3: Tournament

Armor, sword, a wish good luck, that was all Mr. Jara imparted me before we left for a pub which was the entrance to an underground battle ground. Oh and an hour of sword practice which amounted to almost nothing because I could hardly remember what we did except for having my sword be knocked out of my hands several times. Was I ready to battle who knows what? Absolutely not. Was I going to do it anyway? Of course, if it could get me the chance to bring back my family then I'd walk through hell and back.

The waiting room was large but crowded and smelling like everything bad. The wood of the walls had begun to rot and there seemed to be some sort of black liquid leaking from the ceiling. I sat among many other awkward-armor-wearing folks,  sweating like ice under the sun in Mr. Jara's armor.

Where did the old guy get armor? Said he was a knight, don't know if I believe him; he was a sly old man—with a generous heart, of course. I couldn't thank him and Mrs. Jara enough. They were one of the few people who saw my face and didn't go sprinting up a hill. Scales aren't very attractive as you might've guessed.

Sitting in the room on what was probably a barrel, I anticipated my doom. Then, in walked a tall man in stark white armor. Everyone turned to stare and whisper amongst themselves. Wavy blonde hair framed his features and his eyes glowed sea green. Healthy and fit. He reeked of wealth. How did someone as rich as him get down here with the rest of us, was a mystery at the moment.

A girl passed him with a bucket of a dark goo and a mop. But before she could leave out the door his imperious voice caught her in place.

"Maid!!!!" He shrieked.

She turned, pale-faced. "Ye-es."

"What is this?" He pointed at his pointy shoes.

She put the bucket and mop down and walked over. "They're shoes, sir." She said meekly, not daring to meet his eye.

"They're sabatons," he grunted, irritated. "What have you done to them?"

She froze. Her face was a reflection of my own only moments ago. She bent over and wiped his sabaton with her apron. When she only smeared more of his sabatons the man struck her to the floor with the back of his hand. She was only skin and bones, crashing to the floor like a doll. He did all this in front of so many, yet no one lifted a finger, except me.

"You have no right to hurt her," I said to his turned back. The maid looked at me with so much fear I knew I'd regret what I would do immediately.

"Excuse me?" The man was almost dumbfounded as he faced me. "What did you just say?"

"I said, you have no right to hurt her," I repeated, with just as much spite as the first time.

"And what makes you say that?" He seemed amused by me.

I didn't back down. "She is as much a person as you and I. The least you could do is respect her."

"You sound like a good person." He grinned. "I'd advise you to change that about yourself. Unless you'd like to end up like the many whose bodies now litter the battle field."

"Death isn't a loss," I said before he would think I had given up. "It's a sacrifice for life. Let me fall in battle knowing I made way for a new life."

"You have pretty words, but it won't get you far." He unsheathed his sword and aimed the point of his blade between my eyes. "Show me what you can do with your sword rather than your mouth."

My fist shook. I was tempted, if I'm being honest, but before I could react the bell rang. I was saved from doing something I'd regret.

"Oii which one of you uglies is Mo?" A tough rotund ogre came yelling from the arena entrance.

I turned. "That's me."

He looked me up and down. Unimpressed. "You're up. Get going now." Then he turned to the white-armored man, smirking. "Looks like you have it easy tonight Kent. You're up against this one." His finger was jutted at me.

Kent smirked, sheathed his sword and walked off. I rushed to the maid and helped her to her feet. "Are you alright?"

She smiled but the pain shown through her eyes. "You shouldn't have done that. He isn't a kind man. I won't be responsible for you."

"I'll be fine. Just don't let anyone treat you like that again."

She nodded and hurried off. I fixed the shifty helmet but just as I was about to leave, Mr. Jara came through the entrance.

"Mo you're up." He must've ran here because he was out of breath and sweaty. "Don't be scared. You can do this. I know you can."

I thanked him again and finally left for the arena.

Out there in the arena one could lose their confidence in an instant. Which usually means you've already lost the match. Crowds and crowds of people. Men, women and children, all watching, cheering, booing. They're your first opponents before you get beaten to a grease spot.

"Round two we have Kent, our very own knight in squeaky clean shining armor against some guy named Mo!" The screams began as, "Yeah!!!!!" and escalated to "Booo!!!"

I could practically see Kent's smirk under his armor.

"BEGIN!"

I stood there like a confused potato when his long sword came down on me. I stepped to the side just in time and held out my sword awkwardly. His sword clashed with my own and I didn't let go. He pushed against my sword, I returned the same amount of force. But I didn't realize what he was doing till his sword climbed my own till the thicker end of his sword held the tip of my own down and I couldn't do anything about it because it was like trying to fight with a feather against a metal rod. Pathetic, I know.

He landed a kick to my knee that  knocked me off my feet and onto my back. My sword was out of my hands and kicked across the arena. He stood over me, the tip of his sword touching my bare throat between my armor and helmet. That only meant he could have cut the rope tied around the gem that was hanging from my neck. I sucked in a breath and knocked the sword out of his hand with a swing of my fist. It clattered to the floor far away from us. I clambered to my feet and skidded back. He made a stance.

"Hand to hand combat? We can do that too," he declared. The crowd booed.

I made a stance that I hoped meant something and wasn't something I had made up in the moment to look good. He took off his helmet and threw it to the floor. "I'm taking my helmet off; you're welcome to take off yours if you'd wish."

I shook my head. He shrugged and hopped from side to side, holding his balled fists against his chest. I inched towards him, watching him carefully. He swung for my head. I leaned back in time. Another one to my face, I stepped back, almost tripping over my own feet. His fist swung like a hook that aimed for my jaw. I bent just in time to miss it. But when I stood I took a kick to my abdomen that sent me flying backwards. Lying there in the middle of the arena with crowds of people cheering for my downfall I realized something, this wasn't the way to do it. My parents would never have approved of this.

The round ended. Kent won. But something peculiar happened as I was leaving for the waiting room, round three ended. I didn't even know it had started till it ended. And that quick. Before I left I turned to catch a glimpse of the victor. All I knew then was that his name was Philip, a man with dark hair and a large toothy grin that looked almost wicked. And of course that he had beaten an orc in mere seconds.

I returned to the waiting room to change out of the armor. When I was done and ready to leave, I realized Mr. Jara couldn't be found. But that was the least of my worries when I heard the screams and saw the flames. The waiting room was on fire. The ceiling was burning and people were hysterical. The entrance to the pub was surrounded by flames, the entrance to the arena was a dead end because it would've been locked from the outside and no one could enter without the risk of interfering in a deadly match between sword wielders. The only exit left was catching fire but it could hold.  I ran to the ceilings aid, held up the burning wood so that the people could leave for the stands where it was safer.

It was warm and rejuvenating. Flames always brought about a strange sensation on my skin.

The room was orange. Smoke filled my lungs and yet I felt so much more alive. Men and women escaped as I held the burning ceiling up. And finally when the room was empty I let go. But I was too late. The ceiling came down on me and all I saw next was black.

A/n: lengthy chapter, sorry. Also, I suck at fighting scenes. Forgivemeeee.