Dark of the Moon

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Challenge

Eliza took a deep breath as she watched Sergio prepare to fight her brother, she couldn't bring herself to look at him and she had a feeling that this fight wasn’t going to end well no matter who won.

The blonde was wearing a turquoise lounge alize embellished tulip midi dress paired with white metal ankle strap heeled sandals for the challenge while her husband wore nothing but a pair of shorts.

“Be careful,” Eliza said softly as she offered Sergio a weak smile as Iker stood by her side, she knew what would happen if something went wrong in this fight and she couldn't bear the thought of being a single parent to their children.

Sergio nodded his head before he walked into the centre of the ceremonial circle; he stared at Evan who didn't seem pleased that his sister hadn't come around to offer him any words of luck for the battle.

“You are both aware of the rules of this challenge?” Monk Gilbert said from where he stood on the outside of the circle, he eyed the weapons that the two werewolves would use for their battle; he swallowed knowing that Sergio wouldn’t take Evan’s life, but Evan wouldn’t extended the same courtesy to the older werewolf.

“Then let the challenge begin,” Monk Gilbert said as he moved to stand next to his assistant, he sighed knowing that this wasn’t going to be as the other challenges that he over saw.

Evan lifted his poleaxe and charged at Sergio, he grabbed it with two hands and swung the sharp end at Sergio; who blocked it with his own poleaxe before he pushed Evan’s weapon away from him and nicked the younger werewolf in the upper arm.

Charging at Evan, Sergio swiped out with his weapon forcing the younger werewolf to block and leaving him open for Sergio to use the blunt end to hit Evan in the stomach, which caused the younger werewolf to step backwards but he didn't fall to the ground.

“You can’t do better than that old man?” Evan teased as he smirked and reached out with his poleaxe, he swung it hard and hit Sergio on the thigh making him hiss at the pain that it caused.

Using the poleaxe as a pole, Sergio swiftly moved forward and used the poleaxe to push away from the ground, using her feet as a weapon, hitting Evan square in the stomach, this time causing the younger werewolf to fall to the ground.

“Was that any better pup?” Sergio snapped swishing the weapon in front of him, forcing Evan to crawl backward and try to get away before his head was sliced off; he couldn't believe that the younger werewolf thought that he stood a chance.

***

Nearly forty-five minutes later and both werewolves were both still fighting one another, both almost getting the upper hand but then somehow the other found an opening and put the attack at bay.

They were both covered in cuts and bruises, something that seemed to worry Eliza since Sergio had two wounds that were bigger than the others; one bloodied cut on his temple, which the blunt end of Evan’s poleaxe had caused and the other was on the upper part of her stomach, under the left chest; an outburst from Evan, who tried to cut his heart out since he had thought that this would be easier.

Meanwhile Evan had a long cut on his upper right thigh and a large bruise on his lower back, repayments for the wounds that he had caused Sergio; he wanted this to end soon so that he could claim back his sister so she didn't have to live under a lie anymore.

Lifting his poleaxe to execute a swing, Evan found himself face to face with the older werewolf, who had somehow gotten closer in a blink of an eye; Sergio used this as an opportunity to end the fight before it got worse.

As Evan lifted his poleaxe, he moved his eyes for a brief moment to the tip of his weapon, seeing it aligning perfectly so that he could possibly use this move to end the fight in his favour.

Knocking the poleaxe from Evan’s hands, Sergio used the blunt end to push him in the stomach, causing the younger werewolf to fall down on the ground stunned at what was happening.

As Evan reached his hand out to get his poleaxe, Sergio swiftly brought his poleaxe’s blunt end down hard and it connected with Evan’s hand causing a sickening crush that even had Eliza flinching as her brother cried out in pain.

Sergio licked his lips as he raised his poleaxe slowly and put the sharp end against Evan’s neck and pressed down lightly, he had sworn that he wouldn’t kill his brother-in-law unless he had no other choice.

“You are unable to defend yourself, do you yield?” Sergio asked breathlessly as he realised that this could be the end of the fight, he was showing the younger werewolf compassion even if Evan didn't deserve it right now for what he was putting Eliza through.

The younger werewolf glared up at the older werewolf as he realised that the fight was over, there was no way that he could continuing fighting; he nodded his head making Sergio sigh in relief before he looked at Monk Gilbert.

“Copas yields, I will show him compassion and not end his life early,” Sergio said making Eliza close her eyes in relief, she had been feeling sick since the fight started and had been praying that she wouldn’t lose her husband.

“Then the challenge over and I proclaim that Lord Ramos is the winner,” Monk Gilbert said as he nodded at the werewolf who lowered his weapon, he couldn't believe that the challenge had ended without anyone dying.

Evan watched bitterly as the older werewolf dropped his weapon to the ground before he walked away from him, he couldn't believe that he had failed his sister by not winning the challenge.

Reaching for the poleaxe that Sergio had dropped to the floor, Evan picked it up with his good hand and pushed himself for his feet; he didn't care what happened to him but he had to do this for his sister.

The sound of noise behind Sergio caused him to turn slightly before he felt the poleaxe slash through his left side, just underneath his heart opening up a three inch gash into his human form.

Feeling the sudden pain, Sergio moved his right hand to his wound, trying to stop the blood gushing out of him; he could see people rushing forward to restrain Evan as his vision went blurring as he sank heavily down onto his knees.

He could hear Eliza’s panicked cry of his name as she rushed to his side and tried to help stop the bleeding before the world went dark.

“Don’t leave me,” Eliza begged as Monk Gilbert and his assistant, Mansel, started to work to stem the flow of blood before Iker pulled her from her husband’s body; she struggled against him for a moment until her eyes rested on her brother.

“I will never forgive you for this,” Eliza spat hatefully as she allowed Iker to lead her into the house, Evan stared shocked at his sister’s words; he had done this for her and only now did he see that this could have cost him, his sister anyway.

Standing numbly as he watched Sergio’s unconscious form being moved into the house, Evan realised that all he had done was push his sister further away.