Life Without You

Hopeless

Octavia:

I made my way to the center. Azuma and Indra both hovering around me giving different directions. Indra was sure that I was completely capable of taking this man down, but Azuma was scared. Scared that his strength would overpower mine. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Azuma's face tensed, his eyes narrowed down at me. There was darkness in his eyes, something Azuma never showed.

I stood in front of him, my eyes shifting up to meet his. "No one should question my strength." Azuma's head tilted to the side, his brows furrowed. He opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off. "If I die, I will die a good death."

Indra stood beside Azuma, her fists resting on both hips. "Now focus. He may be bigger and stronger, but you are smarter and quicker. Let him attack. When he loses he shows a sign of weakness, then you must attack." Indra held out a sheath with my knife carefully placed inside. The crowd began chanting my name. "Your people believe in you."

Major Rhodes stands on the other end of the circle, his hand gripped tightly around a smaller sword provided to him. I whip my sword out of its sheath, the clash of the sword against its cover echoing over the crowd. I held the sword close to my chest, my fingers running along the edges of the blade, sharpened to perfection.

Indra made her way to the center standing between Rhodes and I, her hands interlocked behind her back. "These prisoners dare question the strength of our commander." The crowd fell silent. "Today they will see the strength of our people. Commander, do you accept this challenge to fight to the death?" I tightened my grip on my sword, nodding in response.

Indra moved out of the way the beat of the drums overpowering the cheers of the crowd. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. I calmly stood at the end of the circle watching Rhodes as he stood across from me. His chest aggressively rising and falling, his eyes wide, and his knuckles white from the tight grip on his sword.

I began slowly pacing waiting for him to make a move. After a few minutes, he ran at me with full rage. His sword held straight ahead of him. I countered his attack, stopping his sword with mine. My leg swinging up immediately to kick him in the gut. His torso hurled forward, his head hanging low. Once his head swung forward I swung my knee up to hit his face. Blood splattering all over his face from his nose.

His eyes shot up, filled with rage. He charged forward, swinging his sword at my head. I leaned back immediately the edge of his blade inches away from my face, almost skimming the tip of my nose. I stood back up swinging my sword towards his stomach the tip of my sword skimming his skin. The blood seeping through his shirt.

He lunged forward, upper cutting me straight in the jaw. I was thrown back. Immediately he kicked me in the stomach, knocking me straight on my back. Once he threw me to the ground I swung my legs back over my head, jumping back up to my feet. He swung his sword quickly deflecting his. We quickly fell into sink, our swords constantly clashing against one another.

I swung up for his head, he quickly ducked swinging his sword at my leg. The cut from his sword burned, but I quickly retaliated swinging my sword at his chest. He grabbed the tip of the sword, his blood pouring out of his hand. He swung his sword at my hand, dropping my sword I stepped back dodging his blow.

The crowd became silent. Rhodes rushed forward with his sword aimed straight at my chest, I dodged him jumping up to wrap my arms around his head. Cradling his head between my arms I pulled him to the ground, my back hitting the rocky Earth floor. His sword fell a safe distance from him, leaving both of us weaponless.

Once we were both on the ground there was a fight for power. He laid some punches to me, but I countered his attacks. Using my legs to flip him over. Jumping up we both stood across from one another, our breathing heavy and uneven. As he was about to charge I stormed forward slide tackling him to the ground, his face hitting the floor hard.