“Please bow, Crescendo. You're supposed to bow!,” bellows the priest.
I bow my head, before I piss off the high priest too much. I was deep above the crowds in the arena. My glove presses the torch pillar and my other hand was on my controls. Above me was my large banner covering and on it was my family crest. It had a picture of a chalice on it, like many other families before me. We aren't very original.
“This is nonsense.”
Armor racks were below me. Mine had already been emptied like my rivals. Lines of distant fire dimly blurred the heights from Desparsa's side of our death match. The shadowy interior of my side gave me a sense of ease, as Desparsa flashed his shield at my eyes. The sun as over me, so I was at a disadvantage. I had asked for the other side.
I couldn't escape the task in front of me. I thought about the Lady of the land I would win as part of my rights. I didn't want her, though the thought was very tempting. I could imagine grabbing her hips. It didn't matter. I was going to be a king even if I died. I think of my dead lover and then peer at Desparsa. We move closer to lock hands with each other at the high priest's command. After we would fly toward our pillar, touch it, and kill each other.
Desparsa grinds his teeth, ready for battle. I could see the ferocious beast on his armor. It was eating its human dinner. Desparsa locks his knee-blade, pulling his jet-pack straps tightly beneath his heavy plated chest. As I turn to my left, I see Lani. She make as angry face at my foe, and she was hoping for my victory.
“You're dead, Crescendo. Just like your first mother, who your father beat to death,” laughs Desparsa. The high priest bellows what is said and the crowd laughs at me. He puts aside his speaker.
“If you win Desparsa, tell Luer his parrot speaks Caparan,” I reply solemnly. The high priest ignores me and he waits until we lock hands. He begins the countdown with an hourglass. The sand trickles.
I clench my fist and release. My jet-pack swerves as I speed, then moves slow, to my starting pillar. The first maneuvers we make both miss. The next two follow the same. I see Desparsa pass by me again in a blur, trying to knock me off course. I dodge several bullets, wanting to stay in the dark. I didn't feel ready to risk it all yet.
Desparsa hovers in front of me. He dives in and I roll to my side. I hear a crack as he smashes into a pillar and his shield film shatters. I turn to face him. I swallow, feeling slightly dehydrated. My head starts spinning as I head down the the ground and try to come up from below.
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Desparsa anticipates me, but at the last second I eject my knee-blade it flies upward. It flies past his blocking shield and I catch it above him, from the other side. I look down at his shoulder. I go full speed down with my controls. My blade slices through my rival's collarbone, until it hits something hard.
My jet-pack motor screeches as Desparsa screams in pain. He starts to fall gripping his wound, but I follow him and drive him faster to the ground. The impact happens suddenly. My rival breaks his spine in several places and lies there.
The high priest gets up and the crowds cheer. I land, out of breath, feeling sickened by my own people. I didn't want it to end this way, but Luer couldn't win.
A short time later I take a seat next to Lani. Nola Capara and Classidine were fighting each other next and I would fight the winner. After I would face Luer.
Lani gives me a hug. She was dressed as one of my bodyguards and trying to keep calm. Her slave friend Nahlia was staying quiet. Toah was somewhere in the crowds and refused to sit next to Lani. I take a seat next to Lani. Mona Classidine was sitting on my other side. She nods many times and smiles at me. We play our hand game and Lani tries to ignore us. We were celebrating.
“I'm happy you won,” says Lani.
“Me too, Lani. Don't be afraid. We all die and the world forgets us.”
Lani narrows her eyes at me. “I don't want you to die.”
I watch as Lani lowers herself in her seat. Shortly after, she goes to sit among her own people. She needed to get away. I look over at Mona, who still smiling at me. She was observing us and picked up on the bad vibe. I take out a paper and write a quick note for Mona.
“I have plans for you to leave Capara when the pilot comes, dear Mona.”
I tug her long black hair to get her attention. Mona bats away my hands and smiles. She grabs my note and reads it and writes back to me something. It was just a picture of me killing Luer. Mona could never hear me, but I enjoyed sharing my thoughts out loud when I didn't have paper to write on. I enjoyed having her company.
Mona continues to watch the fight as her father Classidine struggles in battle. I would have to kill him next and I didn't want to. Mona was a little frightened. She loved her family, even though they despised her. She also didn't want to lose me.
“Don't worry Mona. I will end this blood lust when I am king. We will overcome together.”
Mona continues watching the fight. She sighs when it's over. Her father had won. Mona offers me a hand and we run down the stares to congratulate her father. She smiles as she leads me along. Her dress brushes the steps, making it hard for me to judge mine. In the distance, I try to make out Classidine from the figures and hear his voice. I congratulate him and think about my next match. If I won, I hoped to give him an easy death. If he won, I would still have some closure. The survivor of our fight would live to face the privileged one. Both of us wanted Luer to die. It was a prize all on its own.