Clash.
Metal against metal, razor-sharp and deadly.
The glimmering gold, celestial bronze blade was mere inches away from my nose as I leaned in, right shoulder first, with brute force. My arm shook uncontrollably, eyebrows furrowed in determination. I pushed my left foot into the loose gravel of the earth below, doing anything to gain leverage, some sort of advantage against my opponent. One slip, the slightest movement in the wrong direction, and my entire forearm would be sliced in half.
Why us inexperienced minors are entrusted with such dangerous weapons, I'll never know. I just showed up here one day almost twelve years ago. I don't know how or why, just that I did, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me, to all of us. We're safe here; the gods make sure of it.
I retracted the pressure exerted onto the handle, my grip growing tighter as I threw it forwards once more. Clank! We met in the middle, the tips of our swords striking the other with might.
Never had someone been able to defeat this opponent, and my confidence was shrinking by the second. My muscles grew weaker and began to tug at the underneath of my skin as I strained them more and more. Tire and exhaustion was not an excuse to simply give up, it was to propel you forward so you're even stronger at the next encounter.
I bored into the stormy gray, seeing my seemingly inferior reflection within the cloud of courage and grit, wisdom and maturity--something I'll never reach, especially not on a level as high as she.
The alluring scent of fresh, ripe strawberries didn't help with the focusing problem.
Oh, my stomach remembered as it growled boorishly, demanding that I eat straight away.
Shut up, I hushed it, knowing dinner was only a couple hours away. I can make it. I will make it whether my body liked it or not.
"You're panting," she teased as a small, triumphant smile began to form on her face. "Tired so soon?" She dropped low, sweeping her leg across the ground of the stone arena to knock me down.
"Am not," I argued like a child, jumping high and quick to avoid her obvious attack. While she was recovering, I pivoted on my heel and spun, catching the handle of her blade and wrist beneath my left arm as I drove my right elbow into her gut.
"Ugh," she groaned, dropping to her knees and wrapping her free arm around her stomach. Her breaths were short and rapid, a great sign when in combat.
The light at the end of the tunnel, sweet, sweet victory, shone brighter than the sun, facing me head-on, but not at all intimidating. I held her in the palms of my hands. The battle was in my favor and I had every advantage.
Whoever said not to abuse power was clearly not very smart. Clenching at the opportunity that no one in the history of the gods has ever been given before, I took the butt of my blade and pulled it back, ready for the launch.
"Hey, Wise Girl!" a voice shouted from behind me, easily catching my attention, or lack thereof thanks to the stupid ADHD that all of us were so generously diagnosed with.
I could have ended it all, her supreme reign of the makeshift Colosseum built inside camp, but I couldn't help myself. I turned around curiously and spotted a mop of jet black hair and vibrant sea-green eyes moving at full speed toward us.
And just like anyone would have expected, my opponent flung herself at my feet and pulled me down, cold. The base of my back hit the broken concrete and pain shot throughout my body, up my spine, through my skull, and back down again, sending my nerves into a frenzy.
YOU ARE READING
Amaurosis
Fanfiction[Nico di Angelo x OC] Completed! "A life for a life. So, I gave her half of mine." For twelve years, she has kept herself hidden, detached from the crowd, preventing any mingling as to protect them from the danger only she and few others knew existe...
