Chapter 270 – Cuts

Day 36

“Another day, another fight,” Yuki sighed as she tossed the towel she used to dry her hair into a basket.

She walked out of the bathhouse into the busy lounge where the fighters were mulling about, some watching the current match or talking with one another. Most, however, kept to themselves and sat quietly even if someone was right beside them.

Yuki found Jesse and the couple sitting in what had seemed to have now become their reserved seats. For the past couple of days, Yuki could always count on going there to find Alex and Karie. Jesse soon followed once she seemed to also catch onto the pattern. If none of them were there, Yuki knew they would be in the baths.

“Good fight,” Jesse said to her when she sat down. 

“Thanks. That makes it twelve,” Yuki replied. “I heard that matchups get tougher after twelve.”

“Then you heard right,” Jesse nodded. “I felt it first hand. The jump is insane. It goes from him setting you up with people he’s confident you can beat to people he believes might beat you.”

“It’s usually why people can’t make it past the teens,” Alex added. “Matchups get too difficult and then they lose their streak.”

“Do they stay the same after the streak ends?” Yuki asked. Alex frowned and Yuki clarified her question. “The matchups. Do they stay at the same difficulty?”

“Well, depends, I think, on whether or not the Fiddler wants you gone.”

“More like how much entertainment he could squeeze out of you,” Jesse said. Yuki agreed with that sentiment.

“But, yeah. It all depends,” Alex finished.

‘Then I might be fine if I lose. Not that I should lose,’ Yuki thought. ‘But, if I do, the Fiddler wouldn’t want to get rid of me so quickly. Right?’

“I worry about this later then,” she said out loud. “I’ll just focus on winning.”

“That’s the right mindset,” Jesse said with a nod. 

The three began to converse with one another as Yuki fell quiet and turned her attention towards the arena. She watched the battle that was taking place on that dirt ground, two fighters clashing against one another as they fought for the chance to live another day. 

‘I can understand why the crowd is complacent with watching these battles,’ Yuki thought. ‘It’s all fun and games for them.’

When she was away from the pressure and panic of the field, it was almost enjoyable to watch. But she wasn’t an audience member. All of this was very real to her. Right now, it was her life. 

So she watched, taking in every move the two combatants made. They were people she had observed before, but the conversation Jesse and the two were having wasn’t something Yuki had much to add to. Her eyes remained glued onto the battle until one fighter prevailed.

‘What time is it?’ she thought as the Fiddler did his normal routine. ‘How many fights are there left?’

She felt someone grab her arm tightly and looked over. The hand belonged to Jesse who was frowning. Yuki grew worried immediately. Jesse never looked like this before.

“What’s wrong?” Yuki asked, her voice low. 

“I’m. Up next,” she replied, her voice troubled. “But it’s not my day.

“Are you sure?” Yuki asked. She knew the answer to that question long before Jesse said anything. This wasn’t something she would mistake. 

“Yes. Why though?” she said. She looked at the arena, her frown still there. “Why am I being pulled out?”

“Maybe he wants you to clean someone up?” Yuki suggested. “You might be the perfect person to fight someone in particular.”

“No. My skill set isn’t that specialized for that,” Jesse said, shaking her head. 

Yuki reached out and gripped her hand, squeezing it. 

“Just do your best. Survive,” Yuki said, forcing a smile. Jesse gave her a hesitant one back. 

“I will,” she said.

Without another thought, Yuki gave her a quick hug, Jesse squeezing her back in kind. Then she disappeared, dragged away by the Fiddler’s magic, and appeared in the arena.

“I hope she’s fine,” Alex whispered.

“Me too,” Karie said. Yuki only nodded.

She looked to the other side of the arena to find Jesse’s opponent. Her heart sank as she leaped to her feet and stepped closer to the glass divider. Her opponent was Ghost.

‘He’s not supposed to fight today either,’ Yuki thought, her stomach knotting. ‘Why? Why is the Fiddler doing this?’

Jesse seemed to notice her opponent as well. Her face paled and her head looked around frantically until she locked onto Yuki. Yuki pressed her lips together as she read the look on Jesse’s face. That amount of panic was something she had ever seen from her before. 

Yuki put a hand out, trying to get Jesse to calm down. If she fought while panicked, this would turn out horrible for her.

‘Not like it wouldn’t anyway,’ a voice said in her mind. She pushed it aside. That wasn’t something she wanted to hear right now.

‘You can surrender, right?’ Yuki thought. ‘She’s on a streak. She can suffer a loss and be fine. She knows that. She knows that.’

The Fiddler began the introductions, his cheerful voice grating to Yuki’s ears. She wished he could just shut up and let the battle go. The faster Jesse could get out of there, the better. 

Then the battle started. Jesse put a hand out, her jaw set, as a spear was formed out of thin air. This round gave no weapons. Ghost walked forward with nothing in hand. Jesse aimed her spear and gave it a powerful thrust, a blast of energy shooting out from the blade towards Ghost. But, like with every person who fought him, the attack went right through him.

‘What is she doing? Is she trying to act like she’s fighting?’ Yuki thought. ‘Something might happen to her though the longer this goes.’

That seemed to be what she was doing. She skirted around Ghost, giving him halfhearted thrusts and cuts that phased through his body. The whole time, Ghost watched her with bored eyes. 

After a few minutes had passed, Jesse distanced herself and dropped her spear, the weapon dissolving into the wind. She looked up at the box where the Fiddler stood watching and spoke. Yuki couldn’t hear what she said, but from her lips, it looked like she was forfeiting the match. 

‘Good,’ Yuki thought with a sigh of relief. 

But nothing happened. Jesse stayed in the arena as Ghost watched her with a curious expression. Jesse frowned, anger setting on her face as she began yelling at the Fiddler. The Fiddler must have said something to her personally since she quieted and only glared at the man. 

‘Why isn’t the Fiddler letting her out?’ A sinking feeling spread in Yuki’s stomach as a suspicion arose. 

The fight continued. Jesse resummoned her spear and charged at Ghost, a grim look set on her face. She knew that she had no way to win. Ghost would determine how long this battle lasted. The Fiddler would determine how the battle would end.

Yuki could only watch as Jesse fought in vain, every attack going right through the man made of only air. To see Jesse like this made Yuki sick, but she continued to look on and hold hope that she would be fine. Or, at least, better than how all of Ghost’s previous opponents fared. 

Jesse’s energy ran out within a few minutes. Maintaining her spear while attacking all out took a lot out of her. She stopped in front of Ghost and yelled at him, her face defiant. She was telling him to finish the round. 

Ghost looked up at the box where the Fiddler was standing then shrugged at whatever the Fiddler said to or motioned to him. Then he raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Jesse’s muscles spasmed as she fell to the ground, her limbs locked and her body paralyzed. 

Yuki waited for the Fiddler to announce the end of the match, but it never came. At that moment, she knew why Jesse was brought out to fight. The Fiddler wanted her dead. 

She ran up to the glass, slamming her hands against the barrier between her and the person that she called her friend. She watched as Ghost lifted his hand above his head, a sword of wind forming in his palm. She punched the glass, wishing she could break it. Wishing she could do something. But she was powerless here. 

All she could do was watch as the sword was brought down. 

And right before the blade touched Jesse, she locked eyes onto Yuki one last time and smiled a sad smile. She mouthed one word. Sorry.

That blade cut more than one person that day.

FriendlyDragon