Open Wagers • Ep.2 - 5

Part V of VIII - Castillo del Rey

Back at the room, Kinney and the rest save their bottled-up excitement until they are out of earshot of the other teams. Once the door shuts, they trade wide-eyed looks to each other as their smiles begin to unwrap like a present.

“Ho.ly.shit,” Kinney breaks up her words deliberately. “Guys, I think we’re making day four.”

“Don’t,” Hutch interjects while holding his smile, “you’ll put a curse on us with that sorta talk.”

Kinney looks at Janus, holding a regal composure, then at Alex who looks like she wants to, no, needs to tackle something and then at Micah. His smile means the most because it is almost never present in moments like this.

“Still, she wouldn’t be wrong,” Micah says. “Normally, a score like ours puts us in first. Second day, it’s more stringent. Five obstacles, 10 points per clear per person. Time bonus for being under the five-minute mark.”

Janus makes sure to add, “That being stated, a mistake could cost us and nothing is ever guaranteed out there.”

“Get your stick out of the mud, bud,” Kinney playfully nudges him. “We grew up climbing and leaping, crawling and hanging. No matter who gets drawn, think about it, we’re over 30 points from the team behind us. Over 40 from the ones behind them.” Kinney lets her eyebrows go up in a fill-in-the-blank expression.

Micah can be seen running the numbers in his eyes. “Even if we scratched both on the first obstacle, every team in the next 25 would have to score perfect for us to be in trouble. Then the third day…”

The group lets out a collective sigh.

“Anything can happen in that ring,” Janus admits.

The energy shift as Kinney tries to bring it back. “But we are all capable. We need to pass tomorrow, and I think that the third day will work out.”

Everyone gives a reluctant but not a defeated nod. Then there’s Hutch.

“I hope we don’t get paired with any of those Ravi kids.”

As results filtered in, three teams withdrew before the Day Two draw.

One scored a 15 and bowed out.

One boy took a meteor hammer to the eye—orbital shattered.

A girl inhaled her blow dart. It lodged in her airway. The event left her in a state of panic and without her participation her town had to withdraw.

Of the seventy-nine teams remaining, Day Two was drawn and both Janus and Alex were chosen as the male and female champions. Neither looked thrilled since it was clear both of them had their eyes set on the combat of Day Three.

The obstacles included an area of balance, an area of arm strength, one of tactical approach, one of all three and a final run up a curved wall. No one ever knew why the curved wall was relevant since scaling any kind of wall in the real world was simply the regular kind.

Janus breezed through his obstacles as if he designed them himself. He didn’t achieve another course record, nor did any other champion, but he did get the fastest time for the men at 4:17. Alex made her way through all the courses but struggled on the wall portion. After two attempts, she had one last try. She made it up and clocked in at 5:21. Thus giving Herida a score of 122.

At the end of Day Two, Herida’s champions came in first place and took the lead overall. The next closest team was Suravi 13, and their proximity on just the leaderboard gave Kinney a lump in her throat.

That afternoon before the dusk of night crept forward, the drawing for the following day was held. The delegate from the Azure Barony stepped forward with some figure from Qiriacus itself to draw for which gender would battle on Day Three. In a dark leather satchel, two smooth stones were dropped. One the color of shadow and the other the color of snow.

Kinney hoped the dark would be drawn. Out of all the competitions, she was not wanting to step into the ring with anyone. Her battles were usually won in her mind or at least at a distance.

The regal hand pulled out from the bag and Kinney looked up at the large screens above to see what color of fate was in store.

Dark.

She exhaled the breath she wasn’t aware she held. One of the boys would be going into the cage, the question was which one. And the thought beneath that was the elated notion that no matter what, her gambling brain was betting on a Day Four entrance.

The random tumbler only contained two steel balls: one etched with a IV and the other a V. Between the two, Kinney would rather see Micah go on simply because his brain is designed for things other than combat. If she could set this up, Hutch would draw tomorrow, Micah for Day Four and she would get the Casus Umbrae. And as that all seemed far too plausible, her mouth suddenly went dry.

“Five” Pentarch Marin’s exclamation comes from speakers around the arena.

Hutch will be going on as Herida’s champion in combat.

At the dorm, Kinney starts off things by simply holding her hands out, palms up. The smiles resurface on each and every one of their faces.

“Okay,” Janus reluctantly smiles, “I think we’re going on to Day Four.”

Alex lets out her feelings by tackling Hutch back onto the sofa. “Sorry,” she suddenly realizes, “watch me break something of yours the day before.”

Hutch smiles, but it’s different this time. And Kinney thinks only she and Alex truly know what that smile signifies.

Alex hops off and extends a hand to help Hutch up.

“Hutch is good,” Micah admits, “if he provides patient defense, and gets a round under him, I think we’re bound for Day Four.”

“And think, the Suravi teams, even if they win, they’ll withdraw the next day. That’s like two free spots. We just have to do better than twenty-two other teams out there overall.” Janus can’t help but think of the possibilities he has unfolding before him. He wanted to join into the military like all of them. It was the easiest pathway to citizenship. But his secret wish was to become an officer and one day a Sentry within the inner city of Qiriacus.

Kinney of course wanted to become a marksman. Alex wanted to get away from Herida so she didn’t fall into the trap of becoming a wife then mother then watching her children do what she always dreamed, which was simply seeing the entirety of the Republic. Hutch never seemed to land on what he wanted, he was always focused on the moment.

The next day, Hutch was awake before anyone else. He was outside sitting in one of the chairs watching the sun rise. For once, he was calm. No reason. No explanation. Just something about the sun coming up and his role today made him feel at ease.

Alex found him and brought him a steaming cup of coffee.

“Interested?” she asked. “We won’t get coffee when we go back home and I don’t think I can squander anymore in my bag without someone thinking we have a drinking problem.”

Hutch smiled, that same smile he gave her yesterday. Only this time, no one was watching. No one but her.

“Don’t,” she almost whispers.

“Don’t what?” Hutch asks.

Alex doesn’t explain and her look affirms what they both know. They can’t start something. Not today and not here. The small smile she tries to hide from him gives him an answer. Later.

“Any takers on who I’ll be stuck in that ring with?”

Alex’s smile fades. She wants to crack a joke except nothing feels funny. It feels too heavy for that for some reason. She simply shakes her head. She hands over the cup and Hutch takes it, his finger brushing against hers and she doesn’t let go of the cup. She tries to hold the moment still. Let it stay theirs for a moment longer without making it more than they need it to while they’re at this place.

Hutch smiles and gently says to Alex but also to nothing particular, “Later.”

As the morning draws out, the team gets ready. They limber up with Hutch, make sure his reflexes are dialing in and that his head is ready to get into the ring.

Combat day is simple—two fighters, one ring. Win by knockout, ref stoppage, or submission. No low blows, no eye gouging, no strikes to a downed opponent. Three rounds. If there’s no finish, judges decide.

The top twenty combined scores go on to Day Four.

As teams enter the arena, large brackets are set up with town numbers paired. As Kinney scans the board, she notices two things almost at the same time. First is that Hutch is paired up against a kid from Forest Pass. The second was that for possibly the first time, both of the Suravi cohorts are facing off against each other.

“Well, that is going to be an interesting match,” Micah says while tapping at the board.

“Has there ever been a match-up between them in combat?” Janus asks aloud.

“Not that I’ve ever heard,” Alex admits.

Kinney looks back at Hutch who isn’t even paying attention. A sudden look of unease weighing on his features. Kinney gives him a firm hand on his shoulder, “You got this, Hutch. Forest Pass might be big, but that isn’t a definite win. Not in there and not with you on the other side of him.”

Hutch gives a little smirk, but it lacks conviction.

Alex appears at his side. “That guy is going to want to throw at you and he’s going to be prepared for you to try and go for his legs. Just do something out of the ordinary that he wouldn’t guess.”

Hutch’s smile widens. “Quit?”

Alex playfully slaps the back of her hand against his chest. “Try win.”

Micah starts to scoff but hides it with a cough and clearing his throat.

Alex gives a very steady, almost pointed stare at Micah who begins to think of an apology.

“I’m going to let him try to hit me,” Hutch breaks through.

“Uhhh,” Alex begins.

“Bud, I don’t think that is the best strategy,” Kinney pipes up. “You have no clue how fast he throws or if he’ll even take a swing before picking you up tossing you like ball.”

“No,” Janus makes the moment his, “he knows what he’s doing.” And with that, he smiles and starts walking inside.

Hutch follows and the other three are left there looking dumb founded.

Hutch’s match is in two hours. Which allows their team the ability to take in the Suravi match starting in twenty minutes.

And by the crowd that has gathered around the designated ring, most people are there for it as well. The first match was just getting over as the two combatants are at the center of the ring with an announcer proclaiming the winner from Kettle’s End winning by a tap out. Kinney would take note of the 80 points that just went to a team that was in the middle, knocking a higher team down just below their total score.

As they are ushered off, the Suravi cohorts enter and get announced. The boy from 13 had his wrap on going up his shins and around his body and down his forearms. His opponent in exactly the same attire enters behind him, the only difference is the red and the blue sash around their waists.

Electricity seemed to pulse through the crowd awaiting the beginning of what would be a historic fight. Most of the crowd were already screaming for blood and wanting to see two fighters that normally win every year in every match go out with one losing for certain.

From within the mass of onlookers, Kinney could tell somehow that the boy from 13 could sense where she was at. And if by thought alone, his eyes left his opponent and turned ever so slightly and found hers. Something dropped out from inside her like a trap door opened beneath her feet and she was suspended momentarily before plummeting.

With his eyes on hers, she already knew what was going to happen. And if she saw that look beforehand, she would place a bet that would piss off every bookie she could. And soon, everyone would know it.

As the referee asked both fighters if they were ready, he clapped his hands together followed by, “Fight!”

Then, each Suravi knelt down as if preparing to pray and in unison tapped the ring’s mat three times signaling a forfeit. But both did so. They both lost. When given the option to fight each other, they refused and the let the whole Republic know.

After the boos and hisses subsided, they simply left the ring and with it, zero points to each, dropping them far from their ranking to a place where possibly withdrawing like they normally would after the third day would not be necessary.

When Herida’s champions were called to the ring, Hutch led the way. His entrance was neither timid nor reluctant. The boy from Forest Path, who looked more like a man who worked heavy labor the last ten years of his life, entered he sported a scowl that could only mean he wanted to make an example of Hutch.

Once they were announced, Kinney heard Alex inhale sharply and hold it. Taking her hand and placing it on top of Alex’s, Kinney tried to let her know it would be okay.

What the team couldn’t see while standing behind Hutch in his corner was when he was eyeing his opponent, he gave the boy a wink and a blew a little kiss. Such things in that town were not taken lightly and one could see the blood nearly boiling. The ref barely got the phrase out asking if they were ready before the kid started charging at Hutch.

And as promised, Hutch leaned forward, chin out, asking for his best shot.

The meaty arm of Hutch’s opponent went back and arched through the air. It was fast and coming right for Hutch’s ear. In one second, this match was about to be over.

Then, Hutch moved with speed previously unseen. His head ducked down and away as the punch missed the mark and careened the boy off center. As Hutch spun out of the way, he managed to slip behind his adversary and with one arm reaching around, he managed to reach below the chin. The boy tried to get his footing to throw Hutch off him, but by the time he could Hutch’s other arm was clamping in a chokehold as his legs were wrapping around the boy’s body.

The constriction of Hutch’s forearm across the throat was less about the breathing and more about the blood flow going to the boy’s head. With all of his might, Hutch clamped his arms together and squeezed with everything his had in him. They fell to the mat together, the boy trying to peel Hutch’s arm away. His biceps burned. If this didn’t work, he was done.

It was at that point that the ref was tapping his arm and grabbing him to let go. The boy didn’t tap; he passed clean out. And as Hutch released, the boy’s head bounced a little in such a sickening way that Hutch felt bad for him.

A bell rang somewhere signifying that the match was over. Hutch could see his corner jumping up with such surprising elation, he almost couldn’t believe it himself. Kinney was grinning and shouting and hollering, then she was waving and her smile looked more like distress.

The mat rumbled— then impact. Something slammed into his back and launched him forward. One of the boy’s teammates had jumped into the ring and ran up behind him and stomp kicked him right in the middle of his back.

Someone rolled Hutch over. He wasn’t sure if he was awake or not. His eyes were open, but his body felt asleep. Little pins and needles started tingling in his fingertips up to his elbows and faces of people were circling above him like birds. Some he recognized, some he didn’t. Alex was being held by Janus as she was trying to go after the other boy who kicked him.

Everything was loud, the screams, the crowd, his team, the blood pumping in his ears. And above it all, a murmur of someone telling him to stay still. Kinney. She was there and sad, and Hutch wasn’t sure why.

He let his mind start to focus and began looking higher than Kinney, higher than the peripheral of the arena. He saw clouds forming in puffs and wisps in the cerulean blue. And at that, he chuckled.

“When,” Hutch tries to speak but his mouth feels thick. He swallows the taste of metal, and a flicker of fear follows it down. “When was the last time you enjoyed a cloud?”

Kinney looked up, then closed her eyes and tears traced salty tracks down her face.

12 de Juno, 140 P.E. - Dawn of the Hyena Era

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