There was a short break.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Elisas condition, I had to win this, I promised! I haven’t been able to save anyone, but this time is different! My right leg was nervously going up and down as I sat on the bench; The Deceiver was not to be seen again.

I got a flashback

“Hey, let me help you with that!” Zane came over to me to help with moving the newest scavenged loot back to the storage room.

“You don’t really need to help me” He didn’t pay attention and picked up some bags.

“Don’t worry, I don’t have anything better to right now anyway, so I figured I could help you, hehe” What is up with this guy?

After moving everything to the storage we took a break.

“Thanks for the help” I was exhausted, so was he, we were both reeking sweat.

“No problem, that is the least I could do around here, I am not as good combat wise as you and your sister to be scavenging around. I can steal stuff and survive of that on my own, barley, but fighting? Not my cup of tea”

“In this world you really need to know how to fight, soon there wont be anymore to scavenge, when that time comes there will be a fight for resources.” The truth was harsh.

“You might be right, I try my best to learn fighting from Amon, but I cant keep up with you and Celia.” Zane seemed a bit down.

“My father thought me how to fight before he went of to war, I used to practice dojo before I learned to fight with real weapons though, I still don’t have the hang of these guns. I prefer knives and swords.”

“Is that so, maybe you can show me a few tricks some time?” Zane really was the most innocent person I have met in a long time, but it might be a good thing to have some innocence left.

“Sure! Let’s do that sometime, would be fun!” Zane knew I was going to kick his butt, be he was just smiling.

Smiling huh?

Not sure what I really care about anymore now, survival and my sister? What future lies before us? Things cant get better than this and this is crap. What makes him smile like that? I haven’t seen another person then Zane smile in months; even I haven’t smiled in a long time.

Am I starting to lose it? My hope on life and people?

"Why do you smile?" i didnt even look at him

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"How can you still smile in days like this? What makes you smile?"

"I smile when i am with my friends, there isnt many out there who smile, but that is becuase they dont have friends like i do!"

I looked over at him i was surprised.

“Get up! Enemies approaching! Get to your positions!” Amon came with his gun ready!

I snapped back from the flashback.

“The Deceiver versus Soul, this is the fight we have all been waiting for! Who will win money and fame?” The audience were cheering, I could see every one who have lost in their cages around the arena, watching.

Odin and Cortez were cheering for me, I smiled back and waved.

The boss turned around and looked at me he just slightly grunted, but I knew what he meant.

The Deceiver was at her position; I didn’t even see her get there.

“What is the final terrain? Roll it damn you! I cant wait!”

The big screen stopped on normal, the regular arena, not an artificial one. The one with 4 pillars that Fire Fist and Wall was fighting in earlier, hmm.

“Place you bets! Who will win? Get ready! 3,2,1! Fight!”

The gates opened we ran towards each other, we both used dirty tricks immediately, our daggers connected like it was slow motion, as I was close to her I could get a good look at her eyes and they weren’t cold, they were actually looking back at me, not through me.

Her clone used reappear behind me, but I used reappear behind her original, but she reappeared behind my clone as he used reappear behind her clone, everything happened so quick I got a bit disorientated. Everyone just changed places!

My clone managed to stab her clone to death with a strike through her throat, but the original killed my clone too with the same kind of attack.

Both the clones got turned to pixel dust and disappeared.

We charged each other again, attacking with our daggers furiously, sparks flying, but it was like we were mimicking one another, our speed, strength and style were evenly matched, we didn’t get in any hits.

I managed to find a short window of opportunity where I could jump backwards to gain some distance.

Has it really come to this? I haven’t used this stance since back then….

“Daggers of the crazed jester” I took one dagger behind my back and turned it around so the pointy edge was under the hilt, the other one was pointed down at the ground in front of me as I was in sort of a crouching position, this was one stance my father thought me, that took a lot of practice, blood, sweat and tears went into learning this. Now that I fight and opponent that is using melee I can use this.

My stance was best used in a scenario like this, the counter part was much stronger than its offence.

She tried to strike me, I deflected her and spun around and stab her side with my dagger, she was knocked out of balance by my deflection so she didn’t hit me with her other dagger.

I kept on the offensive as I had the chance, I reappeared behind her and tried to strike, but she reappeared behind me, I immediate turned around and landed with my back on the ground and kicked her in the stomach, she was knocked backwards into one of the pillars, but she quickly got up again, so did i.

I kept my stance up, she was holding her right hand on her wound, she was clearly in bad shape, this time I have to be the offensive one!

She kept looking at the ground, holding her wound, I lunged at her, but to my surprise she managed to parry it, did she know my stance is weaker offensive?

We clashed our daggers around only this time she was stronger, was she scared of loosing?

She managed to knock my left dagger out of my hand! I lost my balance! She was trying to shove her dagger right through my heart!

There is no other choice!

“Aaa!” I shoved the back of my palm straight through her dagger to hold her attack back, as her dagger was stuck in my hand I head butted her while parrying her left dagger strike with my right dagger, she was dazed for maybe 2 seconds, but during that time I managed to grab her left arm as I dropped my right dagger, then with her dagger still through my palm I shoved it right into her throat as she lost all her health while chocking on her own blood.

There was a silence, she looked up at me as her hood fell down, tears fell down her face as she looked at me.

“Onii-chan…*Blood Cough*…Sorry..” I instantly started crying as she lost the life spark in her eyes.

“Ce-Celia! Why? I am so sorry!” She fell down on the ground, dead.

I ripped the dagger out of my palm and tossed it as I fell on my knees and picked her live less body, holding her against my chest as close and tight as possible. I could fell her hair on my cheek.

.

“No,no,no,no, why didn’t you tell me? Why?” Her body got turned to pixel dust, but she was teleported out of the arena with full health, but where Sky didn’t know…

“Aaand the winner is Soul!”

The crowed was cheering for me, I was still in the middle of the arena, on my knees in turmoil, I was still in the position I held her.

I looked at my bloody hands, not sure if most of it were hers or mine as I had a big hole through my hand.

Cortez and Odin were shocked frozen in their cages.

“What have i done….?” I couldn’t stop looking at my bloody hands as I felt her blood dripping from my face.

I got teleported out…………………

Author note: Leave a comment what you think! Would like to hear your thoughts!