her defence. She was getting the occasional nick in, but that was due to my blood loss making my body slightly inefficient, but if it kept up I would have to tap out eventually. So I changed tactics.

I stopped my attack and Skaja took a defensive stance and I spoke. "Is this wrath? Is this your spears wrath ’Granddaughter of Sviedana? Because this doesn’t feel like wrath, it feels like a game of cat and mouse with some pokey bits. Surely your ’weapon’ doesn’t want you running away from some man? Surely it wants to pierce through me, penetrate me deep like my cock will penetrate to all your kin?"

’That did it.’ I thought in my emotionless state. The insult worked wonders as the green eyes and amber red hair returned. Her gaze locked onto me and I felt it for the first time in a long time and the first time out of practice. An attack on my Mindspace Barrier.

I reinforced with everything I had, completely sapping my energy, but as a result the defences did not budge, prompting the green eyes before me to widen. "You hold secrets, you are strong, but your pathetic prick will never lay a hand on my daughters, worm. For that insult, this ends now."

Faster than a blink, Skaja, or her spear? Appearing before me, I tried to defect the attack, but sluggishness was creeping into my being. Zircon managed to bite into the spear, but I could not fully deflect the blow in time as I felt the blade pierce through my kidney and out the other side.

I attempted once more to slash out with Zircon, but the woman caught my wrist and exuded pressure, forcing me to drop her. Zircon wasn’t done though and from my dropping her, embedded herself into Skaja’s arm, her fuller turning red, prompting the woman to scream in anger and pain as she pushed her spear past the blade and onto the handle right through me.

The woman’s gaze remained locked to me as she removed Zircon from her arm and threw her to the ground, trapping the blade underneath her feet. "You are a fine warrior ’Apollo’ Your ambush, warrior spirit and tenacity are to be admired, Skaja will learn from her mistakes this day, but ultimately, I am better than you, than all men."

She continued to drive the spear along its handle as she proceeded to get closer and closer to me, to mock me. In response, I simply laughed and muttered something under my breath. Making the one ’better than me’ come closer to me to hear.

"What was that insect? Something to say? You may be a man, but like I said, I respect your warriors spirit, insults withstanding. Say your final piece before this farce concludes."

I mumbled again, drawing the ire of the woman. "How much closer do I have to get, speak up and- Mmmmhh!!!"

I leaned forward with hidden strength and kissed the woman. She then flew backwards from where I was standing and screamed in pure bloodlust. "I will kill you!"

"With what?" I said with a smirk.

With the last remnants of the strength I had left, I reached behind me and pulled the spear the rest of the way out, ignoring the agony of my soul being attacked again, and just in time, I turned the spear and pointed it at the woman who was charging me like a boar.

The spear pierced through her flesh like a needle through a stitch. I ignored the continuing agonising pain as I held the weapon in place while she looked down at her own kidney in utter disbelief. Breathing haggardly, I whispered to her as we were once again face to face. "Self impalement, kinky."

The green eyes stared upon me in shock and disbelief for a moment before they disappeared and Skaja’s blue eyes returned, followed by her spitting up blood and falling backwards off the spear.

With no more enemies, I dropped the spear to the ground and soon after my body collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. My reserves were done for, but I was not done. Seeing the medics rushing over, although it burned I shouted Psionically. "NO! I am not done!"

Crawling over to Skaja, I climbed atop her, mounting her stomach, forcing her to grimace as I agitated her wound. Her eyes looked to me, she was in agony, but still coherent. "Good. Know that I am getting even. You killed that which I loved, twice. By your spear. And while I will not kill you. I owe you one more wound.

Calling Zircon to my side, I suddenly realised she felt heavy. So incredibly heavy. I felt her wanting to lift the burden by being weightless and float, but I forced her through our bond not to do so. I was taking retribution, there was no easy way.

Dragging Zircon across Skaja’s body, I found a location in her abdomen and locked eyes with the woman. She started breathing heavily, but was spent, but her resolve was admirable, clearly understanding what I was doing and why. With the last of her strength, she gave me a solemn nod before her face twisted into a silent scream as I plunged Zircon into her belly.

Skaja then passed out, most likely from the pain and blood loss. Moments later the emotional haze dissipated from my being and my entire body felt woozy. I looked around, the medics were slowly approaching, clearly taking my declaration seriously, but also seriously wanting to help out. I gave them a flimsy wave over to go ahead before looking down at the passed out Skaja and nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, passing out sounds... Good."