Page 25 of Phoenix's Redemption

Chapter Eleven

LIAM

Istepped into the arena of the Sunridge Civic Center. I felt like a little kid in a grown man’s body. My excitement and urge to compete in the Heartland Fight Fest thumped like a second heartbeat in my chest. The air was thick with the roar of the crowd. Lights blazed from overhead, coating the space in gold, red, and electric blue. Each one reflected off the fighters that moved around the ring.

"O'Connor!"

The call snapped me back to the moment, and I turned to see a security guard motioning me through.

Once cleared by security, the roar of the arena dulled as I entered the locker room.

"Looking sharp, man." Ryder clapped me on the shoulder. His presence was a rock, solid and steady.

"Give 'em hell, Liam," Cody Stone added, his own face stern with the fire of competition. I wondered if he would ever get back into competing after this tournament.

"Thanks, guys," I replied, nodding at the two fighters from Fury Combat who stood before me. They were more than just names on a fight card. They were the ones who'd been in the trenches with me, sparring and swapping strategies.

They stuck by me last year when I acted immature on my first days in the pro league. These men had seen me at my lowest and helped build me back up. True friends. Not like Jack.

With them, I learned the true meaning of brotherhood.

With Sophie, I learned the true meaning of love.

I pulled on my gloves, feeling the familiar wrap of tape and leather against my skin. Today I wasn’t just fighting for myself. I was fighting for all of us.

"Phoenix," Cody called me by my ring name. The mere mention of it made my spine straighten. That's what I'd become. Out of the ashes of a life I nearly burned down around me, I rose, ready to claim a future I never thought I'd see.

"Time to get out there," Ryder's voice cut through any lingering doubts. My team busied around me, taping, prepping, ensuring I was ready to step into the ring.

"Ready." I slipped my mouthguard into place. With each step towards the octagon, I felt promise and possibility. This was my moment, and I was ready to blaze through it.

THE CANVAS OF THE RINGwas slick with sweat, but I found my footing like I'd done a thousand times before. Each opponent brought a different style. There was a brawler who thought brute force would break me. Then I continued on to fight a tactician with feints and jabs that sang past my ears. The third match set me up to battle a powerhouse whose every punch was like getting hit with a sledgehammer. I danced around them all, delivering calculated strikes.

"Phoenix! Phoenix!" The crowd cheered with each takedown.

The thrill of combat raced through my veins. With each bout, I advanced through the brackets, feeling more alive with each win.

But in the moments between bouts, my thoughts drifted to Sophie. I scanned the sea of faces, seeking her brown eyes and reassuring smile, but there was no sign of her. A knot tightened in my stomach. Maybe the stress of this morning got to her.

I clenched my jaw, wishing I could reach out to her.

The final bracket loomed like a mountain before me, each opponent another crag to climb. I was close now. The next fighter was someone I knew from my days in the Carnage underground league.

Aiden Black sneered at me from across the mat. I flexed my wrists as I waited for the ref to start the match. Then I felt an unwelcome twinge in my wrist.

Shit. Not the injury acting up. Not now when I so close to the end.

"Ready to eat canvas, O'Connor?" Aiden taunted, bouncing in place as he waited to fight.

"Not until you taste it first," I shot back, testing my wrist discreetly.

The ref signaled for the match to begin. We clashed, two heavyweights trading elbows and punches. Every strike, every block, sent jolts of pain up my arm. When the bell rang, declaring Aiden the winner of the first round, I stumbled back.

"Looks like the phoenix can't always rise, eh?" Aiden gloated, his chuckle grating on my nerves.

"Enjoy it while it lasts," I growled. "This isn't over."

He laughed. "You just make sure to shine that second-place trophy real nice."

---