• “Seamus Callahan and Yenta Sorel, come to the center of the ring.”

    The two met in the center. Axel watching intently, a small smile on his face. Jade studied the two and glanced at Axel. “Who do you think will win?”

    Axel, not taking his eyes off the two fighters replied “Yenta, I got some money on her.”

    She shook her head, “Is that all you think about?”

    At hearing this accusation, he looked at her. Shaking his head he said genuinely “Not the only thing. I like to make life interesting, if a wager or two here and there does the trick, who’s to say otherwise?” He returned to watching the match as the two began. Jade had to admit to herself, the movements each fighter made were like an art form. She began to watch more intently. The one known as Seamus had just shot an arrow that had made contact with Yenta’s arm. She stopped; Seamus shot another but this time in her leg. She cried out and tossed away her weapon. That signaled that the fight was over. Jade let herself breathe a sigh of relief. Although Jade could hold her own with her daggers, seeing someone in pain, always got to her. Axel cursed, slamming a fist against his seat.

    She giggled and said “Looks like you lose. Better Luck next time.”

    Axel smiled “Yeah, I know my bet on Kitan will pay off twice over and get back what I lost with her. That guy is unbelievable…” He said that last part more to himself than to her. After they had cleared the field of Yenta, the announcer came out and announced the next two to fight. Jade and Axel paid little attention. Axel didn’t have a bet on either fighter so he went to get something to eat. Jade watched it, holding his seat until he returned. Once the man finished, the announcer came out again to announce the next to fight. A man rushed out and began to whisper into his ear. The crowd began to murmur to themselves while the two exchanged words. When the man finally ran off to the side, the man held his hands up to quiet the crowd.

    Once quiet, he spoke “Ladies and Gentleman. Due to unforeseen circumstances we must proceed to the final ten competitive matches.” The crowd began to voice their opinion and once again he waited until they quieted down.

    “Ladies and Gentleman, please when we find out what went wrong we will advise you of the events. Right now, please give a round of applause for our first fighters. Kitan Namathorn and Seamus Callahan, please come out to the center.”
    The crowd was hesitant but soon they were cheering for the two.

    As Kitan stepped out from under the area she and Axel were sitting. He began stretching. Kitan looked to be alert and comfortable with the outcome. Jade, before she missed her opportunity, leaned over and shouted to him “Kitan!” He stopped, looked up behind him and smiled. “Good luck!” He held a hand up in acknowledgement and joined Seamus in the center. She felt slightly relieved.

    Kitan and Seamus nodded to each other. Kitan motioned for Seamus to move back; making Seamus tilt his head in confusion. Kitan spoke to him and Seamus smiled. Seamus turned around and casually walked backwards until he was about near the other end of the fighting grounds. He held a hand up, drew his bow, and pulled an arrow out. Kitan unsheathed his blades. He stood there for a moment, staring down Seamus. Then it happened. The arrow left the bow, Kitan sprinted forward, zigging and zagging from side to side. Jade watched in both fear and excitement. She saw arrow after arrow, notched and fired at Kitan. Kitan had closed half the distance when people in the crowd gasped all around her. Seamus had enough arrows in his quiver for him to begin doing what he was doing. He had begun notching two arrows and skillfully, firing them both one at a time a second or two after firing the one before, and firing both at the same time at Kitan. Kitan skidded to a stop, catching an arrow in his arm. Instead of shouting his pain, Kitan rolled to the side and continued his assault. Seamus was smiling when Jade quickly glanced at him. Seamus fired an unusual looking arrow with a shiny back end into the air. Kitan resumed zigzagging but kept a watchful eye. Seamus notched another arrow quickly when it reached a nice height and fired it at the other arrow. Because the second arrow didn’t have a metal back end, it flew faster. When it made contact with the metal backed arrow that one changed its course. Once changed, and angled down at Kitan. Seamus fired another at it. Kitan now halted in his rush, preparing himself for whatever Seamus had planned. When the third arrow made contact with the arrow with the metal back end the arrow exploded. Not into tiny slivers of shattered wood, but into deadly smaller arrows. Jade lost count after twenty five. She stood up, clutching the railing in front of her unwilling to take her eyes off of what was in front of her. Kitan readied himself. As Kitan was engulfed by the arrows, a cloud of dust flew up from the speed, and power of impact. Jade couldn’t help but to clutch to Axel’s shoulder as she watched, and waited for the dust to clear. Seamus didn’t wait. He began to fire arrow after arrow into the dust cloud. All flew out the other end. All but one. The crowd began to whisper to themselves when Kitan flew out of the cloud closest near Seamus. Seamus had a look of terror on his face as he tossed his bow away. The crowd roared with applause, Jade fell back into her seat, unclenching her hand from Axel’s shoulder.

    He leaned into her and whispered into her ear “You should have known that would happen. Kitan always comes through.” Axel stood up and said as he left “now time to collect my winnings.” Jade just rolled her eyes as she turned her gaze back to the two warriors. Kitan and Seamus were frozen, Kitan with his blades pointed and close to Seamus’ body. One pointed at his throat and another near the bottom of his chest. Kitan pulled away and sheathed his blades. Jade smiled to herself and was glad to see that he helped Seamus retrieve his weapon and to see the two of them return to the warrior’s pit. Jade didn’t care to pay attention to the next match. She watched, but didn’t pay attention to the winner or the loser. She just kept count of how many matches the final’s had. It was third match after Kitan’s match starting the finals, the match that caught her attention. Not hers specifically but Axel’s.

    “What the… that’s the guy from the tavern.” Jade looked at him as he spoke, and then turned her eyes to the man. He was a tall man, about Axel’s height from what she could tell. She couldn’t see his face, because he didn’t take off his hood. He didn’t have any weapon but the two somewhat large daggers pointing out from the sleeves of his coat. She hadn’t paid any attention to the match and so didn’t hear his name, or his opponent. Immediately after the man shouted for them to begin, the hooded figure sprinted. He was fast. Before the man who announced the two to begin could reach the safety of the edge of the fighting ground, the hooded man’s opponent had hit the ground, unconscious. The hooded man stood over him.

    Jade exhaled the breath she had held and was about to ask Axel if he saw what happened, when she looked at Axel. Axel was softly… growling. He was clenching his jaw and his hands were twitching while they were resting on the hilt of his spear.

    “Damn him...” Was all Axel replied with. Jade wouldn’t have heard it herself if she hadn’t been sitting next to him as close as she was. The man didn’t wait to be announced the winner. He just turned towards where Kitan was. He slowly raised a hand. The crowd went silent. His hand didn’t stop at Kitan’s level. But continued to rise. It rose until his hand was angled at where Jade and Axel were sitting. His hand was held so his fingers were outstretched towards them. A gust of wind blew through the area just then and his hood blew back. Jade felt a chill go down her spine. Her body felt frozen, unable to move under his gaze. She was unable to gaze away from his face. Scarred, and slightly disfigured due to a fire. Swiftly his hand twitch upward, his palm now aimed towards them. A dagger flashed out and flew towards her. She was unable to move under his snakelike smile and deadly eyes. She watched as it slowly flew through the air at her. As its shadow crossed over the railing and closed the gap, Axel’s body was all she saw as he suddenly threw himself in the path of the dagger. The once hooded man’s smile was all she saw as she lost consciousness. She awoke to Axel’s face above her.

    “What, what happened?” She asked

    Axel smiled and replied somewhat hoarsely “After winning the guy” he gripped his side and continued “Tossed a dagger at you, you didn’t move so I well, took a chance and moved into the path.” He moved his hand and showed her the spot, now bandaged injury. “I chased him but he took me down so fast… I…sorry.” He said balling his hand into a fist. “Next time though, you wait, I will get more than just ‘Votum Proeliator Fatum’.”

    She smiled and squeezed his arm, then used it as support as she got up. “What happened? What about the rest of the matches?” She asked once she was standing, looking down at the fighting ground.

    Axel replied “They postponed it due to the attack, I already sent a messenger to let them know to resume the fights. You think you can continue to watch?”

    Jade smiled and nodded, adding “Why would I not be able to? I wasn’t the one who got injured.”

    Axel smiled and sat gently next to her, making sure to not tear his stitches. The next two fighters joined each other in the center. Jade though, didn’t pay attention. She was too focused on the hooded man and why he tried to kill her. Why did he say what he said? I don’t know the language… if he wanted to taunt me he’d of done it where I would understand him. There must have been a reason for doing what he did…

    “Jade it’s Kitan’s match; he’s the last of the fights today. Tomorrow the last four fighters will fight till there is only the winner” he laughed and rubbed his hands together and added “then I get to collect on my koin, and of course give him his cut.”

    Jade smiled at his comment, she was beginning to see how much of a friend he was and refused to show. Even though outwardly Axel would talk about his own interest Axel would help Kitan. In his own amusing way to her. She turned her attention to the last match, to Kitan’s match. He had just walked out and was waiting for his opponent. The man took his time getting out from the fighters pit. He was the tallest man, not to mention the ugliest. She had to avert her eyes before she felt like bringing back up her breakfast. Once she had adjusted to seeing this beast of a man, she began to feel worried. He was twice Kitan’s height easily. Not to mention twice as bulky. His arms could be mistaken for two of Kitan’s arms mashed together as one where his huge vein ran under the skin. The man’s legs were the size of large barrels. To Jade they seemed to be able to crush a man under the deadly weight of it. She shuddered as the overseer announced the final match’s names. The huge beast of a man’s name was Torques. This man’s footstep was felt from her seat.

    “Tiny man, you lose now. Torques wins and gets prize, then all like Torques.” His voice was so deep and loud Jade was sure all could hear him. She prayed Kitan would win.

    Kitan just looked up at him and smiled. Standing there, waiting, and letting this man make the first move.

    “Begin!”

    He roared and began to walk towards Kitan. Kitan stood his ground. Jade noticed he wasn’t moving as if to strike him, she was wrong. Once within distance this beastly man’s savage nature reared to life. He balled his hands together into a giant ball and slammed it where Kitan was. He moved easily out of the way by jumping back. For one so big he didn’t think he would be as fast as he moved. Once his fist hit the ground he tossed it around him and swung it as Kitan. It took him by surprise and was unable to fully prevent him from making contact. Kitan went skidding across the ground. He rolled backwards and though a bit wobbly got to his feet. The crowd roared in anticipation of a spectacular fight. Kitan finally took his weapons out. Torques did the same. It was a long slender blade with jagged edges, and looked to be the length of his whole arm. Kitan ran towards him, Torques responded by swinging it horizontally. Kitan rolled under but once again with that speed he showed before Torques circled the blade around him and swung it downward where Kitan was. Kitan tried to get out of the way but Torques was smarter than he looked. Instead of a slice directly downward he curved his strike. Kitan tried to block it but his weapon was so long in length and had such force behind it that it pushed him a few feet and slightly off the ground. Kitan looked like a rag doll to Jade. Torques wasn’t giving him a chance to counter. Jade heard Kitan let out a scream of pain. She realized she wasn’t looking. She immediately returned to the gruesome scene. Torques had him in a bear hug, crushing Kitan against his chest. Kitan let out another scream of pain, as he was able to get an arm out. Kitan, not letting his chance slip out of his hands. He put all his strength into a punch he landed right between his eyes. Torques dropped him and covered his face, stumbling backwards. Kitan hit the ground and rolled backwards to where he must have dropped his swords. Jade smiled as he picked them up and ran towards him. She stood up and cheered as Kitan dodged his flailing arm stepping up on his leg. She let out a gasp and covered her mouth when Torques’s flailing arm made contact with Kitan, sending him back to the ground. He had recovered enough for his sight to return. Torques, getting on a knee, took Kitan’s sword and tried to sink it in his chest. Thinking fast Kitan rolled to one side, Torques repeated his action. Kitan did as well; frustrated Torques let out a beastly roar inches from his face. Kitan responded by pulling his dagger he had hidden at his side and jammed it into his eye. Torques leaned back and let out the most horrifying, blood curdling scream she had heard. It sent shivers up her spine and watched in horror as he pulled it out of his socket, along with his eye. People all around the ring gasped in horror at seeing a human eye. He looked down at Kitan. While Torques had done what he did, Kitan had struggled to get his blade that had landed just a couple feet from where he was. He had inched his hand towards it. Kitan managed to reach it just as he heard Torques’s growl. He looked up as Torques looked down; ready to strike him with the weapon he had just used to remove from his socket. Kitan, thinking fast and as an act of desperation slashed his blade in a horizontal slash. It was angled at his neck. Everything went silent. Torques, the people watching, Kitan only heard the sound of his heart trying to beat its way out of his chest. Torques’s face held a look of bewilderment. Like he didn’t expect that to happen.
    Then it happened. The tear appeared slowly. The tear started from the side the blade made first contact and slowly separated his head from the rest of his body. It fell backwards under the weight and his body fell to the side. Kitan got his feet, looking exhausted. The overseer walked out cautiously, looking from the corpse to Kitan.

    “Ladies… and gentleman… due to certain rules being broken, we must, discuss... these events." He then rushed over to the leaders overseeing the tournament.

    The people seemed to be frustrated, from what Jade could see. One went so far as to raise his arms above his head, and slamming his hand into the palm of his other. After a few moments of the one who was previously overseeing Kitan's match returned to the middle of the fighting grounds. He cleared his throat, gave one final look which was returned with a nod from the others, then turned to the crowd and spoke. "I give you our final winner... Kitan.”

    The people hesitantly applauded for him.

    “We will return tomorrow for a special, final match between the winners thus far. Have a good evening.”

    With that the people made their way outside and left the remaining fighters to do as they saw fit.

    Kitan made his way to the exit slowly due to the trauma his body went through in his last fight. Jade and Axel reached him shortly to help him walk.

    “You know, at the rate your going I may have to bet on someone else in this final match.” Axel said with a smile.

    “I didn’t say I was the most skilled fighter here, I only joined at the request of my master. She obviously had faith in my skills she pounded into me every day so I have to try if only for her.”

    Axel laughed at his comment and the three of them made their way to the inn. Once there Axel turned to Jade.

    “You know you can stay here tonight, I wouldn’t want a lady walking alone on these unknown streets.”

    “I am grateful for your thoughts of my safety but I can handle simple thugs. Good night Axel. Make sure he doesn’t move too much.”

    Axel smiled and replied “If I have to I will strap em down to the bed.”

    She smiled and nodded then left. Leaving Axel to do as he pleased. Jade was a third of the way there when she noticed a woman with a crimson cloth wrapped around her with a crimson hood. As she passed the lady motioned to get her attention. Jade looked around to see if she was indeed talking to her.

    “Jade Nichols I presume?”

    She absently felt for her small hidden weapons at her side. “Yes, I am. And you are?”

    “A messenger to you from an acquaintance of mine; he lacks the tact for subtlety. Tell your fool of friend; the gambler named Axel, the Proeliator un Fatum he must travel to the land east of here. Go to Zocun and ask for ‘The Chess master’. The thing he desires most will be there. A second chance to retrieve what was taken from him.”

    Before Jade could ask who she meant, the lady threw something at the ground. Blind Jade moved back and covered her eyes, pulling her dagger out for protection. When she could see she saw she was alone. Jade hurried onward to the inn she was staying at and tried to sleep, her mind was restless. The lady’s words were running through her mind until she reluctantly dozed off and fell asleep. She woke to the sun’s rays. Hurrying to get herself ready she ran to the inn the two were staying at. She had just made it when they were walking out.

    “Hey good timing we were just about to meet—”

    “Do either one of you know what Proeliator un Fatum means?”

    Kitan’s head flicked up, moving towards her and he said with a bit of anger in his voice
    “Where did you hear that? Was it a man with a crimson cloak and hood? When did you hear it? Where?!”

    She stepped back under his interrogation and shook her head. “One question at a time, and maybe a little bit of manners, would make it much easier on both of us.” She said with just as much emotion.

    He opened his mouth to respond but took a breath and instead said “I apologize, Jade… please tell me what you know?”

    She smiled more for herself than for him. She nodded and went on. “Last night a woman wearing the clothes you described approached me as a messenger. She told me to tell
    Axel who she called the Proeliator un Fatum, that what he desires is in Zocun. That what was taken from him will be there and he will have a second chance to retrieve it. That he must find a man named ‘The Chess master’.”

    Kitan shook his head. “I only know that a man came to me, while I was training with my master and my friend” Kitan’s hand balled into a fist as he went on. “He killed my friend and would have me as well but my master saved me. I vowed vengeance on him. This woman… I don’t know who she is. Axel you know anything about this?”

    Axel chimed in with a whistle. He shook his head and let out a very deep breath. “I know the woman. Her name is Abidona Chausten. She used to be the late ruler’s advisor. I don’t know the details but she was… let go of her position, and after a few years away from gossiping mouths sought me out. She had a job for me to do. Back then I was willing to do any job to rake in some money for my father and I. Long story short, I was caught and all my belongings were given to the family she had hired me to assassinate. I was put to death but Heh, managed to escape. SO she said my belongings are in Zocun huh?” Jade nodded “Then if it’s alright with you, and seeing as you have no plans after the tournament, care to travel with me to retrieve my stuff?”

    Kitan thought about it. He would have fulfilled his duties. He had to know though about something. “What’s so valuable you would risk taking it back by force most likely?”

    “I had come to own a… map. The map showed the way to let’s say, something much more than riches… a way to live forever. Now I know you can’t; the map showed the way to the hideout the Band of Seven used during the Great Divide.”

    Hearing this news, Kitan thought it over. I could walk the road the Band of Seven walked; go see where they lived between jobs… I could continue the legend. “I’m in. First though I got a match to fight in.”

    As they made their way to the fighting grounds, Jade occasionally would be about to speak but shut her mouth. Just before Kitan left the two of them to join the last three fighters, Jade mustered up the courage to speak.

    “I want to come with you two.” Then realizing what she said, blushed and spoke again. “I… I would like to come with you. Please? I have idolized Alyssa of the band since I was a little girl. To be able to travel the world like she did, to be able to help people the way she did… would make my life. Please let me join you?”

    The two exchanged not only looks but also a smile. It was Kitan who spoke.

    “You think we would follow do this without you? I think I speak for both of us when I say, we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

    Jade smiled, overtaken by happiness. She would have cried if not for Axel, putting an arm around her shoulder and added “Besides, if it was the two of us it would be a sausage-fest. We can’t have the ladies thinkin I’m something different, if you catch my drift.”

    She shook her head, still smiling, and shrugged off his arm. Kitan nodded and left them. Axel and Jade took their seats and waited for the match to begin. The four fighters walked out to hear the cheers of the crowd. Once the formalities were out of the way the overseer stepped near the edge and instructed them to begin. The fighters immediately paired off. Whitney and Tomas. Who used a regular sword and shield; Kitan and Dirk. He also carried a pair of dual swords. Kitan and Dirk slashed and evaded each other’s strikes. They exchanged blow for blow. Kitan back flipped back a few feet. Just as his feet hit the ground Kitan somersaulted towards Dirk. When he was close to him he pivoted on his foot and slashed from both directions. Dirk parried both and attempted his own attack. He was fast, but Kitan was faster. He parried his attacks and sent a barrage of slashes and kicks his way. Training with his master he learned to not only use his weapons but also his hands and feet. He alternated between slashing and kicking. Slashing then punching. Dirk held his own, but eventually Kitan had him drop to his knees. Kitan saw that he was out when he dropped his weapons. He had let his guard down for a moment when Whitney tackled him from behind. The two rolled on the ground and ended up with her on top of him, with him pinned down. For a woman her size she knew how to use it to her advantage. She began to pound him with punch after punch. Kitan tried to cover his body as best he could. She was beginning to tire; he used this as an opening. Kitan grabbed her fists and with what leverage he could and flipped them onto her back. She had the gall to smile at him. Kitan, holding her arms down, looked around. Tomas was on the ground, a bloody heap of skin and bones. But he was alive, medics were looking at him. Dirk was being helped off the ground. Whitney head-butted him when he returned his attention to her. He rolled away and was assaulted once more. He didn’t have a chance to defend himself. She moved like a wild animal, Kitan couldn’t read her moves; she struck his head, took a knee and tripped him. As he fell she kicked his chest. He rolled away only to have a knee to his ribs. She was about to backhand him when he grabbed her arm. He twisted it until she screamed from the pain. He brought his knee into her chest as hard as he could. Hearing a crack, the two fell to the ground. Kitan had pushed himself too hard, he was having trouble breathing. She struggled to her feet. He did the same, if a bit more than she did. She pulled the pair of daggers she had used in her match the other day. He knew the deadly accuracy of them. Kitan calmed himself as she rushed him for one last attempt at victory. When she was just a few feet away, with a flick of her wrist she threw one at him. He leaned his body back and just as the tip cut into his shoulder Kitan caught it. Without stopping, he twirled it in his hand and flung it back at her. She was caught off guard; It made contact with her arm. She let out a short cry of pain but flicked the other one at him. This time he didn’t catch it. The force behind it knocked him to the ground. The crowd was going wild. Both fighters knocked to the ground by the other. Neither one was getting up.

    “L… ladies and gentleman… I believe, because neither can be named as the victor, that is without both killing each other… we must declare this a—” the overseer said to the crowd when movement stopped his words.

    Whitney was on a knee, ever so slowly getting to her feet. Kitan was still on the floor on his stomach using his swords to push himself off. He was unable to do more than lift his chest. She pulled out another dagger and looked at it. The crowd was cheering. She looked at him and shook his head. She dropped the dagger and walked towards him. Kitan tried to put up something of a defense.

    When she got closer shocked him when she leaned down and said “You can have the title… I don’t care. I have bigger things to do. I feel you do too. So get to it. Oh and one day I plan on taking the title back.” She gave a small, weak smile, turned, and made her way off the fighting grounds.

    Kitan’s vision was blurring now. He hadn’t truly recovered from his fight the day before, and fighting two people the way he did exhausted him even more. He blacked out then. When he woke up he was back in his and Axel’s room at the inn.

    He struggled to sit up but Jade who was sitting next to him pushed him back down.

    “Morning, champion.” She said with a warm smile.

    He shook his head. He remembered the fight. “I didn’t win, she gave it to me. But it doesn’t matter. How long have I been out?”

    “You’ve been out for four days. Granted you came and went a few times but four days. How you feeling?”

    Kitan looked at himself. He was wrapped up like a mummy. He tested his strength by moving his arms and legs. He felt some pain but with four days of rest it seemed, he was doing much better.

    “I say another day of relaxation after that tournament and we can head out. What do you think? Yes?” Axel said sitting in a chair next to a window, biting into an apple. He went on to say something else but just sputtered out pieces of apple.

    “Chew, swallow, and THEN speak. Tis bad manners.” Jade said throwing a pillow at him.

    He just smiled and positioned the pillow to make himself more comfortable. Kitan laughed at that and relaxed. The two of them talked about many things and Kitan just listened to their voices. He didn’t remember when he fell asleep but he did. His dreams were full of adventure. He dreamt of travelling to new places, seeing those things he only heard from merchants. He dreamt of feeling the ocean breeze on his skin, blowing through his hair. Then somewhere in the dream his mind drifted to the map Axel had talked about and to the statue people had talked about, even in his home.

    “Remember what they stood for, so that you may have a second chance to begin... a second chance at life, may hope guide you to a brighter future.”

    He intended to show the world just how bright his hope could make the world.