“Now...” Panting Ann kneeled down and spat in fury. “Consider this a warning David! If you ever think to touch me again...I’ll take off your hands next time!” She wiped away the blood and spittle on her face, and straitened up. “I am SECOND. I do not concede to you my Mantle. And you can try to challenge me with a million Games, but I will not LOSE!”

For good measure she turned and slammed her heel into his crotch. David howled rolling over on to his opposite hip, holding his severed appendage, as blood poured from him like a stuck pig.

“You stupid bitch! You will fall soon enough. You are not strong enough to keep that Mantle from me!” David shouted in agony. “I’ll never give you mercy again! We will come upon you endlessly! You will FALL! Maybe not to me today, but to me another promised day!”

Ann, swiped at the blood on her chin. “Good.” She softly appeased. “Maybe the next time you will be more of a challenge or simply less stupid. Have fun getting the Healers to fix your face.”

She left him there. She considered going back into the sanctum and letting the eyes of her enemies see her covered in David’s blood. But then she realized how exhausted she was. How weak she was. And the fact that a hefty portion of the Crimson painting her face was her own.

If there are truly others who feel the need to challenge me. I guess, it might be best not to let them see me in this sorry state

Ann quietly decided. Fighting a hobble she made her way to the Breezeways, and down to the Second Foundation with as much haste as she could muster.

Skirting the Sanctum and other Mana Users the entire way Ann walked back to Eric’s room with her Aurora up the entire time. A feat that most Alchmists would have passed out from. But she was hyper vigilant for attack now and felt that the tax on her body was worth the protection.

I should have never went with him! I was stupid to let him take me anywhere

She later berated herself as she washed her skin of blood. Hers and David’s. Eric’s room was as she had left it, and she had neither the mental or physical strength to care about cleaning it.

I cant believe I let him get me alone! I was too distracted by my emotions! I know what it means to hold the Mantle of Second Hand, dammit!

How strange it seemed to her now that she had put herself in such danger.

How easily she seemed to forget her place in this Brother Hood. A place she had coveted for years and now seemed to detest heavily. She was now Second Hand to the Savior. A status that would bring forth animosity and danger. The men who would hope to challenge her would be endless. Eric had had many Brothers come for him....and now she would too. She had to remember to keep her Aurora in constant display.

She had to remember that this was her Mantel now...not Eric’s.

Strange indeed how much this truth brought her sorrow. She would have paid anything for this chance.

How funny that the price she seemed to have paid for this new place in the Brother Hood, seemed to greatly outweigh the benefits?