Divinity's Hold

Part Six: Rapture (65-66)

65

Rori

I've always wondered what it'd be like if I were in Lyu's place. I looked up at the box where Sanyu was. I could barely make out his figure with the light from his hands and chest. How many thoughts ran through Lyu's mind before each execution? In this personal silence before one strikes the other? The crowd, still deafeningly audible, but still, just a silence. But it was too short.

The Kurixi sprinted forward with a sudden and powerful lunge, kicking the sand from behind him. His claws aimed down at my face. I pushed myself to the side, narrowly avoiding his attack at first, but he spun around. His left arm slammed into me, throwing me across the floor. I got up quickly, but he was already back, swiping my left arm with his right hand and kicking my legs from beneath me with its momentum.

I scrambled back up and tried to put more distance between us. But it didn't matter. He quickly closed the space, grabbing me by the collar and lifted me off the ground. I held tightly to him, my hands barely big enough to grab around each wrist. The mark on his left glowed bright with his eyes and I could feel him shake as the magic surged through him.

His arms brought me closer to his face as he snarled with bared fangs. But his eyes said nothing. Compared to Lyu's screams and cries of pain, he just stared blankly, with the only sound of his voice being the harsh grunts from his blows.

The Kurixi raised me higher, about to throw me down, but I swung up my legs and wrapped them tight around his neck. He tried to pull me off, but I held on as long and I could as he pulled himself forward with each attempt. His heaving breath was hot into my stomach. If I could reach over his head I'd try to suffocate him with my body, but he suddenly let go of my collar and grabbed my legs, causing my body to swing back and hang against his heaving body before falling headfirst to the ground, followed by another massive swat across the yard.

He yanked my arm behind me. His paw on my back and claws piercing flesh. I screamed aloud in agony, but it's quickly cut off as he shred my arm through his hand as he let go and pushed his paw harder onto my back, voiding my lungs of air. He kicked me away like a kid would with a small rock on the street.

I get up again, barely. I had to get out of here! Sanyu was going to kill me with this Kurixi. I needed to form a staff! But I wouldn't. I was up against the wall, spectators above jeered and spat onto me. The Kurixi stalked forward, pressing his left hand heavy on my chest with his crushing weight and raising the other behind his head, ready to put it in mine.

Tears rushed down my bruised face. I couldn't move- I couldn't do anything! I thought about Lyu, how many times he could've failed as executioner, but by some miracle survived every single fight. And here I was, not even making it through one.

Unexpectedly, the massive Kurixi's hand went limp and his arm lowered. He stood there stiff with his gaze glowing down at me. And briefly, his thick brows narrowed in slight worry and confusion before abruptly turning away to warriors waiting to tie him up on the other side of the arena.

I swallowed hard, looking back up to the box. But Sanyu's glow had disappeared. My knees gave out and I sat there in the sand, trembling and stomach churning. I could've died if he didn't stop. Thank the spirits he stopped.

It wasn't long before a warrior hit me with a staff of light, demanding that I get up. The burn was excruciating, far more painful than the cuts all over my body from my battle. She forced me into and through the dark hall for what felt like forever, before stopping to unlock a cell door to my right. To my left was another cell on the other side of the hall. From it a small glimmer of light peered through the wall opposite of the door. On the wall itself and on the floor marked deep scratches in the stonework.