A Worthy Opponent Novels & Stories

“But what I do want to say is this, when you raise your weapon to strike... don’t lose your humanity in the process. I know that sounds like something soft in a time like this, but it’s not.” A few of them glance at each other, probably wondering where I’m going with this. I don’t care. “Not every opponent is your enemy. Just like not every partner is your friend. Remember that. The people we’re fighting? They’re doing what we’re doing. Protecting their people. Their families. Their homes. That doesn’t make them monsters. So if you gotta take someone down... give them a death with dignity. Don’t gloat. Don’t be cruel. Just do what you came to do and move on.”

I asked Syra, my voice quivering as I thought of Gabe’s frustration. She smiled kindly at my query, her eyes twinkling with wisdom she had gathered throughout her millennia-long existence. “Worthiness is not something imposed by others, child. It is something you must discover within yourself. To prove yourself worthy is to embrace your strengths and learn to deal with your own shortcomings. It is to own your faults and use them as stepping stones to grow. In the case of weidling the sacred sword, it’s about respecting the power it holds, understanding the sacrifices made by those who wielded it before you, and having the courage to take on a destiny that you never asked for.”

"The second rule of fight is to identify your opponents weakness. No matter how great of a fighter your opponent is , remember everyone has a weakness." Jason was standing in the center, addressing the warriors and I gulp feeling out of place. They all, even the girls we so toned...wearing sports bras and fittings pants.....while my clothes were so baggy....a worn out jogger with holes in it and an oversized hoody, hiding my thin frame and bruises below. "You need to attack at that-" His words stop as he took in my presence. Noticing my awkwardness. "Thora. You may join the third row. At the end."

Bang! Alex and Preston backed away three steps at the same time, evenly matched. Prestone rubbed the wounds on his blood-soaked fists, with blood flowing freely from it. He had a bloodthirsty look on his face when he said, “Not bad, not bad at all. You’re the strongest opponent I’ve ever encountered, and you’ve managed to arouse my fighting spirit. You are worthy of me to take seriously! I’ll be showing my true abilities next. I hope you won’t disappoint me.” Anna and the rest were stunned, speechless when they heard his words.

With a face filled with cakey makeup and body adorned with branded clothes, her jewelry also could not be ignored especially with its flashing gold and silver colors. “Who needs to support who?” Yana said and raised her brows at the woman. She may have looked like some pushover but Yana is an aristocrat herself, she can still fight criticisms and insecure people. Children of nobles of course were groomed to a society where if you have a weak heart and slow wits then people will use and take advantage of you.

"If you lose, Malcom, you will be marked. The Goddess is unforgiving. The pack is unforgiving. You will be seen as unworthy. Unworthy of a mate. Unworthy of respect. Unworthy of the bond that the Goddess offered you." Alpha Soren shifted in his chair, his hands gripping the armrests. "Your Majesty, my son is not going to lose." "Father..." Malcom began. "Be quiet." Soren's voice was sharp. He turned to Maddox. "My son has trained since he could walk. He has never been defeated in combat. He is strong, fast, and determined. He will win." Maddox looked at Malcom. "And what of your opponent? Do you know anything about him?"

Although his opponent is intimidating, he does not show that the opponent is better than him. "Let go of my arm," Phil's dangerous voice commanded Nikky. He was trying to stop himself from punching my friend. The two looked at each other and seemed to be measuring strength even though it was obvious that Phil would win against Nikky. My friend is also tall but Phil is taller. Nikky will be defeated easily by Phil. Nikky is not thin and in fact, she has a good body built but compared to Phil's body that is stretched from exercise in the gym, my friend's body does not say anything.

“Show them what it means to be a warrior of our pack. Leave no room for doubt, no mercy for your opponent. We will not be underestimated.” The time draws near, and the air crackles with anticipation. The stage is set, the crowd eagerly awaiting the clash between betas. As I take my place, a stoic and commanding presence, I know that the outcome of this duel will not only shape our standing among the alphas but also solidify our position within the realm. In the face of challenge, we stand unyielding. And as the battle commences, I watch with cold and focused eyes, the echoes of my motivation ringing in Adam’s ears.

*VALENS* I’d never met an opponent I could not take down. Some of them took more time than others but what mattered was that ultimately, I always won. There was a reason I was called a conqueror. Yet, for the first time, I met a man who was always one step ahead of me. It made me want to hit something, snap a neck. It was like an annoyingly incessant itch, no matter how much I itched, it never went away. I never thought that opponent would be someone as spineless as Jackson.

"That's much easier said than done." "It's easier when you're perceptive." He held onto my shoulders and positioned me properly, "when you watch your opponent, you're not just waiting for an attack, you're going to need to anticipate one, which is why you look at their eyes, their muscles, their hands, their legs."