Kira

Chapter 9. Proving Grounds

The crowd cheered from the stands, bellowing in excitement. A driving, repetitive drumming reverberated in Kira's chest as she stopped in the center of the circular sandy arena to gawk at the massive space.

Black metal risers surrounded the center and rose several stories high. Everywhere she looked were yautja filling the 'stadium', their eyes hungry for bloodshed. There were so many-more than she had ever seen. Kira quickly lost count of how many yautja sat in the stands.

Her people were so numerous! Undoubtedly, millions were scattered across the stars with such advanced tech at their disposal.

"I walked into Gladiator after all..." Kira swallowed as she came to a halt in the center. "Now... Where is the Emperor?" Her eyes wandered, seeking the female leader.

Situated higher in the stands surrounded by an impressive array of bones, Kira located Ni'kaht with her entourage watching from a curved balcony. An elegant bone crown adorned her crest, distinguishing her from the others. The clan leader acknowledged Kira with a slight nod. Moments later, the rhythm of the drums abruptly changed to a thunderous pulse that rallied the crowd into a frenzy.

Across the arena, a red light blinked to life above an adjacent tunnel. A male exited the shadows from the darkness and crossed the sand towards Kira. His hazel eyes zeroed in on her, roaming over her form with sharp calculation widening his black pupils.

He was smaller than she had anticipated, his shorter height being a slight advantage. It hadn't occurred to her that she would have to fight someone that didn't look very formidable. The gong rang, and he roared, flaring his mandibles wide to show off his fangs, and charged forward, sprinting into action.

Kira easily avoided his sloppy attack.

She spun on her heel and delivered a roundhouse kick to his lower back. The male went flying into the sand with a barking growl.

Her opponent swiftly recovered, giving Kira time to assess him and determine how to take him out. He was smaller than her and younger-that she could tell. His locs barely fell past his neck, lacking the banned adornments that Di'kaadh and Ni'kaht wore. There was a noticeable lack of scars marking his tan and brown skin, too.

Before he could land a right hook, Kira beat him to it with a haymaker to the chin. He staggered while she followed her initial attack with her other fist to his lower ribs.

An audible crack rang out, and the crowd stomped their feet in the stands. The sound was deafening!

Hearing the crowd's delight in her viciousness sparked something new that coursed through Kira's nerves, and she quickly put him down with surprising ease. It was only when the gong rang through the stadium that she stepped back, eying the bloody, unconscious male lying face down in the sand. She shook the blood from her hands and watched as two women hauled the poor guy away, his pained groans fading into nothing. Kira shook her locs cockily.

It wasn't long, however, before her next opponent entered the arena.

This time, it was a female.

A female that towered over her.

"Holy snu snu..." Kira said, gawking at the sight of the seven-foot woman charging towards her.

She narrowly avoided a tackle. Rolling to the side in the sand, Kira swept her leg out to knock the giant woman off balance. That earned her a painful kick to the stomach when her attack failed.

Her opponent was too damn heavy!

Hissing through the pain, she straightened her feet and used her core to jump upright. She cringed in pain but refused to waste the slim opportunity and raked her claws deep through the woman's lower thigh. They sliced through her dark hide, leaving jagged ribbons of flesh and coating her claws in neon blood. Kira snarled at her opponent as they locked arms.