His Crimson Eyes (Tangtho AU)

Chapter 2

Three days went by. Dread filled Etho on the day of the semi-finals, but he refused to show it or act on it.

The castle seemed to buzz with excitement everywhere he went. As he walked through the hall of past champions' paintings, he could only wonder how it was entertaining to watch people kill each other. But it was time to stop lingering on why, and just get it over with. At least there weren't too many people left, and he wouldn't be fighting all of them.

All the Challengers sat in a lounge room after they gathered their weapons, waiting for their turn. There was a window overlooking the arena, but only one person now and then looked out of it. Even while doing his best to avoid eye contact, Etho could tell the other Challengers were just as anxious he was.

"Challenger Etho and Challenger False, take your places, please."

Etho bit his lip under his mask, but stood and walked to his side of the pitch. He didn't wait long before the gate opened. With a deep breath to calm himself, Etho stepped into the arena. The long blonde-haired girl he'd seen at dinner faced him.

"For the next match, we have Challenger Etho on the left, and Challenger False on the right!" called the announcer. "Etho has had a reputation this year of being incredibly skilled and impossible to beat. Can he keep that reputation in a fight against another person? Let's see here in one... two... three... Fight!"

False lunged for Etho as soon as the final word was out of the announcer's mouth. Etho waited until the last moment to dodge, then swung his sword around to cut her shoulder. False jumped to her feet, hissing a bit.

"You really are good," she remarked, "but I still can't let you win!"

"Neither can I let you win," Etho growled back, blocking False's sword with his own.

The clash of metal rang through the arena. Yells and cheers from the crowd grew, but Etho hardly heard them. His gaze was fixed on False, analyzing her movements. She moved one way to attack. He moved too or blocked. She moved another way to dodge. He followed to attack again. His focus certainly helped him, but it was still one of the toughest matches he'd experienced yet. Cuts and bruises soon covered his body, and though he had fewer than False, they still slowed him down.

But False was slowing down even more. Her movements had become clumsy, and Etho could easily tell where she was going next. A part of him knew it was time to end it, but his arms wouldn't follow that thought.

Could he really kill someone? Someone who had likely done nothing wrong, only forced into this like he was? False could be a nice person. She could have family and friends who would miss her. Was he going to just end her life?

If he didn't, he would fail, not to mention be in trouble with the king. Besides, even if he spared False, she would just die at someone else's hands later.

The crowd's cries for blood and death rang in his ears, stifling any other thoughts. Etho aimed his sword before shutting his eyes and shoving it forward. He felt the force of False's body as he impaled her. Her gasp, her final breath, seemed like the only air left in the arena as he felt his lungs tightening. Slowly, he opened his eyes.

False's bleeding body lay on the ground in front of him, her once bright blue eyes dull. Etho gagged but swallowed back the feeling. He wouldn't be sick. Not here, not now.

"And Challenger Etho wins! Well done! Now, everyone, stand by as we prepare for the next match."

Etho returned to the lounge, his mind numb. What had he just done?

And how many more times would he have to do it?

The matches went on for hours. Etho watched as the number of Challengers in the room dwindled. He was called again, and he beat his second opponent even sooner than he had the first. However, that made it no easier, and his guilt began to feel like it was choking him.