The First Bout

We were given a room to sleep in for the duration of the tournament and guess who ended up being my roommate.

"I'm so excited and nervous. Ah I can't seem to relax", Xylia paced around the room continuously.

"You need some rest if you want to be in top shape tomorrow", I said seated across from her.

"I'm so glad you're here with me, I feel better with a friendly face around", she smiled at me.

"But there can be only one winner right? What if it's down to the two of us?", she stopped then smiled at me.

"You'll pull out of course. You never intended to enter and somehow now you have to because you brought me here"

"I'm amazed at how quickly you arrived at that conclusion. Well I'm gonna get some shut-eye", I closed my eyes and the little boy from earlier came to mind, maybe because he reminded me a little bit about my former self.

I was also a thief stealing the little I can to get by, but it wasn't always like that. I was born into a loving home, I grew up with both my parents and had two little twin sisters. We didn't have much but my parents did the best they could to ensure we never went hungry and for me, that was enough.

Until a war broke out during that time, my villages was the one of many that was pillaged and destroyed.

I remember I went fishing with my father that day, I remember running through the woods hand in hand to the place I used to call home. Our house was burnt down and my mom and my sisters, they were gone.

My dad did his best to protect me through it all but at the end, I was left alone. I became a war orphan and was left on the streets with the other orphans begging for scraps and money until I was pushed to steal.

It was good the first few times I didn't get caught, but when I finally did get caught, they beat the shit out of me. My body and face hurt so much that day that I couldn't even move or eat until I met Silas.

He was a leader of a thief gang back in the day, he saw me battered and bruise on the ground that day and took me in, taught me everything I knew. Few years later I started craving more than just little jobs, I wanted something more and that led to what I am today. That was 600 years ago.

"Ezra!", Xylia shook me awake. "We are asked to gather in the coliseum, it's starting", she said all excitedly.

I followed her out to where other contestants we're loading into carriages. They took us all to the fighting arena where a successor for the throne of Dorland will be chosen.

We gathered at the center in front of huge crowds of people. They cheered as the King addressed them.

"Citizens of Dorland I welcome you to this Dorland tournament. I'm sure word must have gotten around that I am not in good health, in fact it pains me to say I am dying but I will not leave until I'm sure you are in capable hands and that's why we are here"

The crowd cheered loudly.

"What a load of bullshit", I said stifling a yawn.

A squire came forth to read the rules. "Ahem… attention contestants, to win this tournament you must survive to the end and be the last one standing. Contestants are eliminated if they surrendered, killed or can no longer continue. The final winner will be rewarded in thousands of gold and the hand of princess Filomena, the only daughter to the King. We currently have 50 contestants, you'll engage in a battle royal then a one-on-one battle until there is only one person left. Good luck"

A horn blared from somewhere.

"Have we started?", Xylia whispered to me then suddenly a man punched another that was standing close to him.

"I think that answers that, try no to die", we parted ways into the brawl.

I tried to avoid fighting anyone really, I don't care about anything happening here.

"What do we have here? An insect running away?", some beefed up guy turned his attention to me after twisting the neck of one of the contestants.

"Look I don't want any trouble man, just trying to get by peacefully", I said with my hands up in surrender.

"Then you shouldn't have come here", he swung his hand and punched me across the face. He was so much bigger and stronger that the punch sent me flying into the wall.

He laughed in victory at how weak I was an easily died. A few seconds later I stood up, snapping my neck into place and spitting out a bit of blood that gathered in my mouth.

"How are you still alive?", he asked obviously puzzled. Suddenly I disappeared before his eyes, he was startled and searched for me. I hid in his shadow, loosing sight of me left him wide open. I emerged out and put a dagger to his throat.

"You shouldn't have come here", I whispered in his ear before I tore open his oesophagus.

The big man bleed to death and fell face down. The people in the crowd nearby cheered for me. They were ecstatic that I just killed that man, for no good reason. Although the world will be fine without more men like him, it still wasn't right.

The brawl wasn't stopped until we were reduced to twenty.

"Stop!", the King ordered. "Congratulations to those of you left standing, you have completed the first stage of this tournament. You may take a short break and in exactly one hour, the match ups will be posted".

The gate opened and we survivors made our way to the waiting rooms. I scanned around me for Xylia, she caught my eye and flashed me a thumbs up with an exciting smile.

I shook my head at the ridiculous nature of this whole thing. People killing themselves for money and a positon… humans are always the same.

__________

After one hour of resting, the match ups were ready and I was competing in the first one.

"Right off the bat huh?", Xylia stood next to me.

I sighed at the thought.

"Don't worry to me you are the strongest one among everyone here, me included, you got this"

"That's not what I'm uneasy about", the announcer called out both of our names. We both stood facing each other at the center of the arena.

"The first fight is between Ezra and Bull!", the crowd cheered loudly, I was facing a Minotaur. It growled at me menacingly while I just stared at him.

"Fighters ready… Fight!"

The beast charged at me with the horn on his head immediately. I got away but this one recovers quickly. He turned around quickly and charged again, this time he faint charging and pulled out his big sword and tried to slice me in half but I saw it coming and blocked the attack.

"If you keep being on the defense, eventually I'll break through"

"Please, you couldn't handle me if I stayed on the offence", that angered him and he started swinging wildly. The people cheered for him as if he was leading this fight.

"Fight me human!", he provoked and the crowd supporting him saying how I should fight back instead of running away.

He was still talking when I gave him a surprise uppercut. He staggered back in surprise but smiled at me. "Now you're talking".

We fought for about half an hour, I didn't use magic on him yet because I thought weapons were sufficient but he was surprisingly sturdy. He flexed his muscles to stop the serious wounds from bleeding out. He looked like a mess, blood seeping from different areas and with a broken arm but he was still sure he was going to defeat me.

"Are you some kind of cheat? Blood is leaking out of me like a faucet yet you are before me unscathed despite the harm I've inflicted upon you".

"Let's say I'm a quick healer. Look I'm tired of dragging this fight out any more than I need to so just surrender and we can go our separate ways".

"I would rather gauge out my own eyes than surrender to any man. You will either have to kill me or give up yourself", he picked up his sword and rested it upon his shoulders.

"Don't say I didn't warn you", I sighed before concentrating for a bit then my eyes turned red.

He looked at me unsure as to the sudden change in my room but still stood his ground and prepared for the fight of his life. "That's what I'm talking about", he grinned as he ran towards me sword brandished.

I pulled out my dagger and evaded the attack, he quickly changed stance and prepared for another but I dodged it and cut his middle side. Darkness slowly seeped from me and surrounded us while we fought.

Using my powers I teleported all round the arena cutting the down the Minotaur till he dropped to his knees a bloodied mess.

"End me", he said. "Or this match will have no victor"

I closed the gap between us and picked up his weapon close by. I raised it high and in one motion severed his head from the rest of his body.

There was a silent moment as his head fell off his shoulders and dropped to the ground beneath him. The audience roared with praises and applause.

Princess Filomena leaned over and threw her handkerchief to the ground below. "The princess has chosen her preferred candidate", the announcer said and everyone cheered. I gazed at them appalled. Even the king gave me a nod of approval. I turned back to the entrance from whence I came by and left without acknowledging anyone.

"Hey you're supposed to take it along with you", the announcer whispered but I ignored him as well.

Xylia was waiting for me at the other end all cheerily as usual. "You are way too cool, walking away like that I'm sure she felt butterflies in there", she continued on but I tuned her out. It must be nice to be able to die so easily like that. I am going to break this blasted eternal curse that I've put upon myself no matter what, even if it's the last thing I do.