Chapter 19: The fight

CLASH!

He threw blow after blow at me. Since it was the two of us only, the game by default took our guns away. We were now fighting with swords (which I assume is to go along with the ancient theme of the temple). I was feeling exhausted. Jorge was a master of the blade. He constantly attacked me. I only had time to defend myself. He was playing it the smart way. If he couldn't win, then all he had to do was not even give me an opportunity to strike.

If I couldn't win physically or mentally, I'd rather play dirty. As he threw another strike aimed directly for my skull, I bent down, threw my sword away, and, the next second, I flung him to the ground and pulled the sword out of his grip. I bent over him and directed the sword to his throat. I had a powerful urge to slay him, but I realized that my anger was never aimed at him. He was playing neat after all.

He grinned at me. "You got me Alpha. But in my humble and most honorable opinion, the tactics you adopted were against every rule of fair game."

I chuckled. "HAH! The only rule there is in this game is that there are no rules."

Instinctively I did not lose my nuts and kept him in that position. I know he would try to diverge me with a normal-looking conversation and then outsmart me. That's what happens in movies right?

"So, what now?" I asked trying to sound confident and not nervous and confused.

"Figure it out yourself," He said.

I looked around. I was expecting a secret passageway to pop out but no. With a sigh, I helped Jorge to his feet. Kicking my own sword farther away and still directing Jorge's own sword toward him, I said:

"I won't hesitate to kill you, you should know," I said, my voice coming out colder than I expected.

An interlude of the lull.

"Very well. I may never surrender but I'll make an exception for the sake of reverence I have for you and my most humble loyalty to my gang." Jorge said

"Or maybe you're just a coward to die."

"THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK! I have a permanent code in this game. I'll...reborn. Besides, I'd rather you take the Topaz than the scum-bags."

So I wasn't a scum-bag. His validation seemed soothing.

"Just lend me a favor. Tell me what to do so I-We can win." I said.

Another awkward pause.

"Kill me. But with your own sword, if you do it with mine, I'll be considered the winner."

I felt agitated. One moment ago, I would've done it. But I saw-no felt some pain in his voice. I didn't want to murder him. He is supposed to be my teammate! I was already feeling guilty for cheating. Pushing all the mix of feelings away, I asked him:

"Do you want that? Is there another way?"

"There isn't. Go ahead. It won't hurt me-if that's what you think"

Knowing it was stupidity I threw away his sword, out of his reach, making myself vulnerable. I picked up my sword. Jorge didn't resist. He didn't try to fight again. All that was supposed to define him, he abandoned that. He had succumbed.

My hand was shaking. I grabbed the hilt more tightly. I pulled it upwards, ready to give a full blow, to strike him and give him a quick death.

"Good luck Alpha," He said, with eyes full of pain and yet, a mouth that was grinning.

I flung my sword. I was expecting blood to spatter but as simply as the sword touched him, he became translucent, his body broke into millions of pixels and he disappeared, just like that.

I let the sword fall to the ground. I myself dropped to the ground, face in my hands.

I was left feeling like the worst and most horrible person in the world.