It didn't matter how many times I stepped into my Arena. The excitement still buzzed through me. The fact that I would only be referee this time around lessened it a bit. But with the way thoughts were going, I might get a chance after all. Several FengDohrn and one human in particular were not happy about my announcement. The opportunity to try their skills against me had been taken from them and many had trained with me in mind. They would never voluntarily fight me in the official Ranking Duel. But the mock duel gave them a chance to try without anything to lose.
I walked to the center of the colossal arena, slipping the control gloves onto my hands. I pressed a small, black, circular sensor to my right temple and another to the left side of my throat. I clapped the gloves together to activate them and a buzz filled the room as the arena came to life.
Every stone pillar spaced at ten-foot intervals began to spin in place and the ones that I thought about or pointed at sank into the ground. The hundreds of ten-foot-long beams that stuck out of the towering, cone shaped ceiling, like the inside-out version of a cactus, began to move downward in a spiral. The room echoed with thunderous thumps as the beams met, until they had created a solid wood ceiling ten feet above the third level of beams.
I stepped back and motioned to the floor in front of me. The ground parted an inch and a thin screen rose out of it. With a few flicks of my wrist, fourteen names appeared on it in two rows. With another flick, the names scattered and regrouped into groups of two and a number appeared over each one.
"Everyone, gather," I said, my voice magnified by the sensor at my throat. All four doors to the arena opened with a wave of my hands.
Guardians converged from all sides.
"Everyone knows the rules," I said. "No killing blows, no injuries that will take more than a few hours to recover from." I eyed Aeryn who was eyeing Daniel with a look of frustration. "And Poeirs are not allowed."
Aeryn looked up, grinning.
Daniel shrugged. "Fine. O.R.D. rules then?"
"Shifting at will is acceptable."
"Just making the rules up as you go, Nazonna?" Gauwin asked, amused.
"Keeping things interesting." I waved my hand at the screen. "Here is your first dueling partner. The arena will divide itself when you are in position. Any questions?"
Gauwin raised her hand. "Yes. What is the prize and when do we get to fight you?"
I frowned. But before I could speak, the com-bead in my ear beeped.
"I know what you're thinking, Tritteon," Rilyin said. "But we talked in length about this. Under no circumstances can you engage in a duel with any of them unless it is emergency related. Not until Rankings."
I sighed. "To answer your second question, not until Rankings, I am afraid."
There were guttural growls from several in the group.
"But the prize is something I am sure you do not want me standing in the way of."
"You don't know what it is, do you?" Gauwin said, unimpressed.
I grinned and shrugged. "It is monetary. That's all I know."
Gauwin rolled her eyes and glanced at the screen. "Callen, let's get this over with," she said, jabbing her thumb in the direction they would be dueling.
The black-haired boy cracked his knuckles, a huge smile on his face. "I've got this."
Aeryn smirked. "No, you don't. She'll knock you out in the first thirty seconds."
Callen's eyes flashed black, but he said nothing, and followed Gauwin from the group.
The rest of them hollered out their partner's name and dispersed.
The moment the last pairing got into position, frosted walls shot out of the floor, surrounding each in a twenty-yard by twenty-yard box. I kicked off my boots and scaled the nearest pillar until I was high enough to reach the ceiling beams and could survey every duel both visually and mentally with a bit more ease.
I stepped out onto a beam, my clawed feet gripping it tight. "At the sound of the horn," I said, my voice still magnified.
There was perfect silence as each person faced the other, taking up their own individual combative pose. I could hear the excitement and anticipation in every mind, both in the arena and out in the observation boxes where the Royals and Ambassadors watched, finalizing their bets for the first round.
"Whenever you are ready, sir," I said to Rilyin.
Rilyin's voice echoed through the arena. "Three—two—one." The deep horn sounded and the beam beneath my feet shuddered.
All thirteen FengDohrn and Daniel went into attack mode. Their fighting styles were familiar and distinctly different. Many had even improved since last year. Callen and Gauwin's fight was almost a blur of swings, kicks, blocks, and dodges. Gauwin had been a worthy opponent last year. This year, her skills were at a new caliber of fierceness, and one of the two pillars within their box was left in pieces. I almost felt sorry for Callen. The previously cocky kid was no match. The frosted walls around them turned green the second the match ended.
A few boxes down, Daniel fought against Kaya, Lord Daxtel's FengDohrn. Kaya was talented and quick. But Daniel was the only one who had ever come close to taking my undefeated title.
None of the duels lasted longer than one minute. None of them were evenly matched. But that was what the first couple of rounds were for. Round two was a little more interesting, a few more pillars left as rubble, but they still didn't last any longer than a minute. Round three saw four matches almost hit the two-minute mark. Round four saw Aeryn and Kasra almost reach four minutes before Aeryn slammed her to the ground and won with claws against her throat.
Round five saw several shortened tempers and blood and broken fingers were prevalent.
"Hanna, Kasra, Kaya, and Lark," I yelled, "you are done. You may exit the arena where our medical staff is waiting to assist you. Gale and Callen, you are disqualified."
The six exited grudgingly.
"Alright. We are tightening things up," I said. "From this round on, you lose, you are done."
There were shouts of approval and the atmosphere buzzed with excitement. No more playing. Everyone was now completely warmed up.
With only four pairs left, monitoring was simple. I could fully enjoy the matches now. For most of them, the Rest House was the only place they were allowed to relax where their charges were concerned, and the Duel was the only place they could unleash their skills and show off without being reprimanded. A stress free FengDohrn was a sight to see and it usually took until the elimination rounds for them to feel it.
The deep horn sounded for the next round.
The remaining eight were closely matched now. Aeryn fought Nova and Nova was finally presenting him with a real challenge. Her moves were quick and almost vicious in their execution as she struck only where it would cause the most damage. There was nothing vicious about her thoughts though. They were only full of calculations and a complete trust in her body's capabilities. Aeryn's bulkiness made him slightly slower, but his blows had a lot more power to them.
Gauwin finally got the opportunity to duel Vialla and the small girl was proving to be one quick, fourteen-year-old. Her moves were similar to Nova's, though not always as perfectly confident in their execution. But she made up for it in her lightning-fast ability to dodge the most damaging of blows.
Daniel was the only one who was still entirely unmatched. Aeryn's words had gotten to him and he was already succeeding in proving he could win without them. He fought Clade this round and though I could hear the boredom in his thoughts, he still put all his effort into the fight, only occasionally holding back to make things more interesting and to allow the duel to last a little longer.
I finally allowed myself to turn my gaze to Angquin and her dueling partner, Seth. I tried hard to keep my observations on Seth, anything to keep myself from thinking about the job Angquin and I had been assigned to. I was grateful neither she nor anyone else could read my thoughts. I hated to admit how incredibly uncomfortable the whole thing made me. Feigning public shows of affection was not something I would ever have considered doing even if the two of us truly were more than friends. I couldn't wait to get back to Fairudin in two weeks, where I hoped at least some things would go back to normal again. Coaxing out a traitor was not my idea of respite.
I winced as Seth managed a kick to Angquin's head, sending her to the ground. She rolled to dodge his fist as he brought it down toward her face, causing him to punch the stone. Angquin used Seth's brief pain distraction to kick his feet out from under him and she jumped on top of him, pinning him with her claws to his throat. The walls around them glowed green.
"Perfect," I whispered, cheering silently.
Angquin got up, offering her hand to help him stand. Seth's eyes blackened as his thoughts turned vengeful.
"Seth, stand down," I yelled. But my command wasn't enough and Angquin's sweet-natured sportsmanship slowed her reaction time.
Seth slashed his claws from Angquin's elbow to her palm. There was an uproar of fury from the arena and the Royals watching. I leapt from my perch into the box, everything turning shades of violet, and threw my Thet at Seth, sending the boy airborne into a wall. All walls disappeared into the ground.
"Cease all matches! Seth, you are disqualified," I roared, grabbing Angquin. I surrounded her arm with a shield of Thet to stop the blood flow and to hold the deep gashes together.
"You think?" Daniel snarled, throwing his own Thet in Seth's direction, sending the boy sprawling.
"I will be okay," Angquin tried, her face pale, her breath coming in gasps as she buried her head into my shoulder. Her arm was shredded. It would take Colleena at least a few hours to put her back together.
"Seth, how could you?" Gauwin gasped, grasping the back of her neck as she laid eyes on the bloody damage.
Seth attempted to get to his feet, the black gone from his eyes. "Angquin, I—"
"Just don't," Daniel growled, showing him a hand covered in sparks.
I scooped Angquin into my arms. "Escort him out," I hissed to Daniel. "We will finish when I return."
Daniel nodded.
I carried her toward the north doors where Colleena would be waiting. A public show of affection would not be difficult in this situation.
"Forgive me for my incompetent refereeing," I said, holding her close.
"Thank you for not ripping out his throat," Angquin whispered. "He is just a sore loser."
"This is extreme, even for him. He could have cut off your hand."
"I'll give you that. You would think someone with only four months left before their nineteenth would be a little more in control, or at least pretend to be."
I glanced back to see Daniel and Gauwin escorting Seth from the arena. Seth's knuckles were white as he intertwined his fingers at the back of his head and dragged them up and down across his hair. He couldn't believe he'd done what he'd done. Sorry didn't begin to describe how horrible he felt. It wasn't like him at all. How had he allowed his judgment to become so impaired? And over a stupid mock dueling match no less...
"At least we do not have any other major events today. I should be recovered in time for dinner tonight," Angquin said, forever the optimist.
I smiled and didn't find it hard to place a brief kiss on the top of her head. Perhaps this assignment wouldn't be as difficult as I'd imagined. "I think you are underestimating the extent of the damage."
"It is probably just the blood and the pain that make it look worse than it actually is."
I smiled against her hair. "You are probably right."
The doors ahead opened before I could tell them to.
"Just rescuing damsels in distress all day today, Tritteon?" Colleena asked, holding the door open for me, her tone light but her brow creased in worry.
I rolled my eyes. "Not now, Thash. I have a Veehm around her arm holding it together. Tell me what to do?"
"Ah, that's why you weren't running." She motioned to the exam table. "Lay her here. I will urge as much of her blood back in as I can, and then Neill will take over for you."
Ambassador Ezlinn Vasprey came around the corner at a run, her face pale. "Is she going to be alright?"
"I'll be fine, ma'am. It's just a scratch," Angquin assured her.
"It is not just a scratch, Ambassador," I corrected.
"But she will be alright," Colleena promised, her eyes glowing as she x-rayed Angquin's arm. "It should only be a few hours. I will see to it personally."
"Thank you, Thash," Lady Vasprey bowed, relieved.
Colleena nodded. "Alright, Tritteon. Tighten that Veehm a little more and don't let any blood leak. And Angquin, keep completely still. Bones and tendons were severed," Colleena said.
I did as she said and Angquin gasped and buried her face in my sleeve. I held my free hand out to her good hand. "Squeeze as hard as you need."
She took me up on that immediately, surprising me with the power of her grip.
"Tighter still," Colleena commanded, placing her hands on either side of Angquin's arm. Her eyes and hands began to glow and the air around them vibrated, and for a moment it looked like nothing was happening.
I obeyed, grimacing as Angquin whimpered into my arm. But then the blood that had filled up the outline of the shield began to disperse, and color returned to Angquin's face.
Vasprey gasped when the grisly extent of the damage revealed itself. Without the blood to hide it, the four deep claw marks and their depth was a nauseating sight. It was lucky her hand was still attached at all.
"Y-you were right," Angquin breathed. "I underestimated the damage. S-someone should punch Seth in the face for me."
"It would be my pleasure," I smiled.
"Break his nose," Vasprey whispered, brushing her fingers through the girl's hair.
"Yes, ma'am."
...