Cyber Mortality

Chapter 35:

As the sun starts to set and the stadium lights up with glowing golden spheres of fire, it is finally my turn to fight.

I take a few practice swings as I wait for my opponent to be announced. From across the stadium, I catch a flash of silver in the tunnel, but with how dark it is I cannot tell what it is.

"Our second competitor for this fight tonight is from the Red Team! Birch!" a burly young man emerges from the cave with a large silver shield flashing. In his right hand is a straight sword approximately the length of my arm. My eyes glance up to the stands and I can see Rocky.

Rocky's eyes swirl with anger and his jaw clenches so tight it might break. His shoulders tense and he looks as if he wants to leap from the stands into the arena. Jez and DeNyle sit on either side of him, holding him back with their hands on his shoulders.

A smirk crosses Birch's face at Rocky's reaction before his eyes settle on me. His wolfish grin makes my heart want to stop.

I clench my swords and spread my feet out into a fighting stance.

"Begin!"

Birch bounds across the dirt faster than I thought he could and slams into me like a freight train with his shield.

I fly back a few feet and fall on my right shoulder.

He lumbers forward, waiting for me to rise to my feet.

I scramble up, not wanting to be caught off guard again. I raise my blades and wait for him to come at me again. He holds his shield up with just the tip of his nose and eyes visible over the top and his sword ready at his side. Wrinkles crinkle at the edge of his eyes from the smile he must be hiding behind his shield.

"Your move," he grunts with his blue eyes piercing me.

I take a step to the left and he does as well. We dance around for a moment, with him mimicking my movements like a mirror. I take a step toward the inside and lunge for his right leg, but he blocks with his shield. I bounce onto my left leg and swing with my left blade toward his left foot. 

He sidesteps and swings his sword, nearly knocking mine from my hand with the force of his swing. He shoves his shield forward to bash me again, but I spring back a few feet before he can do so.

"You're quick," he taunts. "I'll give you that. But it's obvious you have never fought anyone wielding a shield before."

"I'm a quick learner," I reply and watch for any tells that he will attack.

His right foot presses harder into the ground and then he barrels toward me.

I leap to the side, not wanting to get hit with the same move as earlier. As I do so, I spring around behind him and swing at his back, but he is already out of reach.

He skids to a stop, kicking up dirt around himself before whirling around to face me.

"You are learning," Birch chuckles. "But not quick enough!" he lunges like before, and as I dodge he whips up a handful of dust.

Unable to see, I spring back, wiping furiously at my now dirt-filled vision. Tears fill my eyes trying to clear out the dirt, but I know it won't be fast enough. I hear him exhale as he barrels toward me and barely move out of the way, receiving only a knick on my shoulder.

My eyes burn as I try frantically to see him through the haze of dirt and tears. 

He lunges again with his shield, followed by a quick jab toward my thigh with his sword.

 I dodge his shield, but in the process, he still pierces my thigh with his blade.

I bite back the scream bubbling on my lips and keep moving. If I stop he will no doubt finish me. I bound around the stadium, wincing in pain with each step.

"You can't keep that up," Birch says from behind me. "Your leg will give out soon."

I make a split-second decision, hoping Birch's ego will cause him to fall for my trap, and fall to the ground. I press one of my blades tight against my side and let the other fall from my grasp.

His footsteps draw nearer and I listen.

"A wolf always catches his rabbit," he chuckles and I can feel his breath as he drops down to straddle me. 

In a panic, I spring my trap, shoving my blade with all my might upward as his hands encircle my throat. He grunts in pain, but this is followed by a chuckle.

"Good try," he snorts and tightens his grasp on my throat. "If you had been two inches higher you might have punctured my lung, but I've had worse."

I gasp as he squeezes the life from my lungs. Darkness fills the edge of my vision.

"I give..." I wheeze with the last of the air in my lungs.

"You what?" he chuckles and squeezes harder until I feel like my head will explode off.

I mouth the words "I give" and then everything goes black.