Standing and wiping my eyes with the back of my hand, I blow a deep breath. “Round two.”
I fling a dagger and chase after it, tossing the other as a diversion. She sidesteps the first, using her axe to deflect the other, but I’ve closed in on her. I pull another from my thigh as she swings her weapon high to bring down over my head…but I’m faster.
With the forward momentum, I slide on my knees, slicing at herstomach and drawing blood, then spin around to her back, pulling my second dagger in one motion while standing.
“You bitch!” She turns and attacks. A clean slice, aimed at my throat, has me leaning back. Countering with a left foot to her ribs, I leap off my right and it meets the side of her head in a swift attack. She staggers but remains upright.
Reserving magic is key since I’m well under half energy. Thankfully, close quarter combat is my specialty.
I step away, creating distance and letting my heart settle. My moves are sloppy, decent at best, but this isn’t over. She recovers, placing a hand on her ribs and wincing. A tell sign that something is cracked. Or broken.
Flames erupt from a flick of her finger, spawning another frog, larger this time, but I’m prepared. Sending a newly created, crystal dagger towards it with great speed, I explode it on impact before it takes a single leap.
“Back to your tricks? Desperate, are we?” Not giving her an opportunity for more to manifest, I create six more crystal daggers over my shoulder, glistening and leaving my palms glowing red.
“How–How the fuck. Your hands didn’t…shit!” Pushing forward, I quiet the speech she uses as a distraction. Now knowing it’s not within her to fight fair, I’m done holding back. I’m on her in four quick steps.
She stands, meeting my blade with her axe and brutish strength. Embers take flight from our clashing weapons, and she uses its shaft in a swiping up motion. But I spin away from the force of her attack, still taking damage, and get behind her. Implanting my blade in her right shoulder, I kick the soft, meaty part behind Tish’s knee which robs her balance.
Plummeting, she hits the ground on her knees with a yelp of agony. “Yield,” I demand. Wrapping an arm around her neck, I apply pressure. “It’s over.”
I peer over amongst the masses, catching each one standing andsurveying. Their features are lined with anticipation and something more.
Russ has a brighter smile than any flame of Tish’s, and I can practically tell what is on his mind–Pride.Alex’s arms are folded, fighting a smirk itching to form–Obsession.Caspian, standing between him and Marcel, winks in my direction–Devotion.Marcel is hard to read. His features are calm while the rise and fall of his chest roars excitement–Admiration.Ethan is no longer seated, chair knocked over, and his eyes blaze with golden light, not hiding the bloodlust oozing from his pores–Satisfaction.
“Ahh, fuck,” I yell, dropping my weapons and clenching my injuries. I push her forward, noting the punishment for taking attention away from her. Flames eat away my flesh, scorching my skin until crispy, raw meat is exposed.
“It’s not over until I say so.” She stands, rubbing her throat. “These rules mean nothing to me. I’m going to kill you.”
“Yeah.” Leering at her beneath hooded brows, I tug more energy over my body as dragon scales slide into place, covering me from head to toe. “Get in line.”
They wanted to see my power. To see what I’m capable of. Fine. I’ll give them everything.Dissolving the six creations still hovering, I feel their energy return, and I fortify it into something more. Something greater.
She waves a hand, re-summoning her axe, and with the other, she gathers fire into a ball above us, letting it grow into one massive sphere. But I’m unflinching against the heat. Unwavering. Refusing to look away. She can make things explode, similar to me, but her power isn’t as destructive as mine.Bring it.
Magic flows like blood, and my arms tremble from how much I’ve already conjured. Behind Tish and high above, crescent after crescent after crescent manifests. Eighteen to be exact, but I’m not done. Dissolving the metal daggers at her feet, I pull two more from my ribs and push forward, not wasting another second.
Her smile fades upon my approach, and speed becomes aweapon of its own. Swinging in rapid strikes, I can see she is quick, but hesitant. I swipe at her chest and hit flames but continue in a fluid rhythm. Ribs–blocked, crouching for her thighs–blocked, ribs–blocked…she is forced to defend, predicting each blow I set up.
Pushing us back towards my floating creations.
“Enough!” Tish roars, spinning on her toes, causing me to miss and stumble. On cue, her flaming ball descends with heat so potent the ground sizzles, and I shield my eyes, turning away. It’s unavoidable, and in a flash, everything surrounding me goes up in hellish flames.
Smoke spreads far and wide, engulfing the space. Her steps thud, drawing closer, and I dissolve what is left of my scales,inhaling and exhaling in tandem. Choking out more smoke than air, I taste flakes of burned marble as the daggers within my hold drop from overheating.
Please be right, Alex.A single thought peering at her yellow flames wisp in front of me.
Summoning a sigil just above us at the last second, I barely witness Tish’s ball of flames vanish into it, reemerging across the arena and explode. My skin begins cooling in an instant, and I fall to my knees then forward on my arms, holding her attention.Thank God it worked.
“That was cute. No matter, here’s where you die. Next, your little friend,” she monologues, stepping past the cloud of dust.Fuck.I cough as Rosie’s death springs to mind.
“I–It’s…funny, really.”Naive.
“What’s that, mortal?”Overconfident.What magic I had is now gone from overuse.
“You’re weaker.”Wasteful.Her steps cease inches away, and the flare of her axe grazes my cheek.
“Just die, already,” she growls, raising her weapon to strike.
