t, but it wasn't good either. Thankfully Athena took first and our other two team mates took second and third. So in all I was the

ench. Cheering and chanting with the crowd above for my each of my teammates as they showed their skills. Ag

atus Creation God, according to everyone I've spoken to, he was given a little more credit to his scores. As if the judges actually believed that doing so would catch his fathers attention to them. All but one of them seeme

laugh. I couldn't tell if he knew that he was only getting first place because of his father or not. His tone so cocky and self

Warrior here gets you first." He threw an arm over my shoulder while

ake has a ways to go be

s before. Sure, we had all spared in our combat class, but thi

was now lit with a blank bracket that reminded me of the ones kids at my old school use to fill out for the spring college basketball tournament. "They will tally up our

tched the names of my team and Celestial's continue to pop up on the first line along either end of the brackets until my name appeared. I was placed on the same side as Evander but near the bottom of the board. I had been paired with a guy named Luther from Celes

th me. I nodded in response, watching Luther saunter to is own friends, huddled and discussing their pairs together. "Good, then you shou

m will be your whip and daggers. Distract him with the daggers, aim for his ankles wit

win." Alaric finished, giving me a wi

ispered with a wink and an expression that had me question if he was joking or not. I was leaning closer

on a good show when summoning your weapons. Th

r my shoulders. "We can use our powers right?" I wanted confirmation on what Tamera had told me the other day in class s

during the matches. The first one on their backs for ten count or knocked both feet out of bounds loses. So keep both feet firmly on the ground and in the boundaries and your ass

either ends of the arena. A fertility goddess then, grew soft moss atop the stages, cushioning the dark rock

while Evander's dad only had eyes of pride for his own son. Despite his questionable beliefs on bloodlines, and his rude manner towards me, it was obvious he had all the love of a father for his son. Their presence making me wish I had parents of my own there to watch me, cheer for me with such pr

ling the air. I joined the cheers for Athena, clapping excitedly as she stepped away from us and went onto the first stage. "And on stage two, welcome Mr Ma

ll be back soon Little Warrior. Quicker if you give me a kis

he stage. "I think you have plenty of luck on your

way sharing a wordless fist bump before parting ways to their respective stages. I sat with Alaric, wondering who I sho

confidence, his eyes trained on Evander as he met his opponent in the center of the stage.

ds before stepping back a few paces, preparing themselves for their fight to begin. At the sound of the bell Evander's hands flew up, with a boom of thunder

an arrow, cutting a second in half with his sword before diving at Markus, removing the distance betwe

? As my mind tried to make sense of it all, I realized he had been going easy on me in class when we were paired up in class. Evander didn't even look down at Markus as he turned and

leaning back against the wall lazily, closin

ze at him. "Are

ad and a roll of my eyes, I turned my attention to stage one and watched Athena fighting off her opponent with her bow staff, sweeping their legs after faking a head shot a

my lobe and neck. "I definitely would have been

in surprise. Rubbing his saliva off on my pants, I laughed at his cocky smile. "You don't need any more luck. Ma

re looking back at me. Evander opened his mouth to say something but I quickly got up and hugged Athena as she made it back to the benches. I was happy to see my tea

eaning against the wall, resting their

Academy. Suddenly both wide awake, reminding me of their advice to use two of my weapons and to take him out

your back, and no killing. Luther smirked down at me. Standing at around six feet, he looked like an angry giant in com

the back of my hand. The caress made my stomach roll, not in the same way that it did when Alex did the same thing. I ripped my hand back with a growl, suddenly I fel

ns while watching the other matches, deciding to combine all my g

grasped them. In the place of the decayed vines, my whip appeared, as if the vines themselves became my weapon. My dagger appearing in the other ha

me as he launched his large frame at me almost as quick as Evander had moved, but not quite. I barely managed t

en and send him yelping forward, nearly falling out of bounds before catching his balance and whirling around to advance at me again. I

ll him down. Each time I would only manage to welt him as he managed to block my true mark. He even managed to scratch

nce. Finally, I saw my opening. He had gotten slower, his stance weaker with each dive he took towards me. My own stamina barley tapped, glad

ward and over the edge. I hadn't realized how close we were to the boundary line, panicking slightly as my feet dragged along the mossy ground while I gripped my whip handle. I dug my feet down, leaning back to hold up his weight and summoning vines to anchor me to the ground so h

istles, chanting my name in celebration for my first combat win. I smiled big, the smile not leaving my face as I descended the stage and jogged to my waiting team. Evander and Alaric standing

the grin on her own face. "That was just the first r

ng with Dante, but all eyes were set to stage one a hush falling over the arena, waiting for Alaric to ascend the stage steps. I was starting to re

ric whispered, setting me ba

him. At the sounding of the bell Alaric didn't even summon his weapon. Hands in his pocket, he dodged every attack thrown at

o his friend. He shook his head looking down a

n a blink of an eye, he disappeared, reappearing behind Alan with his sword in hand. Before I could comprehend wha

ic announced as winner, he left the stage with a short wave to the crow

osing his own eyes, leaning against the wall ag

ing it expertly as Dante shot arrow after arrow at her, blocking each and every one. Their fight took much longer than Alaric's had, but by the end, Dante had

hind his head. "That or your whip, got to separate her and that weapon, then force her back and over. With the sword though, you could force her to her back

whip and dagger. Pulling her spear from her hands and then pinning her with my dagger pressed to her throat so she couldn't move before the count.

and Evander's coaching me before my match. This match my whip and dagger trick weren't working though. Paul laughing in the midst of our fight to tell me that I was predicta

f smoke and reappearing behind him, my whip and dagger now gone, replaced by my sword. He didn't notice the replacement, so when he tur

ng materialized in his hand. I disappeared again, hanging in the air around him as he turned in circles to try and find me. I waited, casting my laughter in the air

and letting the heavy hilt drop onto the crown of his head. The impact knocked h

h was up on the board after winning his own match. Evander. The look was excitement on his face as we turned to each other from both stages

as led up to." He purred into my ear as we sat, watching A

as angelic as I thought it did. "Oh Evander, I was born ready." I replied playfu

Little Warrior. I

till, as if none of the matches have been a challenge for him and that this next one would be no diff

king together to raise it higher now, and patch in the bald areas where the moss had been lifted by the previo

What are you doing?" I asked a little sharper than I h

deciding which of you will be my next matc

ch Mars we all settled down, Alaric rubbing his arm with a grin on his face still chuckling. He looked back

my ear again, "Don't hold back a sing

mine, a silent wish of luck just between the two of us. We stopped in the center with the referee, again he told us rules, with the a

I could take him. The fights leading up to this had awakened a new confidence in myself that I had lacked this morning. Not only that, but I knew he wouldn't give his all i

actly where the other was until our essence collided and we rematerialized with a clang of metal on metal, his

previous match. I chuckled, stomping my foot and raising tall grass around me, hiding me even from his corporal form. W

we both materialized, his arms around my waist and sword held to my throat. The metal somehow warm agains

e whispered, his voice addi

'little warrior'" I whispered back as the poin

with a show as it sprang free of my body. We continued on his this dance, each matching the other, never

It was the first time I had seen him glare down at Evander this entire day. I felt the full wave of Evander's power hit me then

ut my mind. The voice of my creature as it s

rules. I had made sure to stress the question about the use of our powers in the rules. Everyone told me the

wn on me to knock me out as he had done with his first match. He was fast, but my instincts were faster, as my own s

er.' The voice pleaded in panic, f

wanting to end the match with me on my back, I

s the largest of my male creatures crawled from the hole. His movements slow and precise, like a predator seeking

as interrupting the fight. It wasn't until his blood red eyes turned to me, bowing to

m the order not to kill him which he thankfully obeyed. Evander and my creature went head to head, sword to sword. The inhuman growl from my creature's lips shook me to the bone. But even with the

ump in. Cheers and jeers rang from the stands. Some calling out that I was cheating with my creature helping me, not realizing what he was. Ignoring the crowd, I summoned

t he was fighting, eyes snapping to his leg then to me. I saw a flash of pride in his ey

loser to me to protect me from any attack. 'Why can't I kil

ed behind me, sword once again pressed to my neck, this time he grabbed my hands to keep me from summoning my dagger. I gasped, the way he held his s

ar the humor in his voice. "Well Little Warrior, no shame in forfeiting to me. I have you." His voice tickled my ear, and Deitus help me, I felt mys

growled, pointing my swor

lust in the red eyes. "Yield to me Hadie. You

ult in serious injury or death. This was only a competition, and I really wasn'

ght it over. I y

n. He back up, never turning his back to me while making his way towards the crack he had crawled from. Disappearing into it with a si

es met and I smirked pointedly at his pants. The hint of a bulge barely hidden, but hidden enough that the crowd would not notice. The ref threw Evander's hand in the air, the announcer calling him out as the

ved to the stage, patting Evander's shoulder and telling him he'll see him soon. I went to open the girl's locker room before Evander pulled me into the equipment closet between t

up then down his body. He let out a growl as I let out another moan. Our breath mixing together as we both panted, out bodies grinding toget

on my ass." He whispered, his right hand moving around to the back of m

with Anne after that party?" I asked, pushing away from him. My body crying out in prote

fish out of water. "You s

" I opened the door back up and left before he could say anything else, slippin

Exhausted from her last match, she had a rolled towel under her head as a pillow and was napping with an i

" I replied, walking over to

of bounds. Sounds like a win to me, even

h the final match. "You coming out to watch him and Alaric?" As I asked, we could hear the an

e. "Oh this is going to be good.