The X Pathogen

Chapter Four

Ash took a deep breath before pushing open the doors to the arena. The massive, pristine white building was intimidating on any day, but today the sense that Ash didn't belong there was stronger than ever.
Combat rings had been set up all over the facility, with various structures to act as obstacles during the fights. Moderators stood next to each ring, ready to announce winners and stop fights if they got too intense.
Off to the side, was a rack containing every weapon imaginable. Ash walked over to the rack and let out a sigh of relief. They were only training weapons, which meant they were harmless.
Ash took their time picking out a weapon. Guns were tempting, but Ash wasn't a very good shot, not to mention the close quarters would render at least half the firearms useless. Melee weapons were better suited to the small rings, but yet again, most were not exactly their strong suit. Plus, Ash was pretty short, and the long staffs and spears were a little impractical for them. That left swords and daggers. Blades were Ash's preferred weapon, they weren't as loud and unpredictable as guns, and didn't tower over their head like most spears would. Ash examined each blade, making sure to test the balance on each and every one. They finally landed on a pair of daggers, which would allow them to move quickly and be effective in close quarter combat.
The large display built into the side of the facility had a list of everyone's names, their opponents, and the ring in which they'd be fighting. Ash quickly found their name, but they didn't recognize their opponent's name. Really they were just glad it wasn't Nadil.
Once Ash found their ring, they began running through some basic drills. Ash's instructors had prepared them well for this exam. Combat training went year round for potential GSA cadets, and it was brutal. That being said, Ash genuinely enjoyed the training. They weren't a natural fighter by any means, but they worked hard. Ash wasn't the best in their class but they were at least in the top fifty percent.
Of course, being decent with daggers was no guarantee of victory in this exam. Some applicants had been training for this day since they could walk. Hopefully, their opponent wouldn't be one of those guys. Still, it wasn't as if all hope was lost if they didn't win. The exam committee judged based on skill. Provided Ash could prove they were a competent fighter, they could pass the exam.
The moment their opponent arrived, however, Ash knew that wasn't going to be a problem. The boy standing before them was average height, as thin and pale as a sheet of paper, and holding a sword so poorly that a slight breeze might have knocked it out of his hands. He had inverted eyes, with white pupils and black sclera, but Ash could see the nervousness even in his strange eyes.
Ash glanced at the moderator who was eying the boy with an equally concerned look. The moderator gave a quick shrug and motioned them both into the ring.
"Alright, you two, here's the deal. The weapons have been designed to release red ink on contact, so I'll be able to see if you've been hit. Three strikes, and you're done. You can also yield at any point if you get overwhelmed or realize the situation is hopeless," the moderator gave the boy a long, hard look.
Ash nodded, and the boy gave a timid, terrified nod.
    As Ash slid into a defensive stance, they had a brief moment where they couldn't help but wonder if the boy was trying to trick them somehow. Throw them off guard by looking weak then pulling out some impressive skills at the last moment.
    That concern quickly dissipated. The boy attacked first, sword held directly overhead, clenched in both hands, running directly towards them. Ash hesitated a moment, feeling almost guilty as they slashed the boy's chest, leaving a long, bright red streak down his shirt.
    The boy stared at the mark on his chest, grit his teeth, and swung his sword. Ash stepped to the side as his blade harmlessly sliced through the air. Their opponent stared at them, whether in surprise or disappointment, Ash couldn't tell. Yet again, Ash felt a pang of guilt as they slashed the boy's back with both daggers. Two more red lines across his shirt.
    The moderator pressed a button on his reampad and a buzzer sounded.
    "Okay, that's three. Applicant 257 is the winner."
    The boy's whole body deflated, he turned to walk away.
    Ash grabbed his arm, "hey, there's still a chance you passed! If you did well on the other exams, they can still let you in."
    He looked up, tears welling up in his eyes, "really?"
    "Yeah! Combat is hard if you haven't had any training or experience, the testing committee knows that."
    He smiled, "Thanks. My name's Gus by the way. What's yours?"
    "I'm Ash, nice to meet you Gus!"
    "You too, Ash. I better get going but hopefully we'll see each other again."
    "Good luck!" Ash waved goodbye then headed towards the rack to return their weapons. After the daggers were safely returned to their rightful place, Ash took a quick glance around the room. They noticed Saji was getting ready to fight, and decided they'd stick around to watch.
    As they got closer, Ash noticed her opponent.
    "Oh boy," they muttered.
    Nadil glowered at them, "what do you want?"
    "I'm just here to cheer on Saji, calm down, birdboy," Ash rolled their eyes.
    "What did you just call me?"
    "Oh of course, I'm sorry," Ash grinned, "I meant birdbrain."
    Nadil looked like he wanted to strangle them, he probably would have if the moderator hadn't loudly cleared her throat and pointed toward the ring.
    Saji gripped a bowstaff, which Ash was fairly certain she'd chosen because it could also function as a crutch. She limped into the ring, carefully avoiding putting any weight on her broken foot.
    Nadil held a small pistol, which Ash was fairly certain he'd chosen because he thought it would give him an easy win.
    Then the moderator started the match with the same buzzer sound as Ash's moderator.
    Nadil immediately raised his pistol and fired.
    Saji was frozen in place. The paintball hit her square in the chest, leaving a massive red splotch behind.
    Nadil smirked, and raised his gun to fire again.
This time, Saji lifted her injured foot off the ground and raised her staff. The red paintball blazed towards her, but to everyone's surprise, no red splotch appeared on Saji.
    The girl had managed to leap out of the way on one foot faster than most people could have managed on two.
    Nadil growled, "Lucky dodge. I won't miss next time." He fired again, but just like last time Saji remained unscathed.
    It was Nadil's turn to turn into a terrified statue as Saji's staff came slamming down. He tried to dodge, but the staff still smashed into his shoulder, with an immensely satisfying "whump."
    Saji still stood on one foot, staff raised, and ready to attack. Nadil's face contorted with pain and frustration. With a frustrated growl, he raised his gun again and fired three shots in rapid succession.
    Ash flinched, one of the shots had found its mark. Saji could only take one more hit before she lost the match. But then again, Nadil only had one more paintball.
    Nadil grit his teeth and lifted the pistol one last time. Saji was standing much closer than she had been before so there was no time to dodge. In one quick motion, she blocked the paintball, and smacked Nadil in the stomach.
    He fell to the ground with an 'oomph.'
    Then the buzzer sounded.
    "The match goes to applicant 109," the moderator said.
    "Wait what?" Ash cried indignantly, "she blocked his shot!"
    The moderator sighed, "Some of the ink hit her. Unfortunately, I have to count it."
    Nadil's cocky grin suddenly vanished, "Unfortunately? Aren't you supposed to be unbiased?"
    The moderator shrugged, "Only so far as my actions. I can say whatever I want. And, well, I have to say, I think you're an obnoxious grick."
    Nadil glared at her, but didn't respond.
    "Alright, if that's all, you three can go wait in the auditorium for results," she winked at Saji and Ash, "good luck you two!"
    Nadil looked about ready to beat the living grick out of the moderator, and if it hadn't been for her very real handgun, he might have tried it.