Morph

Chapter Eighteen Skyler It's now or never

The sun shone brightly overhead. It was rather hot. In the arena, there was giant boulders and rocks randomly placed around the coliseum floor. I could already feel myself sweat. I looked up and twenty feet away from the ground all around the arena was bleachers filled with people. All of them screaming and cheering. At the far end of the open area in her own special little seat, was The Queen. She was wearing the same dress she wore the day I first met her. Tanner's blood must have washed out of it.

"Welcome everyone! Please have a seat. The tournament will start in a moment," everyone began to calm down and sit as The Queen continued, "From the outlying village: Mr. Skyler Cage!" She pointed at me.

Everyone cheered. Then the Queen pointed at her end underneath her. "And from The City of Odium: Flare Scotts!"

Everyone cheered louder and louder. Flare emerged from the doors at the far end and smiled and waved. She looked at me and gave a sinister smile, which the crowd loved. I stood a little straighter.

"Let's begin! Now if everyone could direct their attention to the table of weapons at the east end of the arena. On the table, there are weapons. The weapon portion of the tournament will last exactly 20 minutes. Then it will be hand-to-hand combat for ten minutes. And finally, the competitors can morph and fight to the death for the last phase of the tournament. Is everyone ready?" The Queen called out.

Everyone screamed 'yes'.

"Then let the tournament begin!" She cried.

There was a ding of a bell, just like in the fighting area in the Castle. I looked over and Flare was already half way to the weapons table running at full sprint.

I began to sprint to the weapons table too. But Flare had reached it before me. She already had one of the swords sheathed on a ring that was attached to our suits. She began to through knives at me. One shot past my thigh and landed into the soft dirt a few feet behind me.

I turned around quickly and grabbed it and threw it as hard as I could. But it was about a foot off from Flare. Flare laughed and threw another knife in my direction. This time the knife went right past my ear. I almost tripped I was so surprised. I was almost to the table.

What would I do once I got there?

I began to run faster. But Flare stood her ground and threw another knife. This time she was lucky. She hit me in my right shoulder. But it didn't go in far, but it still hurt.

I let out a horrid scream. And ripped the knife out of my shoulder. But it hurt even worse. I let out a groan as I hid behind a boulder. I looked at the knife. It was barbed at the end. I growled.

I just did more damage to myself than she did. I need to get to the weapon table and that is that. Or I am going to die without a weapon. I stood and peered around the boulder. Flare was nowhere in sight.

I ran quickly to the table. I grabbed the other sword. There was a spear, but the knives and the other spears were gone. I looked around and I couldn't see her. The crowd's cheering was drowned out by my concentration. As far as I knew it was just Flare and I.

I grabbed the spear in one hand and my sword in the other. I was open here, a perfect target. So, I started running away from the table. Suddenly a spear raced past me and I tripped over it. I fell to the ground.

I scrabbled to get up but Flare was already behind me and grabbed me. She threw me backwards over her head. I landed hard on my back. My vision went black for a second then it returned and my air was gone. I couldn't breathe. She came over to me a smirked.

"They said you would be a hard challenge, but you are just a pathetic useless worm. I'm going to enjoy this," She said raising her sword over my throat.