The Story of Midnight

Chapter 27

"Is it wrong to kill something that wants to kill you?"
― Julianna Baggot, Pure

***

The weapon slid across my throat, but it didn't cut. To be honest, I didn't know if I was relieved, pissed, or just shocked.

How much longer is the Commander going to toy with my life?

I felt a hand grab my jacket collar and forced me to look at him, the intensity of his stare would probably make someone flinch. I didn't know what kind of expression he wore, but I showed him one that didn't reveal anything.

"I told you I wasn't going to make this easy."

He lifted me up, but I barely had enough strength to stand on my feet.

The Commander still held me with the help of my jacket.

"I'm going to make this fair, demon-girl; I think taking your life right now is too simple. So I'm going to give you a chance to fight for it."

"A battle to the death," I stated.

I think he grinned.

"Yes, a battle to see who takes whose life first."

"You're willing to gamble your life away that easily?"

"No, I'm willing to gamble on a battle I know I'll win." He said smugly.

We stayed quiet for some time before he pushed me away from him. I stumbled a bit and somehow managed to regain my balance. I didn't know how I could stand but fighting him right now wasn't one of my advantages at the moment since I was still trying to regain control over my stiff muscles. Plus the beating I received not too long ago didn't make my situation any better, or my still throbbing shoulder.

The Commander didn't seem to care about any of that, he just rushed at me with his sword ready to strike me down. I barely dodged the first attack before the Commander brought me down, face first, into the ground.

Let me tell you, it's not fun falling down only to be met with a stone floor. It felt like my skull cracked from the jarring force. I couldn't even brace myself for the impact.

The crowd expressed their joy and some even laughed.

As I struggled to get up, a hand grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled me up. I growled trying not to cry out in pain.

Now standing, I could tell that the Commander had waves of anger and discontent flowing through the ground.

"Come on, demon, this isn't all you've got, is it?"

"I'm sorry, you seem to have forgotten that I was tied up for a while, and you now expect me fight you in the condition I'm in?" I couldn't help the witty remark from escaping my lips.

My ears couldn't believe what they heard next: he laughed.

But it didn't last long.

He punched me in the stomach and let go of my hair as I fell down on my hands and knees, coughing my lungs out.

Again, he had the chance to end me; pierce his sword through my back and out my belly or even stick it in my skull if he wanted to, but, of course, that didn't happen.

Guess the hunter likes to play with his food first.

My coughing fit finally died down. Not soon after that, I suddenly felt like throwing up. My stomach burned from not eating for such a long time. I gagged a few times, but only saliva dripped on the stone floor as a shiver ran through my body.

After taking a couple gulps of air, I felt a bit better. For now, I guess.

How was I still alive after all this? I'm sure I would've passed out or something, but to still breathe...

"Get up, demon, or do you want me to really kill the boy over there?"

The Commander knew my weakness and I hated him for it. I hated myself for caring for some random stranger. Now look where the idiot's dragged me to.

As much as my body protested against the action, I somehow found the strength to stand again despite the beating I took earlier.

Cloud's body hasn't moved since he was knocked unconscious. At least he was still alive.

My head suddenly snapped to the right making my body stagger towards that direction, but I managed to still stand by resting my hands on my knees.

"That was a cheap blow," I said breathlessly, spitting blood on the ground.

"There're no rules to this fight."

I shook my head to clear it and passed a hand down my face tiredly. I really just wanted to sleep.

Looks like all that torture is really starting to affect my brain more than I thought. He must've drugged me again before bringing me here.

Clever bastard.

I let out a deep sigh, straightened, winced as my body still throbbed, and shakily drew out Haze.

"I wonder who'll end up dying in the end," The Commander asked in an eerie tone.

The crowd grew silent as we both got into our battle stances; staring at each other with certainty that one will be willing to kill the other to stay alive.

I don't think the Commander cared if he already got his fill, or I guess you could call it revenge in a way; he finally got back at me from all those years ago, but he's still going to fulfill that promise too: He's going to kill me with his own hands.

I don't think my body agreed with the Commander, same with my mind; they both just wanted to give up on me.

I closed my eyes briefly to send a small plea to the dragon god, Ryszard.

I ask that you look down on me. Should you deem my existence to be erased then so be it, if not, then I plead to you: give me strength, dragon-father, for I don't know if I will survive this.

I'm running low on hope and I guess desperate times call for desperate measures.

I'll admit, I doubted myself, but it didn't turn to fear. I didn't know if I feared for my life. I was never one to be afraid, but this is a real one-on-one match; winner takes all, or in this case someone's life and their prize is they get to keep theirs.

I've never truly hurt anyone with my daggers, except for that one time, and now I have no choice but to draw blood.

Do I have it in me to kill? Will I feel remorse afterwards? Will I care?

The Commander took slow steps forward then quickly gained speed as he started to run towards me: seems like he made his decision faster than me.

I grit my teeth and opened my eyes before releasing all tension and rushed forward.

I don't think the Commander will ever know how much I hated doing what I did that day.