"Nothing." I said, my face full of innocence. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sanna and Rob trying hard not to laugh.
"Oh, Miss!" He said as I wanted to leave. I spun back to face him in a painfully slow motion, plastering a sweet smile on my face. "Yes?" I said, nervously fiddling with the fabric of my shirt.
"I prefer if you would be so kind and try not stare at me as I was some kind of circus attraction." His stony look penetrated me and my face burned with embarrassment. I willed the earth to open and swallow me whole.
"Come on, Kellan doesn't have the whole day reserved just for you." Daniel said, putting his hand on my shoulders. I just stood there, perplexed, completely at a loss for words. I let Daniel lead me away from the table, my mind on autopilot.
"Well, that was embarrassing." He laughed "I believe you owe me a thank you."
"Thank you." I released a breath I even didn't know I was holding.
"Get yourself together Korina. Don't mind him, it is his usual attitude. But next time I would avoid calling him cranky in his face." Said Traxx who was walking next to us. His head fell back as he laughed loudly "Legendary."
"Perfect." I murmured with a gloomy expression on my face.
*
We stepped into a different room that we usually trained in. It was a vast space, clearly meant for shows, with bleachers positioned on both sides of the room. Horror was written all over my face the minute I saw I will have an audience. "What is this?" I pointed at warriors sitting at the side of the room, pumped and filled with adrenaline.
"They all want to see your progress." He shrugged.
"You are joking right?" I turned to him, shocked. "They are about to witness my ass whipping! I am never going to live it down! Look at Kellan, he knows it!" I felt like I am going to run right this minute when I saw his grinning face, his finger urging me forward.
"Korina." Said Daniel, his hands on my shoulders "Just remember all I've thought you so far. And remember to never lose concentration." He tapped my shoulder, pushing me forward.
The room cheered as I stepped closer to Kellan. I was unsure what to do, nervously looking around at the faces surrounding me.
"Watch out!" Maximillian shouted to the crowd. He nodded at me, smiling encouragingly. The massive metal cage slowly lowered upon us, trapping us in, keeping the spectators out.
"What is this?" I asked Daniel, my nerves tingling in my body.
"Protection. So you can't hurt the audience, there are also wards placed on it, therefore no magic can leak trough." He explained.
"All right, all right!" He yelled, putting his hands in the air, calming down the anxious crowd. I felt like a deer caught in the headlights.
"It's your turn now." He nodded at me and turned away to leave. "Daniel!" I called after him, wishing he could stay with me.
He turned to look at me "I am going to lose!" I said, licking my dry lips.
"We will see about that." He smiled and locked the cage behind him. The crowd roared in anticipation. "Good luck!" He lifted his thumbs up, signaling we were ready.
I glanced at the crowd which was getting bigger every minute, people seeping through the doors. They roared when Kellan positioned himself in the middle of the room, gracefully bowing like this whole situation was nothing but a big joke.
My mind went blank as he slowly stalked towards me, not remembering a single thing I've learned. I clumsily stepped backward as he pounced on me, almost tripping over. He hopped all around me, entertaining the crowd and humiliating me in the process.
Suddenly he stopped and turned, using all of his speed, he kicked me in the shin. I was so astounded with the force of the blow I didn't even move. My head snapped back, the power knocking me off my feet. I tried to get away from him, but he grabbed my leg and threw me against the metallic bars of the cage. I groaned from the pain as I tried to pull myself up.
There were loud boos eliciting from the crowd, their voices discouraging me further. Kellan sprinted towards me, his foot connecting with my stomach and a second later, his fist smashed into my throat.
My hand flew to my stinging, burning throat as I desperately tried to draw a breath. I wanted to cry out but only disturbing, gurgling noises came out of my mouth. My stomach rolled as I felt an overwhelming urge to retch.
"Korina you can do this! Just remember what Maximillian and I thought you!" Daniel yelled somewhere in the distance.
I felt Kellan spinning me toward him, grabbing my hands. He twisted them badly, kicking me in the chest. Air was knocked out of my lungs as I was sent flying, hitting my head in the process. I felt the blood in my mouth, my vision blurred as I barely saw him standing before me.
I sidestepped at the last second, evading another powerful blow to the head. I could barely stand since my feet buckled, and I felt terribly disoriented.
I ran away from Kellan, propping myself further with my hands.
Rolling myself out of his way a little too late, his heel connected with my ankle. An awful crunching noise echoed around the room which was now filled with deadly silence. Grabbing my useless leg as I collapsed to the ground, roaring in anguish. Tears clouded my vision, and I felt an urge to beg them to let me out.
As I sought Maximillian out in the crowd, I saw him instead.
Yannik was not sitting far away, a bitter expression on his face. I bet I was the circus attraction to him now. And that was enough to stir the rage in me. A rage so vivid I saw red. I couldn't let this arrogant man see me fail. I am not weak and I am certainly not a coward who would give up without trying.
The crowd roared in approval as I pulled myself back on my feet. I felt the change in my body as my bones regenerated with astonishing speed. But that was not the only thing that has changed. I could smell and see Kellan's body heat as he would be standing a mere foot away from me. And now I understood why I was the perfect predator.
A deep growl tore out of my throat as I attacked. I used my speed as I lifted myself on the bars, kicking Kellan in the face. His head cracked, tilting to the side. He dropped to the ground as my fist sprang towards him and I realized how slow he really was. As he was dropping to the floor, my elbow connected with his nose. He rolled onto his back, holding his bleeding face in his hands. When I grabbed him by his collar I pulled him across the floor and threw him at the walls of the cage.
He tried to stand up, but I jumped on his back, clutching him in a death grip around his neck. I used my weight to tip him over, bashing his head on the hard floor.
His eyeballs rolled and he spat blood as it seeped out of his mouth.
Suddenly he bared his fangs, sinking them into my neck.
His bite was a weak attempt to fend me off. I effortlessly tore his mouth away from me.
"I am sorry." I whispered as I pulled his hair, hitting his head against the cold bars of the cage.
The crowd thundered when Kellan's body dropped to the floor.
I was so appalled by my violence, just standing there, unmoving and staring at his bloodied body.
"Kellan." I shook him gently. "I am sorry, I don't know what happened." I looked up to call for help and in that instant, I saw my reflection on the metallic surface.
A small cry tore out of my mouth as I saw my face. My retinas had dark red capillaries interlaced in them, black veins spreading from my lower eyelids down to my cheeks. My teeth were like Traxx's, all of them were razor-sharp, not just fangs like the others had.
I felt someone hug my waist, pulling me towards him, but I fixedly stared at the reflection of the devil himself. The person holding me tore my fingers from Kellan as somebody else lifted him, carrying him away.
"I am a monster." I whispered to myself.
"No, but you are a Cerberus, if someone dares to challenge you, provokes a wrath in you. You've done well Korina." Daniel said, still holding me tightly against his chest.
"How can this violence be good? You were right all along, am I dangerous and evil!" I looked at him shocked.
"I never said its good, I said its necessary. And he knew damn well what would've happened if he provoked you the way he did." He whispered in my ear. "Defending yourself doesn't make you evil Korina."
He studied me for a while "You had a motivation, didn't you? What happened?" He looked at me curiously, contemplating what would be the cause of the sudden change in my behavior.
"I just couldn't give up like that." I told him, covering up the real reason. He watched me closely, his eyes narrowed, but he let it go.
I looked away, avoiding my reflection on the metallic surface, even though my face was now back to normal. My eyes caught Liam standing near the bars, watching warriors carrying away injured Kellan. His mouth was stretched into a wide laugh, a smug expression on his face. It was like he was glad his friend got beaten up. I felt an uneasy feeling growing in my belly as I watched him turn his eyes on me. His smile suddenly faded away, and he swiftly turned to leave.
*
I barged into the med bay, going straight to Kellan's bed, nearly knocking poor Elliot in the process. "Easy." He caught me by my arm.
"How is he?" I asked him, worried. Even though he looked healed, he was still not conscious.
"Already healed. He is just sleeping." Elliot said.
"I didn't mean to hurt him, Elliot." I watched him in desperation "Why are they doing this? Forcing warriors to beat each other?" I asked him, clutching his hand. He winced, trying to pray my fingers away.
"Oh. Sorry." I smiled nervously, pulling my hand away from his.
"They are not forcing anybody. They would have stopped you if you'd went too far. Warriors missions are brutal Korina. It means a fight to the death, therefore they need to be ready. This is the only way to unleash their full power." He said, gently smiling.
"Do they need to make a spectacle out of it?" I said skeptically.
"It's an adrenalin rush, not just for the spectators but also for the fighters. The fighters are eager to please the crowd, so they give all they've got."
I shook my head in disbelief, but I understood that this was the way they trained. I wasn't a violent person, but I've just stepped in a brutal, unforgiving world, laced with death and malevolence. This was nothing like my peaceful little hometown, this was a battle for life and death and the last one standing was a survivor.
I turned when I heard stirring on the bed beside me.
"Well, well." Kellan smiled "I guess I was wrong." He grimaced, looking at me.
"I am sorry! I didn't mean to!" I pleaded him with my eyes, hoping he will forgive me.
"Well, you'd better meant it. I said I won't go easy on you." He shrugged.
"You broke my ankle!" I accused him, forgetting why was I really here.
"Korina when you would fight demons out there, it won't be just your ankle. Nobody will spare you." He said with a stern look "But you've made quite a progress. Your teachers must be proud." He nodded approvingly.
"How can somebody be proud, when I hurt my friend?" I said, sadly.
"So you consider me your friend? I am honored." He smirked "Don't worry about it, it was just a test, next time you will get a tougher opponent." He stood, intending to leave.
"You've got to be kidding me!" I said, my face ghostly white.
"Not at all!" He walked off, leaving me stunned.