The Volunteer | CxE Book 2

Closing Act

The wind around us was slashing at our flesh. I could feel the hairs of his forearms brushing against my cheeks as his fist whizzed by. I reached a much smaller fist forward and crashed against his chest twice for his one massive blow. Then to my flank came a gargantuan grasping palm.

My scarf shifted in tune to meet the clasping claw but it quickly flexed and destroyed any resistance the fabric could provide. Swiftness was my sir name as I bent my spine back as his knuckle hair tickle my nose. My weak foot braced my weight as I tried to reset. For a moment I caught the night sky in my pupils. Then came a bright blue barricade. Crashing down from above was his massive frame and a forearm follow-up.

For a moment I thought back. To just a few moments before. When I was the one staring down at him. Primo sported a wild grin unlike the ones before. A tamed beast ready to break from its cage. I finally felt in control. Even if only for the moment.

He ushered his posse off his back as he slid back into the ring. Just as soon as he stood I was back on the aggressive. I knew that this wasn't the time to slow down. Two of the hardest punches I could muster smashed against his jaw. Followed by a flurry of offense. A masterful mix of four-way punching with my scarf acting as independent limbs.

His response was grasping my skull like a baseball. My scarf tried to burn his arms with rapid rubbing while I clawed at his forearms. He roared ahead through the visible smoke forming along his arms. Nothing could stop him from smashing my face into the corner once more. Though my arms were numb from the impact my scarf tried to hold on as he slung me from coast to coast by the scruff of my neck. When I landed I was able to quickly rise once more. I thought I was getting used to him throwing his weight around. Until he legitimately threw his weight around. He splashed into the corner without restraint.

Fuzzy fireflies clouded my vision for the third time that night. When I dropped to my knees my scarf had to handle the job my hands couldn't. They held me up while I grasped at my chest. There was a chance my ribcage had been crushed by that blow. That chance swapped to certainty when I felt his elbow drive into my spine.

As if that wasn't enough, he started mashing his forearm into my face. The constant grinding of bone between wood threatened to sand my ear clean off. I was splayed out like a vulnerable calf caught in the tiger's jaw. Desperately kicking and scratching, attempting to escape.

My scarf broke free and clawed its way toward the ropes. Under Primo's immense weight, we were barely able to make it in range. When my fingers managed to grasp the bottom rope I felt a strange solace in its rigged touch. How I knew that would work I can't remember but I heard an authoritative voice start counting from one. Primo quickly let go and allowed me some space.

That was the first moment I noticed the referee beside me. Dressed like a zebra and small as a mouse. Had they been in the ring the whole time? Were they somehow avoiding my line of sight the entire match?

They asked me if I was okay which I responded with a simple nod of my head. There was this itchy feeling in my skull that wouldn't budge. Also, I couldn't feel anything opposite my front. But I was facing her again. I don't know how but I keep gravitating toward her. She had that same overly concerned look on her face. 'I'll wipe that look away...'

Once the ringing in my ears halted I saw Primo stretching in the middle of the ring. Unlike Colette and her overt worries, he didn't seem to have a care in the world. Where her face pushed me to protect her, it was rage that kept my body rushing toward him. 'I'll wipe it away... permanently!'

Since then we've been at each other's neck. I threw away my hopes of overpowering this human with my Brawler-level combat and decided to face him like an equal fighter. If a punch came at me I would avoid it like the plague. Instead of rushing in blindly, I started picking my spots carefully. And my scarf followed suit, covering my blind spots and increasing the strength behind my blows.

As we clashed the arena fell silent. Only the sounds of our conflict permeated my ears. Though I'm sure in retrospect they were screaming at the top of their lungs.

Primo would get both his hands wrapped around my arms. He'd hoist me high above him. Dangling me about like jerky to dry. A destructive kick would soon ring true against his jaw. In his dazed state, I'd break free from the grapple and move for more offense. Only to step away when I catch wind of his dastardly traps. Backstepping at the last moment narrowly avoiding a gorilla-like hug from the fighter.

After a nearly non-stop rush of flying fists, I was now in the corner. A massive figure loomed over me. His shadow entrenched me in darkness save for the light peaking out behind his fist.

And the glistening white smile he flashed since our arrival.

I could feel the weight of the blow crashing down before it made contact. A massive pressure of wind ran away from him and smashed against me as we fell. I would have felt the bone-crushing punch had it not been for my scarf's awareness. It noticed our backs were close to the ropes once more and yanked me back just in time. The force of his punch crashing against the floor boomed through the wide-open arena. A bit of the mat tore beneath him as he split the wood below us.

An electric shock ran through my ears. With his current position, I rushed forward and leaped into the air. I remember earlier in the fight. When I first forced him out of the ring. My scarf was able to land a clean blow to his jaw. The only place he couldn't train his muscles to defend.

As his head rose my foot arrived just in time to shatter his jawline. But for a moment, just a split-second before the connection, his eyes jumped about between me, my leg, and the arena around us. Then he unlocked speed unimaginable. He ducked a kick coming out of left field. He then used this momentum and rushed forward while my body turned freely in the air.

I knew what he wanted. He was hoping to get me in a lock from behind. With his massive size and Brawler-like power, even this wrestler would be able to immobilize me. He drew closer in nanoseconds. The world didn't slow down, instead, I sped up.

I shifted in mid-air with the help of my scarf. It never relinquished its latch on the ropes and twisted me one-hundred and eighty degrees. With my new position, I extended my back foot and landed a donkey kick directly into Primo's jaw. I watched as a massive glob of spit flew from his mouth upon contact.

And for the first time since the fight began. He no longer smiled. However, he didn't frown either. He did something worse. He gave no response.

His head rolled back with my kick then rubber banded forward once more. Somehow, he finished his lunge and grabbed my waist from behind. My scarf pushed against his face while I tried to break the lock between his fingers. But it was useless. My feet soon left the ground and the world went upside down. I believe the move he hit me with was called a Bridging German Suplex. His back bent into a pristine reverse arch while I crashed into a slump on the top of my back and neck.

The force of my head and neck slamming against the floor knocked me out. What happened next was a blur. I remember he didn't pin me. Instead, he wandered off somewhere.

There was volatile screaming. So much so that I moved my head to observe. I looked for what felt like hours, scanning the masses with one thought on my mind. It wasn't hard to find. Her silver hair shone so brightly from her seat amongst the dull public.

I remember her face. She wasn't smiling. She wasn't cheering for me. She had her mouth covered by her oversized sleeves. But thankfully she wasn't crying. She just seemed worried for me. I smiled softly hoping that she would see I'm okay.

I remember seeing a figure standing on the top ropes. But I didn't care about that anymore. Whatever happened next was inevitable. Everything below my neck was pins and needles. I managed to twitch my fingers but besides that I was immobile. My scarf, sensing the oncoming end, did what it does best. It swaddled my chest and protected my head the best it could.

I was able to whisper, "I hate to see you cry," before everything went black.