Page 52 of Xeda

Wisps of smoke billowed into the air from the small fires that licked the ground. He could see the hot coals that had been placed there. Among the coals hovered a set of dummy targets like the ones Aeriz had used. Xeda stepped onto the coals and shifted his feet. They'd burn anyone else, but a vrisha could withstand them.

He positioned himself and focused on the targets which flew at erratic patterns to try and thwart him. He ran at them, and using tail and talons, he caught them, slicing them one by one as he kicked up embers, creating sparks and fire along the field. The people cheered for him too, but he felt nothing for it. This was stupid and pointless, and he felt like a trained beast, dancing around for their enjoyment. He imagined ripping into one of them then another until they all ran screaming.

When he was through, they wiped the coals and what was left of the targets away. As he waited for them to clean up so that he could finally take out his frustrations on one of the fighters, his gaze turned toward the observation box, searching for Ophilia.

Just when he thought his mind was clear, he couldn't help looking for her, just to make sure she was still there. She was his anchor and his weakness. He needed to concentrate, but he needed to know she was still watching to keep him in check, lest he decide to fall off the edge and give in to his violent urges. But she reminded him why he was here.

When he found her near one side, he froze. She wasn't alone. There was another man with her, one Xeda hadn't seen before. He was standing close to her, a glass in his hand. He wore house colors matching Kaxek's.

The man leaned in and said something to her. She smiled and laughed.

Xeda paced one side of the field as he watched them like a damn predator. Or, better yet, a heated male seeing a threat. And threats needed to be destroyed.

His concentration should have been on the low end fighters coming out to meet him, but he hardly acknowledged them. He never thought about the males that had gotten close to Ophilia before, until now. She never appeared happy in their presence, until now. She seemed relaxed with this one, and it didn't come off as pretending.

"Hey, warrior, are we going to fight or what?" said the corax before him.

Xeda bared his teeth at him and snarled so violently the corax backed away a step. The grex and skra with him looked wary to start the fight.

"Come on, you damn demon, fight them!" someone called from the observation box. Xeda looked over and saw Cristan in time as he threw something at him, one of his glass cups. Xeda side-stepped before it could hit him and growled. "Stop being a pussy," Cristan yelled. He swayed a little, and Xeda gathered that the idiot was drunk.

Xeda's tail swayed, anger burning up his insides. Oh, he'd show him a fight.

He noticed the skra had a small knife on him, and he got an awful idea.

Without warning, he attacked the corax first. With his tail, he hit him squarely in the chest, sending him flying several feet. Then he went for the grex, kicking him into the pillar of one of the boxes. The skra came at him with his knife, and Xeda dodged him, then picked him up and slammed him to the ground. He yanked the knife from him, then threw him, letting him land against the corax.

With the knife in hand, he threw it. Straight at Cristan.

There was a collective gasp as the knife embedded itself in the railing in front of Cristan right at the same level as his genitals, sparing him from being maimed. Xeda didn't miss a beat. Rage turning his vision red, he went for him, ready to climb up the damn box and make him piss himself with fear.

He heard shouting around him and saw wardens and their guards coming around at the corner of his eye. He heard the collar around his neck start to make a bell-like sound, likely indicating it was going to set off. None of these things stopped him, not even Ophilia's voice in the distance. When he got close enough to leap up at the insufferable human, someone blocked his way.

Kaxek.

The vrisha stood firm, forcing Xeda to halt. He hadn't even seen where he had come from. Too angry to back down, Xeda got close to him, almost touching.

"Get out of my way," Xeda growled.

Kaxek's eyes narrowed. "No."

Xeda tried to side-step one way, and Kaxek blocked him again. "You are a fool," he said. "You would lose your chance to fight me over this insignificant human?"

"You have no idea how much he deserves to feel my wrath," Xeda said.

"He is not worth your time. Besides, we both know he is not what angers you so badly." Kaxek leaned in, his nostrils flaring. "He is merely a spark in the already growing fire, is he not, brother?"

Xeda glared at him. "What of it?"

"You don't think I can't sense what's off about you?" Kaxek said in a low voice. "Come, brother. Besides your need to fight, I could smell your heat from the other side of the arena."

Xeda grew still. Kaxek hissed with laughter. "Yes, you can't hide from one of your own. That is what tears you apart inside. And that is what will make you lose if you don't get control of it. But I know those who can help if you only ask. Think of it as a sign of my favor."

Xeda's fangs slipped from his upper lip. He dared not look at Ophilia. If he did, he would give her away. And no way in hell did he want Kaxek to know who caused his heat. Kaxek would use her against him in every way possible, and he would delight in humiliating him.

"I don't need your help," Xeda hissed. "I don't know what you’re talking about. But I will take you out in the next game, mark me."

Kaxek's lip twitched. "Lie to yourself and to me if you like. If an opponent wishes to keep themselves weak, who am I to stop them? I don't show mercy either way. But I'd prefer you to be at your strongest. It will make your downfall that much sweeter."

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