Eric Shows Up

---Aaron---

We learned that the tournament traditionally lasted three nights. The seven of us excitedly returned on the second night, where we watched Alice defeat seven opponents consecutively. The crowd oohed and aahhed whenever Alice executed a particularly difficult or complicated maneuver. A lot of people—including Katherine and me—were disappointed when she lost to Lance of Cloudhills, who also wielded a sword.

"She must've been tired out," Katherine said to me with a small pout. "That's why she had a small slip up and Lance was able to defeat her."

"That might be true; they should let the contestants rest if they start to win consecutively," I replied.

The contestants went up, one after the other. We saw someone who specialized in using a spear, another who preferred only flying projectiles, and another who wielded long knives. Most of the fighters were young, although a couple of older contestants did try their luck. A part of me wanted to try my luck on the stage as well, but I knew it was in our best interests to keep a low profile. I also wasn't sure if there was some sort of registration process that contestants had to go through, or if people could just volunteer. Imagine the embarrassment if I shouted out, "I want to go next!" and the announcer told me, in front of everyone, that I had to register for this tournament three weeks ahead of time.

The second night concluded with Reyna of Watermoor, whose sword expertly and skillfully defeated ten consecutive fighters. Katherine's eyes were shining again as she watched. I couldn't help but imagine Katherine up on the stage as Reyna. I was confident that Katherine was just as good, if not better. After all, she was the warrior of the Rosewood Seven.

On the third and final night of the tournament, nearly every person in Goldhedge arrived to spectate. The arena was packed. The seven of us became separated once again in the large crowd. I was with Lucian and Indigo. I saw Katherine's head somewhere to my right, but she was soon lost in the sea of bodies. As Reyna began fighting with the first contestant of the day, Kenneth of Goldenbloom, I suddenly realized that one person had been missing the entire tournament—Eric. Didn't he want to win the brooch for the fourth year in a row? Why hadn't he appeared yet?

A small part of me wished that he was too humiliated by Katherine the other day to show his face again, but I knew that couldn't be true. Perhaps he was planning something foul, like Naomi had suggested, but I wasn't going to complain that he wasn't here. I turned my attention back to the tournament.

Reyna was amazing. She defeated fighter after fighter, and the battle never went on for long. When Reyna beat her fourteenth opponent, the crowd tittered and waited for the fifteenth challenger. No one came up for a long time.

"Well," the mayor stepped onto the stage. "If no one is going to challenge Reyna, then we have our winner." He peered into the crowd. "I guess this concludes the annual Goldhedge Tournament. Let us congratulate Reyna—"

"Wait. I will challenge her." A familiar figure strolled onto the stage. Eric. I was hoping he wouldn't show up at all. A flicker of annoyance flashed across Reyna's face, but she smiled politely and accepted the challenge. I watched closely. I didn't like the smirk Eric had on his face.

Reyna lunged first. Eric engaged in a few clashes with her, his feet constantly moving. When Reyna swooped in for another attack, Eric sidestepped her attack and his sword stabbed diagonally at her side, a fatal spot. Surprised, Reyna twisted mid-lunge and brought her sword upwards to meet Eric's. He abandoned the attack and turned slightly to avoid the thrust. Reyna righted herself and went for Eric's throat. At the last moment, Eric suddenly slid sideways and stuck out his leg. Unable to stop herself in time, Reyna tripped and stumbled. In a flash, Eric's sword went for her stomach.

Reyna rolled around trying to dodge the blade, unable to defend herself and unable to get up. The crowd roared its disapproval. Eric paid no attention and focused on trying to stab Reyna with his sword. It looked like he was plunging his sword down on all the fatal spots: her neck, chest, stomach, face, everywhere.

"AHH!" Reyna cried out in pain as Eric's blade sliced the left side of her stomach. She paused, pressing a hand to the wound and tried to stand up. Normally, the opponent would stop and even lend a helping hand, as the winner of the match had already been established. This was how it was in the past two nights. But Eric was relentless and lunged in for the kill. Reyna's eyes widened; she was at the edge of the stage and nowhere to go. As Eric flew towards her, she leaned backwards and fell off the stage.

The people at the front caught her and lowered her gently to the floor. Someone was already calling the medics; others raised their fists and yelled at Eric, who looked smug and kicked Reyna's abandoned sword off of the stage.

"Hey that's not nice!" Lucian yelled. Cupping his hands around his mouth he yelled towards Eric. "YOU CHEATER! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?! BOOOOOO!"

Lucian wasn't the only one. The crowd shouted and a riot threatened to overrun the stage. I could see some of Eric's goons threatening to beat people up. The mayor rushed onstage and calmed the crowd down.

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing in the rules that says what Eric did was—illegal," the mayor said regretfully, almost having to force the last words out. He cut a glance at Eric, hatred flaring in his eyes. "He has won this match." The crowd went crazy with disapproval; everyone could see that Eric clearly did not follow the rules, but no one could do anything about it. Tempers flared, and there was unrest among the fighters.

"I will challenge you!" Before the mayor even stepped off the stage a young man leapt on stage with the grace of a gazelle.

"This is Alan of Watermoor, Reyna's fiancé!" the announcer shouted. "A well-known fighter himself, Alan has come to challenge Eric!" Cheers went up in the crowd; it was clear that people loved Alan more than Eric. Alan was tall and well-built, with a set of sparkling copper eyes and sandy-blonde hair that almost reached his shoulders. He wielded two long thin blades and attacked Eric.

It seemed that Alan had the upper-hand. He was fast, his movements were precise, and he knew what he was doing. Soon Eric was being forced to back up and could only defend, with no time to attack. People were chanting Alan's name. Was this the year that Eric loses?

Eric backed into the side of the wall, trapped. Alan's double rapiers were crisscrossing in the light, captivating and enchanting. We all watched, breathless, as Eric's sword was knocked aside and clattered on the wooden stage. Alan, with a triumphant look, slowly drew up his sword to Eric's chest.

"Argh!" Alan staggered back and fell, one hand pressing against his abdomen. His rapiers dropped on the floor. Blood was leaking through his fingers, turning his white tunic red. Eric strode up to him, holding a bloody dagger in his hand. "Oh dear," Eric said with fake sympathy. "I am so profoundly sorry—oh oops!" His dagger slipped through his fingers and plunged straight down towards Alan's defenseless figure on the floor.