From Ash and Gold [ ongoing ]

| chapter one |

A   R E M I N D E R

Akira rammed the jammed wooden door open, brushing the dust off her shoulder, and immediately hit with the sour stench of alcohol and sweat. Dim with flickering torches, the large underground bar was scattered with rickety stools, splintered wooden tables, and large burly men, either waiting to get inside the boxing ring or placing bets on the people who would. As Akira walked to the opposite side of the room, where the bar was, she watched two men pummeling each other to the ground, their bare chests slick with blood and sweat. This den had become a hiding place for her, and the countless people who had something to hide. Something that they were running away from. 

Akira slid into one of the barstools and rung a small bell, and no later, a plump, bright cheeked man appeared with a sloshing cup of beer. 

"Akira! My favorite customer," he grinned. "Happy Birthday! Here's one on the house for ya," he said, sliding the glass mug across the counter. Akira smiled warmly, despite the swirling pits in her stomach. Today marked the fifth anniversary of the assassination. A mourning day for the kingdom and Akira. They mourned the death of the King and Queen, and Akira mourned for her soul. 

"Thanks, Monty. I appreciate it," she said softly, realizing today would be the last day she would see her friendly bartender. Perhaps, she had grown to like this place, no matter how many broken bones and tears it got out of her.

"Don't drink too much, woman. You've got a match coming up soon," he said, peering at her through his round-rimmed glasses. "I've placed my bets on you," he chuckled. Akira looked behind her shoulder to see two young boys cleaning the floor of the boxing ring. If she squinted, she could see the red-brown stains on the rope. Blood always left a stain. If not one place, then the other, but it always did.

Akira raised her cup. "I'm winning it for you, then." Monty saluted and went to the back and Akira set her mug down, letting the nerves settle in. She needed to win this more than anything. She needed the extra money to board the ship tomorrow. The only way for a few months to get out of the kingdom. To leave her past behind and get a shot at living a normal life. 

The clock started chiming, which meant she had five minutes before her match started. She rushed into the changing room next to the bar. Akira could feel the vague hum of alcohol in her veins as she lifted up her shirt and tossed it to the other side of the room, leaving her in a white, fitted undershirt. Throwing open the cabinet door, she grabbed a pair of scissors and white cloth and wrapped it around her palms and knuckles, and rushed out the door. 

Men had already gathered around the ring, jeering and shouting, the jingle of coins bouncing off the walls. She climbed into the ring, ducking under the ropes and jogging to the center, feeling the muscles in her neck and shoulders unwind and relax as she rolled them. Boxing never got old for her. It gave her the same adrenaline rush, a buzz that alcohol could never give her. And it never was unjust. Unlike everything around her, your opponent didn't care who you made love to, or whether you were a boy or a girl, or you had magic in your veins or not. They just wanted to win. 

She sized up her opponent, a lean man with obvious strength with average height. Yet, he still towered over her. He had scars running down his face and when he bared his teeth to scowl at her, she noticed that he had three crooked teeth and four missing ones. Akira smiled sweetly. He would have six missing ones by the time she finished.

Akira bumped her fists together and let out a breath before shaking hands with her opponent, and heard the referee say, "Fight." All the noise from the crowd faded away and she focused on the man in front of her.