Chapter 10:

That first week flew by as we all fell into something of a comfortable rhythm. However, as the week progressed, the tension between students started escalating. Fights broke out in almost every single class as people fought for rankings. There were a few who tried to fight me for rank, but I just followed what Xavier had told me before. It was better to be one of the lowest-ranking students and still be alive to step into the ring than to be dead. I didn't care that I had dropped several ranks over the week. I was uninjured and still alive to step into the ring today.

They called my name as I waited in line with under half the other students now on the other side of the gate of the stone arena. Nova shifted restlessly on my shoulders as I pushed the heavy gate open and walked out onto the hard-packed dirt of the arena. I wasn't really listening as they called the name of my opponent, as I took that moment to look around the space we would be fighting in. The arena was huge; it could easily hold two of Bane at his full size down on this floor, and the tiered seating that circled all the way around it gave the crowd that was gathered in those stands the perfect view to watch the action it provided once a week. I looked up at them, glancing over the outside people that had decided to gather here today until I found the section where the professors and the students who had already passed and were uninjured enough to stay sat. They were gathered towards the center of the left side of the arena, and Xavier stood there, Bane draped around his shoulders as they both watched me. Even from this distance, I could see him raise an eyebrow at me as he shifted to lean forward against the wall that separated our section of the stands from the rest.

Taking a breath, I looked towards the other student walking out from the opposite side of the field. To say I was terrified was a serious understatement. I've been training every single night with Xavier and taking those lessons he taught me to use during combat during the day, but nothing could prepare me for the pressure I felt as I walked out into that arena. Everything rode on this moment. I took a deep breath, steadying my thoughts, allowing my mind to slip into that quiet place I found during training as I let everything he's taught me take over. You can tell a lot just from how someone holds themselves and walks. My mind instantly went back to everything he had told me as we were training last night, and I looked up at the man walking towards me.

He didn't have a familiar, but his eyes were a deep scarlet as his pale complexion practically glowed white in the sun. He was Vampirian. That meant he would only be as strong as whatever his last meal was, but that was anyone's guess. By how he was holding himself, he was confident to the point of arrogance, but that was helpful. I could use that to my advantage as long as I played this right.

Nova shifted on my shoulders, moving to where she was perched to leap from them as we neared the center of the arena. As I took my spot, standing on one side of the General, she jumped behind me, shifting to her larger size as she placed me directly between her front paws. She was large, but after seeing just how huge Bane was, along with a few of the other draconic species here, I realized that she was actually tiny comparatively. However, she still had teeth, claws, and fire, and while she couldn't start the fight, it would still work to my advantage if things went awry. This was a no-holds-barred match. We went until one of us tapped out, was incapacitated... or dead, but they didn't like to openly advertise that last part.

The second they called for the match to start, he rushed me, instantly throwing us into close combat, making Nova almost entirely useless. If she lunged at him, she would have just as good a chance of grabbing me as she would him. I took a breath, steadying myself just like he had taught me before pulling one of my knives and playing a bit of defense. He tried to punch and kick me, but I dodged, using my small size and speed to my advantage as I weaved around his wide blows. He was slow and sloppy in his moves, nothing like how Xavier fought, making it easy for me to move around him. Each time he threw a punch or kick, I dodged around him before diving in to make a quick shallow cut to his person. Just enough to make him bleed, but not deep enough to go for the kill. The best way to counter a Vampirian is to bleed them. If you deplete their sources, they quickly run out of power and are just as fragile as any human. Xavier's words played through my head once more as I kept up my pace, ignoring everything else as I completely focused on the back and forth of combat.

I kept low, keeping balanced as he started to get frustrated, missing strike after strike. Only a few of his hits had actually gotten through my guard, and I made sure he paid for them just as much, if not more, than I had. He stumbled back for a moment, and I quickly took the opportunity to advance, slashing and attempting to kick out his knee, but he dodged before using the last of his strength to shove into me. He moved past my guard quicker than I could even see, let alone do anything about. Before I even knew what was happening, he was on top of me. He pinned my hands above my head as his hips bracketed mine, and I made the quick move to buck him off just like I had done to Xavier. However, I hadn't noticed that he had his fangs out and was already poised to strike. I saw it a moment too late as I shoved him forward. I couldn't get out from under him fast enough to avoid those fangs as he sank them into the side of my neck.

Searing pain wracked my entire body as I gasped for breath before every single muscle in my body seized. I saw a flash of white as Nova grabbed him, pulling him off me as she sank her teeth into the now screaming man. I couldn't lift a single finger, not considering that it took every single ounce of my strength just to breathe. My head fell to the side, and I felt the warm, wet puddle before I could see the quickly spreading crimson puddle.

"Ari!" I blinked, but it felt like it took minutes for my eyes to open once more rather than mere seconds as I saw a blur of black leap over the wall that separated the arena from the stands. There was a blast of heat somewhere beside me as a pair of bright emerald eyes filled my vision. His hand clamped over the side of my neck, and my mouth fell open in a silent cry of agony, although all that came out was a gurgled whimper. He didn't relent, as his eyes frantically searched mine, but the warm hand that cupped my cheek gently brushed over it, giving me something other than the sheer agony to focus on for just a moment before everything faded away.

I slowly blinked my eyes open, quickly adjusting to the dark room. There were several beds, all laid out along the walls and filled with people. Where was I? I winced as I tried to move my head to look around the room, but it pulled at something on the side of my neck that sent fire racing through my veins. I gasped at the pain, and something shifted at the other side of the bed I was on before a warm hand grasped my shoulder, gently pushing down. It wasn't enough to hurt, but just hard enough to keep me still. "Try not to move around. It took them far too long to get that wound closed in the first place. Don't rip it open again." A deep, slightly rough tone said from my side. I knew that voice, but why would he be here? Slowly, I tipped my head just enough that I could look over at Xavier as Nova came up to me, lying on my chest as she gently rubbed her cheek against mine, further keeping me still.

I slowly took him in, but it looked like he had just been asleep in a padded chair beside the bed I was in. His long legs were propped up on the edge of the bed as he leaned back in the chair, looking me over with those beautiful emerald eyes that looked far softer right now than I was used to. "Wh... where am I... and why are you here?" I asked, forcing the question out of my dry, raspy throat.

"Here," he reached behind him, handing me a mug of something off the table behind him, and I took it, taking a sip of the cool water. "You're in the medical ward, and I'm here because, since we ended up having to step in and incinerate the Vampire that took a chunk out of your neck, people have been in a bit of an uproar. Although by any technical terms, not only did he break the law of not drawing from a Celestial, but Nova had also pulled him off you and was halfway to incinerating him herself before we stepped in. Not everyone sees it like that, though, considering technically you were the first one incapacitated, due to the venom in their bite. It's honestly just a whole idiotic mess, so I'm here to keep people from trying to assassinate you while you can't defend yourself."

"So then, since I'm still here, I take it the General deemed that I won?"

"Yes, the General called you the winner, considering you were still alive, while even if the other one wasn't a pile of ash, he would be a mindless monster." That made me smile as I handed him back the mug, and he set it back up on the table behind him. I won.

"How long have I been out?"

"Three full days, and it's currently about midnight."

"Has anyone actually tried to come after me?" I asked, wondering exactly how worried I should be.

"Bane caught one yesterday, and I've taken out two others. One the first night, and one last night," he told me, leaning back in the chair once more, before taking one of the long daggers from his hip and looking over the edge of the wickedly curved blade. Three people in three days? That was far more than I was comfortable with.

"Thank you," I whispered as I looked him over once more. He didn't really acknowledge it, but I did catch the slight curve of his lips as he just continued checking over his blade, testing the edge of it with his thumb.