Timothy Eli and the Light Guard Trials

Sub-Chapter 22: Deserving Heart

I made my way around Eve and Beth as they begrudgingly moved to the side.

"C'mon, Tim. Luke's getting more pounded by the second," Pete added. "Who cares who says it; it's about it being said."

"No, it's not. No one can say it because they haven't seen what I've seen or felt what I've felt," I continued. "It needs to come from me."

As we bickered back and forth, Benjamin toyed with Luke flashing from spot to spot tripping him. Humiliating him in front of the whole crowd. He laughed as Luke helplessly swung at him way too slow to land a punch. Jacob looked like he wanted to destroy him.

"You come to my world and have the nerve to challenge my legion," he replied continuing his humiliation.

TRIP! Luke landed face first as he grabbed his legs out from under him.

The sections outside of the Earthborn section began to laugh hysterically as Luke fought to regain his footing.

GRAB! Just as Luke made it back to all fours Benjamin appeared behind him once more grasping his ankle.

"This is just embarrassing. I mean, weren't you going to make me shut up!" he screamed hoisting Luke high in the air.

SLAM! He slammed Luke to the ground with jarring force as we all watched helplessly. Sai covered her eyes with every blow. Jacob was seething. His normal calm and collected demeanor was replaced with an angry scowl that was piercing a hole through Benjamin. Benjamin walked over to Luke's limp body in a mocking manner placating to the crowd the entire time.

"And you don't even have the presence of mind to know how in over your head you actually are," he replied. "And then you threatened me!"

GRAB! He scooped Luke up by the back of his uniform and hoisted him up once again.

"Tsst," he replied sucking his teeth in a demeaning manner.

PUNCH! He socked Luke with a cross that sent his head leaning to the opposite side.

"How stupid do you have to be?" He replied socking him again.

PUNCH! He socked him in the stomach causing Luke to keel over as he held his helpless body with one hand as the crowd continued to mock Luke.

Sai was hardly able to contain herself as she fought to intervene as Jacob prevented her from moving.

"Let me go, Jacob," she ordered powerlessly.

I fought to get out of the barrier with everything I had in me, but my body was like an overloaded computer. Every action took forever and it was killing me to watch what was continuing to transpire as a result.

KICK! Luke exhaled loudly as Benjamin throttled him with a kick to the stomach.

GRAB! He tossed Luke like a paper weight switching hands as he did.

GRAB! He caught him one last time with a firm grip.

Luke's eyes lit up as he channeled what little faith energy he had into his first offensive attack.

WHAM! Luke landed a flipping double back kick square to the nose of Benjamin breaking his grasp. Benjamin chuckled knocking the dust off his nose not even scratched by Luke's attack.

"I'm trying my hardest to not make this personal," Benjamin continued mocking. "You know with the rules in all but if you keep insulting me by swinging at me with that laughable faith energy, I might be in jeopardy of forfeiting this match, out of sheer annoyance."

I finally made it close to the edge of the barrier trying my hardest to get to Luke before Benjamin mounted another attack. I could feel part of my body returning to normal as I hit the barrier.