14. The Final Showdown

'.....'= Thoughts 

"....."= Conversations 

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"In this round no teaming up is allowed. You have to fight the opponent standing to your right. Though accidents may happen and you may get pushed out of the circle unintentionally due to the another people fighting close to you. Be careful and don't die too quickly.," William announced.

The room descended into a charged silence, broken only by the sound of heavy breathing and the occasional scrape of a foot against the floor as the captives started getting ready for the fight.

Chaos erupted in the circle as the captives fought for their lives. The metallic clang of knife against knife filled the air, accompanied by desperate shouts and grunts of exertion.

As the fight started,Ethan found himself engaged in a fierce struggle with another captive. The man was older, with a hardened look in his eyes that spoke of a lifetime of hardship. Their knives clashed with a resounding force, each blow sending jolts of pain through Ethan's arms.

Ethan's heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he fought for every inch of ground. The man's grizzled face contorted with anger and determination as he pressed the attack, his weapon flashing in the dim light of their grim surroundings. Ethan struggled to keep pace, his mind racing as he tried to anticipate the man's next move.

He could hear the sounds of chaos and violence all around them, the cries of pain and anger mixing with the clang of metal on metal. But in this moment, there was only the man in front of him, and the desperate need to survive.

Their blades clashed again and again, drawing sparks and the awful screech of metal on metal. Ethan felt the strain in his arms and shoulders, the ache of overexertion threatening to slow him down. But he pushed through the pain, driving himself to keep fighting, to keep pushing back against the relentless assault. Blood flew from the wounds created through the knives of Ethan and his opponent, however the fight didn't stop.

The man's eyes glinted with cruel satisfaction as he forced Ethan back, his strength and experience giving him the upper hand. Ethan gritted his teeth, digging deep to find the reserves of strength and willpower he needed to turn the tide.

With a surge of determination, Ethan lunged forward, driving his opponent back with a ferocious onslaught of strikes. He felt a surge of adrenaline as he took the offensive, forcing the man to give ground with each blow. Their dance of death grew faster and more frenzied, the air cloying with the scent of fear and desperation.

For a moment, Ethan saw an opening, a split-second opportunity to turn the tide in his favor. With a burst of speed and power, he launched himself at the man, driving him back with a series of savage slashes and thrusts. The older man snarled in fury, straining to hold his ground against Ethan's furious assault.

Finally, with one last herculean effort, Ethan managed to drive the man outside the circle where they were fighting. The older man stumbled and fell, his weapon clattering to the ground as he struggled to regain his footing.

However before he could react his head flew off his body, his moments finally coming to a halt.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the violence came to an abrupt halt. The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy panting of the survivors. Ethan looked around, and found out that the other people too had defeated their opponents.

Only five captives remained standing in the circle, their breaths coming in ragged gasps as they looked at each other with a mix of exhaustion and wariness. William and Eliza watched with cold detachment, their expressions unreadable as they observed the aftermath of the brutal melee.

"We've got a problem here," Eliza spoke as she saw the odd number of people standing in the circle.

Eliza's hand shot out with lightning speed, grasping the nearest captive by the throat. The man's eyes widened in shock and terror as Eliza tightened her grip on the man's neck. A strangled cry escaped the captive's lips before he fell lifeless to the ground.

"Now you can fight properly," She said and was back outside the circle where she was originally standing.

Ethan understood what she meant. As there were five people, the fifth wouldn't have anyone to fight with. So she reduced the number to four by killing one of the captives. Ethan was glad that he was not the one that got picked.

Soon William chose the opponents for the next fight. Ethan got matched up with aan with same age as him while the 'close to seven feet' dude got matched up with another person.

Without delay the fight began and in no time winners were declared.

Ethan was now up against the 'close to seven feet' dude. Both of them were coloured with blood as they started at each other.

"Start," William's voice sounded in the room.

Ethan and the towering adversary circled each other, their eyes locked in a deadly stare. The air crackled with tension as they moved in sync, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Suddenly, the giant lunged forward, his massive arm swinging a deadly curved blade at Ethan. He managed to duck just in time, the blade swishing past his ear, the rush of air feeling like a deadly caress.

In response, Ethan shifted his weight and lunged forward, his own knife flashing in the dim light of the room. Their knives clashed in a whirlwind of steel, the sound of metal on metal ringing out in the cramped space. The giant's sheer strength was evident as he easily overpowered Ethan, forcing him backward with each strike.

Despite Ethan's best efforts, the force behind each blow was too much for him to handle. With a swift motion, the giant knocked the knife from Ethan's hand, sending it skittering across the floor. Then, he swiftly punched Ethan in the stomach and swiped at his legs, causing Ethan to collapse on the ground. As Ethan's heart raced, he realized he was defenseless, facing a foe who seemed almost invincible.

The giant's eyes narrowed in triumph as he quickly advanced on Ethan. In that moment, it seemed as though all hope was lost. But just as the massive man raised his blade for the final, crushing strike, a blur of movement caught Ethan's eye.

In a flurry of motion, the Eliza , landed soundlessly on the giant's back, her movements fluid and deadly. With a swift, graceful movement, she brought her hand to the giant's neck and, with inhuman strength, tore his head from his body. The giant's lifeless form crumpled to the ground, the threat he posed now extinguished.

Ethan could only stare in disbelief as Eliza turned her piercing gaze toward him. There was a calculating gleam in her eyes.

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