Embers of Magic

Fight

I raised my gloves up to my chin as I stared at the girl in front of me. She hopped back and forth momentarily as she stared me down. Dark skin, dark eyes and even darker hair that she had braided tightly against her head. She looked Brazilian, as far as I could tell.

“Ladies and gentlemen, don't I have a treat for you?” A man said as he hopped onto one of the roof of one of the cars. Tattoos sprawled across his naked torso like people across the streets of New York. The crowd began yelling, nearly drowning out the sound of the train passing by the bridge over head that rattled uncomfortably. “A'ight, a'ight! ” He yelled again, louder this time. “Miss red hair over here said she could beat anyone we put her in the ring with, so I placed her up against our very own champion of the Underground, Trixie!” The crowd went even crazier now, chanting her name with a mixture of excitement and ecstasy.

“But, I know you all love yourself an underdog story, so give it up for the challenger, Ruby!” He yelled as the crowds cheering turned into an arrays of boo's. “Well. The crowd has spoken. Let the fight begin!” I gritted my teeth, as both of us moved to the center of the clearance in the crowd, touching our gloves together before we broke off again.

I could feel my heart thundering, but not with fear like I was used to. My mouth dried out as I stared down into her eyes with pure rage — her eyes that reminded me all too much of the one Zarah would wear as she fought. I rushed forward, throwing the fist punch. She tilted her head sideways slightly as she slipped a punch into my gut. I tumbled backwards, reeling slightly.

I shifted my weight forward as I swung a wide hook. She stepped forward quickly as I felt a sudden snap against my mouth before even seeing her fist. My glove hit the ground behind me as blood trickled from my lip, filling my mouth with a coppery taste. I stood up, shaken, as she continued hoping around back and forth. “Come on, Ruby. Is that all you got?” She asked. Her voice and breathing were completely stable. I spat the blood out of my mouth and moved forward again, determined not to lose.

“Why are you doing this?” Hecuba’s voice echoed through my voice. “Shut up!” I yelled in response as Trixie's eyes tightened up even further. I rushed forward, ducking sideways and out of the way of her kick as I lowered myself, sweeping her standing leg. Trixie's back momentarily hit the ground before she rolled up onto her shoulders, bouncing back onto her feet. I stood up as she threw the first punch this time. I blocked, meeting her wrist with mine. She smiled. “That's more like it.” She said as she slipped behind with hand on my shoulder before leaning forward, throwing me over her back, onto my previously injured shoulder. I gritted my teeth tighter together as I struggled to my feet.

“I'm done going easy. You ready to end this?” She asked mockingly before throwing a wide hook. I stepped forward, throwing a straight jab towards her chin, like she did moments ago. She slipped towards, under my fist as she continued to move forward faster then I could react. She wrapped arms around my neck and arm before sweeping both my legs from under me out, throwing us both on the floor.

My world shook as I slammed down with her ontop of me, throwing endless punches. My head was stuffed with cotton and my hair clung tightly to the sweat that poured off my face, nearly blinding me completely. The voice around us drowned out as I felt myself slipping from reality. The blood in my mouth became thicker now as began coughing, trying to breathe. Everything blacked out.

A sudden jet of water crashed into my face as I shot up right, breathing heavily in shock. “What was that back there?” The announcer of the fight asked. “You promised me a fight. Then you embarrassed me out there.”

I stood up with my head feeling full of cotton. “What do you want me to say?” I asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You're just lucky you didn't get killed out there. Trixie never stopped punching. Even after you passed out. I had to pull her off you.”

“Thanks.” I said.

He groaned. “Kids these days. Anyway, here's your consolation fee.” He said as he handed a small envelope to me. I nodded as I began walking away. “Oh and Ruby.” I turned around, answering to my new name. “Yeah?”

“A couple of kids about your age came around yesterday looking for someone that resembled you. Here.” He said as he pulled out a photo from his back pocket and handed it to me. I remembered it. It was a picture I took with Felix a few years ago, before all this chaos took control of our lives. Before Felix betrayed me. Before Zarah. I passed the photo back to him. “I see the resemblance, but you got the wrong girl.” I walked off again.

I didn't exactly know my way around New York. Or even how I got here. After we left, I passed out on Hecuba’s back and we ended up somewhere near Long Island. It's about a week since then and I managed just fine alone.

After a few minutes, I walked into a 24/7 garage store and moved straight to the  food section and grabbed one of those pie which came in a plastic wrapper and walked to the counter, handing the money over to the lady at the counter. She sighed.

“You don't have to stay with him. There's no point putting yourself through that for a boy.” She spoke, concerned.

“It's not what you think.” I said, raising my hand up and flashing the gloves that I had tied to my wrist. “I wanted this to happen.” I said as I walked out, while opening the pie, taking a bite without heating it. After I finished, I threw the wrapper into a trash can and slipped into the bathroom next to the store and locked myself in. I walked over to the mirror, which barely reflected my face in the dim lighting and stared at my red dyed hair, remembering how it stuck to my face back in the fight. Why I dyed it red, I wasn't really sure. I guess, despite feeling the way I had, I admired the way she was able to stand on her own. I needed to the same now. I sighed as I pulled a knife out of my back pocket and grouped my hair into a bunch above my nape and slit straight through it.