The Alyta Trilogy: Handmaids, Heroes, and Hierarchy.

Alyta rushes to the edge of the roof.  Did he fall the entire nine floors?  No, he is safe, though in pain, two balconies down.  She breathes a sigh of relief, but it is interrupted by a swift slap.

�Didn�t mommy ever tell you to keep your eyes on the one who�s going to kill you.  Look at me now.�

Alyta blocks all her advances and moves the battle to the flat crest of the roof.  The fighting continues until Kirya pins Alyta to the ground.  Her raspy voice is heard in the echoing night:  �I deserve those bands.  I am the rightful heir.�

Alyta takes advantage of Kyria�s momentary pride to overtake her.  Now Kyria is pinned down, and the two rivals stare into each other�s eyes. 

�What are you doing? You�re stronger than she is.  She is weak.  Keep fighting.  Beat her.  Kill her.  Cause suffering,� a raspy voice whispers so that only Kyria can hear.  Kirya�s energy bursts, but slowly recedes again.  �You fool!� comes the voice again, only louder, �You mortal!  Fight!  Fight!�  Now Alyta can hear the voice.  Where is it coming from?  Ares appears, crouching and yelling at Kirya, �Weakling!  I trusted you!  You were the key to all my plans!  Fool!�

Alyta lets her grip go, and a panting Kyria looks up at her opponent, and then Ares.  �Now�s your chance!  She is weak, and has given you a chance to fight back.  Kill her!�  Kirya looks on Ares with a new light. 

�You want me to kill this girl who has given me a second chance?  You want me to kill anyone and anything that is still innocent in this world like you made me kill my mother?  She wasn�t lying after all, was she?  Everything you have told me has been lies!�

�So what if I lied to you for your benefit?  It�s� it�s� because I love you like you are my own daughter, working for the greater good.  Whatever.  Now kill that girl!�No!  Kirya thinks to herself, clutching her temples.  This can�t be happening!  I can�t even control my own thoughts.  Or my actions: I just killed my own mother, by the gods!  What is going on?

Meanwhile, Alyta sees the opportunity to attack Ares, and hey, she does.  Ares is working very hard to keep his mind control over Kirya, and doesn�t even notice Alyta�s fist until it hits his jaw.  When it actually makes contact, Ares spins unnaturally and lands on the roof.  Kirya looks up, her eyes icy clear. 

�Come on, we�ve got a job to do.�  Ares� leather catches a shingle before he falls off the roof, and he gets up, woozy.  His gaze moves from one girl to the other, both in fighting stances, and falls down again.  The two look at each other, and laugh.  A tap on each shoulder makes them look up, but only in time to see a fist hitting them.  With an �ooph�, they fall. 

Ares towers above them, and says under his breath, �Never underestimate a god.�

Alyta jumps to her feet.  �Hmm� when you say *god* does Poseidon count?�  She asks sweetly. 

Never liking to be reminded of powerful gods, and amazed that this mortal would survive that blow, he swings his arm with its full force.  Alyta raises her hand �stop�, but the swing keeps coming.  That is, until it reaches her hand.  A powerful force stops his hand.  He looks perplexed.  She waves her hand past his eyes, and they are filled with salt water.

�Aaah!  It burns!  My eyes are on fire!�  He cries.  Alyta stifles a laugh.  �No, actually Ares, water is more powerful than fire and can put it out.  What you have in your eyes is just water.  Stinging water, that is.  Amazing what mortals can do these days, isn�t it?�
                                                                       *~*~*