Restrained

Ivy

We wait in silence as the sun sets. Minutes later a loud echoing dong makes me jump. I turn around and see the guard beside a gong I didn't see when we got up here.

"It's time." The guard says.

Our fathers nod their heads and walk away from one another. The guard holds out two fancy looking swords black and gold hilts. Raz and my father grab them in their hands, as I see Maz looking at the ground. I can feel the tension fill the air.

The fathers take their robes off and the guard takes them. Seeing them shirtless I shouldn't be so surprised that they have a nice sculpted body, but I am. Their body doesn't look a day over twenty-five. I'm staring at their abs in surprise older men could have them. What would I expect though. They have killed many people, so I shouldn't be surprised.

Footsteps approach to the side of me and I look over and see a line of guards. I watch as they walk, taking their places on the outer edge of the circle behind us. Four of them branch out, leaving their group, and stand on either side of Maz and I.

They take hold of our arms. Ivy looks confused and tries to shake them off, but they don't budge, nor do they give me an explanation.

"Ivy, this is their job." Maz tell me.

I look over at him with confusion.

"Why are they holding us?" I ask, and stop trying to push them off.

"It's just a precaution for us not to jump in."

"Oh."

I looked at the ground, then up to our fathers. Tonight will not end pleasant in any way.

A guard hits the gong again, causing me to almost jump out of my skin as it echoes through the mountains.

A guard walks up, falling to one knee between Raz and my father.

"I wish you both the best of health during this time. May the moon be in your favor." The guard says.

Raz nods and the guard stands back up holding out his hand. Raz takes a large sized ring off his finger and hands it to him. The guard takes it and retreats to his spot in the circle.

"What's all the talk about the moon?" I whisper to Maz.

"It's said in the legends that the moon picks the next leader of the leagues. Whoever is the leader, the moon makes them stronger and shapes them to be difficult to kill." He whispers back.

"What about the ring? Why did he have to take it off?"

Our father's stare at each other in the circle, ready to fight.

"It's the ring of the league leaders. All the leaders have the ring. He has to take it off because he's fighting for the position." Maz whispers, filling me in.

I nod and look back at our fathers. They're slightly crouched in the knees, waiting for the other person to make the first move. The bowls of fire cast shadows onto us, giving me an eerie feeling.

My father takes the first move and thrusts his blade at Raz's side. Raz dodges it and throws hsi blade at my father. Their blades clink together, casting sparks to fly.

I bite my lip in anticipation as they pay pin the sword to the human. I glance over at Maz to see him wide eyed in concern for his father. I look back at the battle, which could be over at any time. Only one person needs to make a careless mistake, and they're gone.

My father thrusts his sword at his neck as Raz dodges. Before Raz could recover from dodging, my father hit him in the mouth. I gasp as he spits red on the ground.