Chiron Academy

Chapter 17.3: Wyatt's Big Moment

Wyatt pulled his gloved hands back up. What was happening? He'd expected this fight to be a cakewalk. Somehow he'd turned into the cake.

His mind shot to his sword, still tucked away in his locker. Why hadn't he brought it? He could really use the extra strength it gave him right about now.

He inched away from her, trying to put some distance between them. He was taller than she was and his longer arms meant he could get out of her range and still be able to score some hits.

It seemed Mariah wasn't going to allow that; she pursued Wyatt, keeping pace with him, trying to worm her way inside his guard.

He tried to throw some quick jabs, something to push her away. She was just so close to him; they were practically touching. He could barely extend his arm at all, nowhere near the distance he normally liked.

Raising his foot up as best he could, he planted his foot on her hip and pushed outwards, sending her back a couple of feet.

But she just barreled back in, pummeling his guarding forearms with a flurry of quick punches.

He raised his foot again, to push her back farther this time. He needed room to breathe for heaven sake!

The second he raised his foot, she pushed in, shoving him backward.

He tried to catch himself, but he only had one leg on the ground. He awkwardly stumbled backward, struggling to regain his composure.

He had to turn the tables somehow. But how? She was relentless, always driving closer, closer.

He fired off two more punches, hard ones, hoping to dissuade her from assault.

She kept moving in.

He switched to hooks. A few jabs on her left side to distract her then coming hard with a right hook.

She grunted in pain at each strike.

But she kept coming in.

She was less than three inches from him. He started to feel claustrophobic.

Forgetting punches, Wyatt shoved her back, taking the opportunity to throw a few punches while she was at range.

He threw a haymaker to her right side again. Punches add up, and if he focused on her right long enough, eventually she would cave. The question was if Wyatt could wait that long.

She almost seemed to dash in, closing the distance in less than a second.

She drove her foot into his shin. He almost went cross eyed with pain. Punches and kicks, he was used to. Shins were a different animal. He felt like he'd gotten slammed in the funny bone.

He was vaguely aware that she was moving. She recognized his momentary haze and shifted around him. She was almost behind him!

Wyatt pulled his hands back, willing himself to forget the pain he felt and started to turn to meet her.

But it was too late.

She drove her fist into the back of his rib cage. His body locked up. Suddenly, the fight seemed very far away. His world was pain. He couldn't breathe.

A kidney punch, he recognized it. They were illegal in boxing. But then, this wasn't boxing.

Suddenly, Achilles was there. He was pulling them apart.

"We're going to call it right there. I'm ending it," Achilles barked.

"Are you okay, Wyatt?" he asked grasping Wyatt by his now limp arms.