☀☀

Kriss came at me fast! Blade in her hand,she was as quick as lightning! I got into my boxing stance, hands up, legs spread! The first swing went straight for my face, I weaved under the blow. BOOM! An uppercut right into her jaw, blood burst from her lips. But it didn’t stop her step.

“Watch yourself! “ I said rounding up for another punch only seconds after my last one was thrown. A right jab but she used her blade to block the blow, only to then kick me in the shin! The pain was sickening, it felt like my leg was bashed by a bag of bricks!

“Shit! “ I said stumbling backward where she’d then dash and duck under me! Tilting her body upwards she’d deliver a backflip kick right into my chin causing me to go airborne just briefly! I fell onto my back hitting the platform hard! Blood gushing from my lips like a water faucet! But I roll around, hopping up onto my feet just in time to turn around and dodge under a kick she’d sent at my face again!

“Nope! “ I said leaning forward, allowing the kick to fly right over my head where I’d then grab her under her attacking leg. Scooping her up in mid-attack and SLAMMING her onto the platform! The impact knocked the wind right out of her. Mounting her, I’d start to pound my fist into her face over and over again. Once her body went limp and I’d seen she was knocked out. I turned my attention over to DG!

The guy was a monster! He was smiling the whole time, both of his hands behind his back while Foil dished out all her best moves. High kicks, low kicks, slashes of the blade. Nothing, the guy moved through the attacks as if they were moving in slow motion.

“You're almost there. “ He said coaching her. “You are pretty fast but your form needs a good bit of work. Here, like this. “He said blocking one of her kicks with his right hand, gripping her attacking legs ankle, so she’d be stuck in her striking position. With his right leg, he’d slam his foot down into the knee of the leg that had been supporting her while she’d been in the kicking stance. Crushing her knee like dirt. I almost got sick as I watched her leg buckle from the pressure and snap like a twig.

“Ahhhh!!! My leg! My leg! “She said holding onto the bruised and damaged limb. I was so into DG’s fight that I hadn’t even realized that Kriss had been forcing her blade into my ribs. She managed to get it 4 inches deep before I shouted in pain scurrying off of her.

“Don’t ever put your guard down around your opponent. Kriss said while she rolled over to her sister's aid. I got up, standing next to DG while I held onto my bleeding side.

“Looks like you got a boo-boo. “ DG said with his hands behind his head.

“Yeah… looks like it. “ I allowed the words to slip out like a whisper. It was obvious I was good, but this guy. He was in a league of his own. He hadn’t even broken a sweat. The crowd had been going insane. Bloodthirsty monsters. The lot of them. They loved this shit.

I ripped off a piece of my pants leg, wrapping it around my waist to contain the blood, my muscle shirt was ripped now thanks to her blade. But, I’d have to deal with it.

“LADIES AND gentlemen! We’re off to a great start! Foil’s leg looks pretty banged up! Kriss is the only one standing, how will she fair!? “The announcer said, hyping the crowd up.

“Here sis… I didn’t think we’d have to take these. “Kriss would’ve pulled a silver syringe from under her sash, pressing it to her sister's neck. Clicking the button on the top, the needle would break through her sister's flesh, injecting her with the contents inside.

“What’s she doing…” I said looking over at DG whom for once. Didn’t have a goofy smile on his face. He was scowling. No bullshit here, it took me off guard.

“She’s injecting her with Nanomachines. “ DG said getting back into his stance.

“Wait! She’s juicing up in the middle of a match!? She can't do that! Right!? “I said looking towards the announcer.

“This isn’t like the Single Fighters circuit. Anything goes in the Gauntlet. “The announcer said with that stupid smile on his face.

“We’re going to make you pay. “ Foil said as her folded leg would’ve sprung back into place. Fixing itself while she hopped back on her feet. While she’d been doing this, Kriss injected herself as well with the same needle. Black veins coursed through and across both her and her sister's flesh. They’d leap into the air, kicking off of each other! Landing on separate sides of the room, blades in hand. Sticking to the walls like spiders.

“Shit! “ I said, knowing what was coming next, or at least an idea. Both girls would’ve pulled out four small black balls, no larger than a marble, placing it in between their fingertips, tossing each of their sets on the stage. It’d create a cloud of smoke around me and DG both.

“I can’t see! “ I said waving through the smoke. Slash! A blade strike hit me across my chest! The strike ripped through my flesh and my shirt causing me to drop to my knees in pain. I didn’t stay down long though. “Shit! “ Slash, slash! Two more slashes, a cut across my leg, and across my back! “How am I supposed to fight what I can’t see! “

DG remained silent. But I noticed that they hadn’t been attacking him, or so it seemed at first. Slash! This time I was ready though I managed to weave it just in time though it did cut my cheek.

“Stop trying to see them… “He said, standing perfectly still… or so I thought. I’d feel him twitch every so often. He was… dodging them so fast, that it didn’t even feel like he was moving! “You gotta listen… “He said it so easily. It pissed me off!

“Yeah, that’s easy for you to say! “ I’d stand up, pressing my back to his own now so we were back to back. “I don’t know how you're not getting hit. But…” I said making sure to close my eyes. “I’m not about to let you out do me. So don’t go giving me advice!” I had a plan. And I was gonna show him! I decided to copy his movements, moving step by step with him. When he twitched, I’d do the same. Mimicking his movements worked too. After a while I wasn’t so much as reacting to the attacks, but I’d move in a way that was fast enough to dodge the attacks at the same speeds that DG had been moving!

“On three, dodge to the left and grip upwards. Can you do that!? “DG said lowly to me.

“Yeah, I can manage that. “ I would have nodded my head in agreement.

“1… “DG proclaimed. Another slash was sent towards me, but I’d manage to move my head just briefly to dodge the attack.

“2… “DG, spoke again, a little louder this time. Another swift slash made its mark down my shoulder, I wasn’t fast enough to dodge this one though and it cut me deep, I grunted in pain. The searing sensation shot through me like a fire but I had to stay strong!

“3! “ We both said at the same time! And just like he instructed, I ducked to the right, weaving under what appeared to be two decapitating blows that the sisters had been meaning to deliver! We ducked under the extended blades within the last moments! And if we hadn’t moved, we’d be dead sure enough. The sister's speed had doubled by a large portion as they’d moved so fast the gray cloud of smoke would have dispersed due to their immense speed! Now we could see them clear as day.

“Now! “ I yelled, forcing my body upwards, and DG would’ve done the same! We'd been moving in unison as we both placed our hands on the female ninja’s throats! Choke slamming them both into the podium with so much strength that their bodies would've folded from the impact, or atleast one of them did. All because we'd caught them in mid-air. Foil, whom I caught I would’ve accidentally thrown her off of the sides of the stage though.

“No! “ I shouted. My eyes lit up, as I’d realized what I’d done. Her body went soaring down into the spikes below like a bat out of hell. I don't think I'll ever forget those screams as she met her end. Impaled so disturbingly that the very sight made me want to throw up. Her face was split open like a summer watermelon and her chest was ripped to pieces. Organs displayed and removed due to the murderous spikes. Kriss thank god, didn’t get the chance to see this though. DG had knocked her out on impact on the battle stage. I'm sure when she came to. She wouldn't be happy about this.

“She’s…” Dark God stood next to me while I looked down at her disembodied form.

“Dead… “I finished his sentence. Tilting my head up breathing heavily.

“LADIES! AND GENTLEMEN! WE HAVE OUR WINNERS! THE DARK GOD! ANNDDDD THE MAD DOG! OF DISTRICT ONE! PLEASE, PROCEED THROUGH THE DOOR IN FRONT OF YOU TO YOUR NEXT MATCH! “ The Announcer said with the uptmost convcition.

The crowd had gone insane by now. Shouting at the tops of their lungs because they’d gotten the chance to see blood. They didn’t care that I’d taken someone's sister away. Someone’s daughter. I guess to them. They thought ' well they know the risks right?' As if that justified it all… But i couldn't judge anyone for this lifestyle. Not when I was a part of it. Even those sick enough to watch it.

I walked over towards the edge of the stage. Picking up Foil’s blade and putting it into my belt hoop. I figured it could come in handy later on.

“Let's go…” I said to Dark God. I’d never killed someone before. I walked into the resting area, kind of a space room before you move to your next match. The inside was filled with bandages and food, stuff like that. Whatever we needed to ready up for the next match. Once I got inside, I puked. Probably because of how sickeningly white the room had been. Barfing into a trashcan on the far side of the room. DG came in after me. He saw me blowing chunks, but he turned his head. I don’t think he much wanted to speak to me. I didn’t want to talk to him either. I tried to remember what Haji taught me. About how I’d have to get used to taking lives if I wanted to live this type of life. I had to learn to understand, I know that.

But, how does one learn to grow accustomed to taking someone's life? How does one truly become immune, numb to the fact that we’ve stripped someone of their life? Of their lasts breaths on earth?

I guess… practice makes perfect.