Huntress [REWRITE] - NaNoWriMo 2023

Chapter Five

The two teams split across the field from each other and one by one they were chosen to go to the middle and fight against each other. Lucilia sat down right away, while the other boys stood around in anticipation for their chance. Lucilia knew she would be picked last no matter what happened here.

The first fight was announced by her father, it would be Alexander against Bear. Lucilia took note of both of the boys looks and swords.

When they were given the okay, both sprang into action without thinking too hard. Lucilia took a mental note of that. The Circle members planned this. Their fathers knew them best and knew their fighting styles and favourite moves. They were matching Alexander and Bear up because they were similar or because they were different. Based on what Lucilia was seeing, she figured it was because they were similar. Evenly matched without realizing it.

This was a test and a challenge to see if they also could figure it out.

After the next two fights, Lucilia knew her theory was correct. The boys were as evenly matched as they could be and it took a lot of time for one of them to yield. Everyone was pulling out all of their best moves because these were the first impressions and they needed to be the best.

Lucilia studied every boy that went up there like she was a hawk stalking its prey. She briefly wondered who she would be fighting, but didn't really consider it until the fourth fight was announced. Raymond went up for the fourth fight and by process of elimination, she figured out the name of the boy who was left. Theon.

Theon was the eldest of the group, and Lucilia knew the most about him. It took everything in her to not think about everything she knew over and over again and focus on the fight happening instead. She wanted to know how Raymond fought specifically, but it was hard to concentrate when she could preplan her fight.

Raymond lost his fight against Justus, but he seemed to know why immediately, and went off to the side to think about the fight. Lucilia's father then stepped back up to the middle of the field. "The next fight will be, Theon and Lucilia!"

Theon had a smug look on his face. He looked as if he had already won and he was taking in all the cheers. Lucilia was beginning to think that her eyes would be permanently looking at the sky if she did any more eye-rolls.

Lucilia placed the arrows on the ground to the side and left the bow slung across her chest. She then pulled out the short sword and raised it to meet Theon. Theon took time taking his sword out of its sheath. He was trying to show Lucilia that he thought this was going to be easy.

Theon and Lucilia both waited, and waited.

Theon struck first, Lucilia blocked it easily, but felt her teeth rattle from the strength behind the blow. Theon slammed down again, hard again, Lucilia was surprised at how hard he was going for something that was just a yield fight.

The third time Theon swung at her, she ducked out of the way and rolled. Quickly back on her feet, she swiped at his knees. Theon jumped back, but Lucilia managed to cut a hole in his trousers. Theon noticed it right away and swung at her again, this time with a battle cry.

Lucilia quickly learned Theon's pattern. Top left, top right, middle, right. He had too many tells for her to know exactly what he was planning. A twitch in his left knee, a smirk on the right side of his mouth. She dodged and parried it all. Only a few times did she swing back, and every time she caught him by surprise.

She managed to draw first blood, which from the sound that came out of her audience, was not expected.

Theon had some stamina, but dealing hard blows that went nowhere eventually tired him enough for her to do something about it. She rolled away again and grabbed an arrow. In a swift motion, she dropped her sword and pulled off the bow. Theon ran at her, and she darted left. Now was the chance.