The Troll raised its tree trunk into the air. John knew what came next. It was going to try to crush him.

Fat chance of that happening.

John raised his hand into the air. The tree trunk hammered into his hand.

"FUCK!" John bellowed as he fell to his knees.

John's legs weren't strong enough to lift him up.

The Troll above John continued to glare at him.

John clenched his fist around the tree. His fingers sunk into the wood. John jerked the tree truck backwards while letting go of the wood.

The tree trunk shot through the air. The large Troll staggered forward as the tree trunk left John's grip.

John grinned. He reached back and grabbed the tree trunk before it flew away.

John skidded a couple of feet initially. But his weight was significant enough to slow the tree's movement down quickly.

John chucked the tree trunk at the troll. It sailed in an arc through the air. The troll reached up with two hands for the Tree trunk as it sailed towards it. The Troll's wrists bent back from the force the tree was moving with. The tree slammed into the troll's chest.

"UGHAJA!" Screamed the Troll as it fell onto its back. The tree was trapped on top of it.

"UUUUUUU!" With a grunt of pain, John pulled himself to his feet. He staggered towards the Troll while letting out wheezing breaths.

The Troll was squirming atop the tree trunk. John knew that it would only be a matter of time before the Troll managed to lift the Tree trunk off its body. So he was shuffling as fast as possible. John usually walked at a snail's pace. Even when he was moving quickly. But now, with his injured legs, he was even slower.

The Troll dislodged the Tree trunk from its body. John watched as the troll pulled itself to its feet.

Shit, shit, shitty, shit. SHIT!

The troll raised its club back into the air. They swung it towards John's body. John raised his hand into the air again as the Troll did so.

John fell back onto his knees. The pain of falling was worse this time. John could only take a few more blows to his legs until they gave out again.

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At least my opponent seems stupid. John thought to himself.

They had tried the same attack twice. Now John thought——

John's back scrapped against the pavement. The fabric of his shirt was ripped into tatters. John's face adopted an expressionless stare.

~You need to let go.~

John released his grip on the club. The Troll raised the club back into the air.

He swung it again. This time, John didn't raise his arm to catch the club or anything. He didn't need to. His body was durable enough for just his arm to take force of the club. So the rest of John's body would be fine, too.

The tree swung into John's body. John gripped the club.

John smiled slightly as he watched the troll look down at the tree in confusion. It had suddenly become incredibly heavy.

John laid there for about twenty seconds. He was basking in the Troll's confusion. Then his face fell.

Now what?

John looked up at the Troll. It was leaning back and putting its full body weight into pulling on its tree trunk. But the Trunk still would not move.

Oh.

John let go.

The troll fell back to the ground as it let go of its tree trunk. John placed his hand on the ground.

Okay, here we go.

With as much force as he could muster, John slammed his hand into the ground. John was sent flying through the air.

POP!

John's arm was bent at an awkward angle from the force that he shot himself into the air. With a grin on his face, John fell ass first onto the Troll's ribs.

The troll's ribcage shattered under John's weight.

That's what you get.

"UMGAH!" With a grunt, John pulled himself to his feet.

Where's Cassandra? John thought to himself.

John had gotten pretty caught up in his fight with the Troll. So he wasn't sure where Cassandra was.

"YIP!"

John turned his head in the direction of his dragon's call. Standing over Cassandra's body was a bear-sized red Dragon. It was Stove.

John pulled himself from the hole in the troll's ribcage and started to slowly hobble towards the dragon.

"YIP!"

John leaned down and picked up Cassandra's bloodied body. He held her close to his chest. He needed to make sure that not a single bullet hit her.

Okay. Let's get out of here.

Slowly, John hobbled through the battlefield. Stabbing flares of pain shot through his legs with every step that he took.

I won't let you die, Cassandra. I won't let you die.

.

…

...

...…

Twist. Shoot. Twist. Shoot.

That was Charles's world. He would twist and point in another direction. Then, pull the trigger and send a bullet flying into his target.

Twist. Shoot. Twist. Shoot.

That was Charles's endlessly repeating world. There weren't moments. There weren't thoughts. There weren't feelings. There was only.

Twist. Shoot. Twist. Shoot.

It was an endless cycle. Charles relished it.

And then the cycle broke.

~Wait... Is that John.~ Charles froze.

It had to be. Through the scope of his rifle, Charles saw John's face. In John's arms was the bloodied body of a thin woman. It was Cassandra.

Shit. I need to help them.

Cassandra was the leader. Without her, everyone would be at everyone's throats. And John was the muscle. They almost always relied on John's force to help them win fights.

If either of them died, then the team would collapse. And that could mean the end of Charles's paycheck.

He wouldn't allow that.

Charles took his eye off the scope and began to sprint down the hill he was on top of.

He would make sure his money stayed alive.