The training hall for martial arts was made out of a series of podiums. One was large, where all students trained together, repeating move after move under the eyes of the trainer. Other podiums had gears for training muscles and running courses. And lastly, there were way smaller podiums, on which students trained in personal hand-to-hand combat with each other, competing and fleshing out the knowledge that they had learned in this place.
Zeke led Anni to a podium that was equipped with a shield generator. Wolfkin dropped most of her wet clothes, leaving herself just in her trousers and her shirt. Zeke called one of the trainers, and the woman nodded, preparing the podium for the sparring session. Out of curiosity, Annie briefly glanced at the information boards near the podium, while students, both from the swimming hall and from this hall, were gathering to look at the unusual match up.
According to the information, there were several major leagues in the Reclamation Army. Aside from regular male-female leagues, there were also leagues for normies, new breeds, and augmented people. New breeds always had to spar and compete while under the protection of the shield, both for their own sake and for the sake of the audience. According to a brief history, there were incidents in the past when an exceedingly physically strong new breed accidently killed several spectaculars with the wind pressure during a boxing match. There was also a mixed league, where normies, new breeds, and augmented people could compete with each other as equals, although apparently many new breeds and augmented people outright refused to participate in this league out of fear of becoming murderers by accident. If a new breed could break the sound barrier by running, he could easily kill other not-new breed people, even during a football game.
Noticing the flash of the shield, Annie stepped onto the podium, stretching her body. Murmur ran across the spectators, once they saw the sheer number of scars on the wolfkin’s body, even Zeke narrowed his eyes. In disgust, no doubt. When compared to her, the Ice Fang looked gorgeous. His skin was unmarked by the scars. The natural fur coat of the student was the same length across his entire body, indicating that no one was tearing chunks of flesh out of him during training or combat. Who cares, asshole, you can be proud of your perfect body all you want. I know that I am ugly.
Zeke spread his legs wide, ducking low and putting his paws forward. A thin, warm-looking smile appeared on his lips, the student made an extra effort not to show his fangs.
"Any rules?" Annie asked carefully, rocking her shoulders and raising her fists before herself. She jerked slightly as a humming shield came to life, surrounding her in round space. Unlike military models, this shield did not distort the faces and bodies of the people standing outside. The trainer nodded to Zeke, allowing him to announce the rules. At first, Annie was unsure what exactly the normie woman could do to stop a fight gone wrong between two new breeds. Then she saw the stun baton in the hands of the trainer and saw how the woman put a small exo-suit on herself.
"Just come at me as you want, with your full force. It’s been a long time since I wanted to test myself against a real warrior." Zek spoke with respect, yet there was a hint of anticipation and excitement in his voice. Annie bowed in response, charmed against her will by such honest happiness.
Zeke was confused by her gesture for a moment, and it cost him dearly. Annie made a feint with her right paw, aiming for his jaw. Two paws of her opponent moved, ready to wrap around her wrist when she made a thrust with her left paw, hitting space underneath his adam 's apple with her own fingers, causing Ice Fang to cough violently. A tingle of pain shot like burning embers across the arm of Annie, when still in-healing muscles felt pain. The scout ignored this pain, pushing after Zeke, who backed down, trying to gain distance and calm his breathing. The right paw of the scout closed around his neck, while the right leg of Annie was put behind Zeke’s legs. It was a basic move, one that he would have countered with ease, if not for the pain in his throat. With all her might, Annie crushed Zeke into the soft floor, sending tremors across the room and causing students to jump up in fear and surprise. Hearing the activation sound of the stun baton, Annie jumped back, giving the trainer enough room to check up on the downed wolfkin.
Is this supposed to this easy? He doesn’t look weak at all… Annie looked at the heavy breathing opponent at her feet in worry.
"Annie! What in the abyss came upon you, are you planning to kill my classmate!?" Svetlana shouted angrily, as the shield disappeared before her. The young woman and a few other students rushed inside, helping Zeke to stand up. Svetlana was dressed in a light shirt and a long skirt in the UNU colors, with the name of the basketball team painted all over her chest.
"I am sorry… He said go with full force… I… I am sorry." Annie mumbled, feeling the burning shame in her. Dragena taught her again and again that others often do not know their limits. Annie, on the other hand, was a trained soldier, she had to know better. Scout half closed her eyes, standing back, not daring to try and look guilty. This is what happens when you allow your basic instincts to take over.
"How do you even manage to get in this place?" Demanded to know Svetlana.
"Friends, everything is fine," Zeke said to the worried faces around him, standing up and cracking his shoulders. He smiled at the people around him and continued in a hoarse voice, "Svet, I asked for sparring. Don’t be so hard on…"
"My sister." Svetlana still spoke angrily, crossing her arms on her chest, and Zeke’s ears moved in surprise.
"Ah, I can see the resembles clearer now. The folly of me. Miss, Annie, are you ready for round two?" Zeke asked, coughing once and massaging his neck with both paws. His hoarseness was becoming more normal by the second, far faster than....
"Liar," Annie said coldly, seeing his posture. Not a hint of pain, aside from lightly strained breathing. The wolfkins of the Wolf Tribe were famous for their physical prowess. But the reactions of wolfkins from the Ice Fang order were superior to those of wolfkins from the Wolf Tribe. Wolf hags strained their senses to block bullets, relying more on instincts and experience, while even knights of the Ice Fang order were known to block bullets with their weapons. There was no way Zeke should have fallen for her initial feint that easily, "You intentionally threw the first round."
"Well, my intention was to properly block your attack and give you a proper fight, before losing. But you surprised me, fair maiden," The ice boy shrugged his shoulders innocently, "Forgive my innocent decep…"
"Screw you. Liar. The deal is off. I won’t take anything from you." Scout replied angrily, shrinking under the fiery look of her sister.
"Explain." Svetlana demanded.
"There is nothing to explain. I was a fool, messed up and…" One of the students showed the video on the terminal to Sveta and Annie grew increasingly more worried, seeing the glance that Svetlana threw at the guilty-looking Zeke. I didn’t come here to push a wedge between people in your life, dammit! Trying to sound calm, Annie continued, "Listen, it was only my fault, and no one else's."
"Dearest Zeke," Svetlana sang sweetly, utterly ignoring her sister, "Remind me, what did the teacher say to you about the doors and running? This was what, the third person whom you sent into the pool this way in this month alone?"
"In my defense, my family is the ones paying for remodeling the entryway between two halls." The wolfkin raised his paw, keeping a guilty smile on his muzzle, "And for ruined clothes of lady Annie as well, of course!"
"Please disappear from my life." Annie begged him, "I don’t need anything from you, I refuse to accept…"
"This I must decline!" Zeke jumped in the air, making a backflip before nimbly landing, his hand spread wide. He smirked once more, "If I understand correctly, it is common for the loser in the Wolf Tribe to obey the winner. Thus, let us settle our grievances fairly and squarely this time! This time, I will go against you with my full power and with my full dedication to win!" A crimson streak shot in the eyes of the student.
"You just lost. Obey my will and disappear…"
"If you wish so," Zeke eagerly nodded and lifted one finger, "In this case, you will have to accept the compensation. Otherwise, beat me up and cancel the deal fair and square."
Annie was unsure of what to do. She had agreed to the deal, true, but he lied! He wanted to lose, instead of fighting properly. Accepting a reward from a liar would probably trap her in some other trap of the Ice Fang order.
"You can’t grow unless you climb the mountain before you. And I have seen but the foundation before me so far. Show me the peak, please." The wolfkin tried to reason with the soldier, bowing to her and theatrically placing one paw on his chest.
"If you are coming after me, then the answer is no. I don’t want to end up as..." Zeke’s eyeballs nearly jumped from their sockets at the words of Annie, his calm and proud expression turned to a mix of confusion and embarrassment. The youth straightened himself up, opening and closing his mouth, unsure what to say.
Did I say something stupid? He acted like a male who was trying to court a female for the first time… Shit, think of a way out! Spirits help me, I don’t wanna to end up like Kalaisa! Annie frantically tried to think of a reason to escape. It was not uncommon in the Wolf Tribe for a female winner to court the male loser. While such traditions were gradually fading in modern times, they still existed, and if this Ice Fang...
"He is asking you for a rematch, stupid!" Sveta chuckled, and a few other girls outright laughed, "Although and to be fair, he could be less of a creep about it."
"Oh, thank the Spirits." Annie gasped in relief.
"Wait, are you implying that I'm not good enough for…" Zeke lifted his brow.
"Drop it, liar! Just one more round. Nothing more." Sighed Annie, walking away from Zeke along with Svetlana. The student gestured with her paw and Annie bent her head low, allowing her sister to whisper in her ear.
"Annie. Zeke trains in the ancient martial art called "olympiada". It involves fighting with only wide swings of fists, legs, and grappling moves as a primary method of combat. Please try to play by his rules, if possible, I don’t want any of you to be hurt!" Zeke frowned at Sveta while the wolfkin and the other students exited the ring, leaving the trainer and two fighters on the podium.
"You don’t own me anything. Fight any way you want. I want to learn the proper combat from someone who has been in action." The Ice Fang said, unzipping the upper part of his costume and throwing it aside. Zeke himself was standing relaxed, his arms were hanging by the sides of his body like a pair of ropes.
"And I like challenges. I will face you in your own style and I will win." Annie fiercely smiled, taking off her shirt and throwing it outside the ring, just before the shield could cut them off from the world outside. In the Wolf Tribe, fighters regularly choked themselves out during sparring. How different could the grappling here be anyway? She can mimic it just fine.
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"Wait, does it mean…" One of the students said in an embraced tone, her cheeks suddenly going red.
"Yes, she is technically half naked now. We meet after all these years, yet I am already pissed at…" Sveta rolled her eyes in annoyance, then she jumped in the air, waving her arms in anger once she noticed how several students reached for their pocket terminals, taking out video of the incoming battle, "This is my sister, you perverts! Show some dignity!"
"Hey, she started it!" laughed one of the students, continuing to film the fight as if nothing was bothering him.
Annie wondered if she had done something bad. From her point of view, it was the locals and Sveta who acted all weird. Wolfkins were covered with thick fur, so they couldn’t be "naked" in a normal sense of the word. Instead of pondering any further, she charged forward at her opponent and made a long swing with her right hand.
Zeke was only breathing, relaxing and calm, seemingly oblivious to the fist that was closing on his jaw. But, just as the fist was about to connect, he moved, sliding snake-like across Annie's right side, ending up behind her. His strong arms were wrapped around her waist, using the impulse of her movement to crash scout face down on the floor.
Annie’s fangs gave a clacking sound when her jaw connected to the floor. Zeke moved away from her, grabbing her by the left leg and lifting her in the air.
Is this even grappling?! Annie thought, reaching for his wrist as Zeke threw her in the air. In the Wolf Tribe, Ultis would already be busy choking the life out of Annie for a stupid mistake, instead of giving her a second chance like that. The scout flew backward, realizing the plan of her opponent in an instant. He wanted to crash her against the surface of a shield and finish her up with a charging blow, splatting her against the shield once more. For him, the arena was just as much a weapon as it was a limitation. No dice, friend.
Annie spun herself in the air, landing on the shield with her legs and jumping away from the shield, using the solid energy surface as a foothold. Upon landing on the ring, Zeke was once again on her, grappling her paws with his own, not allowing the opponent to get even a moment of respite. Annie felt surprised, for the briefest moment. The student was overpowering her in this confrontation.
Hey, the Ice Fang are not that soft after all! She happily thought as Zeke pushed her back, closing in on her. Both opponents strained themselves, yet Annie’s legs were slowly moving back, inch by inch, while Zeke’s snout was closing on her, as if he wanted to bite her. The sweat ran beneath his pristine white fur, a blood vessel popped in the left eye of the youth from the efforts, his breathing was hard. Annie, however, barely broke a sweat herself, allowing him to strain himself by pushing her back and hiding a bit of her own physical power.
Now. Zeke’s eyes widened as she let go of his paws, pushing him back one step this time. Wolfkin led her opponent into a sense of false security, forcing him to play by her rules in game where he felt he could win. Now Annie was the one charging at Zeke, aiming to grab him by the neck and throw him over herself.
Her opponent slipped from her embrace, moving like water. One of his arms was wrapped around her side, while the other was over her shoulder. With his snout tightly pressed to her left shoulder, he used his left leg to beat the ground out of Annie’s left leg with a rapid undercut. Zeke threw the surprised wolfkin to the floor with the sound of an exploding bomb that made even the windows in the room tremble. Annie gasped from the burning pain in her chest and left arm. Her wounds dealt by the line breaker still bothered her even now, her muscles were not fully healed underneath her skin and now threatened to get injured anew. She jumped back on her feet and locked in with his paws once again. I am not letting you catch your breath!
"Come on Annie, I believe in you!" Sveta shouted from the sides.
"Hey, but Zeke is our group!" Loudly protested one of the students, and Sveta smiled with a guilty smile.
"Yep, but Annie is my sister. Besides… she kinda cool right now. They both are, to be honest."
Encouragement from her sister was everything that Annie needed to continue to ignore the pain in her chest. That and her stubborn desire not to be outdone by the Ice Fang. The scout strained the muscles in her arms, nearly closing her left eye at the surge of pain in her left arm. It was just a minor pain, she could take it. Her opponent leaned back, inch by inch, losing in the contest of endurance and strength. Seeing this, the scout smiled, imagining how she would splatter him across the floor. Without physical strength, you can’t win in…
Zeke threw Annie over himself. To her shame, she was unsure how this happened. The body of her opponent twitched, catching her just in time when Annie was making another push forward and using her own impulse to lift her off the ground. The world spun before Annie’s eyes, when her body moved in an arc around the student.
She refused to let her hold slip from his paws, landing on her feet with the sound of cracking thunder. Pain rocketed in her knees, making the scout grunt approvingly, while her face and torso were directed toward the ceiling. Zeke was also forced to remain in a similar position, and Annie's smile widened, revealing her fangs to the world. My turn. The scout threw her opponent over herself this time, using her throw as a way to stand up. Her body hurt. Chest, knees, left arm. No, this pain was not from her old wounds. The initial throw that she missed and the second throw of the Zeke…. Annie never expected that simple throws to take such a toll on her. No, these are not simple throws! Their angle and their speed, plus the power behind them! Superb, simply superb! There are so many awesome things in the world!
Zeke was strong, there was no denying this. He should have landed on his feet just fine. But perhaps the effects of the concussion and a hit in the throat from the first round were still bothering him, no matter how much the proud male tried to hide it. As the student landed on his lower legs, his paws released their hold on the paws of the scout. At this moment, Annie followed up her attack with a direct wide swing of her right leg, aiming right at his jaw.
This counts as a wide swing, right? She thought in worry. Annie nearly squeaked in excitement as the arms of Zeke moved, disappearing from the line of attack. He landed on his lower legs to absorb the impact of his fall and minimize the damage, and he had already positioned himself for the counterattack, betting that the scout would strike him with her leg. He had just met her and already could read her. The senses of the Ice Fang order truly were something else entirely.
The left paw of the youth closed upon Annie’s ankle from above, while the right paw slid right underneath her knee. Arresting the impulse of the kick and catching the leg of Annie in a manmade mantrap, Zeke followed up his attack, using the captured leg of the scout as a lever to send the scout flying in the air. With a beautifully executed move, Zeke threw Annie in the air once again, this time directing the arc of Annie’s fall by holding her right leg and making students outside jump up once again from tremors produced by the crash of her.
Cool! Olympiada is useful! This is something I should learn! Annie bit her own tongue, feeling blood on her fangs. Every bone in her body hurt, soft mats did surprisingly little to help to disperse the impact of the violent fall. Her blood sped up in her veins, rocking her insides even further. Annie wanted to vomit. Despite all of that, she had to stop herself from giggling as Zeke released his hold on her. This match reminded her of fights she had with Sveta before separating. She sensed no malice or rage from the opponent, just a stubborn insistence on winning, the same that she was feeling right now. This was what they had been doing in the Core Lands? Fighting for fun under the rules was not so bad after all, it made for some interesting combat. In the Wolf Tribe, Kayleen would never let go of her leg, the wolf hag would have twisted her leg all the way to the point of snapping until Annie would surrender or faint from pain. Here, however, it looked like people wanted to prolong the fun and to avoid injuring each other too severely. This is what passes for a sparring session around here? People here are awesomely nice!
Scout tried to stand up when the arms of Zeke wrapped around the upper part, right underneath her arms.
Ok, this is just uncalled for! Annie thought angrily to herself, feeling how his arms were touching her breasts. The scout tried to break the hold but found that she couldn’t. She was still on her knees, one leg of Zeke was standing on the back of her right knee, meanwhile his arms were closing around her body ever so strongly, making it hard for her to breath with each push. He is not actually that stronger than me! So why can’t I break free?! She felt pain shooting into her chest, giving her a nasty remainder of her previous injuries. She noticed that her own paws were trembling, and sweat was running across her back, mixing with sweat from Zeke’s body. Her vision went blurry for a brief moment. Is this the result of his throws? He built up damage in my body, so he could choke me out with his last move? Inconceivable! I refuse to believe it!
"Annie! Show him the power of the Wolf Tribe!" Sveta laughed, despite the worried look on her face. Students all around the circle cheered both fighters as they struggled, some chanting Zeke’s name, and yet few, quite a few actually, were supporting Annie, cheering her to fight on.
I just don’t get people here. No one in the Wolf Tribe would cheer for Ice Fang in a battle between a member of the tribe and a member of the order. No one.
If I use my head to kick him, will this count as a break of the rules in this "olympiada" thingy? Annie wondered as darkness crept into her eyes after minutes of fighting between two fighters. She had to gesture to the trainer that everything was fine in order to continue the fight. Wildfire was burning in her chest and left arm, her strained skin felt as if it could burst at any moment. Dammit! Stupid wounds, stupid… Will you let your wounds drop you here? What if your wounds cause you to falter if Sveta is in trouble ever again? No. Annie decided, remembering the mantra of the Wolf Tribe. Push through the pain. Push through the pain and win!
Her chance came when Zeke coughed. It was a simple mistake, yet one that he could not stop. He was hurt from the previous round and that damage only worsened during the second round as he was continuously straining himself. Damage was built up during the struggle in the second round, leading to an inevitable moment of weakness. It was weakness that made adrenaline run across Annie’s body in a surge of extasy. Weakness! A moment to strike, a moment to finish off the prey! A moment that the scout seized. His grip on her weakened just for a moment, and that was enough for Annie to hit him with the back of her head and break free, turning to him and spearing him with an elbow aimed at his solar plexus. Inhaling air, the scout delivered her next blow into Zeke's muzzle, causing him to throw his head up and open his neck. Vulnerable, easy target, one hit and…
Shit. I lost. Understood Annie. In her panic, she allowed instincts, the need to dominate over an opponent, especially over a male at any cost, to take over her body. Something that was drilled into her by the blood of the tribe had finally resurfaced, driving her to excel and win at any cost. And this something was not comparable with the rules of Dragena. A soldier had no need for honor, but a soldier obeys laws and obeys rules of engagement. During peacetime, a soldier learns where she or he can, even at the cost of losing. And Annie lost the opportunity to learn what exactly Zeke tried to pull off. At least let’s end it properly.
Scout grabbed her shocked opponent by his right shoulder and by his crotch. Zeke squeaked against his will when his body was lifted into the air by Annie. Both used almost everything they could in this round. But unfortunately for her opponent, despite all her mistakes, Annie still had enough endurance to go on and the attack in the first round damaged her opponent way worse than he expected.
"That’s… This one is gotta hurt like..." One of the students said, with a pale look on his face.
"S… Sur…" Zeke grunted weakly as Annie threw him over herself. Seeing how Zeke’s head was approaching the ground with the speed of a cannonball, Svetlana screamed in panic. Yet just before his head could touch the floor, Annie stopped his fall, allowing only the hair of her opponent to touch the mats.
As gently as she could, she put the youth upright on his feet, bowing deeply to the surprised Zeke. Annie dared not to look at his triumphant, no doubt, muzzle. A member of the Wolf Tribe showed her inability to honor the word given. Inability to control one's instincts
"Even at the end, I could not match your skills fairly. If you were in your prime in the second round, I would never have been able to carry out my escape. Victory in the second round is yours by right, sir. Let's count our sparring today as your victory or as a draw," Annie smiled weakly, looking at the bared legs of the youth and understanding for the first time just how worn she was from this simple clash, "My grappling skills are but an amateurish joke when compared to your skills." It pained her to admit it, yet you can’t grow up by lying to yourself, as Dragena often said. Accept your failure, and try to get better.
How can I become better if I refuse to lose? It was easy in the Wastes. Kill the target, spare those who surrender, save people, keep allies safe. And yet, that was not enough. Annie was a wild beast in the Core Lands, in the ideal that his excellency Dynast tries to build, a beast who made her sister afraid and angry. One day. One day, I will master my instincts and become a soldier worthy of the blessed mother.
"You both were awesome!" Shouted Svetlana when the bubble of the shield fell. Annie smiled embracingly, trying to keep her sister away from her wet and soaked by the sweat body. Her attempts failed and both sisters ended up hugging once more.
"I thank you for your magnificent performance and gladly accept a draw, dearest lady. Please allow me to thank you for saving my pride," The student said as he accepted the towel from the trainer, "Does this mean you will accept compensation for the damage I caused?" Zeke asked, straightening up and wiping out a thin line of blood from his nose with a towel.
"Screw you, liar! As a loser, I will pay myself!" Annie snarled at him angrily, before she could grab a hold of her instincts. Her outburst only caused everyone around her to laugh more. Unamused, the scout looked around with a sour expression on her face before asking the trainer for a paper copy of the manual about this "olympiada" style.