A Valkyrie's Apprentice: Book Two

Rise

– T A Y A H –

I walked out into the sunlit arena with two other heavily armoured competitors. The only notable change were that they were not here to kill me but to work with me.

Three others emerged from the opposite side of the dusty circle and twirled weapons to the cheering crowds with confidence. They were large. In fact I even noticed the double headed axe from the arrogant buffoon simple enough to spit in my direction last sun.

I smirked as he spun it in a wide arch and rolled his neck.

I glanced around the many faces above us shouting. Somewhere among them would be John and Kaden. I dropped to a knee and grabbed a handful of dirt. It slipped through my fingers and I let the dust coat my palms. The fighters around me prepared by showing off weapons and armour like they were the only thing that mattered.

I plucked up two short swords of similar size from the arena ring and spun them quickly feeling their weight and judging the way they would sing in the air. The only thing that mattered to me was putting down these excuses for challengers and not losing a night's rest.

The horn sounded and the two men on either side of me rushed forward to start the fight quickly. I sighed through my nose in no hurry and flexed the twin short swords in my hands a few times.

The sound of metal clashed and the largest meat with arms broke through my competitors guard like a hot knife in butter. The axe head went through his helmet and sunk into the man skull. He dropped to his knees before the gigantic man kicked his boot forward and ripped the axe out.

The crowd roared and blood sprayed.

But he was now focused on my slow prowl forward. I wore no helmet like the rest. I never had. Helmets cut out vision and dulled the senses. I moved with speed and my strikes needed to be sharp. My high plait went down past my shoulders and only a few loose strands kissed my cheek in the dusty air.

Another man died, outnumbered and too untrained in the art of the skilled fight.

The largest man ripped off his spiked helmet and showed me his scarred and bald head with a leering grin. The crowd seemed to respond in kind to the dramatics and urged on the three fighters closing me down cautiously.

They were better. But not enough.

A trident jabbed for my head and I rolled away. This sent the other fighter into action and he swung a two handed hammer down on me. A slow weapon. But one I could not afford a hit from–it would break bone.

I slashed a quick blade across a thigh and met another swing of the trident with crossed swords.

The crowd erupted again and I kicked a leg forward into the trident wielder sending him staggering into the injured man. But the largest was upon me now and cut the double sided axe down at me with a roar.

I smirked at him dodging to the side with half a thought and watching him try a wild swing again in rage. I slipped back and threw my hand with a sword forward encouraging him on. I knew wherever the men were–they would be grinning. It was a trademark move of mine. To get right inside the head of a slow brute... Then make him pay.

His breathing became heavy and his forehead became red as his eyes glared a pure hatred down upon me. Another man tried to engage me but the brute was lost to his rage now and instead sent the axe right into the back of his skull making him stop dead in his tracks.