233 Here Goes Nothing: Duel Ends

"I would not let him kill Jareth. I would kill him first." Astrid's voice sounded cold and laced with malice. Snow knew he had to find something, one way or the other to stop her from going berserk.

"Remember what happened to you the last time that you did?" Snow asked, snapping her mind's attention back to him.

"So? Last time I had no mercy on those who wanted to hurt him and I won't now."

"No, not that, master. You lost consciousness for days and made everyone worry. Back them Jareth was okay and he could carry you, but now… If you do collapse after drawing so much attention to yourself and causing havoc, how do you expect Jareth in his injured state to take you away from here?"

She kept quiet as all his words sank deeper into her mind. Noticing this, Snow's panicked voice became much calm as he continued, not to slow and not too fast.

"I also would not be able to carry you two on my back just the way mother did those times as I haven't grown and I am not that powerful, yet. So think about it, you would only be left for capturing by those who would remain alive and worsen the whole problem. Then they would kill Jareth or make him suffer and take you as their captive or worse."

"Then what do you suggest I do? Nothing I do, would not point back at me. If I make the sword fall now, everyone would suspect." Astrid lamented, the urgency and the frustration were etched deep in her mind.

"Do not let your powers take control master, please."

Astrid's eyes went back to the arena and her eyebrows narrowed. At the same time, an idea popped into Snow's mind.

"How about you take care of it just like when we were captured?"

Her eyes lit up with hope at his suggestion. That was a splendid idea. "Good thinking Snow. We do not have to worry about rules or cheating since there never was one I the first place. He shouldn't blame me for doing whatever it takes to save Jareth and let him win."

With her thoughts cleared and her heart now full of hope a light glint flashed before her eyes and Astrid exhaled. She moved her right fingers under Snow's body and felt her connection to the ground.

"Here goes nothing."

At that moment, she moved her right hand, making her fingers open and unfroze everyone. A sharp gasp could be heard but at a nick in time, Astrid bent her fingers inward.

Jareth looked up and saw the light shine on the tip of the sword about to pierce through his throat with the downward movement of Clive's hand. 

Before he could react, the ground underneath Clive's feet and his softened, making both to lose balance and rather than the sword pierce at his throat, Clive's hand fell downwards to the ground trying to find his support as his legs gave way.

Jareth took hold of the opportunity, adrenaline pumping in his veins and kicked at Clive's hand holding the hilt of the sword for support.

"Whoa!"

The crowd gasped for the second time since this change of event happened and watched as the sword, fell out of Clive's hand.

With both hands on Clive's shoulder, further pushing him down, Jareth somersaulted to the other side and picked up the sword and then turned around swiftly so that he was now standing behind Clive with the sharp side of the blade held up against his throat.

What Jareth had just done, left everyone of them stupefied. 

How could the tables take a drastic turn like that? There was no doubt that truly this really was one of the most... if not the most magnificent fight they had ever witnessed in this arena. 

It was truly exhilarating. Astrid smiled and released the breath she didn't even notice she was holding in since. 

She did her part in aiding him and part of her anticipated on how he was going to finish the fight. 

Good thing the man... I mean elf she fell for was a skilled and experienced fighter. He ceased his opportunity well and didn't let it slip away. 

One! 

Two! 

Three! 

Three breaths gone by and Clive hadn't said or done anything, it was as though he was relaxing while his both legs sprawled on the ground with a sword grazing his Adam's apple. 

Everyone waited for the final outcome. Well this was already the final outcome but not until one of them surrendered, it wasn't the end. 

Jareth was already losing his patience, he was losing blood by the minute and this man had the nerve to waste time. 

The next moment everyone heard the clank sound of the sword as it fell down but what followed next was an agonizing shriek cry that made everyone cover their ears, leat they went deaf. 

What had happened was that Jareth who was tired of waiting threw down the sword.

Just when everyone thought that he was letting Clive go for another fight or that he stupidly thought he had won when Clive hadn't hit the ground in surrender... 

A deafening cry rang out that ripped off of Clive's throat, causing fear in the eyes of all those present. 

When his sword had fallen down, Clive dropped his guard completely and Jareth took this split second to grab his arm and immediately snapped the hand, dislocating his bone. 

As he cried out in agony, Jareth hit him hard at the back of his neck, making him to collapse and the agony stop. 

What he did next, left the audience stunned for the umpteenth time that day. 

He lowered himself down so he was about the same level as Clive who fainted and held his dislocated arm. 

Right before their eyes, he held his arm with his hands and... 

Crack! 

Crack! 

He fixed the bone back on place then stood up. Everywhere went silent, that if a pin dropped, one would hear the sound clearly. 

One! 

Two! 

Three! 

"Yayyy!!!"