Iron Heart (The Gauntlet #2)

Chapter 20 - Amaze Me

It was Codi's first look at the fighters from Firequake Academy and she had to admit, they were an intimidating group. The plates of their exoskeletons were coloured a deep, gore red above the black fibre weave. Jagged, random slashes of steely grey dotted their armour giving them a battle-scarred look. And if that wasn't enough, every single one of them had the permanent expression of a hungry predator.

What the fighters from Firequake lacked in technique they made up for with ferocity. While they didn't always win, they were guaranteed to cause havoc in the arena. It came from a martial pride in their home world, from living on a blazing furnace that filled the rest of human civilisation with dread and respect in equal measure. Their fans packed out the main stands in a shrieking storm of feral energy that sent shudders up her spine.

Tearing her attention away from her opponents, Codi turned to face her companions. Her gaze settled on the newest member of Battlecast's Capture-the-Flag contingent.

Leela had a beaming smile plastered across her face, as though she'd been waiting her whole life for this moment. She stood out from the rest of the group, being shorter and of a slighter build, but she still bore the cyan and blue of Battlecast.

Many people, particularly Gareth, had been shocked at her surviving the penultimate round of cuts. Codi, on the other hand, was glad to have her. That being said, she also had a sneaking suspicion that only the team's failure to perform thus far had provided a stay of execution for Leela's Gauntlet career.

The decision had been made after the Mars tournament to switch the line-up following another lukewarm performance. They'd ditched Prissa Alder and frankly Codi was happy to see her go – another entitled, snippy teenager who, while being a solid one on one fighter, was thoroughly un-likable. Her replacement brought them a desperately needed injection of speed.

Clever tactics had now been thrown out the window. Their new roster had only one plan: get the flag to Leela, by any means necessary. Right now, Codi didn't care why Leela had made the cut. They needed something special.

She glanced back over to the Firequake team who were deep in conversation and her eyes locked onto the boy who was giving the orders. He was a grim-faced, lean individual with a shaven head. The tattoo of a sword was emblazoned on his forehead in oil-black ink, with the blade pointing down and ending at the top of his nose. All tolled, he was a mean-looking customer. She watched as he pointed to different members of the Battlecast group, giving out orders that she couldn't hear. He caught her eye and his gaze lingered for a moment – a stare as intense as the world he lived in.

"They're going to come out swinging," Codi declared. "It's how they work. Gareth and I will run attack. Ripple, you and Cardle hang back – delay them as much as you can."

"And me?" Leela piped up. Codi exchanged a knowing look with Gareth before replying.

"You?" She grinned. "You just get behind us and we'll clear you a path. Once you get a window, do what you do best."

She nodded. "I won't let you down."

"Okay," Codi said as they took up their starting positions in front of their flag. "We all know the plan. Just focus up and get it done."

They set up in a plough shape, with Codi and Gareth out in front, flanked by Ripple and Cardle hanging slightly further back on either side. In the middle Leela waited. Opposite them, across the canyon-like dip that formed the main playing field, the Firequake fighters formed up in a single line, the tattooed leader in the centre.

Codi readied herself to spring as the roar of the crowds swelled. The timer on the display screens scattered around the arena boomed down from five, a countdown to mayhem. Adrenaline flooded through her and she fastened her eyes on the grim-faced figure of Firequake's leader. He was her target.