AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Harlow took a deep breath, hoping against all hope everything Xion had just told her would play out well.
She studied the fight card with interest as a series of warm-up bouts played out, keeping the crowd and spectators riled. Inside the dais, however, the Sable Riders were more focused on discussing which of the charity evening’s auction items they were bidding for - everything from luxury getaways in Zanyria to gourmet cooking experiences, wine-tasting tours at some of Galicia’s finest wineries and artwork and prints by famous artists all over the System.
Harlow got right into the conversation until her companions fell silent and turned at the sound of a voice welcoming the crowd and setting up the night’s prime match. The floating dais’ privacy barriers lowered, as did most other booths, each perfectly aligned to get a direct view of the arena.
A platform descended on centre stage, and a ringmaster appeared in a dark black top hat under which revolved black eye sockets and bleeding red lips that were somehow simultaneously creepy and fascinating at the same time. The alluringly sinister voice of the announcer floated over the sand ring, reverberating through the entire arena.
Then they shot into the air and disappeared in a haze of fog.
The sound of ominous violins and crashing drums followed the theatrics. A hush fell amongst the crowd as the music swelled and filled the air.
Suddenly the house lights fell to black, leaving only a spotlight focused on the ring of sand at the centre of the arena.
A figure suddenly vaulted onto the sand. A masked, ghoulish creature, a living skeleton with an array of cybernetic fused bones jutting from his hellish frame, each one glinting in the harsh light.
The Mortician.
He lifted his head and roared, pacing the arena, sniffing the air as if searching for his prey. He shouted an unintelligible catchphrase, which the crowd roared back at him.
‘What did he say?’ Harlow asked.
Riv answered her with a curl of his lip. ‘He just said, in Falasian, that all he wants is to finish the job he started years ago, to flay the Shadow and leave him bare to the bone.’
‘So macabre,’ Harlow said with a shudder.
‘It’s the nature of the game, Harlow,’ Zane drawled. ‘He’s just trash-talking, trying to build up the tension and drama of the match.’
The entire arena gasped when a shroud leapt from the shadows and flew past The Mortician, who fell heavily. Shadow had landed the first blow to the screaming delight of the spectators.
Harlow drew a sharp breath as Kage, his face also obscured by an obsidian metanoid mask, and The Mortician fell on each other in a series of nasty digs, backhands and uppercuts.
Inside The Sable Group booth, the Riders surged to their feet and crowded the edge of the cage, cheering loudly, their shouts adding to the energy and noise that shook the arena as everyone was caught up in the closely matched brawl. Harlow, too, soon found herself screaming her head off alongside Selene, both women lost in the thrill and intensity of the competition.
Harlow’s body hummed with such electricity and edginess she could hardly breathe. She grabbed hold of one of the enclosure’s scaffolds and held onto it tightly, her body flashing with tension and a strangely blinding need for her man as she watched him pummel his opponent with vicious exacting.
The action in the ring was fast-paced and physical, with the pair grappling, pinning, and manoeuvring each other to gain the upper hand.
At one point, The Mortician pulled a sword from within the folds of his costume and flicked it at Kage, adding danger and excitement to the match. Kage easily dodged it and kicked it out of his opponent’s hands. It flew high, lodging on the floor beyond the ring itself.
Kage was a shadow, a blur of movement and obsidian menace who seemed to suck all light from the ring, confusing his opponent as to where he stood.
Harlow’s heart was in her mouth as she watched him use strength, speed, agility and endurance to gain an advantage over his opponent. He feinted, distracted and counterattacked to throw The Mortician off balance, and it was evident in the first few minutes who had the upper hand.
The grappling pair rose and fell in waves, on the sand and back up on their feet, the brawl a mix of good old-fashioned wrestling andkapofeet. Kage moved fast on his feet and employed the shadows judiciously, accompanied by some lightning-fast hand speed that he seemed almost freakish.
‘Damn, The Mortician has some serious stickability, but he’s out of his depth,’ Riv murmured.
Every blow Kage threw, he landed, while The Mortician missed most swings, roaring with disappointment as he flailed.
‘He’s stanky as and a sucker for suffering,’ Kainan said with a shake of his head.
The Mortician wasn’t going down without a fight through. He employed takedowns, pins, escapes, and reversals in an energetic blend of athleticism, drama, and spectacle. But each jab from Shadow sent him lurching, and he soon showed signs of exhaustion. Finally, Kage threw a thick leg at his opponent and in a flurry of cross kicks and martelos, he felled The Mortician.
He fell heavily onto the masked, barely moving creature as the bell rang three times until the announcer swooped in from above to proclaim the winner.
The place erupted in roars, and Harlow was sure she’d lost her voice several times as she yelled in relief and joy at her man’s win.
As the house lights lifted, Kage magnanimously reached a dark hand to help his opponent up. The Mortician snarled in frustration and slapped away the offer of peace.
