Beyond the Border | ✔

19 | rule 46

RULE 46: THE OUTSIDE WORLD IS RIDDEN WITH DISEASE IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. BEWARE. 

✷ C H A P T E R     N I N E T E E N ✷

Tonight's fight was not the Final Fight. It was, however, the last fight before the Final Fight would take place tomorrow night. Heath gushed over a warrior named Kai who had won an earlier fight today, meaning Kai would appear in the Final Fight — he was Heath's chosen pick to win (even though Heath did not know who Kai would be going up against yet). According to Heath, Kai was well built but agile like a cat. He had great strength, but he also had immense speed. His instincts on what moves and where to throw a punch were not as developed as his other skills, but Heath stressed it was Kai's first time in the competition. He encouraged me to place a bet on Kai, even when I reminded Heath I had no money to my name.

Unease washed over me as we made our way to our seats. Thousands of other like-minded people crowded the coliseum, a buzz of anticipation filling the air mixed in with the overwhelming stench of stale popcorn. As I peered around at the faces surrounding us, no one else seemed to be apprehensive about the upcoming fight.

Instead, I saw people wearing shirts plastered with Final Fight in bold letters, little flags with their chosen fighter clenched in many of their hands. Tonight's fight was against Alpha Manny and warrior Pete Hudgins. Alpha Manny was the same Alpha who Heath talked about earlier, the same Manny who got his title a year earlier from winning the Final Fight.

Obviously, Alpha Manny was the predicted winner of tonight's fight. Heath, who followed each fighter's stats religiously, said it should be a shutout. His exact words were: "it will be a shut out. A bloody one at that. Alpha Manny likes to fight a little dirty. Pete is not going to stand a chance."

While Alpha Manny had the upper hand, he was going against Pete Hudgins, who was one of the quickest thinking, tactical fighters to ever enter the coliseum walls. He was a new fighter on the scene and had sort of lucked his way into the final elimination round. Heath advised me not to put my bets on Pete Hudgins. Although, an underdog winning would make for a good fight.

The seats Theo secured were front and center. As the two competitors came out to face one another, their stench quickly wafted over the stands, putridly. My eyes were locked on the ginormous silver wolf whose coat was almost like liquid mercury. Even with the thick hair, the wolf's muscles persuaded out; from Heath's earlier descriptions, I knew it had to be Alpha Manny.

In the opposite corner was — presumably — Pete Hudgins. He was significantly smaller. While his coat was grey, a similar hue to his competitor, it dulled in comparison to Manny's. Not only did Manny's form look more well suited for fighting, but it also seemed like Manny took care of his body in a way Pete did not, or in a way Pete could not.

"Alpha Manny vs warrior Pete Hudgins," an announcer's voice boomed while the two competitors started snarling at each other, feet rearing in preparation. Tiny clouds of dirt puffed up at their feet. "Both from the Mid-Atlantic pack. Alpha vs warrior. Master vs apprentice."

Before the competitors started ripping each other to shreds, I turned towards Theo who was seated beside me with Mina on my other side. Max was lingering behind and Heath and Flynn were seated to Theo's side. "Have you ever entered this competition?"

Heath laughed and answered for Theo. "No one would stand a chance if Alpha Theo entered the ring."

Upon saying this, some of the people around us roared in agreement, their supernatural hearing coming in handy. Theo just shrugged his shoulders and smiled, his eyes cast towards the two wolves who were about to fight.