The Crystal Chronicles: Cursed

Wager

I was on cloud nine the day after Matt's and my rendezvous. Even with the weight of leaving soon, it feels like nothing can bring me down. I finally had a routine and Matt... Matt is as charming as ever. With each day, Ashley got better. Her movements slowly became more confident and solid. My archery students are eager to learn and are excelling one by one. I also haven't seen Valerie since the attack. My world couldn't get any better. I was beginning to see Matt's group through his eyes. This place isn't perfect, but it's a lot better than the destruction above.

My day breezes by and before I know it, my classes have come to an end. My last batch of students filter out the door while I clean up. Thankfully, my older students tidied up some before they left so there isn't much for me to do. In no time I lock up the archery training room and walk down the hallway with a smile on my face. However, when I turn the corner to head to the stairs, I find Ty leaning against the wall waiting for me. I pause and raise my eyebrow while Ty boredly picks at his cuticles. I don't think Ty would hurt me, but the way he's waiting in front of the stairs is unsettling. Ty finally looks up.

"Hey Alex. Ahh was wonderin if Ahh could borrow yah for a minute." Ty's thick southern accent put me further on edge.

"Sure." I grimaced. I'm sure this isn't going to be a pleasant conversation.

"Ah'm only wonderin how yah made it out okay and managed to put one guy in the hospital? From the looks of it yah were significantly outnumbered and yet some of our best fighters are bruised and banged up." Ty quickly slurred in his heavy accent. Ty's question causes my body to go stiff. How could I possibly make him understand without divulging what I am? Or that I've been trained by Ravenna. I haven't been able to bring myself to tell Matt, let alone anyone else. The only person in this place who knows my secret is Dr. Baldwin and she figured most of it out on her own! Ty would never understand my situation. He already looks at me skeptically.

"If those were some of your best trained men, I'd say your group is in big trouble. Besides, I wasn't alone. You and Matt saved the day after all." I quickly blew off his pressing question. Hopefully that will satisfy his curiosity. I slowly relax my shoulders and give the southern a small smile.

"Now, hold on!" I freeze and begin to panic. Of course, this behemoth won't let it go. "Don't yah dare act as if we had much to do with your fightin. One man was bleeding out on the floor. Three others were lyin on the ground when we arrived. All Matt did was scare them away, limping. Yah can lie to Matt. Hell yah can lie to everyone in this place until the cows come home, but those lies won't work on me, darlin. I don't trust yah... You're too good to be true. Matt may be entranced by you, but the safety of our people is my number one priority. So, yah can give me some answers or Ah'll just keep diggin." Ty threatened with a shrug of his shoulders. Wonderful... What kind of explanation can I give him that will satisfy his suspicions without landing myself in a holding cell? My reflexes take over and I get a brilliant idea.

"How about we strike a wager instead?" I smirked. "How about we do a single match of hand-to-hand combat. If I win you stop prying. If you win-"

"Yah tell me everythin!" Ty excitedly interrupted me. Cringing at his tone I cock my head to the side.

"No. That won't be happening." I sternly corrected him. Ty's eyes grow dark, and I raise my hands in a partial defeat. It's not truly a wager if both sides don't have something to lose. "But I will tell you everything I can." Wheels spin behind Ty's eyes. He's contemplating if he should take my deal. After all, he might not find the information I give him useful. Minutes pass and my fingers twitch anxiously. Ty finally looked at me and stretched his hand out toward me.

"Deal." Ty replied with a smirk of his own. The look in his eyes is unsettling, but we shake on it. A wager has been struck. There's no backing out now. I quickly crack my neck and stretch as I follow Ty into the hand-to-hand combat room. Ty looks back at me in horror when my neck bones crack one after the other.

"What?" I shrugged. "I've been in a lot of fights. Everything cracks like that." Ty shakes his head and chuckles with me. It's probably not that funny, but I think he understands.

We quickly arrived at the mat. I stand in front of him and quickly get ready. The mood in the room became serious and dead silent. A pen dropping could be heard from across the room. I took a minute to size Ty up and quickly realize why Matt labeled him as the muscle. He's a solid wall of pure, rippling muscles. Ty easily doubles the size of any of the men I fought off the other night. I grimace, his punches probably land like a ton of bricks... Deep breath, Alex. I need to stay focused. Just because he's comparable to hulk doesn't mean I can't do this. No, I must do this. My body is energized by pure motivation. After all, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

I quickly settled into a fighting position and waited for Ty to attack. However, minutes pass and we remain in a silent frozen state. Ty stays planted in front of me waiting for me to break. I quickly become impatient. It's time to end this already. I don't want to sit here and have a staring contest all night. I run a Ty with lightning speed. With one swift motion, I swing my leg out to connect with Ty's head. One quick hard blow to the head should bring this fight to a jolting stop.

However, to my surprise Ty anticipates my quick movements and grabs my leg midair. My kick comes to a grinding halt as Ty's palm absorbs my force. I look at him in utter shock. Ty smirks before he throws me across the room like a sack of potatoes. My mind is blank when my body flies through the air. Suddenly my body smacks against the padded wall with an involuntary humpft. I quickly shake off the embarrassment of being tossed around and re-join the fight. Ty patiently waits on the mat as I walk over. His cocky expression has made me more determined to win.

This time I signal Ty to attack first. I cock my head to the side and flick my fingers at him. Beckoning Ty to come to me. Perhaps I can tire him like I've done in so many fights before. However, Ty must've studied my fighting strategy before he agreed to this. His feet remain planted. Ty refuses to move a muscle until I do. New strategy... I rack my brain for a new opening. I need to get closer. Ty will have an opening to hit me, but if I can get close enough to fake a solid punch to his face. He'll be forced to back up. It'll give me the perfect opportunity to aim for his throat.

Moving toward him I quickly slid across the ground. I swung my leg out and tried to kick his feet out from under him. Only when my shin connects with his ankle, he doesn't move at all. My eyes darted to his face. He's reaching down toward me. That definitely didn't work. Lying flat I quickly dodged his big hands. Tilting down to retrieve me, Ty's center of gravity is now off-balance. I quickly pushed off his knees. My body slides away from his and Ty staggers back.

I quickly kick up onto my feet and blow a pesky strand of hair from my vision. I must give it to Ty. No one in this place has lasted this long solo in the ring with me. No one has been this patient. No one has waited so long for me to make a mistake. His tactics are similar to the ones used by Athena when I was still a prisoner. However, Ty is different. His fighting isn't fueled by jealousy and anger like hers was. His fighting is fueled by something else. Something that is foreign. Something I have yet to understand.