Chapter 12- Revenge
Dressdon was entirely too quiet, as they sat in the waiting room. His first act had been to take a mighty hold of the end of the shaft and with a swift jerk, pull the tip out of her skin. Zanas heard herself let out a small exhalation of air from the sudden pain. She pulled the hood from her head, yearning for more air. Shrugging off the arms of the suit, she took a closer look at the wound.
The arrow had torn her shirt as it entered and Zanas pulled the tear wider to get a better look. It was a nasty looking wound, but not too deep. She jumped slightly when Dressdon sank to his knees in front of her. She felt a slight stinging wetness as he deftly applied a bandage to the wound.
“You know the object of prey is to not get shot.” He looked up at her, his face glowing with a wide grin.
Zanas gave him no answer, but simply looked pointedly at the arrow still sticking out from his chest. The silence was palpable for a moment, and then they both erupted into laughter, just as Fless came walking into the room.
Fless looked like a pincushion. He had two arrows in one arm, one in the other, and a fourth arrow jutting from his chest. The funniest part however, was when he turned around and they caught sight of the arrow stuck in his rear end. Once again, the room was filled with laughter, as first Zanas and then Dressdon began rolling in laughter, Fless joining in. She felt a stab in her heart, and thought for a moment it was pain, but then she realized it was something different. She felt the camaraderie that she had seen the other teams expressing when leaving the course. This was her team, and her heart soared.
The hunters returned and the waiting room filled with their excited chatter. As they exited the course, the next team was waiting anxiously to enter. Zanas felt an unfamiliar touch on her back and she turned to see a young boy, perhaps fourteen at the most. He was staring at the rip in her shirt and the white color of the bandage beneath.
“Nice. Took a piercer to the chest, huh?” he said, his eyes dancing excitedly. “I’ve never had one,” he added with a slight frown. “None of my team has the force to do it.” His grin returned and he gave her a wink. He was just about to turn back to his party when he stopped, his smile fading for a moment. It seemed as though he was finally taking in her face, and there was something about it that he found startling. He smiled again, although to Zanas it seemed less genuine than before, then he joined his team.
The fourth level hallways were crowded with Pursuers. Everywhere Zanas turned, she saw her black laden clan mates. She could hear the roar of voices and sensed a large mass of people up ahead. They passed two women, whose long lines showed through their sheer clothing, seeming to float as they walked the halls. The roaring increased, and she watched Dressdon enter a large chamber. Two men stood in the center of a mass of people. The scent of blood entered Zanas’s nostrils and she felt her teeth baring in anticipation. A smack echoed across the room, as one of the men circled in the air, bringing his hand down on the other man’s face.
Unconsciously, Zanas felt herself pushing her way forward through the crowd. She was caught up in the wave of emotions, the rush of heated excitement, the pounding of voices that rose and fell with the beating of fists. The men were an equal match and the fight was far from over. Zanas was fascinated by the blows that were thrown and taken, with only the cries of the thrill escaping the fighter’s lips. Finally, it seemed as though surely there would be a casualty, the floor was splattered with blood. She watched as one of the men lifted his fist in the air in a pumping motion. The winner, laughing heartily, pulled the surrendering man to his feet.
Zanas heard the overflowing voices of the Pursuers around her. First, they roared in the culmination of the fight, some in encouragement and others in disbelief. Then, the room was filled with the heated conversations of the viewer’s debating the outcome of the fight. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
“Did you enjoy the match?” Dressdon asked his voice low but easily heard in the crowd, his lips close to Zanas’s ear. She felt a chill run through her, the excitement of the brutal fight still coursing in her veins, the musky smell of blood in the air.
“Yes,” she said her voice almost a whisper. She heard his soft chuckle.
“Good, because it’s time for your second test. All Pursuers must fight for the clan.” Zanas looked back at the arena, the splotches of blood covering the floor, and the understanding came to her.
“Who do I fight?” she asked, turning to face Dressdon. His face lit up with a mischievous smile.
“That’s the best part,” he answered. “You get to choose.”
Zanas felt that throb of anger pulsating inside her, and the memory of the pain of the arrow in her chest swam to her mind. She could hear Desstina laughing, her evil eyes flashing in delight. Zanas heard the low growl coming from her throat, and she found herself grinning back at Dressdon, the same mischievous smile.
His hands snaked around her back grabbing hold of her hair and pulling her closer. He tugged slightly on her braid, tilting her head back, and she thought for a moment that he would kiss her again. Instead, he leaned in, smelling her hair, his lips close to her neck. She heard the sound of him inhaling deeply, and then he turned, leaving her standing in the middle of the crowded room. He was gone before she even knew that he was leaving.
… … …
Zanas sought out Ressna in the crowd. The girl was speaking with a group of young Pursuers, her sharp teeth flashing as she held back her head, laughter escaping from her mouth. When Zanas walked among them, Ressna seemed to notice something in Zanas’s eyes and quickly excused herself from the group.
“What is it?” Ressna asked.
“Dressdon told me about the second test,” Zanas explained. Ressna began to laugh.
“You’re not afraid of getting beat up… are you?” Ressna asked with a teasing smile.
Zanas laughed. “Never,” she growled. This brought another laugh from Ressna, who winked at her.
“I didn’t think so,” Ressna said, grabbing Zanas by the arm and leading her out into the quieter area of the hallway. “Once you have been told of the challenge, you have twenty-four hours to declare an opponent. At any meal, you can stand up and make your claim. Be careful you choose wisely, we are all here because we can fight for our clan.” With that, Ressna turned and returned to the group she had been chatting with. Zanas felt overwhelmed for a moment by the many possibilities circulating in her mind. Without thinking, she turned and made her way back towards her room, and more importantly, the bathing pool.
The shallow wound that the arrow had made burned when she eased herself into the hot pool. It seemed as though she had been spending the majority of her time soaking in the hard stone bowl. She had a decision to make, and did not have very much time. The circulating water swirled around Zanas and she let out a soft moan. The creak of the door opening made her eyes shoot open, as a blonde figure stepped into the room. Desstina’s eyes widened in shock for a moment, and then her malicious smile spread across her face.
“I didn’t know that there was anyone in this tub,” she said, suspiciously friendly. Zanas could see her glance down at the bandage still on her chest. She heard the melodious laughter of the blonde, as she turned to leave. “Got you,” Desstina called over her shoulder and the heavy door closed behind her. Zanas fumed for a moment and then exited the stone basin.
Back in her room, she found Maleek waiting impatiently by the door. He broadcasted feelings of annoyance, as he stalked past her, and made his way down the dark tunnel. She could not help but laugh as she entered her room. The fire was almost out and her room had a dark overcast look, the dying embers of the fire flickering. Instead of feeding the fire, she walked over to the big window and heaved it open; the bright glow of Ulwahi glittered down on her. She loved the way the sparkly essence seemed to fall on everything that lived in the world that Alwahi created.
Zanas’s mind drifted to the impending fight. She had been truthful when she had told Ressna that she was
unafraid. This would not be her first sparing battle before the eyes of spectators. Nor would it be the first time that she had fought and won. However, the words of Ressna echoed in her mind. She knew the girl was right and that she could not underestimate her opponent. Before, she had been in a world where she was extraordinary, and now she lived in a world where Alwahi made everything extraordinary.
As she pulled on her shirt she felt a small stab of pain, and she reached down, pulling off the bandage that covered the wound. She found the sides of the puncture already beginning to heal. A yawn escaped her mouth and weariness set in. Pulling the window closed she added logs to the fire and then crawled into bed, quickly falling asleep.
When Zanas awoke the next morning, she found that her stomach was filled with a bubbling excitement. She hurriedly braided her hair before she headed down the dark hallway to the meal hall, almost running into Dressdon and Ressna.
“Hungry?” Dressdon asked with one eyebrow raised. His eyes where bright with amusement and Zanas began to laugh. It felt good to be carefree for a moment, and once again, that moment came in the presence of Dressdon. If only he could stay as good-natured. They entered the hall, gathering their meal, and then headed to their table. The twins and Desstina seemed to be in a heated debate. Whatever it was made no sense to Zanas, and she soon found herself lost in thought.
The noisy meal hall around her seemed to fade out as she concentrated on the task ahead of her. She stood up at her table and waited, going unnoticed for a moment except for the watchful, laughing eyes of Dressdon. The twins noticed her next, their boisterous vocals ceasing, followed by Desstina. The silence of the table seemed to spread like a wave, as the Pursuers around her joined in the silence, all eyes on Zanas. Finally, it spread to the furthest table, the last speakers noticing how quiet it was around them, and joining in the stillness.
“I, Zanas, am choosing Desstina as my opponent for the second challenge.” The hall remained quiet, and then it erupted in unison.
“Heard and accepted,” they roared.
Zanas’s heart started to beat faster as she sat back down. She didn’t know what she expected when she looked at Desstina. Perhaps some apprehension, or even a slight hint of fear; but instead, she was greeted by something quite different.
Desstina was grinning at her with ecstatic triumph.
... ... ...
Ressna chased her back to her room, bouncing like a yoyo as she had jabbered on to Zanas. The fight was scheduled for the evening; they would be the main event of the Pursuer hold. The only thing that had finally quieted Ressna was the hard knock at the bedroom door. Zanas opened it to see Dressdon standing in the shadowy hallway, the lone torch flickering brightly. She felt the presence of Ressna close behind her and then the girl had stepped past her and out into the hallway.
“I’ll see you tonight!” she called over her shoulder.
Zanas was left alone with Dressdon, who was still standing in the hallway. He stepped into her room, closing the door behind him. Zanas jumped slightly as she heard the low growl of Maleek. She was annoyed at the jumpiness. It bothered her that being alone with Dressdon unnerved her. He gave one narrowed look at the animal and then turned to her.
“You know it may have been more opportunistic to choose another opponent,” he said looking at her, the dreaded seriousness in his eyes. “I will let you know that your opponent has never lost a fight…and she loves to fight.” His eyes stared into hers for a moment and then he smiled, turned his head to the side, appraising Zanas with a bold look that sent her heart into a deep pounding. Once again, Maleek began to growl menacingly in the background. “Although I don’t doubt you can take care of yourself.” His eyes flashed as he stepped closer. “Be wary of her tricks,” he said, turning and pulling the door open. “Good luck, Pursuer.”
Zanas thought about what Dressdon had said. She could have picked someone who she could have been assured of an easy battle. The young boy she had met after running the course entered her mind. But she had never been one to shrink from a challenge and it was time that the tension between her and Desstina came to a culmination. She looked up to see Maleek staring at her; the creature’s fur was radiating an aggressive blue, seeming to vibrate slightly. He could sense the tensing in her body and the feelings of angry turmoil that were swarming through her. Zanas knew that he was preparing himself for the impending battle and she reached out, stroking his fur.
“Sorry boy, this will be a battle that I fight alone.” He seemed to understand what she was saying and his fur slowly radiated to his calm red glow.
Before she knew it, the hours had faded away. She stood up giving Maleek a scratch on the chin before she left. The long corridors of the dark hallways were surprisingly empty. She did not see a single person, nor hear a sound, until she entered the fourth level. Opening the door, she was hit with the noise of a packed hall. Everywhere she looked, she saw Pursuers. They loitered out in the hall, lounging, leaned up against the stone walls. As Zanas passed, their eyes followed her, their pointy teeth shinning in the dark. There was an energy that buzzed in the air, the cacophony of excited voices echoing out into the hallway.
When Zanas entered the room, the crowd of Pursuers parted for her until she reached the fighting arena. Finally, she stepped out into the center. Desstina stood there, flashing her teeth and growling at Zanas. The sound of voices seemed to rise to a fevered pitch and Zanas felt the soothing vibration of a growl stirring in her chest. When the pitch of the crowd reached its zenith, Desstina leaped forward and the battle began.
All the sound in the room seemed to fade out, as her vision turned red hued. The motions of Desstina seemed exaggerated; she could tell by the shift in weight on one foot that the girl was going to kick at her, and Zanas was able to sidestep. As Desstina lunged forward, Zanas brought down her elbow onto the blonde’s sternum. Desstina let out a puff of air before bringing her hand back and striking Zanas across the face. She felt a stinging across her cheek and reached up, pulling back bloody fingers. The razor sharp nails of Desstina had sliced across her face. The blonde let out a roar in triumph.
With the roar of the crowd, also came a renewed surge of rage. Zanas whipped out her arm with a swift jab, connecting with Desstina’s cheek. The skin around Desstina’s face moved in a swell, a wave created by the deadly force of Zanas’s fist, spreading from the epicenter. A small trickle of blood escaped from the side of the blonde’s mouth, her perfect white teeth colored red. Desstina scowled at her, wiping her cheek and spitting a mouthful of blood onto the floor.
The noise of the crowd changed with the scent of blood in the air. Zanas was surrounded by glowing green eyes, the eyes of predators in frenzy. Desstina was coming at her again. This time her flying hand found only air. Zanas grabbed the girl by her neck, slamming Desstina’s head into her knee. Desstina dropped to the floor, cradling her nose. She seemed finished. Then the words of Dressdon echoed in her mind, just as Desstina catapulted herself upward, her fist outstretched. She made contact with the center of Zanas’s face. The force of the blow knocked Zanas on her back, and Desstina leaped atop her.
The crowd was screaming now. They seemed to be like exotic dancers as they moved their bodies in a swell, like waves smashing on the beach. Desstina wrapped her hands tightly around Zanas’s neck digging her sharp claws into the flesh. Time stopped for Zanas, only the taste of her blood in her mouth and the sound of her beating heart.
And then it was as if she was water. Her body flowed, twisting and turning so that she was behind Desstina. Zanas’s arms wrapped around Desstina’s neck, interlocking, as her legs wrapped around the girl’s waist. Desstina flopped around like a fish, trying to bring her hands behind her to hit Zanas, but to no avail. Zanas simply squeezed tighter. She could see a glazed look spread over the blonde’s eyes as she began to lose consciousness, and finally she saw the slow movement of Desstina’s fist pumping in the air.
Then, there was only the roaring of the crowd.
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