Blood, Fire and Vampire Slayers: Jasper Hale love story Book #2

18: Blood in the Arena

Despite his good performance the previous day, Jasper found himself growing anxious as the time to fight drew nearer. He arrived at the arena shortly after Klaus and Astrid. A screen in the armoury hallway was displaying yesterday's notable moments as they walked in.

"Hey, you're famous," said Klaus, pointing up. The caption read, "best new knight" in bold letters. Jasper saw himself leaping in slow-motion off the centaur's shield and onto his back for the final strike. If Jasper could, he would have blushed.

"It sounds like there's a lot more people today," he said, listening to the chanting and stamping feet above them.

"More people will come as the matches get more intense," said Klaus. Astrid put most of Jasper's armour on first and then started on Klaus, who was fighting first that morning.

He was wearing black leggings and a deep blue tunic. She wiped old dust off the armour as she secured it. Sabatons over his boots, plated greaves and on his legs. Klaus pulled his chainmail shirt over his head, which hung just past his waist to his thighs, while she secured his knee cups. Klaus's gauntlets were made partially out of leather for better grip and mobility. He wore leather without plating on his elbows for the same reason. Working her way up, Astrid strapped pauldrons onto his shoulders and made sure Klaus could move his arms every which way without a squeak of a hinge. She picked up his wedge-top shield, straight at the top and curving down on each side to a point at the bottom. Klaus held his arm out while she tightened the strap near the elbow and he flexed his fingers around the other strap in his hand.  Then, with a sigh of satisfaction, she looked him up and down and stood on her toes to kiss his lips delicately. With his sword and helmet in her hands, they went into the passage separating the network of lockers, change rooms and medic posts from the fighters' entrance. The last fight was ending as Klaus put on his helmet with the visor raised.

The MC announced the winner, Milo Wagner, and a knight in deep red armour came in from his victorious duel. His great helm only had a slit to see through, and he didn't take it off. His armourer was an old man who had worked at the festival since Astrid and Klaus first started coming there together. Milo turned his head in their direction, looking at her and then at Klaus as he put the visor down and Astrid hooked it into place. He stroked her cheek lightly with the metal tips of his gauntlet and she mouthed, "ich liebe dich," to him.

"Alright folks," said the MC, "please welcome back to the arena one of our fan favourites." Klaus shifted from one foot to the other as Astrid gave him his sword and he took his spot at the door. "He made the "knights to watch" list last year coming in hot at number four overall." The crowd started to stamp and shout and Astrid looked proud as she turned to go up the stairs to the armourer's bench. "Klaus Hoffman!" The brightness from outside spilled into the passage and Klaus walked into the arena.

"Go Klaus!" Edward shouted from behind the armourer's bench as the fighters took their places. He and Alice were watching while Bella and Ezzy had some mother-daughter time. Klaus's challenger was Luke de bois, a half-giant, nearly double Klaus's height. Luke made the first move, coming for Klaus with a mighty swing. Klaus blocked with his shield and moved his sword in an arc that clipped Luke's arm. Immediately after, he jabbed and Luke's health fell as the blade ran into his lower abdomen. As the rounds went up in number the health bars lengthened. It left more room for error, but it made the fights longer and harder to get through.

Luke knocked Klaus back with his shoulder, but Klaus stayed on his feet. He ducked under a high sword swing and jumped back from a low sweep. Luke reacted quickly, kicking out when Klaus was unbalanced. Klaus fell, but rolled out of the way when Luke tried to pin him under his foot. Astrid held the arena railing tightly, her body tense, but her face giving nothing away. Klaus jumped to his feet as Luke turned with his sword raised. With a shout Klaus landed a kick on Luke's leg. He stumbled. Klaus kicked again and the crowd gasped as the half-giant fell to one knee and Klaus's blade took a strip of health with a swipe on his ribs. With Klaus up close, Luke swung his sword downwards, but Klaus parried. Luke stabbed at him, desperate now, but Klaus spun out of the way and landed his sword on the pauldron on Luke's shoulder, the giant lunged at him and Klaus skipped to the side for a final blow at the back of Luke's neck.