Timothy Eli and the Light Guard Trials

Sub-Chapter 13: Crashing Back to Earth

“Pete, who will you challenge?” Jade replied turning to Pete

He didn’t even bat an eye. He was out of it. He stared out the window in a funk. It was the battle with Beth. I knew Pete; he felt he let her down and it was written all over his face.

“Pete,” I said catching his attention.

Everyone stared at him as he finally seemed to notice the attention was on him.

“What?” He replied oblivious.

The rest of the legion continued to stare him down surprised by his demeanor.

“What’s going on?” He continued.

I hesitated not sure how to say what it was I needed to say.

“You’re….You’re the next up,” I replied forcing a meak smile.

He tilted his head slightly showing a bit of shock before shrugging his shoulders in a submissive manner.

“Whatever,” he uttered turning back to the window.

A moment passed as everyone tried to be understanding of what he was going through, but after he didn’t’ speak for a minute or two, Jade was forced to finally press him.

“Pete,” Jade pressed. “Who will you challenge?”

He stared out the window pausing for a second before responding.

“Sean,” he replied catching everyone off-guard.

“Sean,” Zech replied. “That kid’s a monster. What is the matter with you Earthborns?”

I turned to Pete seconding Zech’s words with my expression. If this kid was the strongest fighter on their squad, he had to be ridiculous. Looking at Herschel and Kadmiel up-close, they were beyond anything I could have imagined and if this kid was better, I didn’t even want to think about the possibilities of the danger Pete could be in.

“Yeah, do you like losing or something,” Jo continued.

Pete lowered his head in anguish. Something was written on his face that he wasn’t saying. There was a method to his madness.

“It’s the only way,” he replied. “Jacob is a sure win, but with Tim, Sai, and Uriah already out of the equation we have Luke, and Zech as major competitors…the rest of us are great pieces but I don’t know how we match up. It’s a gamble but by taking out their top guy. It’ll even things out a little more match up wise. Nobody is stupid enough to call Jacob out, and with me out of the equation, the only match-up handicap would be Sam, hypothetically, the rest of you will factor well against their remaining legion.”

I gave him a simple look. Everything he said went over my head. He already had this planned.

“You decided on this from the beginning,” I replied pressing him.

He nodded still obviously effected by Beth’s match. He was paying attention yet half sulking in his response.

“It was a deduction I made soon after Sai was put out,” he replied. “Besides, I think I can take this guy. I have a plan. I’m not going down without a fight.”

Jade stood his demeanor stiff. It was obvious he wasn’t a fan of Pete’s strategy but it was his decision. There was nothing any of us could do about it.

“I disagree but it’s your decision to make,” Jade asked hesitantly waiting for him to change his mind. “This kid, Sean is probably the best recruit the Alpha House has ever had.”

Pete nodded acknowledging his words as we all were still wrestling with the emotions of Beth’s last match.

“Yeah, are you sure?” Jacob asked.