“Well, that was exciting,” Phoenix said with a smile at everyone.
Marethyu looked at Phoenix and shook his head before turning towards Sophie and asked a question, “What training do you have? And are you willing to demonstrate? I know there are many people here that are curious about you, myself included. Most don't have good intentions, but those of us present do.”
Scarlett groaned from the table, “Was that prick from the family that hired you to kill me?” She rolled over and sheepishly acknowledged Sophie, “Hi, Latavia. Please don't kill me.” Sophie looked at Scarlett and realized that she looked to be the same age as her sister would be, about 28. Scarlett had short cropped black hair and piercing blue eyes.
“As long as you don't go torching the place. And we have a rematch,” Sophie replied.
“Uhhh…. I don't know…”
Marethyu and Phoenix started laughing, Phoenix recovered first, “We'll be there to oversee the fight.”
“How about hand to hand combat? No powers or spells.” Marethyu asked after he recovered from laughing.
Sophie's eyes lit up at that offer, “I like the sound of that.”
Scarlett nodded slowly, still sounding uncertain, “That'll work.”
Marethyu and Phoenix lead the way towards the training room. The training room was more like a hall because of how large it is. At the center of the room was a pit with a twenty-five foot by twenty-five foot square that was lined with seats carved into the stone floor. There was an active fight going on in the fighting pit.
The two fighting were not holding back. Laying into each other with their full strength. Lychess growled upon seeing the two in the ring. She leaped down the 75 foot drop to the ring and intervened. Grabbing both by their throats, shook them once before growling, “What is the meaning of this? I know what training versus killing looks like, and the two of you are trying to kill each other.”
Lychess was partly changed: canines enlarged, her long, dark hair thickening, the nails on her hands and feet looking wicked sharp and carved to points like actual claws on a wolf.
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Phoenix proceeded down to the pit slowly, letting Lychess handle the situation. Marethyu stopped the group before turning to Sophie, “Those two are demi-humans under Lychess’ guidance. Her mother and I made an agreement, an agreement that Lychess and I honor, that the king or queen of the lycanthropes at the Underworld take care of the demi-humans and I take care of the humans. Phoenix or I may get involved with the demi-humans only when asked by the monarch or if a demi-human needs immediate help with something. Phoenix is heading down to offer her services as a healer. Lychess has the ability to tell Phoenix to leave them be and let their injuries heal naturally.”
As Sophie watched, Lychess said something to Phoenix then proceeded to throw the two demi-humans across the room in opposite directions.
“So, no healing for them?” Sophie asked when the group caught up with Phoenix and Lychess.
“No,” Lychess growled in response after she left the ring, slowly reverting to her human form. “Don't hold back against Scarlett, Latavia. I want to see blood.”
“Only hand to hand combat, no powers or spells,” Phoenix reminded Lychess. “Yes, a good hit in the right place can draw blood, but no killing. Are you two ready?”
Scarlett drew in a shaky breath before nodding her consent. Sophie was stretching in the center of the fighting ring, a grin on her face. “Let's do this.”
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It was very clear to Marethyu that Sophie was going to easily defeat Scarlett, from the moment that Sophie was stretching to the stance that the woman took. Whereas Scarlett was nervous and looked like she was trying to mimic Sophie's stance.
In short order, Scarlett was lying on the ground groaning holding her stomach. Latavia looked disappointed with how easily she defeated her opponent.
“Stop! Scarlett, have you no training in hand to hand combat? Latavia, if you would like an actual fight, challenge Lightning or Lilith.”
Lightning stepped up, “I'll have a go, sir.” Scarlett rolled out of the ring still groaning. Phoenix handed her a jar of ointment, “Massage it into your muscles, it'll help you from getting sore and bruising.”
Marethyu leaned back and watched the Lightning square up against Sophie. Each took their stances, Sophie her weird fighting stance and Lightning his fighting stance that he mastered to help direct his elemental power. “Remember, no powers. Begin!”
Sophie began with a jab, followed up with a kick. Lightning stepped back from the jab and blocked the kick. Lightning side stepped then swept Sophie’s feet from under her. She was quick to recover and rolled out of the way and was back on her feet, now wary knowing that this fight was different from the first bout with Scarlett.