Page 47 of Xeda

"Oh, he's done," said Drake. Cristan cursed, threatening to beat Xeda's corpse if he lost.

Ophilia held her breath as the fyriens moved in while Xeda paced the platform, waiting for anyone to appear.

Aeriz attacked first. He flung out his blades one after the other in quick succession. The first, Xeda blocked with his armored arm. The second caught him in the side. Out of instinct, Xeda didn't falter. Even wounded, he rushed for the fyrien, now weaponless, and slashed at him with his tail. Like the others, Aeriz was swift, dodging and moving out of the way. But Xeda was relentless, his strikes as fast as a cobra.

One clean stab and it would be done. Even the fyrien wouldn't withstand the poison. As they circled and exchanged attacks, Ophilia saw Vyn rush in. She leapt into the air behind Xeda and brought her blade down and stabbed Xeda between his shoulder blade and throat. Dark blood seeped down his chest, staining him.

A low whimper escaped from Ophilia's mouth, her legs feeling like they might give out underneath her.

Xeda kicked the female away, and Aeriz took that moment to retrieve his blade that Xeda had blocked with his arm and throw it again, catching Xeda in the back. Xeda whirled around as the male got his attention again. Aeriz wanted Xeda to focus on him. But Xeda was no fool. He kept his eyes on them both. He took up his stance, ready to fight to the death against them, and in turn they both came at him, ready to take him out together.

Before they could reach him, Kaxek bolted over the wall. He landed on the platform and eyed Xeda, then the two fyriens. The fyriens halted and faced him.

There was a stand still until Kaxek moved first. He went for Vyn and took her blade to the chest before he got in her space and grabbed her by the throat, hauling her up and then swiftly stabbing her in the stomach with the tip of his tail.

She fell onto her back and convulsed, the poison already doing its job. Aeriz roared with fury. He took a step toward Kaxek when Xeda got in his way.

They all looked ready to attack when something made them grow still and look around them. They couldn't see but she could. The forcefield disappeared and one wall taking up a corner of the arena split open, spilling muddy water onto the field in a great wave, crushing walls as it passed.

The fighters hardly had time to act. Those who noticed the trees had stopped producing electricity quickly ran for them and climbed. The feral lygin, too busy eating one of the beasts it had killed, didn't make it in time and was consumed by the water. Tazyn, as if knowing what was coming, had already prepared himself by climbing up one tree to the very top and crouching to watch the destruction below. The skra held on just below him.

Kaxek, Aeriz, and Xeda split from the platform, each running for their own separate trees and climbing them as fast as they could. Xeda got halfway and stopped.

The water rushed in all around them. The platform they had been on sank down into the ground and became like a giant drain, sucking in all of the water, the debris, and the dead.

When it was finished, there was only an inch of water left. The others slowly climbed down from their trees. Xeda got a few feet down, then dropped. He fell to his knees, dark blood falling into the water.

Sal's face was red, standing deathly still by his sons who cursed Xeda's name. His eyes met hers, and she felt the blood drain from her face. She glanced down again and saw Kaxek approaching Xeda. He stood before him, and she almost called out Xeda's name as if he might hear her.

Despair twisting her insides, her eyes peered upward and saw the clock. It had stopped. The time had run out.

"No," she said. "No, it's done. He can't touch him!" Her voice grew louder with each word. "It's over, he can't touch him!"

The low drumming sounded, signaling the end of the game. Kaxek was speaking to Xeda, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. He then moved away, leaving Xeda kneeling on the ground.

He was alive. She could see his tail moving. Quickly, she moved over to one side of the console and pressed on one of the pads.

"This is the warden station," someone replied.

"My fighter is alive, but he's badly hurt. By rules of the game, he survived the time. I want medical attention right away."

"Hold please," they said.

She knew they were discussing it. She paced back and forth, uncaring of Sal's glare or of his son's shitty jabs. She only cared that Xeda lived.

A minute later and the warden station replied back, "A team will be out to retrieve him. Stand by."

She thanked whatever gods might be, closing her eyes and leaning against the monitor. Her eyes stayed on Xeda until she saw a team of medical bots reach him. He didn't let them carry him. He preferred to walk himself, but they stayed with him, following him until he returned to his designated door.

Ophilia let out her breath, wanting to collapse on the ground. Instead, she slipped away from the monitor and made for the door.

"Where are you going?" Cristan called after her. "No one said you could leave."

She turned and faced them, not giving a fuck what they wanted. "I'm going to see to my fighter." She turned and left before they could argue otherwise.

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

Xeda

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