The Nemesis Syndrome

6. Leo

Leo huffed as he straightened, fist raised as the other hand held her collar.

"Why are you doing this?" She whispered, her voice hard to distinguish from the yells coming from the crowd, "You're my soulmate."

Leo steeled his voice, blanking his face. He didn't want to fight – to take a life, but he knew that taking one would spare so many others. "I don't need a soulmate. I need freedom. I don't want, and I do not need you. I need to protect my sister." With that, he let his fist fly, only to have it stopped by her hand wrapping around it.

"Your sister," She pushed his hand away, causing Leo to stumble back slightly, "how do you think she'd feel knowing you killed someone?"

Leo paused, hesitating before he kicked out a leg, hitting her in the legs and causing them to buckle under her. He crouched on her, trapping her beneath his body, "She'll live."

He brought his fist down, snapping her head to the left. Eliza let out a groan as tears welled in her eyes, "I'm your soulmate."

"I know," Leo grunted, punching her once again, "and I'm sorry, I am, but I need to live."

"Stop," she cried out. Leo felt guilt hand heavy in his stomach as he pulled her body up.

"Kill her!"

"Punch her in the face!"

"Come on!"

Leo let his attention be taken by the audience, smirking at them though he silently cursed them.

Out of nowhere, a sharp punch sent Leo's head snapping to the side. He cursed as he raised a hand to his cheek, turning to look at Eliza. He went to attack, but hesitated as he watched her run in the other direction, throwing herself to the door, "Let me out! Please!"

Her wide eyes whipped to Leo and his heart sunk at the fact that he was the one for his soulmate's terror. Her fists pounded on the door, "Please! Help me!"

Leo glanced at the guards by the audience, who gave him blank stares.

"It seems one of the contenders is trying to escape," The commentator's voice sounded amused.

Leo scowled, watching as Eliza turned back to him, chest heaving. A pang of guilt and sadness stung his heart, but he immediately shrugged it off, approaching her and landing blow after blow, trying to do as much damage in the shortest time. He was fighting to survive, but he wanted to make it as quick as he could; she was going to die, but that didn't mean it had to be unnecessarily painful.

Eliza stumbled to the floor and Leo used that time to adjust his weapon. He felt its familiar weight against his hand before he punched her across the cheek. Leo let up, allowing her to stagger to her feet before bringing his fist down on her. She rolled away before impact, leaving Leo to punch the air. Leo scowled as she jumped to her feet, chest heaving and blood and bruised decorating her face and body. The shirt she was wearing stuck to her with blood and every breath seemed to take much more effort.

Leo knew he didn't look as bad as her. His chest hurt and cheek stung, but he knew none of his blood had been shed. His shirt clung to him with sweat, and it clung to his forehead chest and back. Something in him wished that his enemy - his soulmate - knew how to fight. That she fought for her life rather than let him take it. Perhaps the fact that she didn't made it easier for Leo, made it quicker, but he wasn't sure how he felt about it.

Leo lunged for her, arm darting to hit her in the chest before she spun from his reach. "Stop!"

Leo immediately followed, swiping her legs from under her and kneeling above her before she could get up. Eliza threw up her hands, trying to protect herself from the weapon. Should have gotten a weapon, Leo thought, frustrated. He punched and slashed at her arms, knowing that he had cut through the delicate skin on her wrist as blood pooled before dropping to the floor.

"Please, stop!" She begged, tears falling freely.

"I can't, I'm sorry," Leo growled. "We'll both die if I do." Leo referenced to the disappearing families.

Eliza sobbed, "Stop... please...stop..." Her speech was slurring, and her swollen eyes and bleeding body slowed as her arms dropped to her sides.

Tears spiked Leo's own eyes and he swallowed them, "I'm sorry," He whispered as he brought his knuckles to her one more time. Her body finally went limp beneath him. A bell clanged above, signalling the end of the fight and Leo staggered up, heart heavy in his chest and tears threatening to burst.

"And the winner, Leo Jenson!" the commentator called, being drowned by the cheers and applause of the audience. The rich and the privilege applauded themselves for making another murderer.

Leo stood and a wave of nausea passed him, drowning out the voices. His vision blurred and he glanced to the guards, whose heads moved to look at each other. Was this normal? Was this a crash from the adrenaline? What was going on? His legs collapsed under him and pain shot up as his knees impacted the cold floor. He wanted to get up, but his limbs failed to move as his back hit the floor. He distinctly recognised that he was lying next to the dead body of his soulmate.

His heart thudded in his ears, vision blurring but managing to see one of the guards approach his body, his arm gesturing to the balcony above, was he getting help? His eyes slid shut as his breathing slowed and he was picked up, the muttering of the audiences lost to his deaf ears.

A moment later another guard picked up the still beating heart of his opponent.