By Midnight Blood

Chapter Two: Destruction is a Form of Creation

Liridia

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"Pardon?" I exclaimed, taken aback by his grim introduction.

He took off the blindfold and I took a step back. He gestured towards the gates with a dull smile, and I shook my head.

"Oh, calm down, just making fun. But it is called the 'The Lyre'. If you would be so obliging to step inside the gates, we can begin." He ordered, smirking at my face of confusion.

"You have one fucked up version of 'making fun'. But what have got to lose?" I shrugged, still slightly glaring at him for causing a scare like that. The women flanked me as Nalem stepped up to speak in His ear. He nodded, and I pushed to the front, walking into the threshold.

"This way." He instructed, pushing past me and I followed behind, observing the manor house on the hill and the orchard stretching for miles. Looking out to the cliff, I could see poles stuck in the sea at varying heights and at various distances from each other. Like the gods had stuck spears into the sea when they were bored.

I could see in people shooting arrows in perfect sync in the orchard, people sparring in dirt circles by the cliffs, people fighting on horses, people flinging knives into targets at least a 100 feet away, people everywhere doing everything.

"What is this place?" I wondered in awe, following behind Him but straying when I saw people knocking and shooting arrows with their feet, I saw a pair fighting with maces and a third joining in with a heavy two handed sword, really when I saw anything that amazed me, which happened to be everything.

"Devil's playground, child." One of the women nodded, watching the archers with a tilt of her head.

"Come, no time to dawdle. This way." He ordered, his voice clipped and tight like a general's.

He led me past the people sparring, and I noticed them noticing me with calculated and judging looks. He walked past the manor, past a field of grazing animals and into a forest, which led to a cave. I looked behind me and didn't see Nalem, just the two women who glanced at me with light smiles.

The cave was illuminated with lights that blinked on when you walked past them and winked off again when you went out of their range.

The cave gave way to a cavern with auditorium-like grandstands which people would watch the event from. A stand of weapons and a rack of shields glinted in the blinding lights which shone down like the sun.

I walked down the stairs which led to the battleground, becoming more nervous with each step toward the barren ground. My gut was telling me to run, but my mind told it to go shove it up it's fat ass. I'd had enough of working all day and drinking all night, reminding myself of my mother and making me shiver.

"Your first lesson-" He began, twirling a knife in his hands easily without looking.

"Wait, we start now? Oh, well. Uh- yes. Sorry, do continue." I cut in, giving him permission to keep talking with a small frown.

"Your first lesson," he sighed almost tiredly, "is to learn to master the art of breaking bones with your bare hands."

"If I could just cut in-" I interjected, my hands unconsciously fiddling with the hem of my tunic.