Different

Chapter 14

I blink in an effort to clear my vision and focus on Charles when he snaps his fingers near my face. He's saying something, but there's nothing but ringing in my ears until moments later I hear the dull snap of his fingers and his muffled voice saying my name.

I lift my hand up, I can almost feel my fingertips.

"Ilsa, can you hear me?" His voice is back to full volume.

"Mhm." I look at him.

"Very good," He grabs my arm. "Easy," He warns as I try to sit up by myself. "You knocked yourself back quite a bit there, what happened?" He asks as I notice I'm several metres from where I had been standing.

"Too much power."

"But the good news is you hit a target," Alex calls from the other end of the bunker. He holds up the target on the left where several large burn marks cover it, some of them still smouldering.

"I appreciate your optimism, Alex." Charles comments. "How're you feeling?" He asks me.

"Sore." Every muscle in my body aches.

"Alright, let's get you some water too. Well done. Let's take a breather, and see how you're feeling in a couple of hours, yes?"

. . .

I'm knocked to the ground and roll a few feet before my back bumps against the cage. The crowd cheers for my opponent, a mutant over six feet tall with muscles almost the size of my head. He resembles a bull with his nose and the curved horns on his head. A thick beard stretches down and his neck and across his shoulders and hunched back. His nails are talons.

My shield is in splinters and my dagger is lying near the other side of the arena, which is about 15 feet wide, and in the same line of view is Aston, who watches with a disapproving look on his face.

"Get up!" A man from the crowd shouts over the cheering. "Get up!"

I look up at my opponent who slowly advances towards me while I catch my breath and spit out the taste of blood. I push myself up to my feet and pull off my leather belt. Some of the crowd laugh as this is my only weapon within reach but I ignore them as I stare down my opponent. With only a few weeks in the ring, I've only won a few fights, and he's my biggest opponent, but Aston isn't happy I'm losing. He's betting on everyone to think I'll lose, not prove them right. If I lose this one, I'm dead either way - I'll be subjected to more torture, or my opponent, known by his ring name the Bull, will kill me.

As soon as he's close enough, I notice his right fist tighten and just as he swings I duck underneath and whip my belt around his neck. I grab the other end of the belt and hoist myself up on his back. I twist the belt and pull back as hard as I can, tightening the leather against his neck. He stumbles and clutches at my noose, turns and slams us into the cage. I maintain my grip and keep pulling back, he reaches up to grab me and I plant my feet on his shoulders to stand up as much as the belt will let me in order to get out of his grasp. He thrashes and slams us into the cage again, grabs hold of my legs, and throws me over.

I land on my back, the belt still in my hand, and roll out of the way just in time to avoid his foot when he stomps down at me. I get to my feet and before I get a good footing he charges and I leap out of the way. He crashes into the cage and I lunge and wrap the belt around his neck again, pulling him closer to the ground. He thrashes and throws me off. In my frustration I feel lightning surging up from inside, but I do my best to ignore it and whip the belt at him. As soon as it smacks his arm a thin, yet bright bolt of lightning travels down the leather and slams into his shoulder.

The crowd falls silent when he lands with a thud.

"Five!" The referee yells from the other side of the cage.

The crowd starts booing and shouts for Bull to get up.

"Four!"

The referee counts down, entering the cage, and Bull still doesn't move, parts of his shoulder and chest smoking with the burn.

When he reaches zero, he shouts victory and holds up my arm while most of the crowd yells and boos. I look up and find Aston, who looks on with an approving smile.