Chapter 23. The final twins' match

The hall turned into tropical jungle. Lianas were entwining so tightly in the air that in was impossible to see the ground beneath them. They stretched out to the ceiling, their wide leaves reminding of umbrellas. Some of them had fluffy white and red flowers on their stems. Shadows of lizards and butterflies were flickering among the grand plants, though the teachers warned everyone that it was just an illusion that couldn't be used in a duel.

The jungle background wasn't peaceful at all. On the contrary, it was a dark and gloomy place filled with menace. Weak students would probably deny fighting there, no matter how many points they were promised.

But there weren't any weak ones left anymore. The hybrids who were scheduled to fight today had already won at least one battle, and the audience was filled with their defeated opponents.

Iutah wasn't among them. He didn't have any duels that day, so he stayed away from the hall. Arriz liked that, because even though he was planning to stick to his agent duties, he was worried that Iutah would be able to see his new beliefs. Who knew what he'd do then! On the one hand, the hybrid was intelligent enough to avoid direct confrontations. On the other, he had already done enough without them!

"I'm not late, am I?" Alex took his seat next to the telepath.

"No. Where have you been?"

"I stopped by the infirmary to see Norman. He's recovering, and I'm happy about it, you know! I've heard that the hybrid matter mutation was tough, but when I actually saw it… Still freaks me out to think about it!"

"Does it mean you're planning to leave the exam deliberately?" Arriz asked, barely hiding his hope.

He suspected that Iutah wasn't going to attack anymore, but he wasn't completely sure about it. Plus, there was always a chance of the real mutation starting! That was a life-threatening condition too.

But Alex didn't worry about it.

"Kidding? I've ruined my relationship with Rita to move further! I'm not going to give up after that."

Someone else could've taken this argument as too dramatic, but not the telepath. He knew that the hybrid's first victory cost him a lot of emotions. Alex had been staying away from Rita ever since, though the girl wasn't avoiding him.

"You should talk to her…"

"I won't," Alex scowled.

"Don't you think your conflict exists mostly in your fantasy? You don't know what she feels."

"It's easier this way!"

"Quiet!" Coris, who was sitting in the first row, turned to them angrily. "It's about to start!"

The opponents entered the hall. Karajo was as composed as ever; Dark Silver was equally dispassionate. Arriz heard many hybrids saying they'd never agree to fight Karajo, but Dark wasn't among them. His chances for the victory weren't too unlikely: he was considered to be the second in force in their team.

The telepath regretted that his gift wasn't strong enough to determine the exact level of their powers. He had to sit there and wait for the outcome, like everyone else.

"Daniella Karajo, Black Team, versus John Da Silva, Black Team," Lady Laura's voice sounded by the ceiling.

Dark's aura was complicated at this moment. It had a certain share of fear, but not too much of it, and it wasn't dominant – anger was. He was fueling that emotion to forget everything else.

Karajo was free of all sentiments save for the desire to win.

The pause hanging in the air was meant for the opponents to think whether they were ready to start this fight. They had the right to deny… the teachers expected Dark to consider it, because they knew Karajo's reply in advance.

Arriz shifted his gaze to the second twin. Light was sitting on the very edge of his seat, tense, alert, mentally closed from the rest of the world. The chairs beside him weren't occupied, because other students were afraid of his reaction to his brother's defeat.

If Light was standing there on the arena, he could've given up that fight. But not Dark – he was too stubborn and arrogant for this.

Teacher Garin announced the beginning of this fight.

"Get it over with, kids!"

Karajo was the first to move, but she didn't attack, climbing up across the lianas instead. Dark didn't expect this, though his confusion only lasted for a moment. He chased after her, trying not to make the distance between them too great.

So far Arriz understood their strategies. Dark was well-known for his planning skills. He made a script for each duel, and he was exceptionally good with beginning his battles. He had probably prepared something outstanding for his fight against Karajo. And she messed things up with that unexpected movement of hers.

At this point their duel was more of a cat-and-mouse game. Karajo used their size difference to hide among the lianas. It took Dark some serious effort to keep up with her.

"I don't get it… what's she doing?" Alex jumped in amusement. "Is she scared of him?"

"No. By the way, he'll attack her now."

His voice couldn't reach the arena, but it was as if Dark had heard it. He went for the assault, trying to reach his opponent with a powerful kick. But Karajo avoided him as graciously as a butterfly in the air.

"How did you know?!" Alex looked at him in astonishment.

The answer was very simple: the telepath sensed a flash of aggression in Dark's aura. It was a sign of a coming attack. But Arriz didn't want to draw attention to his powers here in the audience, so he chose another explanation.

"Karajo's been provoking him from the start, and Dark has never been too patient."

"Why isn't she fighting him?"

"Because she appreciates him as a warrior. She knows that he's the strongest of her rivals so far. She's studying him to find a weak spot. But she'll finish it in a blow or two."

Their duel was already a record for Karajo, considering that her previous battles never lasted longer than a minute. But she probably didn't pay any attention to it. Arriz hadn't heard her asking the teachers about her results during the classes. She knew she was the best in her generation and didn't need any confirmation.

Other students had some interests apart from the training. Karajo only cared about the hybrid way.

Arriz's estimation turned out to be true. When Karajo reached the ceiling, she turned around and went back. It was basically a free fall, with her occasionally using the lianas to navigate her movement. To gain more speed, she wasn't trying to pass around obstacles, crushing them instead. It was distracting Dark with deafening sounds and pieces of liana bark flying everywhere.

He became confused – and that was an unforgiveable error for a warrior. Dark had missed his sole chance to block this attack, and then it was too late. Karajo collided with him, flying at him like a little hawk. The impact was so strong that it broke the liana under them, sending them both down. And while Karajo balanced on a narrow stem immediately, Dark just dropped onto a lower liana clumsily.

He was wounded. Arriz couldn't tell how serious it was, but he sensed the pain filling the hybrid's aura. Karajo's hit most likely left his ribs and collarbone cracked, and his lungs were damaged. Someone else might've fainted right there on the spot…

But not Dark Silver. He stood up, slowly and shakily. There were streams of blood running from his nose and mouth, but he wiped them away in a sharp, irritated movement of his hand.

Light jumped up to his feet and froze against the railing of the platform. He didn't say anything, but Lady Laura did – her voice sounded from the speakers once again.

"John, I must remind you that you may finish this whenever you want!"

"I won't!" Dark screamed, but choked on the blood filling his mouth. "I can still fight!"

His opponent was nearing him unhurriedly, sliding from one stem onto another. Karajo was studying him with curiosity, like he was an exotic animal to her. She was an experienced warrior and she evaluated the damage she caused perfectly. She also knew that Dark wouldn't last long, because his eyes were already dim with pain. So his desire to keep going was unpractical and stupid to her.

"You can die," she warned him.

"And you can lose!"

"No."

"Then prove it!"

He should've have been teasing her. Karajo's lazy approach turned into a violent attack again. She was by his side in less than a second. Even at his best, Dark's chances to avoid this blow were poor, and now… His desire to win couldn't change anything.

She finished the duel with a set of strikes to his chest and stomach, paying no attention to the cracks she'd already made in his bones. She pushed him off his feet, making him fall a level lower. His landing was unfortunate: he hit his side and curled up in pain. His opponent jumped onto the same liana and turned him onto his stomach in one kick. She pressed him down with her body and pulled her hand back, getting ready to crush his spine.

Arriz knew how dangerous this blow was. If Karajo broke his spine like that, the total impact of all wounds might be enough to cause a hybrid material mutation worse than Norman's!

But that's if she delivered that final blow. And she didn't, because a scream flying across the hall stopped her.

"Don't!"

Most people would assume that Dark would be the one to stop this fight. But he was just too stubborn for this, he remained silent even when his life was in danger.

Meanwhile, his brother was more rational about it. Light jumped over the railing and used the lianas to climb down. He didn't dare to come too close though, because Karajo still held her hand up, ready to strike at any moment.

He had no right to do this, but nobody tried to stop him. The audience, including the teachers and the headmistress, froze in tentative waiting.

"Get out of here," Dark pronounced through clenched teeth. "You're embarrassing us!"

"And you can ruin everything! You can die from this!"

"That's not enough to kill me!"

"It is," Karajo noted.

"Don't do it," Light looked at her, pleading. "You won. I'm asking you to stop instead of my stupid brother!"

Everyone remembered what happened to Norman. If it weren't for his fate, they might've been less serious around it. But his screaming still echoed in their ears, like a reminder that this wasn't a game. Even though it was part of the exam, the hazard could turn lethal.

"He won't continue the fight," Light added. "He's in no condition to do it. He needs to see the doctor straight away! He won't get up even if you let him go, and you'll be considered the winner automatically. Please…"

She didn't answer. Karajo remained motionless for a couple of seconds, which felt like eternity to Arriz. He didn't want to imagine what the twins were going through.

But then she let go of her fallen opponent's hand and pushed away from him, landing a couple of meters to the left. Dark didn't move. His brother hurried to him, and Karajo didn't look at them anymore. She slid along the liana, heading for the exit; she didn't wait for Lady Laura to announce her name.

"Do you know why she didn't finish him off?" Alex inquired.

"I don't think she was planning that to begin with. She just wanted to see which of the twins would be the first to beg."

"Are you sure? She seems so gloomy!"

"Gloomy doesn't necessarily mean cruel. Also, I think she wanted to make the twins remember her victory. They'd feel like they owe her after this. I don't know how they'll react to this… and if they know she wasn't going to kill Dark anyway."

All hybrids had different characters. Few of them were truly compassionate and kind. But no-one was as evil and merciless as the Organization claimed.

Except for the Organization's own agent.