Heathen Series - Changed

Chapter 18

Stephanie was badly bruised and utterly exhausted from being punched and thrown around like a bunch of bean-bag chairs. The fight wasn't going as well as she had planned, and she started regretting going through with this as it neared the end. She had lasted the whole of the first round even though Kyle had won easily; at least she did get at least a few punches and kicks in.

She was out of breath, bleeding from her lip and had bruises she didn't know she could get. She wiped her nose and could feel the cut on her lip begin to swell.

They had an intermission in which she sat heaving and trying to control the pain that started to turn parts of her body numb. She pushed all the pain to the back of her mind, not that it worked well at all. Sweat coated her skin and she ached in places she didn't know sweat. She looked up and saw how the Right-Hand was complimenting Kyle on the match so far while the General and the Captain were deep in conversation.

***

Round two was much worse and seemed to last longer than round one.

Kyle fought as if it was second nature to him; she wasn't surprised considering the rumors that circulated in school. His movements were smooth, and he was barely out of breath. He kept his eyes on her and struck her at the best opportunity. She blocked as best as she could, but it was useless and created unnecessary pain. He had also started taunting her little by little.

She expected that he would; seeing how he was at school she knew it would come sooner or later and she was glad it was sooner. His taunts caused her to lose focus though, and throw her off balance even though she tried not to let it get to her.

He knocked her hard on her ass and she lost the round as she had expected.

***

She gulped down as much water as she could during their intermission and looked around at all those who showed up to watch them. As she studied them all she noticed a group that sat apart from the rest of the soldiers on the stands under a tree. it was the same group that she saw the captain train with the other day. She could have sworn that she saw one of them had a tail. She brushed it off though, thinking it was because of the punches she got on the head.

People were surrounding Kyle congratulating him and cheering him on. The Right-Hand was laughing with them while she glared at her over Kyle's shoulder.

The Captain and General stayed in their seat discussing something important then turned to stare at Stephanie; she felt very uncomfortable and it wasn't because of her aches and bruises.

The Captain smiled, and the General studied her intently – he looked very intrigued with her and how far she had come.

She looked down and took a breath.

Intermission was over faster than she would have thought, and it was time for the final round.

The final round would determine who wins and who loses despite the first two rounds. She was losing, and she knew she wouldn't be able to beat him in her current state.

***

Kyle didn't stop for anything at this point in the match. He punched, kicked and threw her without any remorse. She hit the ground hard and broke a few ribs, or so she thought.

The pain caused her to move less fluidly and she struggled to get up each time she was thrown to the ground, but still she forced herself up.

Kyle kept taunting and mocking her; all of it low blows.

She shrugged them all off, until...

"I knew you would be easy to beat but I didn't think you would be this easy."