Terra (The Vulgari Hybrids, #1) ✔

19|Certare|

| Lia |

"Welcome to the first monthly Certare!"

The voices of the crowd boomed throughout the whole arena. The flame intensified and the center stage floated about ten feet from the ground. There were two rules for the duel to stop: Admit Defeat or Fall.

"Cross! Cross!"

"Woods! Woods!"

The jumbotron centered on Damek Cross. He was a burly guy who seemed to have overdosed on steroids. His opponent, Oberon Woods, was his total opposite, thin and lanky, with long brown straight hair on his back, and was standing proudly with a cold smug look on his face. Damek Cross was the Goliath in this fight but Oberon Woods didn't seem to mind.

Damek Cross lunged, his fist fully concentrated with mana, and was aiming for Oberon's jaw, but Oberon disappeared from his spot, only to materialize at Damek's back. It was all a matter of seconds, Oberon had his hand on Damek's lower back, his hand glowed for a moment, then suddenly Damek was flying out of the circular ring.

The audience went wild.

"O-be-ron! O-be-ron!" they chanted. Oberon Woods of Sagittarius won in just a snap of a finger.

I didn't realize that I was already standing up, appalled at how swift the match was. The thunderous cheer of his guildmates was overwhelming. He grinned and bowed with finesse.

"Well, that was disappointing," the Ilwani host commented. He announced Oberon Woods as the winner then called for the next fight.

Lucinda Mallum of Leo and Yasmine Cane of Aquarius were circling each other, assessing and taunting, trying to take a feel of each other's weaknesses. Both of them had their guild marks painted on a part of their body, Lucinda on her whole right cheek, Yasmine at her exposed back.

I sat at the edge of my seat, a grin slowly appearing on my face. The excitement of the Vulgari around me was clearly affecting me. I felt my pulse quicken when Lucinda began her attack, with grace like that of an assassin's she slashed both of her swords in swift accurate motions, Yasmine blocking her attacks with her long golden metallic spear.

Lucinda kept on attacking while Yasmine remained on the defensive. The fight had taken them dangerously close to the edge of the arena, the latter quickly looked down at the fall that was awaiting her. Lucinda sneered and appeared to be saying something to Yasmine. Yasmine, however, took the chance of Lucinda's distraction, to deliver a tenacious punch to Lucinda's solar plexus, taking the breath out of the sword woman, and sending her back to the center of the arena.

With the speed of a panther, Yasmine leaped to Lucinda, her spear posed to impale her opponent's guts. But Lucinda parried with one of her swords only that the mana surrounding the spear was too much for her that her sword was successfully dispatched out of the arena, nearly injuring one of the audience. Lucinda grunted and huffed. She jumped backward as to prepare for another attack. This time, it was Yasmine's turn to smirk.

Yasmine spun her spear above her head in a rapid and intricate manner, taunting Lucinda. From there on, their movements were a blur, a complex dance, in which both of them weaved their weapons in breakneck precision. Lucinda breached the fluid exchange, landing a solid gash on Yasmine's left arm.

A collective wince was heard from the audience. Blood gushed out of Yasmine's arm. She ripped the bottom of her shirt and wrapped her arm promptly. Her exposed midriff created cheers of approval from the male crowd.

They went again, faster, and agiler this time. It was breathtaking to watch, two proud fighters never succumbing to defeat. The crowd was on their feet, gaping at the spirit of the two, gaining their resounding respect. Yasmine fell on the ground with Lucinda pointing her sword at Yasmine's heart. Yasmine closed her eyes and nodded, admitting defeat.